WCR logo
  

Monday - 05/20/2013

Click for Edmonton City Centre, Alberta Forecast

St. Paul - Mundare St. Paul
Jubilee
2008-2009
Catechism Logo Exploring the
Catholic Catechism
Compendium-Cover
Compendium
of the
Social Doctrine
of the Church

Last Updated: Friday - 09/24/2010

Week of June 10, 2002

Parish takes Jesus to the street

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Chanting hymns and carrying banners, flags and oversized pictures of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, nearly 1,000 people, mostly Polish Catholics, took part in Holy Rosary Parish's annual Corpus Christi procession June 2. The one-kilometre procession began and ended at the church, 11485-106 St., and featured stops and prayer at four outdoor altars.

Altar boys and girls led the procession as girls and boys in first Communion outfits spread flower petals along the way.

Some girls, as well as a few adults, marched proudly in Polish costumes. At the centre of the procession was the golden monstrance containing the consecrated host - the Body of Christ.

Three priests took turns carrying the monstrance under the protective cover of a pallium held high by four uniformed men. An honour guard of the Knights of Columbus also took part.

Oblate Father Roman Majek, the parish pastor, said the purpose of the annual event is to honour Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, which is "the food of our souls and our spiritual lives."

Assisting Majek in the procession and the Mass preceding it were Oblate Father Maximillian Wendelberger from Poland and Salvatorian Father Mariur Adamczyc, a Polish missionary serving in Australia.

At each stop the priests placed the monstrance on the altar, blessed it, knelt prayerfully in front of it and then led the congregation in prayer and song.

Eric Lajczak, 16, has been taking part in the procession for years. "I come to honour God," he said. "I believe he is good and great. My parents taught me God is important in my life and I believe in him, no doubt."

Elizabeth Suwala of Our Lady Queen of Poland Parish attended with her husband Andrew and their three children. "It's a big celebration for the Polish community and it's nice to come and be close to God, closer than usual," she said. "This is held only once a year and we wouldn't want to miss it."

Copyright © 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 -- Western Catholic Reporter

Our mission: To serve our readers by bringing the Gospel to bear on current issues in the Church and in secular culture through accurate news coverage and reflective commentary.