Father Mark Anthony Serna OMI
The restriction on Mass gatherings, did not stop St. Alfred’s Church, Tai Wai from celebrating the feast of its patron saint on August 30. The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has caused huge changes in the lives of the people across the globe. In Hong Kong, public gatherings, including the Eucharistic Celebrations and other sacraments in the Church were suspended to prevent the community spread of the virus.
A concelebrated Mass presided by Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing and a musical concert were streamed live on the YouTube channel of the parish to ensure the participation of all parishioners in its 43rd parish feast day without risking their own health and the health of their friends.
Although the community could not be together physically, it was a deep spiritual experience of the Church being one with God.
St. Alfred is a popular saint in Germany known for building churches. The parish church in Tai Wai was named after him because the Catholic faithful of the Diocese of Essen, in Germany, donated funds for its construction.
It was still an occasion to honour St. Alfred and seek his intercessions, especially at this extraordinarily distressing time in the world.
Photo: Joseph Lam
Bishop Ha concelebrated the festal Mass with six other priests at 10.30am. Earlier, Oblate Father Mark Anthony Serna, assistant parish priest, celebrated the English Mass at 9:00am for the non-Chinese speaking community. The Masses were livestreamed for parishioners and other Catholic faithful to participate.
The Eucharistic Celebrations were followed by the Online Feast Day Concert dubbed Sursum Corda, which means “Lift up your hearts”. The Latin phrase is an invocation before the Preface of the Mass.
The concert was performed by Oblate Father Slawomir Kalisz, parish priest of St. Alfred’s Church (tenor), Joan Lee (harp and keyboard), and Karol Kijas (saxophone).
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
The concert’s title bears the objective of this online initiative, which is to teach and encourage people continue to lift their hearts to the Lord in whatever adversity the world brings. It was a magnification of the Lord’s compassion to hear and heal his people all the time. The pandemic has changed the world drastically and painfully as hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost and millions more infected.
The online celebration was an attempt by the parish community to help its members and the rest of the world to still see glimpses of beauty amidst gloom, hope amidst despair, and joy amidst suffering. There is always beauty to behold in every situation just like the beauty of God’s love is found in the ugliness of the Cross.
One of piece if music played during the concert, entitled, For the Beauty of the Earth, called on the listeners to find the goodness of God who does not leave us alone, but is always at work in us and making newness in every season.
The hymn highlights the need to praise God for a multitude of beauties, things that we encounter every day, the beauty of the earth and skies, the beauty of each hour, the joy of sight and hearing, and the joy of human love.
Hence, we are reminded: Lift up your hearts to God! There is still beauty to behold in life for we have our Lord with us.
Sursum Corda!
