A Church Fit for the Queen of Heaven: The Rededication & 86th Anniversary of NBVM
On 8th September 2021, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary we witnessed a historic event for our parish as we celebrated its 86th anniversary and the rededication of the newly renovated Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The joyous occasion was celebrated with Rosary followed by Holy Mass, presided over by Rt Rev Datuk Seri Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang accompanied by parish priest Rev Fr Dominic Santhiyagu and his assistant, Rev Fr Konstend Gnanapragasam. Despite the fact that only 50 people were allowed to be physically present in the church, thousands more were able to share in our joy via livestreaming on YouTube.
Mass began with the sprinkling of blessed water on everyone present and in every corner of the church, a symbol of the cleansing of the people and the building. Following the Liturgy of the Word, Bishop Sebastian preached on Mother Mary’s life and mission. “For a child to be born, a man and a woman must make a lifelong commitment and receive God’s blessings. For 175 years, this story of the marriage of Sts Joachim and Anne has been told from the Minor Basilica of St Anne in Bukit Mertajam,” said Bishop Sebastian.
“After their marriage, God answered their prayers and Anne conceived a child, Mary. From the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Pulau Tikus, this is the story being told for 210 years. Every year we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th and nine months later, on September 8th, we celebrate the nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For 86 years, we have been telling this story from the humble town of Butterworth,” he continued.
With the birth of Mary, Joachim and Anne took the responsibility to nourish, nurture and prepare their child for the mission and vocation given by God. Today, we celebrate the life of Mary, from her birth to the mission that God had destined for her, which was brought to completion by her assumption to heaven. However, here in our parish, the mission continues with us.
Through Pope Francis, the Holy Spirit has directed the Church to be a synodal Church on mission. A synodal Church is a Church of apostles (Bishops) and disciples (clergy and laity) that is open to the people around us. Whatever that we experience within our church building prepares us for mission in the world. We are a Church on mission. Our Blessed Mother has moved forward, and we must confidently follow her.
The Litany of Saints followed, invoking the Church triumphant in our supplications. The rededication liturgy continued with the prayer of dedication after which the anointing of the Altar and the Tabernacle took place, making them symbols of Christ who before all others is the Anointed One. The church’s walls were also anointed, with 12 anointings representing the 12 apostles of the New Jerusalem. After this the dressing of the Altar was done, signifying that it is the Lord’s table where all God’s people are refreshed in His sacrificial banquet. The white cloth used represents Christ’s spotless robe and the purity of our relationship with Him. Next, seven altar candles were lit, symbolizing the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Mass then proceeded with the Liturgy of the Eucharist. After the post-Communion prayer, the Chairperson of the 86/26 Anniversary Celebration Committee, Mdm Mavis Baptist addressed the attendees. She expressed her gratitude to God and all those instrumental towards the completion of the church renovation and organizing the 86/26 Anniversary celebrations for their efforts in making it a reality despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. Bishop Sebastian then said a few words and blessed the parish’s leadership.
This was followed by the consecration of the image of the Divine Mercy and the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. After Mass, Bishop Sebastian officially reopened the church with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
We praise God for the gift of a glorious church to come together to worship and thank Him for the privilege of being alive at a time such as this, to witness this wonderful milestone of our parish. – KA