October/ November 2021 Bungay Parish receives 100th eco-award –, page 3 Swaffham’,s Sr Anna maks her profession –, page 5 Tributes paid to Roger –, a man of faith –, page 10 Newspaper of the Diocese of East Anglia East Anglia Catholic www.rcdea.org.uk Bishop Alan Hopes has written a Pastoral Letter to everyone across the Diocese of East Anglia to mark the start of the world - wide Synodal Church process –, in which the least as well as the greatest has the opportunity to be heard. n Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, some of you will remember the Second Vati - can Council, convened by Pope John XXIII which lasted from 1962 until 1965. All the bishops of the world came together to look at almost every area of the life and faith of the Church. These Councils are quite rare. The Holy Father, there - fore, still needs to meet on a regular basis with represen - tative bishops from all the Bishops’, Conferences in the world. So, every few years, what is called a Synod –, an assembly –, meets to focus with him on a particular topic. This is always a signif - icant event in the life of the Church. The next Synod of repre - sentative bishops will take place in Rome in 2023. In preparation for this, the Holy Father has asked the whole Church –, lay people and reli - gious, clergy and bishops –, the entire Holy People of God –, to participate in the prepa - rations for that Assembly. The Synod has been given the title, “,For a Synodal Church: communion, partici - pation and mission.”, That word Synodal is really a new word in our lan - guage. It is the Holy Father’,s way of describing the Church journeying together along the paths of history, towards the encounter with Christ the Lord. It is a way of recognising that we Chris - tians, in our calling to follow Jesus Christ, never do so alone. We travel with Christ and with one another. The Synodal way is an invitation to journey with open hearts, to listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and to the needs of God’,s people and those of the world. In many ways, it is some - thing which I hope we already do in our parishes at meetings, on committees and pastoral councils –, and in our Diocese through our Commissions and larger gatherings of the faithful. For in all these gatherings we have much to learn and much to offer. Together we draw on the gifts and graces of our own unique vocation, each in our different way. It is putting into action –, at every level of the Church –, St Paul’,s teaching that we are members of one Body, with different gifts to offer. As the successor to Peter, the Holy Father has a special role in the journey of the n Continued on page two. Bringing fresh new ideas for evangelisation Bishop Alan Hopes has relaunched the Diocesan Commission for the New Evangelisation to take advantage of fresh opportunities. n Bishop Alan relaunched the new Com - mission at the White House in Poringland on Saturday September 19, by reminding the members that the Church exists to evangelise. The Bishop was particularly keen to reach out to those who are fearful of return - ing to church, those who for the moment have decided to follow services online, and “,those who have no faith”,. The Commis - sion, he said, would bring new vision and fresh ideas to the parishes and share good practice of what was already happening. Bishop Alan said that part of the purpose of the Commission would be to once again bring together small groups of like-minded people who are enthusiastic to promote evangelisation in the parish. Fr Karol Porczak, who is leading the Com - mission, showed a video of interviews with parishioners from St Ives who had taken part in door-to-door evangelisation. “,It’,s been really helpful in our life of faith,”, said one. “,We found it very enjoyable, and we miss it.”, “,The Commission is inviting all Catholics to reflect on the strategy outlined in the letter ‘,The Day of the Lord’, sent in April by the Bishops’, Conference of England and Wales,”, explains Rebecca Bretherton, who is coordinating the Commission for the New Evangelisation. “,We hope that parishes will discuss this letter together. It could spark ideas for inviting and welcoming people to encounter Jesus Christ in our Church.”, The letter identifies a threefold pattern to the challenge of restoring communities impacted by Covid and renewing their practice of faith. It encourages Catholics to reach out to: a) The fearful and weary, anxious about coming into the enclosed spaces of our churches, those who have simply lost the habit of coming to church. Personal contact, clear reassurance, and sensitive invitations will all be needed. b) Those who will have reassessed their pattern of life and priorities. The practice of faith within the community of the Catholic Church may not be among those priorities. A gap may have opened up, or widened, between the spiritual dimension of their lives n Continued on page four. Bishop’,s letter starts the synodal process Some of the Diocesan Commission for the New Evangelisation members, from left to right, Elizabeth Baker, Ciaran Losasso, Bishop Alan Hopes, Rebecca Bretherton, Philip Kemp, Mel Ward, Fr Karol Porczak. FREE

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The parish of the Mother of Good Counsel at Clare Priory has held a celebration to mark the golden jubilees of two members of the Augustinian Order. n The event took place in the historic and beautiful grounds of the priory in Suffolk. This was the first social occasion the parish had held since February 2020. The whole congregation came together in an outdoor Mass and celebration for Fr David Middleton OSA and Fr Bernard Rolls OSA to cele - brate their 50 years as Augustinian priests. Fr David has been associ - ated with Clare since the 1960s when he was a novice at Clare Priory. He is highly regarded and well known throughout the area. Fr David’,s roles have included head of French, head - master, Provincial (in charge of all Augustinian houses in England and Scotland) and Parish Priest at Clare, his current role. Fr Bernard has been geogra - phy teacher, school trustee, Parish Priest at Clare, and is now Priest at St Mary’,s Harborne. Fr Bernard was Parish Pri - est at Clare Priory at the start of the church extension proj - ect and led the project through to the completion of the beau - tiful church building which is now enjoyed by so many wor - shippers today. Fr David was head of the Augustinian Order in Britain during the con - struction of the church. Fr David and Fr Bernard were both ordained as Augus - tinian Priests in 1971. The day gave the opportunity for parishioners to show how much they have valued the long service of both priests. The Mass was followed by a picnic in the grounds. Steven Cubitt said: “,It was a special day and fitting celebra - tion for all they have given and still give.”, news in brief Couples for Christ in Peterborough Jolanta Mokrzycka from St Luke’,s in Peterborough has launched a branch of Couples for Christ in the city. Here she explains how it came about. n Couples for Christ is an international Christian community with 40-year a tradi - tion, which is recognised by the Vatican as a private association of the lay faithful of pontifical right. It is a family-based ministry which offers moral and spiritual support and guidance and helps couples to understand the differ - ences between husband and wife. It also promotes evangelisation through example and helps to create a healthy and strong community centred on Christ. Being a part of a prayer group, a cate - chist, Bible study group and a mother, I came across the problems which various people experience. My personal life experiences, and the knowledge I gained from my service, showed me how much I missed God in my life personally and how much many couples would gain from following Christ together. Jesus is the bearer of life, and we Cath - olics are called to bear life too, bearing fruit through marriage when we live our lives according to