Children take inspiration from saints

By Wendy Shaw

Children from the northern Syro-Malabar community celebrated a belated All Saints’ Day at St Finn Barr’s Catholic Church, Invermay, last month by dressing up as their favourite saint.

Some of the saints included St Teresa of Calcutta, St Dominic, St Jude, St Matthew, St Anthony of Padua, St Joseph and St Francis of Assisi.

Launceston Parish assistant priest Fr Vinco Muriyadan explained the background to the event.

“It came about from a question from a child who said, ‘Can we celebrate Halloween?’

“And then I thought we need to give them the idea that Halloween originates from All Saints’ Day and celebrate that.

“I encouraged the children to dress up as a saint that inspired them and I hope they grow in their faith and take inspiration from those saints.

“[During Mass they] came forward and introduced themselves and explained one quality about the saints they represented.

“Thank you to the catechism teachers and parents who made it happen and did all the hard work.”

All Saints’ Day is on 1 November each year. The Syro-Malabar Mass is celebrated on the third Sunday of each month at St Finn Barr’s Church, Invermay.