A FEELING of “great solidarity, welcoming and inclusion” was experienced at last Sunday’s Multicultural Mass in St Stephen’s Cathedral, Brisbane.
Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care director Clyde Cosentino said the 800 worshippers, led by Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane, were especially drawn together in prayer for those affected by recent tragedy.
“There was an added solemnity this year with the tragedy of the tsunami which affected Samoa, the earthquake that affected parts of Indonesia and the typhoon that affected the Philippines and Vietnam,” Mr Cosentino said.
“These events have affected our communities so it was a Mass of prayer for those affected as well.”
Offered in many languages, the Mass celebrated the unity of faith among the 16 ethnic groups involved, and Archbishop Bathersby highlighted this in his homily.
“We gather together today from different countries, different languages, different cultures, but with the one Roman Catholic faith to praise and worship God,” he said.
“We are just a small symbol of the universal Church, the Communion of Saints, those believers alive or dead gather with us around the throne of God with a single voice to praise and worship God.
“This multicultural gathering is proof of the enormous richness of our creator God who in the first place raised up His chosen people, as His very own, to bring to a world without faith a new foundation of worship and love.”
Concelebrants included Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Oudeman and representatives from the various nationalities including, Fr Marce Singson (Filipino), Scalabrinian Father Hector Zuniga (Hispano American), Fr Joseph Kim (Korean), Missionary of the Sacred Heart Father Albert Chan (Chinese), Capuchin Father Maximilius Kimsong (Indonesian), Scalabrinian Father Luigi Sabbadin (Italian South), Scalabrinian Father Giovanni Pagnin (Italian North), Fr Tomasz Nowak (Polish), Society of Christ Father Sylvester Karasiuk (Polish), Fr Dany Akiki (Maronite/Lebanese).
Divine Word Missionary Father Nick de Groot was also present, having recently returned from a 37-year stay in Papua New Guinea.
