Parish’s children write messages for livestreamed Mass
St Joachim’s Parish at Lidcombe has found a creative way to celebrate Mother’s Day having the children in the parish community decorate and send in paper flowers with the name of
their mother or carer.
The team at St Joachim’s teamed up with Father Eduardo Orilla and the community to make this Mother’s Day truly one to remember despite the COVID-19 restrictions.
“While churches are physically empty, they are spiritually full”
More than a 100 families in the community responded to the call, writing the names of loved ones and heartfelt messages of thanks and sending them in to be positioned in the church pews, allowing parishioners to be present spiritually with Father Eduardo during the live-streamed Sunday morning Mass.
Marianna Sanavio, St Joachim’s CPS Family Educator, had originally planned the display as a
way to celebrate Mary in the month of May. When the churches were forced to close their doors, Marianna repurposed the plan, dedicating it to the mothers in the parish. From the Mother of Jesus to our own mothers and grandmothers.
“It started as an idea for a family Mass,” said Marianna. “To give students an opportunity to lay a flower dedicated to Our Lady. When we couldn’t gather for Mass, we decided to put the initiative online for mothers, grandmothers or any other mother figure.”
Together with Father Eduardo, they put the call out via the parish Facebook page for people in the community to contribute the names of the special women in their lives to be displayed during the live-streamed Mass, where Father Eduardo will deliver a special blessing for
mothers.
The flowers now fill the enormous church, bringing life and joy to the sacred space. A reminder that while they may be physically empty, they are spiritually full.
“They are a physical reminder for Father Eduardo and to all of us when we see the empty pews,” said Marianna. “Now you can see a garden of flowers, and behind each one is a faithful parishioner.”
St Joachim’s Religious Education coordinator, Mrs Jeanelle Richards,was quick to praise the
hard work and dedication of Marianna.
“It’s a wonderful job that Marianna has done,” said Mrs Richards. “We’re all very proud of her work and the project she’s put together.”
New South Wales has been blessed with the ease of social distancing restrictions.
The loosening of regulations will allow some families the room to gather and celebrate
a Mother’s Day that’s unlikely to be forgotten in a hurry.
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Thirty-one ways to love Our Lady more throughout the Month of May