Take 2 – Our Lady of Lourdes celebrates 50th
To read the version of this story submitted to The Echo (local weekly paper)including more photos and active links, visit www.karinahunter.com/?p=6266 . The article below is a revised, shorter version sent to the Chronicle Journal (regional daily paper).
50th anniversary at Our Lady of Lourdes parish
by Karina Hunter
Parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in gathered in the church basement Saturday celebrating its 50th Anniversary. They enjoyed a spaghetti supper in the company of the Most Reverend Bishop Brian Joseph Dunn, Auxiliary Bishop for the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, their pastor Father Manuelpillai Soosaipillai (Manuel), Mayor John MacEachern and other special guests. During the supper a slide show of parishioner’s family photos taken in the past 50 years was played.
Parishioners choose from two varieties of vegetarian spaghetti sauces and two types of spaghetti sauces with meat.
Manitouwadge
After the meal Bishop Dunn was invited to cut a celebaratory cake before he and Father Manuel addressed the congregation in turn. Father Manuel began by thanking those who organized the evening then read a message sent by the Most Reverend Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe. Bishop Plouffe, spiritual leader for the diocese of Sault Ste. Marie was unable to attend due to prior commitments.
Bishop Dunn then addressed the group bringing listeners on a virtual journey through time, retracing some of the more defining steps in the parish’s history. Parishioners listened intently as he elaborated on details of how their spirituality reached back to the roots of the faith community, connecting them all to Our Lady of Lourdes. Of course, being from the east coast, Dunn has a great sense of humour and wrapped up his speech saying would do “one better” than Father Manuel’s message from Bishop Plouffe with a message from Pope Benedict XVI.
Dunn had, with 109 other newly ordained bishops, visited the Pope’s summer residence at Castel Gandolfo where Pope Benedict had instructed him to “Make sure you bring my greetings to your people”.
The evening concluded with a slide show presentation from Debbie Arola which included photos following the progression of the church building and an its history which Arola had lived first hand having attended school in the building as a child, when elementary classes were taught in the basement. The parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes continued their 50th Anniversary celebrations Sunday with a special mass followed by snacks and refreshments,
The Most Reverend Bishop Brian Joseph Dunn cuts the cake at Our Lady of Lourdes Golden Jubilee celebration_Left Father Manuel.
Submitted to the Chronicle Journal, 10.12.09
