By Kate Athaide
– Parishioner
Pentecost Sunday at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, Smethwick has always been a vibrant and much anticipated event in the Church’s liturgical calendar.
This year was no different. On 4th June, Pentecost Sunday, parishioners arrived for the 10AM Mass earlier than usual, bringing with them home-made treats and delicacies either from their native countries or from their own private cook-books, to share among themselves after Mass.
Many of them were dressed in bright and resplendent traditional attire from their home countries.
The celebrations began at 10AM with the Holy Mass, led by the parish priest, Fr. Erasmus Egenonu.
This was the opportunity for the community to thank the Heavenly Father for the gift of His Spirit, given through His Son Jesus. Parishioners, each representing one of the 28 different nationalities at St. Philip’s, were invited to join the entrance procession, carrying the flag of their native country, which they bore with pride and laid down at the foot of the altar.
One amazed parishioner later said ‘The sight of so many flags placed at the altar was awe-inspiring. I didn’t know we had such diversity in our parish.’
During the homily, Fr. Erasmus reminded the faithful of the need to open up the upper rooms of our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us, just as He did that day with the apostles.
Afterwards, members of the faithful came up to the sanctuary to offer the bidding prayers in their own native languages: French, Igbo, English, Spanish, slovak ….
During the offertory, the gifts of bread and wine were brought to the altar, along with some of the food brought by the parishioners to give thanks to God for bringing the community together.
At the conclusion of the Mass, everyone headed to the Parish Hall for a small party. There the food was spread out for everyone to share: rice dishes, pastries, pizza, sandwiches, cakes and other baked goodies. Fr. Erasmus led the congregation in the Grace before meals, and then everyone could dig in.
The hall was so crowded that some were left standing, offering their seats to those who needed them most. A group of parishioners took responsibility of the kitchen, preparing tea, coffee and pouring out juice and water for everyone.
The hall was filled with the sound of music and pleasant chatter. After the meal, there was a small raffle draw, and prizes were awarded for the top three best traditional costumes for adults and children. The children and some adults took to the dance floor.
At the end of the celebrations, some parishioners stayed behind to clean up while nearby, a small group of kids still jammed to the music, keeping everyone entertained.
One happy parishioner later reflected, ‘I like that different, diverse communities have come together to share their culture. It truly reflects the mission statement of our parish…’ [Mission Statement: To be a welcoming community committed to the mission of Jesus Christ and sharing our rich multicultural diversity in a life of grace and love].
Indeed, the Pentecost celebrations gave the congregation the opportunity to break through any cultural barriers, and grow to appreciate the differences that exist while fostering a community spirit.
At St. Philip’s, Pentecost is a celebration not only of the ‘birthday’ of the Church, the day of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the committed disciples of Jesus Christ but also the birth of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) who serve the Parish.
It’s also an occasion to celebrate the rich multicultural diversity that make up the Church within our own parish community, ordinary people brought together by the Spirit from the ends of the world to adore and worship the Most High God. As Saint Paul said, ‘There is one body, and one Spirit….’
