By Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing, OFM
Every parish has its own patron saint, so there will be a parish feast day every year. Of course, it is possible to celebrate every year as if it were a routine, and then forget about it. It is also possible to make good use of the opportunities for cooperation and solidarity in the parish, so that we can all be united.
In the course of a year, I will be invited to officiate in a number of parishes, and I have come to know about different situations in parishes. The following is a list of “the most” in the parish feast days that I have taken part in over the years, and it is highly subjective I would like to say in advance!
The longest celebrations: those parishes that organise a nine-day novena before the feast, with Eucharistic adoration or, more simply, with Vespers.
The most formative: also those parishes that have a nine-day novena, because they usually include in their programme a short talk on nine consecutive days, either to introduce a patron saint or to deepen a particular theme of the faith.
The most participative: some parishes celebrate their feast day after each Sunday Mass, for example by offering light refreshments or a small souvenir for each person, so that everyone can participate and share the joy.
The most inclusive: I appreciate those parishes where there are both Chinese and English-speaking groups, where Masses are celebrated in both languages, and where the English-speaking groups are invited and cared for during meals, thus creating an atmosphere of communion in the parish family.
The most pastoral: a dialogue between the bishop and the parishioners before the Mass on the feast day, a talk with the officers of the Parish Council, or even a symbolic pastoral visit to a family, are all pastorally meaningful. In some parishes, the president of the parish council takes the opportunity to give an annual report, or the officers are inaugurated.
The busiest for the celebrant: those parishes that also celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation for sure! Probably because it is rare for a bishop to come, and they try to kill two birds with one stone! Of course, it also has the effect of adding joy to joy. In fact, it doesn’t matter if we’re a little busy, we just hope that the feast day will not be the last day we see the young people who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation in the parish, and that’s all we hope for!
The most common: the raffle. There is always a raffle on each parish feast day, which brings a lot of joy. But there have been occasions when there were so many prizes that the raffle could not be finished at the end of the meal.
The most popular: the performances of the parish pastoral staff, which always receive the most applause and cheers, and it is also the programme that can create the most family atmosphere in the parish. The organisers of the celebrations can seriously consider encouraging the parish priests to sing a song!
