Sabama, Port Moresby: The Parishioners of Mary Help Of Christians Sabama Parish flocked, filling up the liklik haus lotu to welcome His Lordship Bishop Rozario Menezes SMM to celebrate the mass with the community. All Bishops traveled to Port Moresby for their Annual General Meeting held at the Catholics Bishops Conference. All Bishops from different Dioceses were assigned to each parish of Port Moresby Diocese to celebrate the Holy Eucharist together with the church.
(His Lordship Bishop Rozario Menezes SMM giving his homily during the mass. PC: Leo Paraha)
Bishop Rozario belongs to the congregation of the Society of Montfort Missionaries and was assigned to celebrate the Eucharist with the people of Sabama.
Before the mass, he assured everyone who gathered that it is because of the Risen Christ that they were gathered. In his powerful Homily, he started off with the question, "Who was the first to see Jesus on Easter? Mary Magdala ‘Why?’ because Jesus cleansed her from her sins and she remained faithful throughout until Jesus appeared first to her on Easter."
“This shows the faithfulness promise that each of us should practice in the eyes of God and Jesus Christ from the day of our Baptism until today”.
He further stressed on three points being challenged on our faith today:
1. The Sabbath Day. He added that Jesus never actually rested, and did not make the Sabbath Day specific rather continued working when Adam and Eve committed the original sin. He only rested when Jesus rose again from the dead and on the day of Easter.
2. The rest days of God, according to the 10 commandments, remember to keep the day of the Lord Holy and also during the institution of the Eucharist: do it in Remembrance of me(God).
3. To honor our Mother, Blessed Virgin Mary. Why should we humiliate and remove Jesus away from his mother? In the same way, we cannot deny the fact of the Mother's Love to her Son: the same blood that Mother Mary shared with Jesus as our savior. Which we all can relate to and affirm as the same Love we have for our mothers and the mother's love for her sons.
The Parish was full of children, young people and the old. Some even came from St Charles Lwanga having heard that Bishop would be celebrating mass in Sabama.
The entrance procession to the choir was animated by the parish youths of Sabama, singing with harmony and vibrant voices that almost lifted the roof of the church. In his closing acknowledgments and reminders, the Chairman of Sabama Parish, Mr Abraham thanked the Bishop for his homily which boosted the faith of the Parishioners to go forth and be witnesses of Christ.
Soon after the mass ended, the Sisters of the Missionaries of Mary Help Of Christians Conducted the Sunday school for children and gave catechism with the help of youth volunteers.
The day concluded with the Bishop blessing individuals who were sick, asking for healing and blessing of rosaries to spiritual mementos for the Parishioners and group photos to mark the special mass celebration.
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