Source/Credit: Facebook | By Sylvestre Phillip | Saturday, February 25, 2012
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| Church of the sacred Heart,Marchand |
The Marchand Church of the Sacred Heart is well known in the Catholic Community [St. Lucia] as the "Singing Parish". But, to put it frankly and honestly, the parishioners have made significant contributions in several other areas of church life. The next few articles will take a look at the parish as it approaches 50 years of service to the parish community of Marchand.
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| The church grounds |
The cornerstone of the Church of the Sacred Heart was laid on January 22, 1961, by the late Rev. Charles Gachet FMI, Bishop of Castries. Bishop Gachet was very prolific as it relates to the construction of churches and schools in Saint Lucia.
The Marchand Combined School which I attended and taught at for 26 years was built by Bishop Gachet. The ground floor of the school was used as church for several months while parishioners carried stones and other materials for the construction of the Church of the Sacred Heart. Some of those parishioners are still alive today to tell the story of building of the church.
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| Some church pews |
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Receiving new parishioners after a Baptism Ceremony
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Although the cornerstone was laid in 1961, it was not until 1963 that the church was blessed and began service to the faithful of the Marchand Community. Several community boys have served as Altar Boys (acolytes), many girls and boys too have served as catechists. The women have held their own as Choir members, and have been an integral part of the church groups such as the confraternities, Youth groups and social groups of the parish.
This Parish has had a formidable Parish Council for decades, providing guidance to the Parish Priest, the parishiners, and the faithful in general. Very capable parishioners have offered themselves over the years in this regard. Earlier, I mentioned the church choir. Members of the choir or choristers have presented themselves for rehearsals. The parish had been fortunate to have a music icon, Fr. Pierre Guillet,Parish Priest, who did an extraordinary job of promoting music and singing at the Sacred Heart Parish, and making the parish popular as the "Singing Parish". Serval musical composers have developed from this parish. The Music Ministry still continues to do an excellent job at making the parish celebrations prayerful and lively, and indeed, solemn when it becomes necessary.
This Parish has had a formidable Parish Council for decades, providing guidance to the Parish Priest, the parishiners, and the faithful in general. Very capable parishioners have offered themselves over the years in this regard. Earlier, I mentioned the church choir. Members of the choir or choristers have presented themselves for rehearsals. The parish had been fortunate to have a music icon, Fr. Pierre Guillet,Parish Priest, who did an extraordinary job of promoting music and singing at the Sacred Heart Parish, and making the parish popular as the "Singing Parish". Serval musical composers have developed from this parish. The Music Ministry still continues to do an excellent job at making the parish celebrations prayerful and lively, and indeed, solemn when it becomes necessary.
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| A very lively marchand Choir |
Over the years the church has harnessed the human resource among the faithful to make the church what it had been over many years. The church celebrated its 40th Anniversary in 2003 with much pomp and ceremony. As it approaches 50 years of serving the faithful, I intend to take a hard look at the church of the Sacred Heart that the parishioners love so much.
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| A lively First Holy Communion Ceremony |
Original post can be read here: MARCHAND CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART: Approaching 50 years of Service to the Faithful. (PART ONE)
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