Happy Second Birthday to the Family Groups in St Mary's Ipswich!

Congratulations to the Family Groups in St Mary's Parish, Ipswich who have just celebrated their second birthday!  And many thanks to John Cassidy for sending us the following report and pictures of their party:- 

"Not even a cold, foggy, wet November Saturday could dampen the spirits of the huge crowd (from 88 year old Horace to a quartet of one year old's)  that flocked to St Mary's, Ipswich.  They had come to celebrate the second birthday of our Family Groups.  All arrived clutching a plate of food (sweet or savoury) resulting in a wonderful array of deliciously different dishes from more than a dozen nations of the World.  Fr John Warrington, our Parish Priest, in his prelude to the opening prayer, expressed his joy at the growth of Family Groups in our Parish.  With great delight, and surrounded by excited children, he cut the cake and our three hour celebration began.  Yes, we have reached the age of two but we are just 'toddlers'.  Like all toddlers we have found our feet and are running about full of life.  We're keenly aware though, that we have much to learn from our older 'siblings' around the country and still need encouragement from our 'parents' in OZ."

 Chris Robertson and the Family Groups from St Bernadette's Parish, Scunthorpe are running a workshop on 'Building Family Groups' as part of the Diocese of Nottingham's Families and Faith Resource Day on Saturday 22nd November. For more information and to book a place please telephone: 0115 9539841 or email: formation@nrcdt.org

St Mary's Family Groups bring Southern India to Suffolk

Many thanks to John and Penny Cassidy for sending us the following report on their Family Group's October gathering to welcome Gwen Wintersheidt on her recent UK visit. We hope it inspires you and makes your mouths water!

To say that 23 of us sat down, last Sunday to a full South Indian meal with all the trimmings is to only tell half the story. When we told Gwen that one of our group, Anna, would cook something from her native Kerala, we didn't tell her that she, too, would have to roll up her sleeves as it was all to be cooked on site in St Mary’s Hall! 

It would have been easier for Anna to do it herself  but, with her two daughters, she gave us  all  the opportunity for hands-on cooking lessons & practical tips throughout. It was fun - for us! As their mum poured over the hot stove of the too-small cooker, in the overcrowded kitchen, Leeba and Litty tutored, encouraged and nudged us into chopping, peeling, stirring and rolling. Sojan came and shared his considerable cooking skills too. Somehow, amidst all the apparentchaos, the following meal appeared:

Chicken (breast) Curry

Puri

Poppadoms

Pilau Rice

Potato Bhaji

Dessert: Plantana in butter flavoured with Cardamom

Cathy, one of our parish cantors, gave a hauntingly beautifully rendition of   “An Irish Blessing” as our Grace.  As Anna had paired down the cost to an absolute minimum, £60 has been sent to Familia, a charity helping orphans in Northern India.' “Best Indian meal ever,” was the general consensus and “A great Family Group activity.” 

St Mary's Family Groups will be celebrating their second birthday on Saturday 15th November from 2pm to 5pm at St Mary's Hall.  If any Family Groups from other parishes wish to join in the celebrations please contact Hannah Moruzzi and she will put you in touch with the Parish Coordinators.