A multicultural technicolour Pentecost in Hastings

Palmerston North

3 July 2012

Hundreds of parishioners from countries as diverse as Malta and the Philippines, India and Jordan came together at Pentecost to celebrate a multi-cultural Mass at St Peter Chanel, Hastings.

This is a fairly new event on the liturgical calendar in the Heretaunga Pastoral Area and a first for the host parish.

Two months of planning by a small but enthusiastic committee brought together the many different cultures in the local catholic community and was a huge success.

One of the organiser, Cheryl Stevenson, said afterwards, ‘In our hearts we knew it would succeed but we never ever anticipated the numbers that would turn up.

‘Everyone wanted to be part of the flag-bearing ceremony and the hall was bursting at the seams with people who came over for the shared ethnic meal. Whatever showed pride in their country of origin, the people did. It was amazing.’

This year’s international celebration of Pentecost truly fulfilled St Paul’s exhortation to disciples to ‘make every effort to preserve the unity which has the spirit as its origin and peace as its binding force.’ (Eph 4:3)

Images, top to bottom:

• Frs Vince Onesi and Felix Ngapare under the canopy of the Indian community.
• Women of the Republic of Kiribati process in with the Word of God.
• Josie Janssen in the national dresss of the Netherlands.