The Awesome Inter-Faith Christmas Carnival 2019

(From right) Anthony Rodgers, Fr Joseph Stephen, Shazni Bhai Rashid, Miss Irene and Fr Patrick Massang cut the Christmas cake at the successful Inter-Faith carnival

Christmas 2019 will long be remembered for the very successful Interfaith Christmas Carnival held at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church.

Held on the evening of 20 December it brought the communities of different faiths together to celebrate Christmas in peace, happiness and joy.

The carnival this year brought out a 2000 strong crowd unlike in previous years when the committee organized a gathering but attracted a crowd of a few hundred participants.

The inaugural Inter-Faith carnival  .....

.... attracted over 2000 strong crowd 

Most of the crowd when asked responded that the event was ‘awesome’ as they were impressed with the well organized evening and the programs lined being exceptionally good.

Fr Joseph Stephen the driving force behind the Inter-faith group and part of the organizing committee advised the crowd to use the carnival well as it had catered for the night with lots of food and entertainment.

Fr Joseph Stephens ..'use this carnival .... get to know each other well '

...Fr Joseph with James Ratnam (in red) Chairperson of MCCBCHST  

“More importantly we want to stress a point that Malaysia is beginning to experience tension, uneasiness and difficulty to accept peoples of other races and religions.

This makes life very difficult and challenging not for ourselves but for the future of our children and grandchildren.

 The Christmas spirit that Christ came for is peace, harmony, love and unity.

If we can live our life accordingly in this multi-religious and multiracial-society then we can begin to proclaim an alternate Malaysia where people of all religions can live in peace and harmony without hate or rejecting one’s race or one’s religion for whatever reason.

So let use this time well at this carnival. Malaysia is a place for eating. Don’t just eat your foods but get to know each other well at the same time”.

This carnival had all the ingredients of a good family event. Entertainment was provided by the choirs St Michaels Church, Our Lady of Lourdes Church and Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church.  

The Choirs.... OMPH Church Combined Choir ... 

..St Michaels Church Latin Choir ...

..and Our Lady of Lourdes Church Tamil Choir

Additionally for the first time there was participation from Orang Asli and children’s choirs.

The Orang Asli were recent winners of the ‘Orang Asli Got Talent’ competition that was organized by the Sacred Heart Church, Kampar.

First time participants, Children's choir from St Michaels Church ....

...and OLOL Church

Orang Asli winners of 'Orang Asli Have Talent' from ......

..... from Sacred Heart Church,  Kampar. 

Migrants from OLOL Church perform a sketch 'Doa Kami'  

The programs included a variety of food stalls, games including battery operated toys and sale of Christmas goodies and was in a true sense a carnival.

The carnival kicked off at 6.30pm sharp. Miraculously the ‘evening rain had stopped at 6.20pm’ so said the Parish Priest Fr Patrick Massang and it was good weather the remainder of the night.

The early crowd patronized ......

...dinner tents ....

 and other  stalls ...

..offering a variety of foods ... 

.... Christmas items ...

..and games of the battery operated kind

Most of the early crowd made for the dinner tent while others patronized the games and Christmas gift stalls.

Linda Rosovits, who now lives in Germany was home for the season said that the event was lively and multiracial and that it was amazing it was happening on Church grounds.

(L) Linda Rosovits .. a multiracial event (R) Mr and Mrs Peter Bucher ..the beauty of Christmas

For Mr Peter Bucher he said the event was fantastic and was a wonderful sight to behold for it brought out the beauty of Christmas this year.

Parish Priest Fr Patrick Massang singing with gusto .... 

..the crowd stayed till the end .....

... and participated wholeheartedly 

 Merry Christmas.

JAG

Scenes At Christmas Midnight Mass 2019

Away in a manger no crib for a bed the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay ......

I wanted to attend midnight mass and participate in all the activities....

. like seeing the Parish Priest carrying the baby Jesus .. 

... place the baby Jesus in his crib in the manger  ....

then again the altar at OMPH Church is like a stage with no pillars in between ....

.........with good decorations all around 

....... "the Biggest Floating Crib" was a definite draw ......

........not to mention the wonderful caroling before the mass ......

.....the interesting Jesse tree .................

.....attracted Parishoners to want to take selfies .....

The last Christmas of the Decade 

JAG

PEAP Annual Christmas Visit To Homebound Members

PEAP members at the home of Edna Rozario, in her 90's, to bring the cheer of Christmas

The Portugese-Eurasian Association of Perak made their annual Christmas visit to their homebound members.

Daniel Thexeira brings a gift for Edna 

The committee members, some of them already in their 80’s, together with their President Daniel Thexeira joyfully went along making the annual visit more of a Christmas social outing.

This year the visit went to the homes of Edna Rozario, Agnes Rozelles and Julia Gomes. At each home the recipient was presented with a gift bag and spent the time singing carols.

At the home of Agnes Rozells (seated 4th from left)  .....

and Julia Gomes (seated 2nd from left) 

An annual affair but which brings the joy of Christmas to each and every member.

Merry Christmas all.

Butterfly Visits And Poses ...

Got a visit from a butterfly .... early last week ..... saw it among the leaves ... when i took my camera it started (seemingly so) to pose for me. Aren't i lucky. 

Seen among the leaves ...

then turns upright ...

..shows off ....

..in full view ....

..takes a bow .....

shows of some more ... what a show!

JAG

Third Advent & Wonderful Detail Of St Michael’s Church Christmas Decor

3rd Advent at St. Michael's Church 

I guess it must be a passion for detail that drew my attention to the Christmas décor at St. Michaels Church. It was the 3^rd Sunday of Advent when I attended the evening mass there.

The dimmed entrance. 'Would the choir sing Twinkle Star ?' asks Fr Massang

The Church's window sill's and entrance

Awaiting ..part of the Nativity scene

The church lights were dimmed when I stepped inside but I guessed it was to highlight the array of twinkling lights above that ran the entire aisle after you entered.

Similarly it had caused the stand in priest, Fr Patrick Massang of OMPH Church to wonder if the choir would sing ‘Twinkle twinkle little Star’ when he entered.

St Michaels Church is a heritage Church having its origin since 1890 and will be celebrating its 130 years next year. The way that it has been decorated I got the impression that whoever was in charge put it a special touch to highlight all the corners of the church inside and out.

St.Michaels ..a Heritage Church

Wonderful decorations both inside and outside of the Church

The result is very pleasant and tasteful décor that makes for a very welcoming Christmas experience.

On 3rd Advent the SMC Caroller's ...

...hit the road to spread the joy of Christmas

JAG