Our prisons have been much in the news lately, following an inspection which found that HMP Birmingham has ‘appalling’ levels of squalor and violence.  It’s reported that many gaols in England and Wales are struggling to maintain decent conditions and good order, amid high levels of assault, drug-taking and self-harm.

Prisons Week – which began in 1975 as a Roman Catholic initiative – enables the Christian community to pray for the needs of all those affected by prisons: prisoners and their families, victims of crime and their communities, those working in the criminal justice system and the many people involved in caring for those affected by crime inside and outside our prisons.  Prisons Sunday marks the beginning of this week of prayer and awareness-raising.

We’re delighted that our guest preacher at the Parish Eucharist on Prisons Sunday will be Fr James Ridge, who is the new Chaplain-General of the Prison Service in England & Wale.  Until the last week of September he was Managing Chaplain at HMP Wayland.  It’s a great privilege for us to welcome him to St Mary’s on this day – please come to hear him preach and to wish him well in this new and influential ministry.

Find out more about Prisons Week by visiting the website here.

We kick off our Harvest celebrations on the Saturday following the Feast of St Francis by blessing pets and animals in St Mary’s Church.  Bring your cat, dog, guinea pig, rabbit, horse, hedgehog, leopard, stick insect or Significant Other and join us for this informal 20-minute service.  After the service, priests will be available for individual animal blessings, and there’ll be hot chocolate and gingerbread.  Everyone is welcome!  PS: Bring dogs and leopards on leads, and other animals in carriers.

Yesterday morning we had a wonderful Patronal Festival Service where we were joined by the Dean of Norwich, Very Revd Janes Hedges, as our preacher and there was some wonderful music from the choir. Bucks Fizz followed the service, after which many of the congregation enjoyed the annual Patronal Festival Lunch in the Hall. A good time was had by all! Thanks to all who worked so hard to make the day special.