The Easter Feast

After the Easter Vigil service on Easter Saturday night, Fr. Nico invited the “helpers” into the Middle Hall for a little refreshments. Wow, the tables were most beautifully decorated with vases of handmade (by Fr. Casimir and, maybe his busy elves?) colourful chickens and eggs on lollipop sticks, all in the Polish tradition. Fr. Casimir introduced the Polish tradition with a blessing of the food.



We were all encouraged to taste the Polish food. To start off we were led to a large tray filled with several items of food with their Easter symbolisms:

1. Colourful eggs - reflected the new life in the risen Christ.
   
2. Dish of salt- (to accompany the sausages and eggs) - symbolised the risen Christ
   
3. Horseradish – bitterness, resembling the sorrowful passion of Christ.
   
4. Sausages- showing the generosity of Jesus Christ.
5.  Bread - a symbol of the Bread of Life.

Father Casimir had cooked over 4 days the delicately favoured Bigos, the traditional Polish sauerkraut stew with Polish sausage, meat and cabbage served with Polish bread. Most of us tried out this dish, it went down well with a glass of wine and we tasted the most delicious cakes, again mostly baked by Fr. Casimir, our resident chef and his band of merry elves!

At the end of a most enjoyable evening surprisingly enough we had a lot of food leftover and Bill, Daniel, and “the gang” kindly took these over to the Julian Trust Homeless Shelter. Thank you to Fr. Casimir, Averil, Nicole, and all the helpers for their part in preparing the evening and to Mary, Reggie, Gabriel, George, and Airam for all the clearing and washing up!!

Thank you Fr. Nico, Fr. Rudy and Fr. Casimir for being here for us at St Mary’s and to all the many helpers who have given St. Mary-on-the-Quay a helping hand with a big smile!! (By Guay Tan)

Easter Vigil at St Mary-on- the- Quay 2009

On Holy Saturday evening, 11 April 2009 at 8pm, our congregation at St-Mary-on-the-Quay gathered together for the Easter Vigil, celebrated by our Parish Priest, Father Nico accompanied by Fr Rudy and Fr Casimir.

In the stillness of the night where darkness surrounded the Church, how far that Pascal Candle once lit, throws its beam and so the church felt the warmth and light of all our candles. In the candlelight the exultet was sung to the highest exultation and we felt the Resurrection of Christ in our hearts. The Soloists sang with their hearts and raised our voices to our risen Christ. It was the most beautiful liturgy as we experienced the Light of the Pascal Candle, the Liturgy of the Word with the meaningful Readings. The Liturgy of Baptism was celebrated with the baptism and confirmation of Guay Tan into the family of the Church amid the choir and congregation singing the beautiful Litany of the Saints. With the sprinkling of the holy water we too felt healed and ready for the Liturgy of the Eucharist as we go forward with Christ’s Resurrection and a renewed fervour of faith.


We felt grateful to Helen Jacobs who conducted the choir so brilliantly. Many thanks to all the Soloists whose beautiful voices raised our hearts: Kevin Hollis, Lisa Mason, Gabriel Pamintuan, Heidi Hollis, Mauro Siragusa, Michael Sarr and Evie Marcus. Father Michael would have smiled down on us that Easter vigil night! (By May Timms)

The Divine Mercy Novena

As a preparation for the Divine Mercy Sunday, the Divine Mercy Novena will be held at St Mary’s after the 12.15pm Mass. During the novena, we pray “the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy”.

DAY 1 (Good Friday after 3pm Service) - All mankind, especially sinners
DAY 2 (Holy Saturday at 3pm) - The souls of priests and religious
DAY 3 (Easter Sunday after 11am Mass) - All devout and faithful souls
DAY 4 (Easter Monday after 12.15 Mass) - Those who do not believe in Jesus and those who do not yet know Him
DAY 5 (Easter Tuesday after 12.15 Mass) - The souls of separated brethren
DAY 6 (Easter Wednesday after 12.15 Mass) - The meek and humble souls and the souls of children
DAY 7 (Easter Thursday after 12.15 Mass) - The souls who especially venerate and glorify Jesus' mercy
DAY 8 (Easter Friday after 12.15 Mass) - The souls who are detained in purgatory
DAY 9 (Easter Saturday after 12.15 Mass) – The souls who have become lukewarm.

All are welcome!

On the Divine Mercy Sunday, 19th of April, The Divine Mercy devotion will be held at St Mary-on-the-Quay at 3.00pm with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and an opportunity for the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Photos: By nilora , The Divine Mercy Novena at SMQ

The Tomb of Jesus - Holy Week