The diversity of Wellington city and mid-winter were celebrated by St Mary of the Angels parish in Wellington on Saturday.
Well over a thousand people attended the event called “Festival of the Stars – Ave Maris Stella,” held at St Patrick’s College, Wellington.
Sponsored by St Mary of the Angels, the singing, music, dance and food event brought together the many diverse cultural elements of the city parish community.
Parish Priest of St Mary of the Angels, Fr Scannell SM described the event as “wonderful” and “very inner-city”.
“It’s fantastic to be able to express and show the wide variety of cultures and to do it in a way that helps the seismic strengthening of St Mary of the Angels.
“Māori, Chinese, Korean, Philippino, Tongan, Irish, Polish, Indonesian, English and New Zealand cultures all participated”, he said.
It is the first time St Mary of the Angels has hosted such an event and event organiser, Mr Robert Oliver already has plans for 2016.
“I hope it is going to be bigger and even better.
“Ave Maris Stella encapsulates something very Wellington, very New Zealand at the moment”, he said.
Mr Oliver explained the genesis of “Ave Maris Stella” as the bringing together of two ideas; the opportunity to celebrate mid-winter and the need to raise another $4.5m to strengthen the St Mary of the Angels church.
Mr Oliver said he tested the idea of a mid-winter festival with people in the parish community and it sort of spread out into the other elements of the wider community.
Asked how much the event will raise, Mr Oliver described the amount as “peanuts” in comparison to what is required.
“It’s not really just about the money”, he said.
“Ave Maris Stella shows we want to offer something to the community, we are part of the community.
“It also shows we’re trying to do something towards raising this massive sum of money”, he said.
Last week the St Mary of the Angels Charitable Trust received $1.7m from the Lottery’s Commission, leaving it with a further $4.5 to raise.
“It also shows we’re trying to do something towards raising this massive sum of money”, he said.
Mr Oliver said he tested the idea of a mid-winter festival with people in the parish community and it sort of spread out into the other elements of the wider community.
“Ave Maris Stella encapsulates something very Wellington, very New Zealand at the moment”, he said.
The irony of holding a inner-city event in Wellington’s eastern suburbs was not lost on Mr Oliver.
“We’re in exile at the moment while this beautiful inner-city Church is closed for strengthening, and we are very lucky to have such a strong relationship with St Patrick’s College”, Mr Oliver told CathNews.
Last week the St Mary of the Angels Charitable Trust received $1.7m from the Lotteries Commission, leaving it with a further $4.5 to raise.