God’,s plan. It is through our fruitfulness that we encounter Jesus Christ. I reached out to Couples for Christ in the Midlands, and they saw it as a good opportunity to extend their work with St Luke’,s and other Peterborough parishes. We are delighted that with help of Cou - ples for Christ Central and East Anglia we can now branch out to Peterborough and started a new Christian Life Programme from September 18. The programme is directed to Catholic couples, but it is also open to non-Catholic Christians. The Couples for Christ programme also offers ministry support to children and young people, as well as to adult men and women, and we are hoping to develop all areas in our deanery. There are no limits associated with age, ethnicity or place in society. To get in touch with the Peterborough branch of Couples for Christ, please email cfc@saintlukesparish.org.uk Page 2 latest online news at: www.rcdea.org.uk Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 East Anglia Catholic n Continued from page one. Church. He is the head of today’,s Apos - tles, the bishops, and the Chief Pastor of the Church. Like Peter, he is the rock on which the Church is built, and the one who must confirm his sisters and brothers in the faith. This building was not made by human hands. It is a struc - ture given to us by Jesus himself, not for the exercise of power, but in order to offer service. The first shall be last and the last shall be first. And in the Gospel for today (September 19) he commands his apostles to make themselves last of all and servants of all. A Synodal Church is one in which the least as well as the greatest has the opportunity to be heard. Pope Francis also asks us to recognise that this way is unique to the Church and is not to be confused with a secular way of governing. It is not democracy. It is not about communities and individ - uals with different agendas competing with and opposing one another. It is about consensus –, being of a common mind –, and is not dependent upon major - ity voting. Nor is it a means for changing or chal - lenging the teaching authority of the Church or its doctrine, which has been handed down by Jesus to his Church and safeguarded by successive Popes. Rather, it is about fostering commun - ion and participation, in gentleness and charity –, journeying together, listening to each other, learning from each other. This Pastoral Letter marks the start of this process for our Diocese. I am there - fore, inviting you all, as the local Church of East Anglia, to take a full part in these preparations for the Synod. So how can we do this? First, in com - munion with the whole church, the Diocesan process will begin on October 17 with Mass in St John’,s Cathedral at 11am. All who will be involved practi - cally in the process in parish and diocese will be commissioned. Second, a Diocesan team has already been formed to serve as a point of con - tact for this synodal consultation. It consists of the members of our Commis - sion for Catechesis and Formation. It will be led by a lay person (Mrs Angela Wilson), a deacon (Huw Williams) and a priest ( Fr Andrew Eburne). Third, within the next few weeks every parish will be invited to take part in this consultation process. Guidance will be provided to assist you in this pro - cess. I would ask every parish to appoint, as soon as possible, a lead per - son or a team to facilitate this consultation in your local community. They will then send your responses to the Diocesan team who will compile a Diocesan response, which will go to the Bishops’, Conference. Our national response will then be sent to Rome, where it will assist those who will be drawing up the agenda for the Synod in 2023. In this way –, from the grass roots to the head –, we have the chance to co-operate with one another and the Holy Spirit. St James speaks in today’,s second reading of the fruits of this collabo - ration. He tells us that the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, which comes from above, is pure, kindly, considerate and makes for peace. Whenever we collaborate with the Holy Spirit, and one another, we sow those seeds of the Spirit which bear fruit in holiness and integrity for our world. So together we pray that the Holy Spirit will guide this synodal way for - ward in our Diocese and in the Universal Church. We pray above all, that the fruits of this journey for our Diocese and the whole Church will take us forward in our mission to live and proclaim the Gospel more faithfully. +Alan Bishop of East Anglia Bishop starts Synodal Church process Newspaper of the Diocese of East Anglia EDITOR: Keith Morris tel: 07712 787762 Pear Tree Farmhouse, Wymondham Road, Wreningham, Norwich, NR16 1AT email: keith.morris@rcdea.org.uk Articles and photographs for the next edition are very welcome and should be sent to the editor, ideally via email. Diocese website: www.rcdea.org.uk Advertising: Contact Natasha at Cathcom on tel 01440 730399 or email at natasha@cathcom.org Publisher: Cathcom Ltd, 0207 112 6710 Inclusion of adverts is the responsibility of Cathcom and does not imply endorsement by the Diocese of East Anglia. Parishioners gather in the beautiful historic grounds at Clare Priory. Priory celebrates two golden jubilees

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The Parish of Bungay has become the 100th recipient of the livesimply eco award for the commitment of a group of volunteers to living sustainably to protect the planet. n Fr Charles Fitzgerald-Lombard, the 80- year-old local parish priest at St Edmunds, has been one of the driving forces to get the community on board with livesimply. Newly retired he’,s proud of what the parish has been able to achieve. “,As the parish priest I have tried to encourage these ideas (on living more simply) in some of my homilies and also introducing others to the idea of sustain - able living.”, The parishioners from St Edmunds par - ish proudly received their livesimply award on August 19, at the local parish hall in Bungay. They set up several proj - ects including installing 20 photo-voltaic panels on the roof of the local parish and school hall, reducing paper by switching to online newsletters, using biodegrad - able plastic bags at fairs, sharing surplus food produce at Mass, swapping light - bulbs for LED lightbulbs, and serving Fair Trade teas after church services and at parish events. The community effort made by parish - ioners to get their livesimply journey up and running took around four years to achieve. Fr Charles explained that they have all been inspired by the radical and inspirational words of Pope Francis’,s letter on the environment Laudato Si, which encourages all of us to work to pre - serve the environment and try to live in solidarity with our brothers and sisters, in the global South. Mary Kirk, a St Edmunds parishioner and CAFOD volunteer, who got involved in the livesimply initiative added: “,As a parish it’,s important that we play our part in protecting the planet, and we will all be looking to the UK government to do their part at the COP26 climate con - ference at the end of this year, to ensure that issues such as policies to cut carbon emissions become a reality. “,If we as a parish can create lasting change, so our leadership must change priorities and put money into reducing carbon output, and not into armaments, road building, and increased air traffic potential.”, livesimply assessors Rob and Clare Hardie from North Walsham know what it takes to receive a livesimply award, as their parish was presented with the award in 2018. Sharing why Bungay’,s livesimply ini - tiative was successful, they said: “,The parishioners in Bungay have demon - strated a complete understanding of the Pope’,s message in Laudato Si and have taken on board living simply, sustainably and in solidarity with vulnerable com - munities. “,We were particularly impressed with the amazing stalls they have been run - ning at Fressingfield and in Bungay which raise