WelCom April 2023

Sue Seconi

When the Tararua District township of Eketāhuna marked 150 years since its establishment over the weekend of 11–12 March 2023, local parishioners at Sacred Heart Church registered their Sunday Eucharist as an event for this civic occasion. Some who gathered could trace their family line to the original Scandinavian settlers in the area.

Each Sunday, this Palmerston North Diocese’s southern faith community gathers for Service of the Word with Communion, except for when Eucharist is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of the month. Eucharist was rescheduled to coincide with the town’s anniversary with parishioners travelling from neighbouring St Bridget’s in Pahiatua to join local parishioners in the celebrations.

The Mass of Thanksgiving was presided by Fr Marcus Francis, parish priest of the Tararua Pastoral Area in North Wairarapa. He said, ‘We pray remembering the people who founded this church and all those who have sustained it down through the years. We pray to the Holy Spirit to continue to encourage us to be just as faithful to the Lord.’

A delicious morning tea followed Mass.

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