21st annual celebration draws crowd of more than 300 people
The B.C. Catholic
Coquitlam
What started as a small devotion has exploded into a popular annual tradition for a Coquitlam parish.
Their special devotion on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Oct. 7, “all started 20 years ago with a couple of ladies from the CWL of All Saints Parish who wanted to promote the devotion of the family rosary,” said coordinator Francesca Cheah. It is “a way to encourage our parishioners, as well as our neighbours, to experience our faith collectively and enthusiastically.”
More than 300 people this year joined in a procession around the parish grounds praying the rosary. What started as a few friends and families gathering to pray the rosary has grown to include members of many groups, including Knights of Columbus, students, parents, and members of PREP, praying a living rosary.
“We always heed Our Lady of Fatima’s plea to pray for world peace,” said Cheah. “We want to bring the Blessed Mother to as many homes as possible, encouraging everyone to pray the rosary.”
“By doing so, we can draw closer to Mary, our Mother of Mercy,” she added. “She will bring us closer to her beloved Son, Jesus.”
During the procession, the Hail Marys were recited in 27 languages, celebrating the parish’s many cultures.
“A beautiful statue of Our Lady of Fatima was purchased from the Philippines” for the procession, said Cheah. “Coming together annually is a good way to remind us of our commitment to Our Blessed Mother. We truly believe in the importance of sharing the joy of praying the rosary.”
Michael Yeo, the parish secretary and also a coordinator of the event, explained, “Coming from Asia, we have a lot of devotions. This is something that I found missing in Canada, so I think (the procession) is very important to do here.”
“The event has grown to be quite popular over the years, and it has helped to show our faith to the world, as we are not ashamed and are proud of it,” Yeo said. He hoped the event’s local success would inspire not only non-Catholics, but other parishes as well.
“The fact that (the procession) grows yearly means the Holy Spirit is working. I’m hoping, from this growth that we’ve had, that other parishes might be inspired to hold their own processions, until it spreads to the rest of western Canada!”
