Welcome to St Edmund’s Catholic Church
in Bury St Edmunds
We are a friendly Catholic community who welcome others to join us in our worship and service of God.
We hope that you will find this website useful and that it will help you encounter Jesus Christ who is our life.
Mass Times
Saturday
18:00 St Edmund (Vigil)
Sunday
08:30 St Edmund
10:30 St Edmund
10:30 Montana
16:45 St Edmund (Polish Language)
For weekday Mass times see the parish newsletter
Holydays of Obligation
09:00 St Edmund’s Primary School
Term time only
12:00 St Edmund
19:00 St Edmund
Syro-Malabar Rite Masses
15:00 St Edmund
1st & 3rd Saturday of Month
Confessions
10:30 Wednesday & Saturday
Adoration & Prayers for Peace
10:30 Wednesday
First Holy Communion Preparation for 2026
Registration for next year’s First Holy Communion preparation programme is now open.
Our First Holy Communion Mass will take place on Saturday 6 June 2026 at 10.00. The the course proper begins with the children’s enrolment at 10.30 Mass on Sunday 18 January 2026, with our first session that same afternoon starting at 14.00 in the crypt.
To find out more and how to register, click on the button.
Confirmation Preparation for 2025-25
We will welcome Bishop Peter to the parish on Thursday 18 June to celebrate Mass at 19.00 and administer the Sacrament of Confirmation to our candidates.
Our programme of preparation begins with an information session for parents and candidates on Thursday 23 October 2025 in the crypt at 19.30.
Candidates for confirmation should be in Year 9 or above. If you have left school please contact the parish office directly.
Register at confirmationatstedmunds@gmail.com
Sunday’s Gospel
At that time:
Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: ‘Two men went up into the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Luke 18:9-14
-
![]()
A Prayer for our new Pope
Faithful God,
You guide us on the path of life
and your goodness is our constant companion.Be with our new Shepherd, Pope Leo XIV,
in his service of the Church.
Fill him with the power of your Spirit,
the peace of your presence
and the compassion of Christ.May he walk with you,
in wisdom and humility,
and lead us, together with all God’s people,
to embody your love for the world.
Amen. -
![]()
Pilgrims of Hope
This year parishioners had the opportunity to go on up to four pilgrimages: Rome, Walsingham, Norwich and the Lawshall Camino.
2025 has been a Jubilee Year in which we were called to recognise ourselves as Pilgrims of Hope.
This means walking with hope and trust in the love of God as we make our way through the pilgrimage of our earthly lives.
It is also, of course, a deeper invitation to reflect on how we can be hope for others, by our acts of kindness, our love and our goodness.
Theis Jubilee Year also reminds us that we do not walk alone but together. A pilgrim people.
-
![]()
Pastoral Provision Review
In December and January this year, the parish engaged in the synodal process to consider the challenges that face our Diocese in providing pastoral provision for the years ahead.
Our parish submission, along with those from other parishes across East Anglia, has now been considered by the Diocesan Commission for Evnagelisation together with Bishop Peter.
In the autumn we shall enter into the next phase of consultation and be invited to comment on practical proposals to how parishes are to be structured.
Pilgrimage to Norwich
As part of this year’s Pilgrimage Programme, we are organising a trip by coach to Norwich on Tuesday 28 October to visit our Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist, the local synagogue, and the shrine of Mother Julian of Norwich.
At each location we will have a short talk or tour. We will celebrate Mass at the Cathedral and have lunch together in the Narthex.
The coach will leave from Bury St Edmunds at 08.30 from the Parkway Lay-by. We aim to arrive at Norwich Synagogue for 10.00 and will move to St John’s Cathedral for a guided tour followed by Mass. There will be free time to explore the Cathedral and head into the city until 15.00 when the coach will take us from the cathedral to the Julian Shrine. We leave Norwich at 16.30 and, depending on traffic, should be back in Bury by around 17.45.
