THE spirit of Easter was ignited throughout churches, parks and homes in the area for the Easter season.
The Ipswich Catholic community parishioners and their families and friends, gathered at St Brigid’s Parish Hall in Rosewood and at the St Mary’s Church in Ipswich for Services and reflection.
The start of the tradition, Palm Sunday celebrated and commemorated the triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. Father Stephen Bliss from the Ipswich Catholic Community led the parishioners.
“May our lives, our voices and our faith truly proclaim and cry out for the reign of God’s love, may we be the presence of peace on earth and so give glory and praise to our God,” he said.
An Easter Vigil Mass took place at St Mary’s and was described by Member of Ipswich West Jim Madden as a wonderful multi-cultural event.
“Thank you to Father Stephen, Father Johny and Seminarian Michael, the singers and the many other participants for the service that they provided,” he said.
“Features of the Mass were the opening prayers and the Exceltet was said in Vietnamese, Hindi and English.
“For this part of the Mass the church was darkened with outside light flooding in and the only artificial illumination came from electric candles.
“The Samoan Catholic Community Choir sang an excellent rendition of Alleluia in Samoan.
“It has been a great Easter celebration for the Ipswich Catholic Community and it continued with the Easter Sunday masses.”
The Rosewood Baptist Church community also gathered to participate in prayers and stories as they invited families to join them in the Johnston Park grounds in Rosewood with Pastor Phil Gibbs to celebrate Resurrection Sunday.
