Once again we offer our grateful thanks to Paul and Chrissie Riches for their continuing hard work in looking after the church garden.
In an update on the state of the garden now, Chrissie says:
New flowers are appearing every day at the moment. Parishioners, if they’re able to, may wish to have a look after Sunday masses in the next few weeks. We will leave the side gate open after 8 o'clock mass. Chris Croker kindly closes it again for us after 10 o clock mass has finished. Today there were several pollinators, butterflies and bees about in there too
We have planted lots of annuals and some new perennials in the more formal beds too which should be good going forward into summer. Hopefully the weather will be kind and not quite as hot as last year!
We are in the process of re-planting the tubs outside church but need to get some more compost and a few more plants. Watering these will soon become a every other day job for us which is fine. We have moved the watering cans into the kitchen in the guild room as requested to move them out of the porch area.
Unfortunately the our lady statue rose has been devastated by an aphid attack this year. This has caused most of the leaves to fall and affected its flowering badly. We have sprayed what we could but it’s looking very sad at the moment. Such a shame it was beautiful last year.
We have regular visits to the garden from a variety of small and larger birds. This week we saw long tailed tits, goldfinches and a friendly robin and blackbird. The new feeders with guards are allowing the small birds to get a chance as well as the pigeons, magpies and jackdaws of course. We try to continue the ethos Fr. Paul Spellman used in respect of the birds, in that everyone is welcome without exception. I might rescind that invitation to the aphids, however, if that’s allowed!!
We have moved the bench our neighbour donated to us last year for the church from the side (memorial garden) round to the patio outside the garden room as we thought it might get better used there.
If you have an interest in gardening and would like to get involved in the maintenance of the church grounds, we would love to hear from you! Please use the contact form to get in touch.
The June edition of Catholic East Anglia, the free Diocesan newspaper is out now, please take a copy from the church porch.
The edition includes a report on 1,000 pilgrims on the Diocesan pilgrimage to Walsingham, a Papal blessing for Julian of Norwich and Bishop Peter’s reflections on the coronation of King Charles III.
Also included is a report on fun and faith-packed Ignite Youth Festival and a Papal honour for a Norwich parishioner.
The newspaper is also available to read on-line - click the image left to do so.
Raising a family as a couple or as a single-parent is, and always has been, challenging. Issues range from spousal relationship, social media influence, challenging behaviour at home, how to pass on the Catholic Faith and many others.
Everyone is invited to attend the Family Enrichment Conference on Saturday 10th June 2023 to explore these topics and to take home practical tips and encouragement from the four guest speakers. The conference will start at 11:00am at Our Lady Immaculate and Saint Etheldreda church hall in Newmarket.
To book tickets and for more details, please visit the web site by clicking here. or send an email to the organisers by clicking here. Children’s activities and lunch are free but places need to be booked in advance due to limited space. Free parking is available on site.
For insurance purposes we need to have a list of key holders for the parish property, and over the years and changes of clergy, these records have become outdated. To remedy this situation, we need to update our records to make sure that we have all the information correctly recorded.
A Key Holder Registration Form has been produced and there are copies in the church porch. Thank you to all those who have already completed and returned a competed form. If you hold any keys to church property and have not yet completed a form, please do so as soon as possible. Please return completed forms to Fr Paul.
This form is also available to down load here.
Catechists and anybody working with young people are invited to a day of reflection and training, exploring an accompaniment model of Evangelisation and Catechesis. The keynote speaker for this event will be the internationally-acclaimed David Wells, former Director of Formation for the Diocese of Plymouth.
The event, which is organised by the Diocesan Youth Service, will be held at Our Lady of the Annunciation Church, Poringland, Norfolk on Saturday June 10th from 9:30am to 3:30 pm. There is no charge for this event, but attendees will need to book a place in advance and bring along a packed lunch on the day. To book a place, please visit the Diocesan Youth Service web site - click here.
On Ascension Day, the disciples, after watching Jesus ascend into heaven, are asked by two angels why they are standing looking into the sky when there is work to be done! We too are called to the same work the disciples were; to spread the Good News of Jesus, to be involved in our local communities doing good and to be involved in our own parish, helping out where ever possible.
