Multicultural Christmas celebrations.

Canada is a multicultural country. And such is our ministry. In addition to the many Polish parishes, we minister in the far north among the Inuit but also in parishes that bring together many different cultures.

This can be experienced at St. Therese of Lisieux Parish in Courtice, ON, which prepared for Christmas with a large group of Filipinos through the traditional Simbang Gabi Novena. For the next nine days, Filipino priests celebrated Mass in English with traditional songs in the Tagalok language, and after Mass they built community around the table in the parish hall.

And on Christmas Day, the Spanish-speaking community celebrated Mass preceded by Las Posadas, a custom according to which, for nine days during advent, a group of people carrying statues of Mary and Joseph seek a place for them in homes while performing songs and prayers.  After Mass, according to their custom, they gathered around the Christmas table where there were traditional Piñatas for the youngest.

(TJ/DJ/ photos: Li Eron & Jason Smith & TJ)