The parish and all invited sisters and friends of the parish community enjoyed a lively and grace-filled celebration of Sunday Eucharist on Sunday September 4th. The parish priest, Father Savelio Tevaga had planned the date for the celebration several months ago in liaison with representatives from the friars and sisters. It was the local parish council who were to ensure that the event took place.
Members of St Dominic’s College Henderson and St Dominic’s Primary School Blockhouse Bay participated in the Eucharist along with lay Dominican women and men from the parish, a number of Dominican sisters, Fathers Chris Loughnan and Joe Parkinson, Fr Bernard Dennehy (whose two aunts were Dominican sisters) and Fr Tevaga.
From the moment that Joan Hardiman welcomed all present and once the opening Hymn began, we knew that the Eucharistic celebration would be special. The songs and music were lively and catchy. (Cecily even ‘took over’ the organ after Communion and thrilled us with a hearty rendition of “In Dominic we claim to be throughout the world one family…”)
Various people were engaged in the Mass since not only was it a special Dominican celebration, but it was also Fathers’ Day. A couple of the men in the parish led the singing and Fr Joe offered a clear presentation of Dominican origins and history – starting with Saints Dominic and Jane of Aza and ending with the coming of the Friars and Sisters to Blockhouse Bay. Young women from St Dominic’s College and one young girl from St Dominic’s Primary School led the Prayers of the Faithful and were accompanied at Mass by several teachers from the College.
Numerous photos were taken under an archway of black and white balloons as the sisters and congregation left the church en route to a delicious morning tea next door. Party plates took little time to disappear and Fr Savelio thanked both sisters and friars with gifts to remember their pastoral and educational contributions over many years.
Everyone left the celebration in a spirit of gratitude both to God and to the wonderful women and men (both past and present) of St Dominic’s Parish Blockhouse Bay.
We share some photos of the celebration below:
