St Mary Magdalen

Introduction

St Mary Magdalen in Ipswich opened in 1956 to serve the expanding population, carved out of St Pancras parish. The church has a superb east end with the finest coloured glass of any of the five Catholic churches in Ipswich, representing the Sanctus of the Mass.

History

Before the parish was founded, Mass was celebrated at various venues including the Suffolk Punch public house, Castle Hill Community Centre, and the Safe Harbour public house, by a priest of St Pancras parish. The parish was formed in 1954 and has been served by 11 parish priests. In 1955, the corner plot of land adjacent to the presbytery on Highfield Approach was acquired and work started to build a permanent new church on that site. Following the re-modelling, the church was consecrated on the feast of St Mary Magdalen, 22nd July 1979.

Architecture and furnishings

A new stone altar facing the people and a new lectern were commissioned, matching the original font, which was moved from the rear baptistry to the sanctuary. A mezzanine choir gallery was created over the entrance with new sacristies and a confessional. The church was re-decorated in papal colours, and new sacred vessels, crucifix, tabernacle, and other items were obtained, paid for by parish subscriptions. In 2016, the original dark church pews were stripped to bare wood and refurbished in a lighter colour, and a new sound system was installed.

In 2018, the gallery's curtain wall was lowered and a new wrought iron balustrade installed. In 2019, the church lighting was upgraded to new LED fittings. In December 2019, the original 1955 stone font and matching lectern from the 1979 remodelling were reinstated, and the floor was refurbished and refinished. Stained glass was commissioned for the eastern wall behind the new sanctuary.

A second-hand pipe organ was acquired from Hadleigh church and installed in the new gallery. In 2017, a new electronic organ was installed, funded through the Diocesan Alive in Faith initiative, and the old pipe organ was re-homed to a church in Poland.

The church stands on Norwich Road, the main way into town from the midlands and the north, set back from the road with the presbytery beside it. The new Garden Room was funded by private donation and completed in 2021. New altarware was donated by the Andrews family in memory of Noel Andrews in 2018. A temporary lectern was used prior to its replacement in 2019.

The original stone font was reinstalled in 2019. The stone lectern was re-installed in December 2019. The church notice board was replaced as part of the new parish room works in 2021. The cross that adorns the Garden Room initially marked Monica Ford's grave. The feast day of the patron saint is celebrated each year on July 22nd.

Parish life

A few ladies look after the purchasing and arranging of flowers in the church to ensure the sanctuary always appears at its best. The parish attempts to carry out all necessary maintenance and upkeep of the parish property and grounds using volunteer labour and skills from within the parish. Commissioned Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist the priest at Sunday Masses on a rota basis.

A parish pilgrimage group walked the Holy Mile at Walsingham in 1981. The parish held a Garden Party in 2023. St Pancras primary school moved to a newly built property in Stratford Road and was taken under the wing of the new St Mary Magdalen parish. The parish is a wide, mixed parish, from the pleasant well-to-do villages west of Ipswich, to challenging and deprived Whitton, Suffolk's poorest housing estate. Iain Mathew, who regularly attended St Mary Magdalens, became a Carmelite and was ordained priest on 2 July 1986 at the Carmelite church in Gerrards Cross.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Baptism preparation sessions are held on Saturday mornings throughout the year, lasting about 90 minutes, and are expected for first baptisms or significant gaps. Confirmation preparation includes regular Mass attendance, parent Alpha, candidate Youth Alpha, and attendance at the Ignite Festival, the diocesan youth retreat.

First Holy Communion uses a readiness approach, where children make their First Communion individually when they and their parents feel ready, rather than as a group on a fixed day. Readiness for First Holy Communion is assessed by the parish priest and catechetical team, and the child is invited to make their First Communion at a regular Sunday Mass throughout the year.

Marriage preparation includes four parish sessions using the diocese's 'So Great A Mystery' booklet, delivered by a local priest, deacon or lay person. Marriage preparation also includes a full Saturday on the Smart Loving programme, covering topics like communication, household management, and prayer. Marriage preparation consists of one or two diocesan sessions usually organised for all couples in Ipswich, plus a series of meetings with the priest. To arrange the Anointing of the Sick, parishioners contact the parish priest in person, by telephone, by email, or via the contact form, with the method commensurate with urgency.

Visiting

The church is wheelchair accessible and has an induction loop for hearing aid users. Toilets with baby change facilities are available in the Guild Room, and an accessible toilet with ramp access is in the Garden Room. The church is served by Ipswich Buses routes 9 and 10 with stops near Highfield Approach. The church hall and car park are on the opposite side of Highfield Approach, and visitors are encouraged to use the car park.

The hall is available for private hire, with availability checked via a booking calendar. The foundation stone records in Latin that Leo, Bishop of Northampton, laid the stone on 29 October 1955, when Pius XII was Pope. The church contains a statue of the Madonna and Child. The church contains a statue of Our Lady of Walsingham in the side altar.

There is a cross on the apex of the western gable. There is a rose window in the western wall. The church contains a statue of St Joseph the Worker. There is a crucifix on the eastern wall.

An inside view shows the new lighting installed and the stone lectern and font reinstated in 2019. A view from the left of the refurbished sanctuary area was taken in December 2019. An empty church during the floor refurbishment work was photographed in December 2019. A photograph shows the crib and Christmas decoration in December 2019.

A view from the gallery was taken in February 2020. A view down the central aisle in 2020 shows new lighting, refurbished pews and the reinstated stone lectern and font. The decorated sanctuary was photographed at Christmas 2023.