the profile of both CAFOD and the Parish –, and have of course raised a lot of money to help alleviate pov - erty worldwide and provide support for emergency appeals.”, Visit: cafod.org.uk/livesimply Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 follow us on Twitter at: twitter.com/RCEastAnglia Page 3 n Franciscan friar Fr Gerard Mary Toman has written an account of life inside the Catholic National Shrine at Walsingham during the first Covid-10 lockdown. Published by the Walsingham Associa - tion, the 72-page Walsingham in Lockdown reflection details Fr Gerard Mary’,s experi - ence of serving at the Shrine during the first Covid lockdown in 2020. “,From colossal heights, such as a Rededication which was watched by over 500,000 people to the most intimate and ordinary of details which, nevertheless, helped to rekindle within those who enjoyed such moments, the joy of being with Mary in the presence of Jesus: this is a story that needed to be put down on paper,”, writes Fr Gerard Mary. Jenny Thomson, Chair of the Walsing - ham Association, wrote: “,This wonderful account, written from the heart and without doubt guided by the Holy Spirit, leads us through the daily time in lockdown. The challenge and sheer devotion of so few to ensure we were able to live our faith during such difficult times, needs more than a mere thank you.”, During the 100-day lockdown from March until July, a locked-down Shrine saw 300 Holy Masses, 200 Holy Rosaries and over 2,000 hours of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament take place behind closed doors with no in-person congregation but in front of an ever-expanding live stream audience. Fr Gerard Mary tells the stories of the heroes of the hour from Rector Mgr John Armitage to Pilgrimage Co-ordinator Damian Forshaw, priests, sisters, Sonya in the shop and handyman Gary. You can buy Walsingham in Lockdown from the Slipper Chapel Shop online shop for £,4 +p&,p at shop.walsingham.org.uk Bungay parish receives the 100th eco award news in brief Bishop blesses new ambulance HQ in Norwich n Faith leaders from across East Anglia, including Bishop Alan Hopes, took part in the official opening of the extended and renovated East Anglian Air Ambulance operational base and HQ at Norwich Airport on September 10. The official opening of Helimed House took place during Air Ambulance Week 2021 and was blessed as part of a multi- faith ceremony to wish the air ambulance crews and patients the utmost safety. Bishop Alan blessed the facility, and was joined by the Bishop of Norwich Gra - ham Usher and by Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Sikh leaders, who offered prayers of blessing from their respective faith traditions. Some 22 key figures representing the lifeblood of the charity, including former patients, donors, crew, a staff member and a volunteer, cut a yellow ribbon to offi - cially open the base, which was completed earlier this year. Building the state-of-the-art facility has been a long-term organisational goal, enabling the charity to operate a 24/7 service by air and road for the first time. Blessing from the Bishop for Grotto n On September 9, Bishop Alan Hopes made a visit to St Mark`s church Ipswich , pictured above, and blessed the grotto in the presence of Canon Eugene Harkness, Fr Peterraj and local parishioners. The parish was delighted to welcome the Bishop, who gave a message based on the litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Newman Lecture n The next free Newman Lecture, orga - nised by the Diocese of East Anglia and St Mary`s University, Twickenham, will take place on Saturday October 9 at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Nor - wich and will also be streamed online. Rt Hon Ruth Kelly will be speaking on the subject of ‘,What should we expect from politics after Covid?’, Timing is still to be confirmed. More details at: www.newmanlectures.co.uk Inside story of Walsingham Covid lockdown Parishioners from St Edmunds parish proudly received their livesimply award on August 19, at the parish hall in Bungay. Photo credit: Bola Adeoshun / CAFOD)

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At the invitation of Bishop Alan Hopes, the Polish Consul General Mateusz St ą, siek visited St John’,s Cathedral and paid tribute to Polish servicemen. n “,It was a great pleasure to hear about the fascinating history of the Cathedral,”, wrote Mr St ą, siek after his visit, “,and to pay tribute to the Polish men and women who died for free - dom between 1939-1945. The city of Norwich became the new home for many Poles after the war. It is a very friendly place to Polish people, and I am hugely grateful for the hos - pitality you offer to them.”, The Cathedral has a copy of the famous icon of the Black Madonna of Cz ę, stochowa, and a memorial to the Polish servicemen who died during the Second World War fighting alongside Allied forces. It hosts regular Masses in Polish, which are well attended. Canon David Paul gave Mr St ą, siek a tour of the cathedral, and the Consul invited him to pay a return visit to London at some point. Mr St ą, siek also met members of the Nor - folk Polonia CIC (the Polish Centre) and rep - resentatives of Norwich City Council, headed by Councillor Alan Waters. Pictured above is (left) Matthew Fernan - dez-Graham, Diocesan Director of Finance and Resources with (right) Mateusz St ą, siek, the Polish Consul General, and (centre) Pawel. Page 4 latest online news at: www.rcdea.org.uk Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 Polish Consul visits St John’,s Cathedral n Parishioners from North Walsham, Aylsham and Hoveton cele - brated Climate Sunday with a beautiful walk on the Blickling estate. Jane Crone from CAFOD reports. The ecumeni - cal Climate Sunday initia - tive calls on local churches across Great Britain and Ireland to hold a climate- focused service on any Sunday before the COP26 climate conference in November. The Parish of North Walsham, Aylsham and Hoveton covers a large area to the north of Norwich. Clare Hardie explained that despite the chal - lenges of belonging to a scattered, rural community, that they found cre - ative ways of celebrating the Season of Creation together. “,Father James Walsh celebrated Mass in each of our three churches using CAFOD prayers for the Season of Creation. In the afternoon members of the parish held a Creation Walk in Blickling Park, Aylsham where we prayed the Novena to St Francis for a World Under Threat and the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary for the Care of Creation as we walked for two miles through the beautiful trees and meadows of the Park. www.climatesunday.org Free Sample Pack of Foam &, fabrics sent by first class mail. When phoning please quote CEA101 Our Lady of Fidelity The church needs religious sisters URGENTLY to bring Christ to others by a life of prayer and service lived in the community of Ignation spirituality. Daily Mass is the centre of community life. By wearing the religious habit we are witnesses of the consecrated way of life. If you are willing to risk a little love and would like to find out how, contact Sister Bernadette Mature vocations considered. CONVENT OF OUR LADY OF FIDELITY 1 Our Lady`s Close, Upper Norwood, London SE19 3FA Telephone 07760 297001 090699502 Plea to celebrate Climate Sunday Bringing fresh new ideas for evangelisation n Continued from page one. and any communal expression of that spiritual quest. They represent a particu - lar focus and concern for our outreach. c) Those whom we might describe as the ‘,Covid curious’,, those who have come into contact with the Catholic Church through our presence on the internet –, a contact we may be able to develop through our continuing presence across diverse media platforms. The relaunched Commission so far includes members from the deaneries of Peterborough, Cambridge, Norwich and Bury St Edmunds, and it is hoped that the remaining deaneries will also be represented in future meetings.

