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The Diocese of East Anglia is a suffragan diocese within the Province of Westminster, erected on 13 March 1976 by the decree Quod Ecumenicum of Pope Paul VI, using territory taken from the Diocese of Northampton, which was created in 1850. After the Reformation, the area of East Anglia was soon placed under the care of the Vicars Apostolic of the Midland District, and later of the Eastern District, until the hierarchy was restored by Pope Blessed Pius IX.

Today, the Diocese of East Anglia incorporates the English counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and the city of Peterborough.

For the purposes of civil law, the Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia was established under a Deed of Revocation and Appointment dated 2 October 1979.

It is a registered charity (Reg. No. 278742) and is made up of 50 parishes in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Suffolk and Norfolk. It also encompasses 24 Catholic schools and 2 inter-denominational church schools. A new primary school has received permission and is planned to be open in September 2022.

The East Anglia Roman Catholic Diocese Trustee was incorporated on 1 February 1979 and was appointed as the Custodian Trustee of the Diocese on 2 October 1979 under the terms of a Deed of Revocation and Appointment.

The objective of the Diocese is set out in its Deed of Revocation and Appointment as: "The advancement of the Roman Catholic Religion in the Diocese and for the service and support whether in the Diocese or outside the Diocese of charitable works and objects promoted by the Roman Catholic Church." This overall objective is accomplished through the network of parishes and schools throughout the Diocese, seeking to involve the community as a whole, and furthering ecumenical relationships.

Rev K V Ensor's letter touched the Bishop deeply and precious to receive especially from an Evangelical Anglican. Shares the need not to tamper with doctrine under the rubric of spurious ecumenism. The doctrine of the RC Church is embodies in the New Order of Mass which is shared substantially with the Anglican Communion. The Church is not an abstraction; it is for the episcopate to discern what is to be done in the development of the Catholic faith.

Fr baker had issued detailed directives about what women could wear. The Bishop thought that a general directive might be more adequate - he had no idea of the lead up which horrifies him. "In many ways this miserable affair has only just begun" but your bishops are trying to find a solution compatible with Catholic faith - likely to be firm action.

Acknowledges that he had read the Downham Market article and advised others to read it. The holiness of Fr Baker is for God to judge but his ministry leaves a lot to be desired; have tried to contain this because of the hurt and scandal its disclosure would cause; this assumption of holiness hurts other priests in the area. "It is appalling that Downham Market has associated itself with the Abbe of Nantes."
Short discussion of Apostolicae Curae; leave off the offensive "final decision" from the front cover.
The proceedings of Oxford was kept completely confidential but the last sentence of the press release is a "humble and abiding confidence in what we are doing."

Easter

ink manuscript insertion "Dear Gary [Dowsey]"
Holy Week 1981; The Day of the Diocese - 16 May 1981, 5th anniversary; The ministry of the Parish - named various groups in the parishes and diocese; The Role of the Bishop - "my charge to strengthen and develop that network", development of the "Christ-community-priest" relationship in each locality
signed "+Alan" with annotation "the not-the Diocesan-Council!" [a reference to Cambridge]

Pastoral letters

Daughters of Jesus in Thetford, Fr Tony Shryane, Julian of Norwich, "be holy, holy, and yet more holy", Quidenham, working togther although not as members of the British Council of Churches; nuclear deterrant, unemployment, South Africa and apartheid, National Pastoral Congress, the Next Ten Years.

pg 1: Launch of "Friends" on 1 October 1983
pg 2: Statement by Fr Harry Wace, Dean
pg 3-4: Address by Bishop Alan Clark

Good News; overload of "bad" news; live more generously, openly and honestly; facing the problems ahead; 78% of Cathedral restoration bills paid; delegation of 40 going to Liverpool

ink manuscript insertion "Dear Gary [Dowsey]"
Greetings - Julian of Norwich, staff at Poringland; Hierarchy meeting in London, British Council of Churches, BBC; Papal Visit of Pope John Paul - National Ecumenial Committee, lobby for Papal visit to Walsingham; Four Papers; Nuclear Deterrent; Unemployment; South Africa; Eastern Europe; Diocesan Priorities - Adult Education, We are not about the Tridentine issue, Diocesan Pastoral Council.
manuscript in ink annotation: "+Alan As you have begun (so generously), please continue... Thank you"

National Pastoral Congress in Liverpool; 25 East Anglia representatives; no longer an infant diocese - growing; make clear what is required of us all

Suggest Canons Burditt and Frost and Frs Philpot and Wace for Commission on the division of the [Northampton] Diocese.
Downham Market is an issue on which we must stand - "whatever the personal holiness of Ossie (and God alone is the Judge here), he is corrupting a holy thing - and this is the hidden evil." Unwavering leadership is required. Confront Ossie with the obedience he owes, and, that the Pope has formally specified the circumstances in which the rite may be celebrated.
Tony Sketch should be given Downham market as his charge and say a publicised Mass there.
PPs (Aldeburgh, Wymondham, Felixstowe and Ipswich) make change-over on October 7th.

Greetings; Eastertide; Vocation: quotation from Pope John Paul (Lumen Gentium n.46); The National Pastoral Congress: a gallup Poll revealed catholic commuity remains rooted in love to the Church and its teachings; Christian Unity; Statue of St Joseph by Cecily Green in the entrance of the White House; Ave et Vale

Christmas and preparations

A considerable reorganisation of parishes and pastoral responsibilities in the area of Dereham and Swaffham. Downham Market will become part of the Swaffham parish with Fr Peter Marsh as its first parish priest; it may be re-established as a parish in the future. Fr Baker must be living on a pittance now that RAF Marham has its own chaplain. Providing him with an overview of intentions which will not happen until arrangements have been made for Fr Baker.

Our Priesthood - we are called to rise up with our new Bishop, state of priesthood in Ireland, evolving role of the priest; settlement with Inland Revenue, we should all pay our taxes, all expenditure requires a receipt, "I could seldom be content in what we were and always longed for shared vision of what we should be. I don't think we have done too badly"

chacteristic of a priest is to do Christ's will; 1979 more burdensome than 1978; gratitude for your ministry; Financial Stability: East Anglia holding is own - not least financially; Vocations: our approach, insights into the pattern and shapeof the future; Priestly Formation Commission; Diocesan Structure: Deanery becoming a real unit of operation; ideas for setting-up the Diocesan Pastoral Council; 1980: a real killer - National Pastoral Council, ARCIC final report due; reducing involvement with the "church-at-large", feels a confidence about the approachign 1980.

Returned from Rome; John Paul II blessing; conclave election; implementing Vatican II