On Sunday 16th July 2023, the children of the parish made their First Holy Communions at the 10:00 Mass, and also at the additional special Mass at 12 noon.
Congratulations to Ellie-May, Darcie, Tuscani, Noah, Penelope, Jedidiah, Seweryn, Ernestas, Elianna and Jessica who made their First Holy Communion at the 10:00 am Mass and for Olivia, Faustas, Kacper, Santino, Mila, Oliwer, Oliver, Rudairo, Aibhilin, Amari-Rose, Deneal and Albie who made theirs at the noon Mass.
Please remember them in your prayers, that they may grow in their love of the Lord and receive Him regularly in Holy Communion going forward.
We also give our grateful thanks the team of catechists who worked so hard to prepare them to receive Our Lord for the first time.
Philip Razzell RIP
Many of you will have known Philip Razzell, a long-standing member of the parish and a regular at 8:00 Mass. Sadly Philip passed away in hospital on 26th June 2023 after a short illness. His funeral was held at the Seven Hills Cemetery on Thursday 20th July. Please remember Philip in your prayers, and also his friends and family who will be mourning his loss.
Maureen Sparkes RIP
A regular at the 6:00 pm evening Mass for many years, Maureen passed away on 27th December 2022. A Requiem Mass was held at St Mary Magdalen church at 11:00 am Thursday 16th
February 2023 , followed by interment at the Ipswich Lawn Cemetery. Please pray for the repose of Maureen’s soul and remember her family and friends who mourn her passing.
Deacon Clive Brooks RIP
Deacon Clive Brooks, who ministered at St Mary Magdalen for many years during the tenure of Fr Russell Frost as parish priest, passed away on December 21st 2022 after a long battle with cancer. Clive also worked tirelessly as the Catholic Chaplain to the Hospital for many years prior to his retirement. He has now been reunited with his beloved wife Mary who passed away in 2011. Please remember Clive in your prayers, and remember also his family and friends who mourn his loss. You can read a tribute to Clive, written by his friend and colleague Deacon John Morrill, on the Diocesan web site - click here.
Ron Green RIP
Many of the older parishioners will remember Ron Green, a regular at St Mary Magdalen church for many years before his health failed. Sadly, Ron passed away on 20th December 2022 at home, after a long and difficult period of illness. Please remember Ron in your prayers and also his widow Pamela, his sons and all those who mourn his passing. A funeral service for Ron was held on Tuesday 31st January at 2:00 pm.
Frank Sutton RIP
Many of you will remember Frank Sutton who with his wife Rosina, was very active in the parish and school in years past. Sadly Frank passed away on 1st
November 2022 peacefully at home, with his family around him, after a long battle with cancer. A memorial Mass for Frank was held on Tuesday 29th November . Please pray for the repose of his soul, and for the comfort of his widow, family and friends who mourn his passing.
Fr Martin Orme RIP
It is with great sadness that we announce the Fr Martin Orme, former assistant priest at St Mary Magdalen church, died peacefully on Tuesday 18th October 2022 having received the Last Rites on Monday. Funeral arrangements are not yet known but will be advised as soon as they are. Please pray for the repose of Fr Martin's soul and for the comfort of his friends and family who mourn his passing.
Heather Poll RIP
It is with great sadness that we announce that Heather Poll, wife of Jim, passed away on Saturday 3rd September 2022 following serious health issues bravely born. Heather, aged 79, was the younger daughter of James and Catherine Barrett, one of the founding families of St Mary Magdalen parish. Please pray for the repose of her soul, and remember also her husband Jim, her daughter Beverley, her sister Molly, brother Michael and all her family and friends who mourn her passing.
Michael Wojciechowski RIP
You may remember back in January, we had a Requiem Mass for Stanislaw Wojciechowski. The Mass on Saturday, 10th September at 12 noon, is a requiem for his son Michael, who sadly died in August 2022. Due to ongoing ill health, Michael had separated himself from his friends and at times from his family.
Annick Smith RIP
Annick Smith who was a regular in the parish for many years, sadly passed away on 9th November 2021. A Requiem Mass was held at St Mary Magdalen church at 2:00 pm on Wednesday 1st December, which, at the request of the family, was live streamed from church so that family and friends in France could witness the service. You can watch the live stream here.
Please pray for the repose of her soul, and remember her family and friends who will be mourning her passing.
Karen Sutton RIP
Many parishioners will know Karen Sutton, daughter of Frank and Rosie, who sadly passed away on Thursday 16th December 2021. Please pray for her and remember her family and friends who mourn her passing.
Jean Ward (née Marchant) RIP
Many of our older parishioners will remember Jean Ward, the elder daughter of Ted and Agnes Marchant who were themselves one of the founding families of the parish. Jean sadly passed away in the St Elizabeth Hospice on Sunday 19th December 2021, after a long struggle with cancer. Her funeral was held at 11:15 am on Monday 24th January, 2022, at the Seven Hills crematorium. Please remember Jean in your prayers, and also the family and friends that mourn her passing.
Martha Ndow-Grace RIP
Martha sadly passed away in hospital on December 28th 2021. Please pray for the repose of her soul, and remember her friends and family who mourn her passing. Her funeral took place at St Mary Magdalen church on Friday 28th January, 2022 at 11:45 am and was followed by her committal at Ipswich crematorium.
Francis Jacobi RIP
Many of our older parishioners will remember Francis Jacobi who, until moving away to Derbyshire in 2015, was a regular at St Mary Magdalen church and many will remember Jacobi's bicycle shop on Norwich Road which he ran for many years. Francis sadly passed away on January 28th 2021 aged 91 years. Please remember Francis in your prayers, and pray also for his wife, family and friends who mourn his passing.
May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.
On Saturday 5th February, Ronnie Penn will be baptised and we welcome him to our parish community. Please remember Ronnie in your prayers, and also pray for his parents Olivia and James.
Congratulations to Mary Chennels, who is now housebound and cannot attend Mass in person, who celebrates her 95th birthday Sunday 9th July. We send her our warmest congratulations. Please remember Mary in your prayers.
The list of names of the sick of the parish has been published weekly now for many years and in order to ensure it is current, and, under GDPR rules we do not breach any individual’s confidentiality, we ask that any person who is sick or unwell and wants the parish to be aware of the fact to pray for them, to give their names to Fr Paul so the list can be re-established.
We ask your prayers for all our brothers and sisters who are unwell, afflicted, housebound or distressed. Lord, comfort and relieve them according to their needs, and grant them the love and consolation of your Spirit. Amen
There is a mixed faith chaplaincy team working at the Ipswich Hospital, Heath Road. This team, in part full time and in part volunteers, helps minister to the spiritual needs of in-patients.
The role of Catholic chaplain is currently unfilled, following the departure of Fr Bineesh OCD from St Marks, and a new appointment is awaited from the Bishop of East Anglia. In the mean time, please let Fr Paul, or any other Ipswich parish priest, know if you, or any member of your family, are going into hospital. Please be aware that for reasons of patient confidentiality, the current practice in the NHS is NOT to inform the chaplains of any Catholics that are admitted to hospital. So unless you or your relatives inform the chaplains of your hospital stay, you will not be visited by a priest or any other member of the chaplaincy team.
Each Sunday morning, a Eucharistic Minister from one of the Ipswich parishes, visits the hospital to take Holy Communion to those that have requested it. However, the hospital gives no patient information to the chaplains, consequently we have no knowledge of Catholic patients. So if you, or any member of your family, are going into hospital and would like to receive the ministrations of the Church whilst there, please let Fr Paul know.
