Different cultures came together in music and song to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Multicultural Christmas Carols, hosted by the Divine Word Missionaries in Sydney and Brisbane.

The SVD Marsfield Community hosted its annual Christmas Carols Festival and St Mark’s Parish, Inala hosted an ecumenical, multicultural Carols evening in Brisbane.

The annual SVD Marsfield Community Carols by Candlelight headed outdoors this year to give a new twist to the multicultural celebration which featured choirs and performers from a broad range of ethnic communities.

The multicultural flavour of the evening was topped off when everyone came together to sing Silent Night, with verses in different languages as well as in English. And there was even a visit from Santa for the kids.

An Acculturation Program for recently arrived priests and Religious opened new doors of understanding and acceptance for Fr Kommareddy Rajasekhar Reddy SVD (Fr Raja) and Fr Alfonsus Nahak SVD, bringing an awareness of Australian culture which they say has already had a positive effect on their ministry.

Fr Raja and Fr Alfonsus were part of a broad group of Religious women and men, and diocesan priests who took part in the Winter Acculturation Program at St Joseph’s Centre for Reflective Living, Baulkham Hills, in the Parramatta Diocese.

Mary Mother of the Church Parish, Macquarie Fields commemorated the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a vibrant Multicultural Festival in her honour this month, while the Marsfield community also celebrated its diverse range of cultures.

Macquarie Fields Parish Priest, Fr Linh Nguyen SVD, says the festival began with the solemn procession of the statue of Mother Mary around the parish grounds before the 10am Mass and afterwards there was shared food, fun and live entertainment provided by parishioners from various multicultural backgrounds.