A resounding voice echoes through the hall, causing shivers to travel down everyone’s spine. All are silent; expectant. Beautifully combined voices create a perfectly matched harmony. The procession begins and flags of red, blue, gold and green parade down the aisles with pride. The Opening Mass of 2017 had just begun.
Every year, Sancta Maria College holds an Opening Mass to commemorate the beginning of a new school year and most especially, to initiate the new student leaders of our school.
The passing of the school candle from the two youngest students to the Head Boy and Head Girl is a deeply embedded tradition within Sancta Maria College. This year, Vaelei Young and Ryan Butcher, our school’s two youngest students, passed the school candle to our Head Prefects, John Purificacion and Gemma Deftereos for them to keep safe until the end of the year, when they hand it back for next year’s Head Prefects.
This was followed by the washing of Vaelei and Ryan’s hands by Gemma and John to show their humility as leaders. Further to that, the Mass was also filled with the beautiful choruses from our Kapa Haka group that continually give praise to God, Mass after Mass.
Father Kev’s heart-warming homily about his teddy bear also taught each student (and even teachers) values of forgiveness and patience to set us up for a great and blessed year.
The Opening Mass was full of thankfulness for the new year we have been blessed with and anticipation and hope for the wonderful year to come!
Angelika Bilbao
