Feast of the Icon of Love

The Feast Day of Our Mother of Perpetua Help Church was held on June 29 on a splendid evening with clear blue skies and light evening breeze that lasted till the end of the celebration.

                                     

Note the 'Blue' theme of the choir and majority from the congregation.

The theme for the feast day this year was ‘Mary, Mother of Mission’ though the parish priest had other themes in mind.

It included the ‘blue theme colour’ where all ministry’s participating were required to wear blue and a theme song “Icon of Love” composed by none other but the parish priest Fr Patrick Massang several years ago which was played on all days of the week long Novena.

The theme song 'Icon of Love" edited by Leslie Cheong

Interestingly at the end of the weeklong Novena’s that theme song lingered in the minds of many a parishioner.

Another first was the inclusion of Orang Asli to participate in this year’s celebration. The busload of Orang Asli from the Catholic community of Batu Berangkai and Temoh , Kampar were invited complete with their 'traditional bamboo instruments',  choir of singers and dancers. 

Orang Asli musicians in red and dancers in white and batek. Note their 'bamboo' instruments at theirfeet

Their participation saw them dance the sewang while singing a song to ' O Ave Maria' before the procession started from the church and again at the end. Their presence this year made the celebration more meaningful and memorable.

The trio for the crowning ceremony (l-r) Shirley Chen, Jennifer Wong and Grace Kang

The crowning of the ICON was performed by Grace Kang from the Chinese community assisted by Jennifer Wong and Shirley Chen after which the book containing 8520 names and families was placed before the the Icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help for consecration.  

The names of families for consecration 

It was a beautiful evening with lots of blessed good weather and a loving, appreciative and grateful congregation. Could any parish ask for more.  

JAG