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Sr Anna Yeo from the Daugh - ters of Divine Charity in Swaffham made her profession during a Mass celebrated in St John’,s Cathedral by Bishop Alan Hopes. Eldred Willey reports. n During the celebration over the August Bank Holiday Weekend, Sr Bernarda and Sr Francis celebrated their Golden Jubi - lee and renewed their permanent vows, while Sr Mary and Sr Jude renewed their temporary vows. They were joined at the service by Sr Danuta, the Provincial Superior. The convent of the Daughters of Divine Charity in Swaffham has been particu - larly vibrant since a new influx in 2016, when it welcomed a postulant, two novices and two sisters. “,We often need reminders of the very purpose of our lives,”, said Bishop Alan in his homily, “,to become saints as God intends, so that whatever stage of life we have reached, we can allow His grace to burn within us.”, The bishop encouraged the sisters renewing their vows to be courageous and to persevere. “,Our relationship with God is a romance,”, he said. “,May God who has already begun this good work in you bring it to fulfilment on the Day of Jesus Christ.”, Turning to Sr Anna, Bishop Alan gave a reminder that we are never quite happy on earth. “,There can never be fulfilled perfection outside of heaven itself. Even though your consecration is perpetual, you must constantly remind yourself of your final destination.”, Finally, the bishop gave an appeal to all of the sisters to “,love each other as God loves each of you…, remember that mutual forgiveness, gentleness and com - passion are at the heart of your Holy Rule.”, A reception was held after Mass in the Narthex and the cathedral garden, where the sisters welcomed family, friends and supporting priests. The Daughters of Divine Charity have over 1,000 sisters worldwide. Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CatholicEastAnglia Page 5 Swaffham’,s Sr Anna makes her profession n Organ Donation Week in September has been an opportunity to remember with gratitude much-loved parishioner Ermie Astorga from St John’,s Cathedral, who passed away a year ago. Ermie had signed up to the organ donation register, joining those who have brought life to others at their passing. “,We would encourage the discussion of organ donation between families,”, writes his daughter Katrina, who is a nurse at the Norfolk and Norwich Uni - versity Hospital. “,It’,s a difficult subject but knowing that out of our hardships came the day most awaited for by others made his passing easier and somewhat more peaceful, especially since we knew what his wishes were.”, Ermie’,s given name was Herminio Astorga but he preferred to be called Ermie ‘,Pogs’, Astorga. He was involved in the development of the Filipino civic group PINAS, which helps to serve the community. He was also a singer and guitarist and was very active in serving the Church locally through the choir at St Walstan’,s, Costessey, and through the Couples for Christ community. On Monday September 20, a series of events marked the beginning of Organ Donation Week, including the illumina - tion of landmarks around the city where Ermie had lived, such as Norwich Cathedral and Norwich Castle. After a most challenging year for the NHS, waiting lists for organs including kidney, heart, liver, lungs, are expected to rise and NHS Blood and Transplant is calling for more families to talk and share their organ donation decision to increase the chances of the many chil - dren, young people and adults. Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplanta - tion, at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “,Every day across the UK there are thousands of patients and their families, waiting for that all important life-saving call, including 36 people in Norfolk. Yet, this is often only possible as a result of another family receiving some of the hardest news they might ever have to hear. For more information, or to register your organ donation decision, please visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23. Ermie’,s death brought gift of life news in brief Virtual Lourdes pilgrimage n Members of several parishes from the Diocese of East Anglia were among those joining a virtual pilgrimage to Lourdes from Friday August 20 to Saturday August 28. Professor John Morrill, a deacon in Newmarket parish, is the Director of the East Anglia Diocesan Pilgrimage, which linked with the Catholic Association for the event. It included Masses with Bishop Paul Hendricks from the Diocese of South - wark, Bishop Declan Lang from the Diocese of Clifton and Bishop David Oak - ley from the Diocese of Northampton. There was also a conversation with two Assisted Pilgrims from the Diocese of East Anglia, reflections, night prayers, a medical talk, Q&,A session for volunteers and Rosary Prayer and Stations of the Cross. Heritage days at Cathedral n A dozen volunteers helped to welcome pilgrims and visitors to St John’,s Cathe - dral for two Heritage Open Day weekends in , September. Cathedral Culture and Heritage Officer, Tania Gonzá,lez-Durá,n, said: “,Our doors are always open to people. However, after a year of turbulence and unprece - dented change, we weren’,t expecting anywhere near the success that we experienced. Everyone involved had to learn new skills, quickly adapt to change and do their best in creating new opportu - nities for different audiences and ages. “,Our new ‘,Stained Glass Stories’, and ‘,The Secret Garden of St John’,s’, tours were received warmly by the public and we had some encouraging comments. “,A special invitation was extended to children and adults to join our workshop in the vegetable garden where our visitors creatively learned how to make ‘,Your Own Air-Bee-N-Bee Hotel’,. It was a lot of fun. “,For the first time, we had two virtual tours at the Cathedral that were aimed at recreating the popular in-person experi - ence of the Tower Tour and the Hidden Places Tour,”, said Tania. “,Finally, the jewel of the crown was our ‘,Hidden Gem’, talk and visual presentation by Deacon Patrick Limacher on the his - tory of the Cathedral.”, Airmen honoured n Deacon Jacob Cheriyan, Catholic chaplain at HMP Whitemoor, took part in a service to commemorate airmen at the Wellington Memorial inside the prison. A new memorial commemorates Gor - don Wakefield, one of the nine-member Second World War aircrew who died dur - ing a training flight when their Wellington bomber plunged into a railway marshal - ling yard after hitting overhead cables. The accident took place in 1941 near March in Cambridgeshire. The nephew and great nephew of the pilot, Sgt George Bruce from Hertfordshire, were among those attending the memorial service. Bishop Alan Hopes with Sr Anna Yeo at her profession. Ermie Astorga (left) with his family.

