"A HUMAN rights activist who fled the Rwandan genocide stole more than £220.000 from a Catholic cathedral while volunteering as its treasurer. Rene Mugenzi, 44, transferred cash from the bank account of St John the Baptist Cathedral in Norwich into his own account to fund his gambling addiction." story continues.
The Daily Telegraph / The Sunday Telegraph"Lockdown is back and so is the very popular Evening Prayer podcast by Fr Sean Connolly and his dog Dylan from St George's in Norwich. Broadcasting each Monday to Friday at 6pm, and available to listen to later, Fr Sean and Dylan are once again making stuff up and talking nonsense before settling down to lead evervone in Evening Prayer." Story continues.
Image showing Fr Sean, bike and phone
"The parish of St Dominic in Downham Market welcomed Bishop Alan Hopes on Monday 10th May to bless the new extension to their church porch area." Story continues
Image: Bishop Alan Hopes and Hall
News and comment relevant to the Diocese of East Anglia
Byrne, Patrick"Parishioners from across east Anglia have united to support CAFOD's new climate campaign, Our Common Home, including speaking to MOD at Parliament." (Article continues...). Image showing Shirley and Mark Kalinaukas
The Catholic Universe (1860-2021)"A priest had a close shave when violent winds sent a church's stone cross crashing into the roof above him." story continues
3 images + text.
"Three generations of a Thetford family attended the canonisation of St John Henry Newman in Rome after a personal invitation from Pope Francis - and they received a wave and a blessing form the Holy Father when one of the group tried to swap caps with him following in an ancient tradition." story continues.
2 images, caption: "Pictured above is Pope Francis giving a blessing to Paul Gilbert, who is waving his Zucchetto, stood next to his grandmother Henrietta. Inset - Paul Gilbert with his Zucchetto."
"The work of Catholic social action organisation Caritas East Anglia was formally commissioned by the Rt Rev Alan Hopes, Bishop of East Anglia, at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Norwich on Sunday 17th November, followed by a special celebration lunch." story continues.
image captioned: "Bishop Alan Hopes commissioning the Caritas East Anglia team."
"Around 40 Catholic churches across the Diocese of east Anglia have re-opened their doors for private prayer in a move welcomed by Bishop Alan Hopes." Story continues.
Image 1 caption: "Pictured are Bishop Alan Hopes (left) and Canon David Paul opening the doors of St John's Cathedral to the public for the first time since lockdown began."
Image 2 caption: "Left, volunteer stewards help visitors for private prayer at St John's Cathedral, Norwich, disinfect before entering."
"Fr Luke Goymour from St Thomas of Canterburv in Brandon has been arranging adoration and Benediction in the gardens of some of hIs panishioners. Not someone to be wrong-footed by Covid restrictions, Fr Luke has been taking the Blessed Sacrament to the homes of his parishioners, and blessing them after a short prayer time, either at the front door or In their garden. Some of his parishioners prepared an altar in their garden and he came to their back door for the ceremony. Fr Luke is pictured right with the Blessed Sacramentant and the garden shrine."
The Catholic Universe (1860-2021)"Bishop Alan Hopes has talked about his story of faith, his conversion to the Catholic Church and life as a bishop on the Ignite First Fridays YouTube show." Story continues.
Image caption: "Bishop Alan is pictured left with radio show host Ciaran Losasso"
"A church restoration project is offeringa new perspective on its town and the streets that surround it. Pictures taken documenting repairs to the roof of St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Regent Road show its crowded urban setting, hemmed in by houses and Great Yarmouth's main tourism thoroughfare of Regent Road." Story continues.
Image caption: "Drone pictures offering a bird's eye view of urgent restoration work going on at St Mary's RC Church in Regent Road, Great Yarmouth, and its place in the town"
"A 'kind and generous' Norwich nurse with a 'bursting energy and smile' has been remembered at an emotional service. Estrella Catalan, a nurse at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital died on February 5 at the age of 52 after a battle with coronavirus." Story continues.
Image 1 caption: "The funeral of nurse Estrella Catalan at St John's RC Cathedral"
"The desire to learn about God has been the glue bonding an RCIA group at Our Lady and the English Martyrs in Cambridge. Mgr Eugène Harkness reports. Here at Our Lady of The Assumption and The English Martyrs, Cambridge, we have turned to the use of Zoom for our weekly sessions of instruction for the RCIA programme." Story continues
Image: screen image of 9 participants in an on-line meeting. Caption: "Pictured above is one of TCIA sessions at Our Lady and the English Martyrs""
"Bishop Alan Hopes joined other religious from across the diocese and further afield in celebrating
Mass at the Catholic National Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham on the first anniversary of the Rededication of England as the Dowry of Mary on 25th March 2020. Six hundred years ago King
Richard II placed England under the protection of Mary. Ever since England has been known as Mary's Dowry." Story continues
Image caption: "Bishop Alan Hopes is pictured left at the Catholic National Shrine"
"Pope Francis has appointed the Reverend Canon Peter Collins, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cardiff, as the fifth Bishop of East Anglia." Story continues
image caption: "Bishop Alan Hopes welcomes bishop-elect Peter Collins to East Anglia""
"Tens of thousands of Catholics watched live streamed Masses in up to 17 churches across the Diocese of East Anglia." Story continues
image captioned: "Easter services were live-streaming at St John's Cathedral in Norwich..."
"The community of Our Lady of Walsingham in Dereham is using the time of lockdown to prepare in the spirit, and in the garden, for the time when growth resumes." Story continues.
3 images. Image caption: "The sisters at their convent near Dereham soon after it opened and working hard on the gardens."
"A group of pilgrims to Walsingham have challenged the Diocese of East Anglia Historic Churches Committee's (HCC) to determination to rule against plans to update the Shrine's facilities." Story continues.
Image caption: The Slipper Chapel"
"Eric St John Foti, a Norfolk Catholic entrepreneur and inventor, has died, aged 94. Sr Francis Ridler FDC pays tribute to a remarkable man Eric was a man of faith and someone who made things happen. With his wife Marion he raised eight children of his own and fostered another 24. He was born on 13th January 1926 and died on 4th January, just before his 95th birthday." Story continues.
Image: Eric St John Foti