Cost is £20 per adult. Under 18s free. Please bring a packed lunch or money to purchase lunch in the city.
This pilgrimage is now fully booked
Pilgrimage to Walsingham
Another chance to be a pilgrim of hope in this Jubilee Year. We are organising a trip to Walsingham in Norfolk for Saturday 4 October. The coach will leave Bury St Edmunds at 09.00 to arrive in the village of Walsingham by around 10.30. We will then walk the holy mile together to the Catholic Shrine. Mass will be celebrated in the Basilica there at 12.00 followed by time to explore and have your packed lunches. In the afternoon the coach will take us to the Anglican Shrine where we hope to join their traditional sprinkling ceremony from the well. After time to explore the Anglican shrine and village we will return home, hopefully around 17.45. Cost will be confirmed shortly. Sign up sheets to book your place are now in the porch.
This pilgrimage is now fully booked
Bury Teens
Bury Teens is our recently started youth group for the parish, open to all in Years 9, 10 and 11. Meeting once a month in the crypt on Saturdays from 19.00 until 21.00, each session will include a meal together, lots of fun activities and chance to socialise, and some prayer. Participants need to be registered by their parents/guardian before their first attendance. Registration forms can be downloaded here. For more information email buryteens@gmail.com
Bethany Bereavement Support Service
Most of us will suffer bereavement at some point in our lives. Our parish runs a bereavement support programme which has been described as ‘a journey from heartbreak to hope.’
The Bethany Team offers support for anyone (all faiths and none) who is over the age of 18 years old and living in the Bury St Edmunds area.
The team offers individual and group sessions to support someone through the stages of grief and bereavement and will suggest other services as needed.
St Josephine Bakhita
Feast Day: 8 February
St Josephine Bakhita is the patron saint of victims of human trafficking and modern slavery. There are 50 million victims of human trafficking across the world and as many as 5,000 in the Diocese, hidden in plain sight in your neighbourhood. Pope Francis describes human trafficking as “blood money” and a “crime against humanity”. We are all called to combat this evil trade. To find out more and what you can do click the button below.
Praying for Peace
There seems to be so much conflict going on around the world and sometimes, albeit on a much smaller scale, even within our own lives. As Christians, we are particularly sensitive to conflicts taking place in the Holy Land of Jesus’ birth and it is terrible to see the plight of the people of Gaza, as well as witnessing the terror attacks on those who live in Israel. As people living in Europe, it is shocking to see another European country engaged in such a long and brutal war with Russia. Each Wednesday, after Mass, we pray before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and ask for peace in our world. You can join us in person, or online using the parish’s live stream, or simply use the prayers provided here to pray at home whenever you can.
Retrouvaille
Retrouvaille is the name of a programme designed to help heal and renew marriages. It all began in 1977 as a French language weekend for couples in Canada who were experiencing difficulties in their marriage. The word ‘Retrouvaille’ simply means ‘rediscovery’ and the programme offers the chance to rediscover yourself, your partner, and a loving relationship in your marriage. Retrouvaille now offers support and a lifeline for married couples facing difficulties in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
A Dementia Friendly Parish
A number of parishioners recently completed a dementia awareness course as our first step in ensuring that we are a dementia friendly parish. The five key takeaways seem obvious, but they challenge how we often think about dementia: (1) that dementia is not a natural part of ageing; (2) that dementia is caused by diseases of the brain; (3) that dementia is not just about losing your memory - it can affect thinking, communication and completing everyday tasks; (4) that it is possible to live well with dementia; and (5) that there is more to a person than the dementia.
Prayer
-
![]()
Art & the Gospel
-
![]()
Bible in a Year
-
![]()
Ignatian Prayer
-
![]()
Mark 10 Mission
-
![]()
Pray as You Go
-
![]()
Centering Prayer
-
![]()
Divine Mercy
-
![]()
Encounter Jesus
-
![]()
Living Waters
-
![]()
Rosary Group
