Fr Alvan Ibeh SMMM from Great Yarmouth has published his first book in the UK, which will be part of a series, titled “A Fountain of ..read more

Despite the rain, nearly 20 men from across the Diocese gathered in Walsingham for the annual Marriage and Family Life Day for Men on Saturday July 6. The retreat was entitled “Called to Serve”, with the main speaker, Fr Sean Connolly, emphasising that the fundamental reason for living a life of service was to keep one’s eyes fixed on the Kingdom of Heaven. Using themes from C.S. Lewis and other analogies, he led the participants through the rationale of love and service being rooted in the giving of self to others. The day featured Holy Mass, time for confession, led prayer, and a short discu ..read more

On Thursday July 18, Bishop Peter Collins visited St Alban’s Catholic High School in Ipswich for the first time as Bishop. He was given a tour and celebrated Mass, attended by 750 students. On his arrival, he was warmly greeted by Mr Baker, Headteacher, Paul Gilbert, Lay School Chaplain, members of the trust and governing body, and two Year 10 students, Isaac Hawke and Tammy Akinbile, who would take the Bishop on a tour of the school. Both Isaac and Tammy said, “At first, we were really nervous about taking the Bishop around, as it was the first time that we have come this close to the Bishop ..read more

The Diocese of East Anglia Youth Camino, following the Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela, led by Bishop Peter Collins, has begun. Organised by the Ignite Youth Team, and its Director Hamish MacQueen, the 30-strong group started the 120km walk from Valenza in Portugal over the border on the River Minho, to Porrino in Spain. The group walked the first 20km today in temperatures in the high 20s, through delightful Portuguese and Spanish towns and villages and leafy woodlands. During the evening, the group celebrated Mass at the parish church of St Mary of the Conception in Porrino where t ..read more

Latest news of interest to the East Anglia Catholic community includes a joyous street procession at St Luke’s in Peterborough, a priest celebrating 25 years of service and a buzzing Open Day at Ramsey Quiet Garden. On the afternoon of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, around 250 people took part in the annual street procession, followed by Benediction, at St Luke’s in Peterborough, Fr Jeffrey Downie reports.  We were led by this years’ 46 First Holy Communion children through the roads and shops around the church. Afterwards they received their certificates and enj ..read more

Peterborough’s Anglican Cathedral opened its doors to welcome over 1,500 Catholics for a mass led by Bishop Peter Collins on June 15, an event made more significant by the presence of Katherine of Aragon’s grave within the cathedral, infusing the ceremony with profound historical and spiritual meaning. Catholic historian Oliver Wessex reports. Katherine of Aragon, was born on December 16, 1485, in Alcalá de Henares, and was the daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. Their union was instrumental in the formation of modern Spain. Katherine’s nephew, Charles von ..read more

A group of mostly young pilgrims from the Diocese of East Anglia will be walking 120kms over six days in northern Spain next week following the Way of St James Camino to Santiago de Compostela, led by Bishop Peter Collins. Organised by the Ignite Youth Team, and its Director Hamish MacQueen, the 30-strong group fly from Stansted to Porto on Sunday and will begin walking from the Portuguese border at Valenca on Monday, following the Portuguese Way route north into Spain and up to Santiago de Compostela. Since 2013, an estimated 200,000 pilgrims have walked a Camino each year following in a grow ..read more

St John the Baptist Cathedral in Norwich is one of seven churches across England and Wales to share funding of £70,000 to explore the relationship between science and faith through the church engagement programme, Scientists in Congregations The awardees have each received grants of up to £10,000 to deliver a project over the next year. Building on the expertise of scientists in their congregations, the churches will host a range of outreach and educational activities focusing on topics from clinical trials to creation care, with the aim of showing how engaging with science can lead to a deepe ..read more

The Vatican has granted permission for Our Lady of Walsingham to be celebrated as a new Feast in the dioceses of England, starting this year on September 24. Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, wrote to Cardinal Vincent Nichols, president of the Bishops’ Conference, in response to his request last year that the Obligatory Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Walsingham be raised to the rank of Feast. He explained that normally it wouldn’t be moved but an exception would be made. He said: “Given the historic importance of th ..read more

Peterborough City Council has elected Catholic councillor Marco Cereste, as its mayor for the 2024-25 civic year, joining fellow Catholics mayors in both Norwich and Cambridge to make up a holy trinity of civic leaders. Councillor Marco was elected as the city’s first citizen at the annual meeting of Peterborough City Council on May 30, joining Catholic Cllr Baiju Thittala as the new Mayor of Cambridge and St John’s Cathedral parishioner and shop supervisor Cllr Vivien Thomas as Lord Mayor of Norwich. Marco and wife and Mayoress Maddalena, attend Sacred Heart and St Oswalds on Lincoln Road in ..read more