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n Gianluca Savini from Our Lady and the English Martyrs, Cam - bridge, and Paul Raynes from St Etheldreda’,s, Ely, were instituted into ministries as part of their prep - aration for ordination as permanent deacons. Gianluca became an Aco - lyte and Paul became a Lector. An acolyte is commissioned by the Church to assist priests and dea - cons in the Mass, to take Communion to the sick and to lead Eucharistic Adoration or services. A lector is commissioned to pro - claim the Word of God both in the liturgy and as a catechist. Unlike ordinary Eucharistic ministers or readers, the role of acolyte or lector is not limited to a specific parish or to a specific period of time. In his homily, Bishop Alan Hopes addressed both men in their new ministries, concluding: “,In all of this dear Gianluca and Paul, seek to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus Christ. As you grow closer to Him, so your lives will become more and more conformed to His so that you might become ambassadors of His life to others.”, A permanent deacon is typically married and is in full-time work. Gianluca Savini is married to Erminia and they have four Page 6 latest online news at: www.rcdea.org.uk Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 East Anglians join the March for Life Parishioners from East Anglia were among thousands who gathered in London to march for life and pray for an end to abortion. Laurette Burton reports. n The theme for this year’,s March for Life was ‘,Abortion is the number one issue’,. People came from all over the coun - try to defend the rights of the most vulnerable members of our society and it was wonderful to see lots of families and young people, including contingents from university pro-life organisations. A small group from the Diocese of East Anglia walked behind a banner of Our Lady of Walsingham. The event took place on Saturday September 4 in Central London. Many participants started the day at Mass and then joined others in the Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Road for a Pro-Life Fest featuring speakers, activities for children and stalls run by pro-life charities. At 1.30pm the procession headed off from the Emmanuel Centre towards the Embankment, passed the Houses of Parliament and along Whitehall to Trafalgar Square. As ever, there were pro-choice hecklers, but not many, and we headed back to Parliament Square for the keynote speeches. The first speaker was a very brave girl, Natalia, who gave a heart-breaking account of her home abortion during the lockdown and the deep grief she feels for the loss of her child. The tragedy, so often the case, is that if Natalia had been given some support rather than being told abortion was the only solution, she would have kept her baby. She is now being helped by Rachel’,s Vineyard, a charity offering emotional and spiritual healing for those trying to come to terms with the pain of abortion. The Rt Rev Paul Swarbrick, Catholic Bishop of Lancaster, ended the afternoon with the Christian perspective on abortion and led us all in prayer. The statistics of abortion are frightening, with around 200,000 babies killed every year in the United Kingdom and over 9,000,000 since the Abortion Act came into force in 1967. We should all take a stand against this appalling assault on human life. Let’,s swell the crowd in 2022. If just five people from each parish were to take part, there would be a group of 250 from our diocese. Students take ste p the Permanent Di a Two students for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of East Anglia took important steps forward at a Mass in St John the Baptist Cathedral in Norwich on Saturday September 4. Assistant Director of the Permanent Diaconate, Deacon John Bell reports . Alastair Ward leading participants from East Anglia. Pictured above are, from the left, Deacon Martin L’,Estrange, Paul Raynes, Bishop Alan Hopes, Gianluca Savini and Deacon John Bell. Left Bishop Alan and Gionluca Savini and, right, Paul Raynes and Bishop Alan. Pictures By Keith Morris.

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Bishop Alan Hopes plans to celebrate two special Masses later this year to support couples affected by miscarriage or infertil - ity. Dr Jess Beckett reports. n The two Masses will take place at Our Lady Immaculate and St Etheld - reda`s Church in Newmarket, as part of the Year of St Joseph. There will be a Mass for those who have experienced miscarriage, on Sunday October 10 at 12 noon. This marks the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week, a national week to enable those affected by pregnancy loss to share their experiences and know they are not alone. One-fifth of pregnancies sadly end in miscarriage. This will be an opportu - nity to remember the lives of the babies lost and entrust them to the Lord. Those affected by ectopic pregnancies or stillbirths are also welcome, as are families. There will be refreshments afterwards. There will also be a Mass for those affected by infertility, on Sat - urday November 6, at 11 am. Due to the sensitive nature of this event, we respectfully ask that children do not attend. Mass will be followed by refreshments and a talk, for those who wish to stay, about treatment options for Catholic couples with infertility. Our speaker, Dr Phil Boyle, is President of the International Insti - tute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine and founder of NeoFertility, in Dublin. We are blessed to have a global expert share his knowledge from decades of experience and research. Due to the Covid pandemic, Dr Boyle will join us live virtually. Freda McMahon, NeoFertil - ity Advisor, will be present in person to explain how treatment works in the UK. This Mass takes place during European Fertility Week, which raises awareness of infertility and the issues faced by those affected by it. Infertility affects one couple in six. Many feel isolated in their experience. Catholics may feel par - ticularly isolated and confused, as IVF is not endorsed by the Church. We want couples affected by infer - tility to know they are not alone in their struggles and have the opportu - nity to share some of their experiences with others who under - stand. We want them to have spiritual support and know the options that the Church does endorse when it comes to treating infertility. Please spread the word about these events. If you have any further questions, please get in touch with me, Dr Jess Beckett, Fertility Aware - ness Methods Coordinator at famc.eastanglia@rcdea.org.uk Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CatholicEastAnglia Page 7 Couples share key to happy marriage Mass to support couples Bishop Alan recently celebrated a Mass for couples who were marking anniversaries after being married for many years. n “,It is a great joy to be with you today,”, said Bishop Alan in his homily, “,to offer the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving for the many graces you have been given by God. “,Saint Paul invites us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice,”, he continued. “,This sacrifice con - tinues to be lived out in so many different ways: by ensuring that your married life is always open to life, by patience and disinterested love, by the constant sacrifices you make in raising your chil - dren, by loving and guiding your grandchildren and great grand - children, often to the detriment of your own convenience.”, Around half of the attendants joined the event on livestream, which was celebrating two years of anniversaries as last year’,s Mass was cancelled. The names of the couples were called out and everyone clapped them. One of the couples involved, Barbara and Terry O’,Brien, had got married on December 28, 1960, and celebrated their sixtieth anni - versary last year. They had met in the summer of 1957, in Barbara’,s hometown of Weymouth, Dorset. Terry was 17 and under initial training in the Naval Base at Portland. Barbara was just 16. Life in the Royal Navy being what it was, they spent most of our early years apart, Terry was one year in the Mediterranean and then 10 months in the USA. But when they were together, they got along well enough to decide to get married in 1960, aged just 19 and 20. Terry said that the most difficult time was his posting on “,Foreign Sea Service”, for 18 months in the Far East. He left the UK in 1961, just months after their first child, Paul, was born, he was nearly two years old when Terry saw him next, in 1963. They made up for it when he managed to vol - unteer for a “,Married Accompanied”, posting for the three of them, to spend the next two years in the shore base in Singapore. Barbara was expecting their second child when she flew out to join him, and when they returned to the UK in 1965, she was carrying their fourth. Terry shared some of the keys to their success - ful relationship. “,Starting young, definitely. We were too young to think we couldn’,t succeed. And Bar - bara needed to be fit to raise the four children who arrived within five years. She did it virtually single- handed, too, as I was in the Navy for a further 10 years. A shared sense of humour is essential. It really helps if you can both see the funny side of the ridiculous situ - ations you can get into over 60 years of married life.”, Another couple at the celebra - tion were Frederick and Muriel Confue. “,We have been married 60 years,”, said Muriel, “,and we have three children, 12 grandchildren and six great grandchildren. It`s a wonderful life and we both feel the key to success in a good marriage is, without doubt, give and take.”, children. He runs his own business and was previously a research scientist. Paul Raynes is married to Sarah and they have four children. Paul is Director of Strategy and Planning of the Cambridgeshire and Peterbor - ough Combined Authority and was previously a diplomat. For each, formation as a per - manent deacon has come as part of a long journey of faith. Gianluca came from a non- religious family, but came to faith at university. He has been a catechist and served on the altar. Paul was born into a Catholic family and attended Catholic schools. He has been active in his parish, particu - larly as a catechist. Permanent deacons can be ordained at any age between 35 and 65. Anyone interested in the permanent diaconate should talk first with their parish priest. Further questions can be addressed to Deacon John Bell (deacon@sphcambridge.co.uk ) or Deacon Martin L’,Estrange (martin.lestrange@rcdea.org. uk). s towards conate Barbara and Terry O’,Brien.

