Bakau Parish braces for 50th anniversary

The Star of the Sea Parish in preparation for their 50th anniversary have put several activities in place to commemorate their golden jubilee in a befitting way.

Apart from the not well-attended symposium, the opening Mass, and the Star of the Sea Choir's brilliant performance the parish further embarked on a real Sponsored Walk. The walk took them from the Holy Family Church, between the Stadium and the Traffic Light, through to the Fajara High Way to Atlantic Road up to the Star of the Sea Church that was pitched there about 50 years ago.

Senior members of the Church both old and young thronged the road in joy walking towards their mother Church. According to Mrs. Ellen Carvalho, it is an exercise for God, "because we want to let others know that God is awake and that He cares for all. Therefore while there is life one has to show the concern and love to him. Our Church has stood here for 50 years and God has blessed a lot of people and others have gone to meet Him in peace. We pray for those who have gone ahead to rest with God in peace," she said.

Many parishioners would love to have been there in the early beginnings of the parish to see how it all was. Today the Parish can boast of two Churches, the mother Church of Star of the Sea and the Holy Family Church. The Church has grown a lot but as Joe Njie puts it during the recent confirmation at the Holy Family Church, "Our parish has stood for 50 years but there is not one priest or nun we can boast about. We are therefore asking the newly confirmed to think about becoming priests or sisters. We are hopeful that we shall all join in to pray for them," he said.

Many would say the priesthood or sisterhood starts from the home. Parents are to therefore encourage their children to consider becoming one if the parish should grow to have priests and sisters from their parish. Baptisms and Confirmations have been the order of the day at this parish but ordination is not only slow and not yet in sight. "We shall pray fervently for the Spirit to touch our newly confirmed to become our priests and Sisters in the future."

The Solemn High Mass will take place this Sunday (30th May 2010) at 9:30am at the Star of the Sea Parish Church. Christians are urged to come and celebrate with their brothers and sisters in Christ.