On Saturday, June 20th, our Annual Corpus Christi procession took place. The route of the procession followed the familiar path of recent years i.e. from St Patrick’s church to the Friary. A lot of work went into the preparations for the procession. A sub-group of the Parish Pastoral Council under the leadership of Julia Kelly undertook the work of co-ordinating the various elements of the procession.
The children who made their First Communion and their parents took pride of place in the procession. The chairperson of our PPC, Kevin Henry, who is also deputy principal of Scoil Íosa primary school, involved the primary school children in street art, painting various Eucharistic and religious symbols with chalk outside the parish church and the friary and along the route. The trees on the avenue into the friary were also decorated with religious messages in various languages, representing ethnic diversity in our parish.
Once again the Brazilian community took an active part in the procession and in preparing the church with beautiful artwork that adorned the main aisle of the church. Anyone who has ever visited Spain, Portugal, South America or Brazil, especially around Easter, will be familiar with how much processions are central to the pubic celebration of the faith of the people. Some members of the local Muslim community viewed the procession with interest and respect as it made its way to the friary. Well done to all who were involved in this wonderful public celebration of our faith.