More than 2000 students, parents and parishioners made for a formidable sight in Liverpool last week, coming together to celebrate the Feast of All Saints.
Industrial action had an affect on numbers but failed to put a dampener on proceedings, which saw hundreds of students attend from All Saints Catholic Primary, All Saints Catholic College and All Saints Catholic Senior College, Casula.
Parish priest Fr Paul Monkerud and his two assistant priests, Fr Tom Stephens and Fr Lewi Barakat, concelebrated Mass before offering a special blessing to around 25 college students who will be attending the Australian Catholic Youth Festival next month (December 7-9).
Around 150 students from the area will be attending the festival, but many were unable to be present at the Mass because of exams. (Orders have already been placed for a special All Saints’ ACYF tshirt.)
Teacher Vanessa Bowes, the Religious Education Coordinator at All Saints primary, said that the event had been a powerful occasion as she echoed the sentiment of All Saints Catholic College principal Stephen Gough, that the Mass was destined to become a local tradition.
“I think it’s really important that we celebrate our local feast day,” Ms Bowes said.
“The first year we did this (2016), it was little intimidating. Today was wonderful. It was a really great event.”
Attendees also included several Sisters of Charity, from the religious congregation that established the primary school, and a Patrician Brother, from the congregation that established one of the college’s forerunner schools.
Celebrations continued after Mass with the primary students participating in a talent quest and the college students having a fete-like celebration, with pizza and fair activities.
The feast of All Saints has been celebrated in the Catholic Church in various forms dating back to the 7th century.
It celebrates the Church as the Communion of Saints – the body of all believers, living and dead – and the intercession of saints on behalf of people who ask them for help.