Vibrant faith community celebrates unity

By Wendy Shaw

Song, dance, faith, friendship and tasty food were the hallmarks of International Community Day.

More than 100 people celebrated ‘unity within the community’ at St Finn Barr’s Church, Invermay, on 12 October.

One of the organisers, Christina Fletcher, described it as a huge success. It started with 9am Mass, followed by morning tea in the adjacent school hall.

“It was a very relaxed, jovial atmosphere where everybody ate, chatted and mingled with members of the parish,” Christina said.

Performances of traditional song and dance from international community members, many of them in national dress, were a highlight.

“This year we had performances from the Australian, Filipino, Burmese, Sri Lankan, Indonesian, African, and Indian communities,” Christina said.

“The choir sang a Burmese hymn during communion which was very moving. Of course, there was food brought in from all cultures for everyone to try.”

This was the second International Community Day following the success of the first event in June 2024 to coincide with World Refugee Day. St Finn Barr’s also hosted a special Advent celebration with a similar program in December.

“The Church calls upon us to work together as a community. When we hold events like these, it fosters a sense of belonging and being part of a community centred around our faith,” Christina said.

“This is very important for our migrant communities to know that they are welcomed and cherished within our parish and that they contribute greatly to the vibrant and diverse Australian community.

“When we gather together as a community from our different cultural backgrounds, it helps us reflect on the diversity of God’s creation and the inclusiveness of God’s love for all of us.

“It also encourages empathy, acceptance and understanding across cultural lines, teaching us to love one another and appreciate our own uniqueness. Exposure to different cultures fosters personal growth for all parishioners, broadening our perspectives and challenging our assumptions about each other.”

Christina added that she “could sense so much love within our parish community during these events”.

“Our parishioners get to really build such strong connections during these gatherings that it feels like a big family within the church,” she said.

Launceston Parish Priest Fr Leonard Caldera said the event was a way to celebrate different cultural groups while demonstrating that that the parish is a welcoming and inclusive community.

“St Finn Barr’s is a unique parish community that is very multicultural and vibrant,” Fr Caldera said.

“It is an ideal place to celebrate the International Community Day.”