As part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Diocese of East Anglia, there is going to be a week-long series of events held in Ipswich centred on the Eucharist and Inspired by the Theme: Mary, Woman of the Eucharist.
This week is the Eucharistic Congress - there is a whole programme of special events this week as part of the Eucharistic Congress. Next Sunday there will be no Mass any of our 3 churches. The main event of the Eucharistic
Congress, the closing Mass celebrated by Bishops Collins and Hopes and other clergy, will be held at 11:00 in the Corn Exchange, Ipswich. Tickets to attend this very special Mass are free BUT FOR SECURITY REASONS YOU MUST REGISTER FOR A PLACE OTHERWISE ADMISSION WILL BE REFUSED. If you have not already done so, please sign up and register today for this once-in-a-lifetime event. As well as Mass, there will be special talks and a procession through the town centre to Lady Lane, the site of the original shrine to Our Lady of Ipswich, where there will be Benediction. This is a unique opportunity to publicly express your faith and you are all actively encouraged to do so. You can register on-line, or if you are not IT savvy, there are paper forms in the church porch you can complete. If you wish to register on-line or find out more about the programme of thw weeks events, visit the Congress web site.
A Week for the Whole Community
The Congress will begin on Sunday 6th September with a soft launch across Ipswich’s Catholic parishes. From Monday to Wednesday the focus will be on the town’s Catholic schools. Parish based events will follow from Thursday to Saturday. The week will conclude with a major diocesan gathering at the Ipswich Corn Exchange on Sunday 13th September. Bishop Peter Collins will celebrate the closing Mass and offer reflections as part of the final programme.
The aim of the Congress is to give thanks for fifty years of grace in the Diocese of East Anglia. It will offer space for prayer, teaching, and reflection. Organisers hope it will help Catholics deepen their love for Jesus in the Eucharist and strengthen the mission of parishes and schools as communities of welcome, service, and evangelisation.
Schools at the Heart of the Celebration
A coordinated programme will take place across the four Ipswich Catholic Trust schools: St Pancras, St Mark’s, St Mary’s, and St Alban’s. This will be carried out in collaboration with St Alban’s Catholic High School.
Plans include a shared Schools’ Mass early in the week. The gym at St Alban’s is being considered as a possible venue. Throughout the week, pupils will explore the theme Mary, Woman of the Eucharist. Schools will be encouraged to offer short catechesis on the Mass and the Real Presence, welcome visits from clergy and religious, and engage pupils in creative expressions of faith.
Why a Eucharistic Congress?
The Congress is rooted in the belief that renewal begins by returning to the Eucharist. As the diocese marks its fiftieth anniversary, the week offers an opportunity to give thanks for the past, rekindle devotion to Christ present in the Eucharist, and strengthen the Church’s mission for the future.
Further details will be released shortly, with opportunities for parishioners, families, and local partners to take part in this significant moment for the Catholic community in Ipswich and the wider diocese.
A special web site has been set up to give full details and information on the event. The Congress is free of charge, but spaces are limited so booking to reserve your place is essential. For full information, program details and booking please visit the Congress web site here.
