Many thanks to those who took the time to staff the Diocese of New Westminster Info Booth at the Pista ng Bayan: Festival of Festivals celebrating Philippine Independence at Memorial Park in South Vancouver, Sunday, July 9.
Comptroller for the diocese, Shailene Caparas is very active in the Filipino community and is a member of the Pista ng Bayan Board. It was in part thanks to her energy and encouragement that a Diocese of New Westminster information booth was available for the 2017 celebration. This was the second consecutive year that the diocese has had a presence at Pista ng Bayan.
There are four parishes in the diocese led by priests originally from the Philippines: St. Michael’s Multicultural Church at Broadway near Kingsway; St Mary the Virgin, Sapperton; St. Mary, Southill, South Vancouver and St. Michael’s near Surrey's Newton neighbourhood.
In May of 2016 the Diocese of New Westminster entered into a Companion Diocese relationship with the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines (EDNP) and that relationship has been growing steadily over the past 14 months.
IMAGES
- The Diocese of New Westminster Info Booth
- There was a huge crowd on hand for the celebration as can be seen in this shot from one of the stages.
PHOTOS: Courtesy of Shailene Caparas