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Construction of the new St John Henry Newman Catholic Primary School and Nursery in Peterborough is under way, with work benefitting the envi - ronment and nearby residents. n Work on the new school in Aqua Drive, Hampton Water, started recently with staff from Eco Modular Buildings (EMB) com - mencing ground works and preparing foundations. Peterborough City Council is keen to adopt modern and environmentally-friendly methods of construction. This unique project will see the school built off-site at EMB’,s Lean Manufacturing Facility in Hull, with modules then transported to site in phases for installa - tion and assembly, providing a watertight superstructure within a matter of weeks. Modular build schools are becoming more commonplace across the UK, with these methods driven by the Department for Educa - tion. A Modular delivery approach has many benefits including decreased waste, a reduced site period and reduced site traffic ensuring less disruption for local residents. St John Henry Newman Primary School and Nursery is due to open in September 2022, catering for 630 pupils and will be run by the Diocese of East Anglia. Simon Rawson, Eco Modular Buildings Ltd, Founder and CEO, said: “,The whole team at Eco were delighted to be awarded St John Henry Newman Catholic Primary School on behalf of Peterborough City Council, which we understand is the Council’,s first scheme using modern methods of construction. “,This is an exciting project which we have been working collaboratively with Peterbo - rough City Council, the Diocese of East Anglia and the Department for Education over the course of 2020/21, it’,s exciting to be mov - ing into the construction phase and we very much look forward to handing over a beauti - ful school ready for the first intake in September 2022, we’,re certain the school will be enjoyed by young learners for many years to come.”, Helen Bates from the Diocese of East Anglia Schools’, Team, said: “,As the first brand new Catholic school to be built in the country for more than 10 years, this is an important and exciting project for Catholic education nationally. St John Henry Newman will be a Catholic school serving its local community and we very much look forward to welcoming all children to our new school in September 2022.”, Councillor Lynne Ayres, Peterborough City Council`s cabinet member for children’,s serv - ices, education, skills and the university, said: “,Peterborough is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK and we expect this trend to continue, so finding new school places is an urgent and ongoing challenge. “,This is a unique project and it’,s fantastic to see construction underway. We`re all looking forward to the school opening its doors to pupils next year. It is going to be a huge asset not just for Hampton, but for Peterborough as a whole, for years to come.”, The Diocese has organised two drop-in information events in Peterborough for par - ents thinking about sending their children to the new school. No booking needed. These will be held on: November 1, 2-4pm at St Luke’,s Church, Benyon Grove, Peterborough, PE2 5XS. November 25, 6-8pm at Hampton Vale Community Centre, Stewartby Avenue, Hampton Vale, Peterborough, PE7 8NJ. Page 8 latest online news at: www.rcdea.org.uk Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 Construction starts at Peterborough school YOUTH , MATTERS/ , SCHOOLS n Teenager Nathan Alexander Connor received an unexpected Papal Blessing when he was Baptised, Confirmed and received into Full Communion with the Church at St Mary’,s, Thetford, recently. Nathan, aged 17, has been attending weekly Sunday Mass for the past year, but due to the pandemic, his reception into the church was delayed until the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 15). Nathan received the sacraments in front of his mother, grandfathers and uncle, as well as a virtual congregation in Malta because of the current travel restrictions in place and a large physical congregation present in St Mary’,s. Nathan’,s interest in joining the Church was raised when he studied European History 1500 - 1660 for his A Level exam. During the homily, Fr Peter Leeming, parish priest of Thetford paid tribute to Nathan’,s steadfast approach of faith over the year and mentioned that when he was first approached by Nathan enquiring about the Catholic faith, Nathan has been very attentive and attended weekly Sunday Mass without fail. Fr Peter also paid tribute to Karen, his mother for her support to Nathan over the last year. Contact Janet by phone 01440 730399 or email janett@cathcom.org Celebrating our Schools Adverts Promote your school while supporting the paper These adverts can be used to promote open days, staff vacancies as well as supporting the paper Contact Charlotte by phone 01440 730399 or email charlotter@cathcom.org Papal surprise for Thetford teenager Students put feelings into clay n Students at Notre Dame High School in Norwich have created clay figurines to express how they are feeling as the coun - try comes out of pandemic-related restrictions. The project was initiated by the Norwich 2040 Local Cultural Educational Partner - ship, which is led by Norwich City Council. All students in Year 8 created a figurine holding a message saying how they were feeling. “,Seeing all the models together shows how each of us is a unique individual with our own personality,”, commented one stu - dent. “,It’,s OK not to feel happy the whole time,”, said another. “,Each of our emotions helps us to discover who we really are.”, The figurines have gone on tour and will be displayed at Norwich Castle. Pictured, from the left, are Fr Peter Leeming, Nathan’,s mum Karen, Nathan (holding the Blessing received from His Holiness Pope Francis) and his grandfathers Stephen Saggers and Joseph McKay.

