The July prize draw of the parish 150 Club will be made after 10:00 Mass, Sunday 1st August , in the Guild Room. All are welcome.
The August edition of the Catholic East Anglia newspaper is now available online and paper copies are available in narthex. This publication is free of charge – please do take a copy home with you. The edition includes reports on the latest priestly ordination, a Catholic boy from a council estate that became Lord Mayor of Norwich and catechists honoured for passing on their faith. There is also an East Anglian CAFOD report from the G7 Summit in Cornwall and a Papal honour for a Cambridge Catholic.
If you are not attending church to collect a copy, you can read it on-line by clicking on the image left.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has issued a statement of guidance to churches following the Step 4 easing of Covid restrictions by the Government, which commenced on 19th July. This guidance is available to read here.
Will readers please note that that there is a new rota available starting next Sunday, 25th July. The new rota can be read here.
You will have noticed that works to the church frontage have commenced in earnest this week. Steps to the front have already been removed in preparation for building of a retaining wall and further works will consist of reconfiguring and widening the current entrance ramp, building a ramp from the church entrance to the new parish room and building new steps at each side of the raised area. New metal safety railings will be installed to all raised areas but due to supply issues we may initially have to erect a temporary alternative whilst awaiting their delivery.
The work is expected to take around 4 weeks and during this time access to the church entrance will be restricted depending upon where construction is taking place. At some stage the main entrance from Highfield Approach will have to be closed meaning that people will have to enter the church and Guild Room via the presbytery driveway off Norwich Road and along the garden path.
Thank you for your patience whilst these works are being carried out.
Last Saturday, 3rd July, Deacon Michael Smith was ordained as a priest of the Diocese of East Anglia at an ordination Mass celebrated by Bishop Alan Hopes and 25 priests of the Diocese, at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Norwich. Fr Michael, at 57 year old a late candidate for ordination, completed his training in Rome studying for 4 years, at the Pontifical Beda College. After a break, he will take up his new role, having been appointed to the clergy at the Cathedral.
Please note that it is intended to resume the normal rota arrangement for reading at Masses from 25th July, assuming that the anticipated Covid restriction easing on July 19th does in fact take place. Readers will be contacted and provided with the details. New readers are always welcome. If you would like to join the group that have the privilege of reading God’s word at Mass, please speak to Martin Pakes, Fr Mathew, email readers@marymagdalens.org or use the contact form on the parish web site. Training and coaching will be given to any new readers.
As in previous years, we are going to be part of a three-parish group with St Marks and St Pancras, to prepare candidates to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation next year. It is hoped that classes will commence in September. Candidates from school Year 9 upwards are invited to register their interest. The confirmation round in 2019-2020 never took place due to Covid restrictions, and candidates who were part of that group are also welcome to resume or revise their preparations.
It is also hoped to hold RCIA preparation classes if there is enough interest. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is for adults interested in becoming Catholic or for Catholics who missed out on key events, for example the Sacrament of Confirmation.
If you are interested in either one of these classes, or even both, please contact Martin Pakes on 07918 174651, email contact@marymagdalens.org or use the contact form on the parish web site.
On 3rd Sunday of each month, the local members of the Malankara Catholic community will celebrate Mass at St Mary Magdalens at 2:00 pm. The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church traces its origins to the missions of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. It is one of the two Eastern Catholic churches in India and follows the West Syriac Rite Divine Liturgy of St James. The other church being the Syro-Malabar Church which employs the East Syriac Rite liturgy. Local members of this community will also celebrate their Mass here on the 4th Sunday of each month at 2:00 pm. Both communities celebrated for many years at St Pancras church until Fr Leeder retired – we are happy to welcome them to St Mary Magdalens.
The total offertory gift for the month of June was £2005, made up of £1020 standing orders and £985 cash. Thank you.
