If you are new to the parish, or have only recently joined, please could you complete a registration form that can be found in the church porch, or downloaded here. This will ensure we have your details in the parish records and can effect a proper introduction and welcome to you and your family.
If you are, or know of anybody who is, housebound and cannot get to Mass regularly, and would like a home visit with Holy Communion from a priest or an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, please let Fr Luke or Fr Paul know, or send an [javascript protected email address], and we will organise something for you.
The Parish AGM will be held in the Garden Room starting at 7pm on Thursday 27th February. If you would like anything specific to be considered for discussion, please [javascript protected email address] before the 20th February. Alternatively, a note can be left with Fr Paul in the presbytery. If you request a specific agenda topic, please ensure you are present at the meeting to express your view and contribute to the discussion. This will be an open meeting and all are welcome to attend.
The combined February edition of Catholic East Anglia, the free Diocesan newspaper, is now published and you can collect a paper copy from the back of church. Alternatively, click the image to the left and you can read the issue online.
This issue includes news of the Mass held to mark the start of the Jubilee Year and a report on an ecumenical pilgrimage to Rome led by Bishop Peter Collins.
Alpha started in 1977 at Holy Trinity church in Brompton, London where Alpha was positioned as a course for people outside of the church to explore the Christian faith through a series of talks and through conversation with others, and since then it has grown and now runs all across the world. Millions of people have experienced Alpha in over 100 countries and over 100 languages around the globe.
Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the Christian faith, typically run over eleven weeks. Each session looks at a different question around faith and is designed to create conversation. Alpha can be a great tool for evangelisation, creating a space in parishes where everyone is welcome.
Alpha is a series of group conversations that freely explore the basics of the Christian faith in an open, friendly environment. Everyone’s welcome. No matter your background or beliefs, you’re invited.
Alpha is for everyone, whether you’re new to exploring faith or simply open-minded about it all, Alpha is for you. We all bring different thoughts to the table, and at Alpha we want to create a space that’s open for everyone to find what faith means for them. Each Alpha course is different, but fundamentally each session revolves around:
Food – Most sessions start with food, because it’s a great way to connect and get to know everyone there.
Talk – The talks explore the basics of the Christian faith and are designed to inspire conversation. Usually around thirty minutes long, they are played as video episodes each week.
Conversation – There is a discussion after the video where you can share your thoughts and ideas on the session’s topic. You can say anything you like, or nothing at all. It’s your Alpha, on your terms.
Alpha is a space to explore different parts of the Christian faith in a relaxed and friendly environment. Each session covers a different topic, like prayer, the bible, who Jesus is and loads more. Then there’s plenty of time to chat about what you think. Each group has a leader to help guide the conversation. There’s never pressure to share your thoughts, but the floor is yours if you do want to say something.
There will be a further Alpha course starting on Wednesday 30th April 2025. This will be held in St Mark's church hall, 180 Hawthorn Drive, Ipswich, IP2 0QQ at 7:30pm, and weekly thereafter. The full dates of all these sessions can be found here in the parish calendar. If you are interested in finding out more about Christianity, exploring your faith further, or looking for a spiritual boost in your life, then why not come along and explore Alpha for yourself.
If you would like to find out more about Alpha, or would like to register your interest in joining our next course, please [javascript protected email address] us with your details and we will get back to you nearer the time, or you can click here to watch a short introductory video about the Alpha course.
The January prize draw was made in the Garden Room after 10:00 Mass on Sunday 26th January. The prize winners were Mr P Boast, Mrs R Sunil, Mr & Mrs M Geisel and Mrs W Lobo. Full details of the prize-winners and prizes can be found on the church notice board or you can read them here.
The February prize draw will take place on Sunday, 23rd February, in the Garden Room after the 10:00 am Mass.
There is always room in the 150 Club for new subscribers, and the organisers are ever on on the lookout for new members in order to ensure the Club's continuing success, protect the income stream for the parish that it generates, and increase the size of the prize pool for the benefit of members. Membership costs just £1 per month for each number held and can be paid monthly, 6-monthly or annually in advance. All parishioners are encouraged to sign up for this money raising venture and help support the parish finances, but the Club is open to non-parishioners too. You can find application forms in the church porch or can apply online here.
Now available in the church porch are the new editions of the Diocesan Year Book for 2025 priced at £3.50 per copy. The annual Yearbook contains a comprehensive, up-to-date guide to the Diocese of East Anglia. It can also be read and referenced online here on the parish web site - click on the image to the left to access it.
The East Anglia Diocesan Youth Service exists to help young people in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to connect with Jesus Christ and His Catholic Church. It carries out this mission by running pilgrimages and events, by providing support to parishes and schools and also through its Ignite Team, which visits schools and churches to run retreats, activities and workshops.
The Diocesan Youth Service publishes an annual newsletter summarising the passing year's activities, and the most recent newsletter, November 2024, has just been published - you can find copies in the church porch or you can read it online here.
We are very grateful to the North West Ipswich Big Local Trust which has recently made two grant awards to the parish to be used for improvements to our church hall. These are an award of £1,000 for participating in a Dragons Den event at the end of September and a further £3,000 towards refurbishing the kitchen. We are very grateful to the Trust for these awards which will greatly assist with our continuing activity to modernise our hall.
The gate to the right hand side of the church giving access to the memorial garden is padlocked and normally closed, thus preventing people from visiting without making prior arrangements with a key holder to give them access. To address this, the gate padlock has been changed for a combination lock. If you wish to visit the garden, please send an [javascript protected email address] and the combination will be sent to you. Your name and email address will also be added to a list and you will be automatically advised if, at any future time, the combination is changed.
