Norfolk: New Church consecrated

Church of St Henry Morse

A new church dedicated to the Jesuit martyr St Henry Morse SJ has been consecrated in Norfolk. Right Reverend Alan Hopes, the Bishop of East Anglia, blessed the baptismal font and the altar before sprinkling the building and congregation with holy water and placing holy relics in the altar. In addition, 12 consecration crosses were specially commissioned from local craftsman and parishioner Peter Dunsmore, who also designed and built the church benches.

Around 150 people attended the ceremony on Tuesday evening at the church in Shelfanger Road, Diss. They included parish priest Father David Bagstaff, priests and deacons from St Edmunds’ deanery and Diss town mayor Keith Kiddie.

Fr David, who joined the parish six months ago, described the event as “a beautiful liturgy and a wonderful celebration for the dedication of the church”.

Norfolk-born Henry Morse worked with those infected by the plague which raged in London in the 1630s and subsequently was as missioner in the Durham District. He was arrested in 1644 and was tried and condemned to death for the Catholic faith, for the priesthood and for being a member of the Society of Jesus. He was martyred at Tyburn on 1 February 1645. He was canonised as one of the Forty Martyrs in 1929.

The Church of St Henry Morse SJ first opened in 2012, seating 200 in the main body and a further 70 in the adjoining annex. It was constructed to replace the Church of The Most Holy Trinity in Stanley Road, the sale of which helped to fund the £1 million build of the new church, along with a loan from the Diocese of East Anglia. In his homily, Bishop Alan thanked the parish for their “courage and hope” in building the new church. Parishioner Judith Tooth described it as “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” adding: “So few Catholic churches are currently built … for it to happen in our own parish in very special.”

 For more information visit the parish website: http://henrymorse.tripod.com/