As we begin to live lives more normally and as the Church calls us all back to practicing our faith each Sunday in person, it is a perfect time to take stock, to reflect and to think about how we can all get involved in all of these areas, but perhaps especially within the Parish. Could you help clean, could you help set up for Mass or tidy away afterwards, could you help welcome people, would you like to be an altar server, a reader, an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist? If you answer yes to any of these, please do speak to Fr Paul, or use the Contact Form to get in touch. Our parish relies on the help of its own parishioners to grow and flourish.
Have you heard of TWAM?
Tools with a Mission (TWAM) is a Christian charity enabling people to earn a living and support themselves and their families. In many countries people have few skills, little education and no means of earning a living. A switch from aid dependency to self-sufficiency is impossible without help. TWAM started over thirty years ago, and has since provided this help by collecting and refurbishing tools and equipment no longer required in the UK and sending them overseas. Through collectors and centres across the UK, its team of dedicated volunteers and supporters help transform thousands of lives every year.
If you have some tools that are no longer required and you would like to donate these for re-use in the third world, please contact TWAM on 01473 210220 or by email.
TWAM is also especially keen to receive donations of sewing machines and desktop or laptop computers that are no longer required, and will arrange collection from you if you cannot get them to its Hadleigh Road centre in Ipswich.
If you have some spare time and would like to consider a volunteering role with TWAM based at its Hadleigh Road site, please also contact them using the above details or visit the TWAM website for more information.
If you would like to read the TWAM supporter's April newsletter, please click on the image left.
The latest edition of the CAFOD magazine Side By Side, Spring 2023, has been published. You can read this by clicking the adjacent image.
This issue contains a review of the Big Lent Walk, a report from some of the many CAFOD volunteers, a report from Flame - The National Youth Congress held at Wembley arena in March and testimony on how learning to read has changed peoples lives in Afghanistan and Lebanon.
A Prayer for Food Justice
Lord Jesus, You understand what it is like to be hungry.
Teach us to have grateful and generous hearts.
Forgive us when we make selfish choices or remain silent in the face of injustice.
Lord Jesus, you welcomed all to your table.
May we recognise our interconnectedness with our common home and our global neighbours,
so all are invited to share the feast.
Lord Jesus, you come to us as bread and wine.
Fill us with your compassion.
Nourish us as we advocate for change,
and seek to make your kingdom a reality in our world.
Amen.
Bishop Peter invites all married couples in the Diocese to join him for the annual Marriage Celebration Mass which this year takes place on Saturday June 3rd at 11.30 in the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich. All married couples and their families are welcome. Those couples who are celebrating significant anniversaries, that is one year, five years and every multiple of five years thereafter, or individual years from 60 years onwards, will receive a certificate from the Bishop. There will also be the opportunity for couples to have their photographs taken with the Bishop.
If you would like to register for a certificate please visit the registration website in advance by clicking here or alternatively email the Marriage and Family Life Coordinator, Dr Antonia Braithwaite, by clicking here.
After Mass, you are invited to gather for tea and cake in the Cathedral hall . Photographs will be available online after the day.
The coronation of King Charles III takes place on Saturday, 6th May in Westminster Abbey.
Cardinal Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales said: “This will be the first coronation for 70 years in our countries; indeed, the first since our late Queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, entered the ancient church as a young woman to take on the awesome responsibilities of monarchy. In his first address to our countries after the death of the Queen, His Majesty stated, in the context of the late Queen’s unwavering service, ‘that promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.’ None of us can imagine the incredible burden that His Majesty will assume as he is crowned King alongside his wife and Queen, Camilla. The world has immeasurably changed since 1953 with many more opportunities and challenges in the lives of all.”
In the lead-up to the Coronation, Cardinal Nichols and the Bishops of England and Wales encourage the Catholics of our lands to pray for His Majesty King Charles and Queen Camilla, and to that end a prayer card has been produced with prayers for the king. You can download the prayer card by clicking the image to the left.