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With the challenges of pandemic travel restrictions, the East Anglia Diocesan Youth Service decided to team up with Cambridge-based Radio Maria England for a pilgrimage close to home this summer. Ciaran Losasso reports. n In previous years, the annual Diocesan Youth Pilgrimage has visited destina - tions as varied as Santiago de Compostela, Iona and Fatima. Every few years, the pilgrimage has joined the World Youth Day celebrations in cities as varied as Panama, Rio de Janeiro and Krakó,w. Never before, however, has the summer pilgrimage travelled quite so close to home! We joined Radio Maria England, who were hoping to encourage more young people to join them on pilgrimage to Walsingham, walking and camping along the way. We decided on the name England’,s Way and, after months of careful planning alongside some committed volunteers, on July 28 a group of around 15 set out to walk (most of the way!) from Ely to Wal - singham over four days. The route was around 55 miles taking in fens, forest and fields, as well as towns and villages, across the three counties of our Diocese. The group also included a small contin - gent who had already walked all the way from Peterborough to Ely to join us. We were also assisted by a support vehicle to carry snacks, water and the occasional struggling pilgrim! Throughout the course of the walk, the Youth Service statue of Our Lady of Wal - singham was proudly carried on the shoulders of members of the group. Though some of us doubted that we’,d be able to carry the statue beyond the first few hours of the trip, the statue was in fact carried for the entirety of the walk. It helped us to witness to the reason we were walking and, of course, prompted a few questions and looks from some passers-by. The joyful and caring spirit of the group was evident in the perseverance they showed, the help they gave to one another and also in the spontaneous singing that our youngest group members initiated –, sometimes the Rosary, sometimes the Divine Mercy Chaplet, other times a clas - sic Disney track or two! The singing helped lift spirits when we were tired, soaking wet or ready for our next meal –, as we often were! Camping or sleeping on floors pre - sented its own challenges, but we were grateful for the hospitality and cooking of others along the way including at St Thomas’, Church, Brandon, Swaffham Rugby Club, Sacred Heart Primary School and from parishioners at Our Lady of Pity, Swaffham. Spending time with the Lord at daily Mass was an impor - tant part of each day, as were the times for silence and reflection and the times for laughter and conversation. The route was not always easy –, on more than one occasion we got lost, at one point needing the assistance of a friendly farmer in his tractor to hand-draw us a map and allow us to pass through his wheat field! “,I think it was a good experience,”, remarked 19-year-old pilgrim Marie-The - rese about the trip. “,It’,s humbling ‘,cause you see you can’,t do [all those] miles with - out Mary!”, We were also blessed to be accompanied by two priests, Fr Arockiya Seelan and Fr Piotr Wygnanski, who ably saw to the spiritual needs of the group and whose presence was especially appre - ciated. For one 20-year-old pilgrim from Cam - bridgeshire it was his first time on any sort of pilgrimage. “,I think it’,s definitely done a lot for me. I had my first Confes - sion…, which is something I don’,t think I would’,ve done if I wasn’,t on a pilgrim - age,”, he said. It is hoped that England’,s Way will become an annual trip in its own right in future years. For us, it certainly was an unforgettable and worthwhile experience to journey with Our Lord and His Mother. You can hear more from the pilgrims who went on England’,s Way on the Radio Maria England show Testimonies from Walsingham: www.tinyurl.com/englandswaypodcast Pilgrims walk England’,s Way Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CatholicEastAnglia Page 9 YOUTH , MATTERS England’,s Way pilgrims with Radio Maria England President Charles Wilson (in blue) outside St Etheldreda`s Church in Ely. n St Joseph’,s parish in Sheringham held its first event since lockdown with the First Communion of Anezka and Bartosz reports Fr James Fyfe. We had a lot to be thankful for at the First Communion celebrations at St Joseph`s, Sheringham. The very special First Communion cake was made by Maureen Sibellas of Overstrand, and others brought party food so that all enjoyed themselves. We are now hoping to have more events. My thanks go to Michele Ottway and Anne Potts, who prepared the children for this special day. Pictured above are Anezka and Bartosz with their cakes and Fr James Fyfe. A first in Sheringham

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A fundraising walk for Wymondham Foodbank on Saturday August 7 raised £,1,890 in memory of Siobhan O’,Keeffe, who passed away with Covid during lockdown. n Siobhan O’,Keeffe was a parishioner of St Thomas of Canterbury in Wymondham and a volunteer at the Help Point foodbank, which is based at the church. She died unexpectedly last November after a positive Covid test. “,We are overwhelmed at everyone`s kind - ness,”, said Susan Latham, who as a former colleague of Siobhan at Crown Commercial Service helped to organise the walk. “,Siob - han would be so pleased with this.”, “,It was good for the soul,”, commented another colleague who was on the walk. ",As a volunteer with our Outreach Project at our foodbank, Siobhan served everyone who requested help with great kindness,”, said Arnie McConnell, Coordinator of the Wymondham Outreach Project. “,She pas - sionately believed in our obligation to serve the poor and marginalised.”, Siobhan was a team player. She is held in the highest esteem by all who worked with her.”, Her former colleagues at Crown Commer - cial Service organised the fundraising walk in her memory. Teams in several places across the country, including Norwich, Lon - don, Liverpool and Scotland took part and all funds raised are being forwarded to Wymondham Foodbank. Customers at the Crown Commercial Service commented that Siobhan was “,rock solid, full of integrity and had your back”,. She would have celebrated a significant birthday on May 6, which made colleagues think about the idea of a walk to honour her. Tributes have been paid to well-known Norfolk Catholic Roger Pearson who was a man of faith, a Knight Commander, Catenian, Cathedral Treasurer, Reader and prominent charity and civic supporter. n Roger was born on September 25, 1931, and passed away peace - fully on July 5, 2021 at the age of 89, at his beloved home in Norwich, where he had lived for almost 60 years. He will be sadly missed by wife Sally, his family and many friends around the UK. The Requiem Mass at St John’,s Cathedral in Norwich on July 22 was celebrated by Bishop Alan Hopes, eight priests and a deacon. Rev Canon Mark Madden KCHS gave the homily and His Excellency Michael Byrne KGCHS, Lieutenant of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre –, England and Wales addressed the assembly. It can be watched on the Cathedral YouTube channel. Roger was a family man, a good friend and a person of deep faith who saw his service of people as a way to express his love for God. Roger was a Chartered Accountant in practice and started specialising in Insolvency in the early 1970s, retiring at the age of 72 after more than 50 years of working for the same firm. Even more impressive though was his record of public service in which he gave freely of his financial and organisational acumen to a host of charities and public bodies in Norfolk. He firstly married Olga in 1958 and after her death in 1983 he mar - ried Sally in 1990. They lived a very happy life, travelled widely and regularly welcomed family and friends to their home. When Sally organised Fr John Drury’,s Mission from 1997 until 2002, Roger supported and helped in any way he could, including counting all the monies raised by the diocese to help people in Ecua - dor. Many children in the diocese sent Smartie tubes filled with 1p and 5p pieces. The Diocese of East Anglia raised more than £,300,000 during the five years Fr John was in Ecuador, which provided housing, work - shops/sewing rooms to give an opportunity of earning some money and help support families. A medical dispensary was set up to provide facilities for the people there. Dining rooms were organised to feed approximately 900 people each day and two bakeries and lastly a technical college was built for which our diocese partly pro - vided the money. Roger and Sally visited Ecuador three times and it was wonderful to see how our dio - cese helped Fr John’,s parishioners. Roger was invested into the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepul - chre in 2012, when he was 81, by the Cardinal Grand Master, Cardinal O’,Brien and advanced to the rank of Knight Commander in 2017. The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepul - chre is devoted to the welfare of the Christians in the Holy Land. Roger became a Catenian rather late in life, when he was 82, but got involved by being responsible for membership and attended as many meetings as possible even though he was very hard of hearing! He thoroughly enjoyed the companion - ship of the brothers at the Norwich Circle. He was a Reader, Registrar for Marriages and was Treasurer at St John’,s Cathedral, Norwich for 20 years. At the age of 70, Roger was awarded a BA Hons degree in Divinity after five years of study. Roger was a happy and con - tented man who lived by example, and we are fortunate to have known him and enjoyed his company. Page 10 latest online news at: www.rcdea.org.uk Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 Siobhan served at Wymondham Foodbank Tributes paid to a man of faith OBITUARIES Roger Pearson. Pictured left is Siobhan O’,Keeffe and, below, the Norwich group setting off from the Crown Commercial office at St Andrews Business Park.

