First Communion

Yesterday the Church of St. John the Baptist in Alexandra was packed for the First Communion of 15 children from our area. Fr. Pat McGettigan officiated, and not shown in the above photo are several adults who helped these young people get to this point. Those pictured certainly did everything with a great deal of confidence, the young lady who started the offertory procession was almost running. All the readings were well read, and an air of 'I know what I am doing' was obvious.
Well done everyone involved. And thank you Carmen for asking me to be there again this year.

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.

A sharp intake of breath.

On Sunday Adam Jamie was Baptised. It was a real family affair, the service was conducted by Father Brendon, who is Adam's uncle, and family members were the Godparents. Even the photographer is a second cousin of Adam's.
This sacrament was started 2000 odd years ago by some guy known as John the Baptist, who was a cousin of Jesus Christ. Adam's event took place in the Church of John the Baptist, Alexandra. Some one once told me that the Church was called John the Baptist because it was beside the biggest river (for volume) in New Zealand.
None of this stuff was worrying Adam, who slept through the whole thing, except the sharp intake of breath when contacted by the water.
Father Brendon told the story of King Louis the 9th, King of France, who went on to become a Saint. He lived from 1214 through to 1270. For his official seal he used "Louis of Poissey". When he was asked why he did not use the official Royal seal, or the seal of Reims where he was crowned he replied "I was Baptised in Poissey. Though I was crowned in Reims, it is better to be a child of God, than Ruler of a Kingdom".
After Mass most of the Parish went up to the Presbytery for morning tea. Just as well there is a large lawn and it was a nice day.

I did another Baptism later the same day. Though it may not be fashionable, it is certainly very common.