Fifty Years

This photo was taken at the end of July, but it is definitely worth a mention. These people are standing outside St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Alexandra. They are celebrating two events.
The first is that it is 50 years since the church building was completed. This was not the first Catholic Church built in this town, I think there were two before it, but it is by far the biggest in the town. While this photo shows nothing of the building, it does have the important stuff.
Here on this day were several people who helped build this building, the first children to be baptised in this building, the first couple to be married in this building, and the first Priest to say Mass in this building. And, it just so happens that it was his first Mass. So the other celebration was the 50th year since Father Merv McGettigan became a Priest.
After this photo was taken, everyone went up to the School Hall for afternoon tea, with no less than two big cakes. There were several speeches and a good time was had by all.
Father Merv has now retired from being a full time Priest, though we still see him from time to time. Without the likes of him, the building would be just a shell.