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New Radio Maria director Fr Andreas Schä,tzle has taken up the post of priest director at Cambridge-based Radio Maria England, after serv - ing for 16 years at Radio Maria Austria. n “,I’,m looking forward to working with the staff and volunteers,”, writes Fr Andreas, “,to bring our Chris - tian Voice to your homes, cars, gardens and wherever else you may listen. I’,m looking forward to praying with you and sharing our Lord Jesus’, hope with each of you. I invite you to call, email or text us with suggestions, ideas, worries and prayer intentions. England, you are a joyful and new part of the World Family of Radio Maria. You have already brought so much joy, hope and love to many listeners and I look forward in supporting you to continue to build your Radio Maria England Family.”, Fr Andreas replaces Fr Sam Randall, who has left to take up a post with Radio Maria in Melbourne. “,Fr Andreas is an incredibly experienced Radio Maria priest director,”, wrote Fr Sam. “,I remember when I asked the world family which radio station we should seek to emulate they said Radio Maria Austria. That is exactly what’,s happening.”, Radio Maria England has been awarded a grant to look at the relationship between science and faith through the Scientists in Congregations programme. The programme is run by Equipping Christian Leader - ship in an Age of Science (ECLAS). Radio Maria England is among one of 22 churches and organisations in England and Wales to receive grants totalling £,400,000, to be used over the next 18 months on a cre - ative, public-facing project. The grants are funded by the Templeton Religion Trust. Radio Maria England broadcast a first season of Science and Faith over the summer and the show is also available as a podcast. Radio Maria England broadcasts a variety of Christian music, teaching and prayer from its studios in Cambridge. You can listen to it on digital radio in Cambridge and London and online. Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/CatholicEastAnglia Page 11 Couple bid farewell n Deacon Patrick Limacher and his wife Eileen bade their for - mal farewell to the Cathedral parish of St John the Baptist, Norwich, on Saturday September 4, prior to their moving to Suffolk. Linda and Colin Harper report. At the 6pm Mass, Cathedral Dean, the Very Rev Canon David Paul, celebrated Mass assisted by Deacon Patrick. Eileen was present along with many friends. After the Mass, a reception was attended by a large gath - ering of parishioners and friends who had worked closely with Deacon Pat and Eileen in many and various aspects of Cathe - dral life over many years making it a reunion of friends old and new. More than 50 guests were wel - comed by KSC Grand Knight Colin Harper who welcomed the guests, and, in particular, Pat and Eileen, he also thanked the staff of the Narthex café, and the Flower Group for their co-operation and hard work in preparation for the event which was the first parish social gathering since the start of the lockdowns. Canon Paul paid fulsome thanks to Deacon Pat for his many years of devoted service to the parish and the Diocese. He went on to give thanks to Eileen for her warm-hearted service to the parish. He also wished them every happiness in their new home. Presentations were made to the couple as expres - sions of appreciation and affection. In response, Deacon Pat made a heartfelt and amusing speech and thanked all those present for their friendship and support over so many years. Fr Andreas, back centre, with the Radio Maria England team. OBERAMMERGAU AND RHINE CRUISE 12 DAYS FROM £,3,395 Uncover the majesty of the Rhine River on a spectacular cruise, head to the heart of Bavaria to watch the world-famous Oberamme rgau Passion Play and enjoy the chance to experience Floriade 2022. Oberammergau Passion Play UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES Enjoy top tier tickets to Oberammergau’,s Passion Play , the world’,s oldest Passion Play, and a unique once-a-decade event. Soak up the scenery of the UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge and see the legendary Lorelei Rock. Journey on the Drachenfelsbahn Railway , which rises into the mountains and high into the forests for wonderful views across Germany’,s Rhine-Westphalia region. 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News picture gallery from parishes around the Diocese Page 12 latest online news at: www.rcdea.org.uk Catholic East Anglia –, October/November 2021 n Flower arrangers from , St John’,s Cathedral in Norwich bade farewell to Fr Leo Michael recently as he left for his new parish in Newmarket. They were, Urszula Parker, Ann Richardson, Norma Marshall, Pat Chia, Imelda Race and Sylvia Moore. n Bishop Alan Hopes recently met with the Metro Mayor of Cam - bridgeshire and Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson, to discuss mutual co-operation in working for the home - less, support of migrant workers and in matters surrounding environ - mental issues. The private meeting took place at the Bishop’,s White House in Poring - land near Norwich. n Bishop Alan Hopes celebrated a Mass at the Felixstowe Sea - farers Centre on Monday September 13 as part of a pastoral visit organised by seafarers’, charity Stella Maris. He was assisted by Fr John Barnes from St Felix Church. In his homily, Bishop Alan gave thanks for Stella Maris’, (formerly known as Apostleship of the Sea) ministry and its work supporting seafarers and fishers. Stella Maris’, Regional Port Chaplain for East Anglia and Haven Ports, Julian Wong, organised the Mass and Bishop Alan`s visit. “,When I met Bishop Alan earlier this year, I asked him if he would come to celebrate Mass at the Seafarers` Centre before he retires. Without any hesitation, he said he would come in the autumn,”, said Julian. “,We had a lovely Mass. music and singing was led by our former East Anglia Port Chaplain Patricia Ezra,”, he said. Julian also arranged for a container ship cake to be baked - which carried the name ‘,MSC Alan’, - and a Lego container ship set, courtesy of Maersk Shipping Company, to be given to Bishop Alan. The bishop has been very supportive of the work of the charity, and in 2015 went on board a ship in Felixstowe port, where he met the crew and prayed with them. To support the work of Stella Maris with seafarers in East Anglia and elsewhere, please visit: www.stellamaris.org.uk/donate n St John’,s Cathedral architect Suzi Pendlebury was among hundreds raising money for their own church and the Norfolk Churches Trust in the annual sponsored Bike Ride on Saturday September 11. Organisers urged people to cycle, walk or even drive to as many Norfolk churches as possible on Saturday September 11, in order to raise funds for their church. Susie aimed to visit up to 30 churches and raised £,870 through her efforts. “,What a wonderful journey discovering fascinating buildings and meeting the fabulous people who greeted me and made me feel so welcome,”, said Suzi. “,Thank you to everyone for your wonderful donations. Every penny helps keeping these wonderful churches with us.”, Visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/suzipendlebury to sponsor Suzi. Charles Inglis, Chairman of the Norfolk Churches Trust Bike Ride Committee, said: “,Last year the Bike Ride exceeded all possible expectations and produced a record-breaking result. An extraordinary total of £,174,382 was raised by 831 partici - pants. “,This is a fantastic way to raise money for your church when many fundraising activities have been lost or curtailed this year and the success of this event is largely down to lots of people making small contributions which add up to a large amount of money to help save our iconic and historic Norfolk churches,”, said Charles. norfolkchurchestrust.org.uk/bike-ride-walk/

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