John Cassidy recalls the joy of the Family Groups' first birthday celebrations last November (2013) in St Mary's Parish, Ipswich.
"The parish hall was decked out with streamers and bunting. Music played as nearly 100 parishioners – ages 2 to 92 - arrived on Saturday afternoon, November 9th . Tables were festooned with imaginative cooking, baking, and confectionery. Parents rushed their children back from rugby practice and ballet lessons. Senior parishioners altered their schedules. Our clergy freed their diaries. The centrepiece of the festivities was an iced birthday cake, with just one candle - because we in the parish of St Mary’s and Holy Family, Ipswich, had come to celebrate the 1stbirthday party of our Family Groups. Before he led the ‘Happy Birthday’ chorus, our Parish Priest, Fr John Warrington, who is an integral part of the Family Groups, said how proud he was to see such a wonderful cross-section of the parish being together and celebrating happily as a community."
For more information, or to join a Family Group in St Mary's and the Holy Family Parish, please contact the Parish Family Group Coordinator via the Presbytery on 01473 728115 or email secretary@st-mary.org.uk
If your parish has any Family Groups news, details of upcoming events, reports or pictures that you would like to share with other Family Groups on this Blog please contact the MFL Project Office