On July 24, the Petit Valley Diego Martin (PVDM) cluster came together in a spirit of fellowship and faith to celebrate the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne. Hosted at the St John’s RC Boys’ School hall, the event served as a powerful testament to our cluster’s shared willingness to serve our Lord and support family life, just as the patron saints did.
The celebration was coordinated by Fr Christopher Lumsden, Camille Carasquero, and the PVDM Family Life Unit, with assistance from both parishes in the cluster (St Anthony’s/Nativity parish and St John’s/Our Lady Mother of Mercy parish).
The evening commenced with a beautiful Holy Mass celebrated by Fr Lumsden, where about 25 couples gathered to honour the grandparents of our Lord Jesus Christ. The highlight of the Mass was when the couples stood together to renew their marriage vows, recommitting their lives and love to one another and to God.
Fr Lumsden congratulated the couples for prioritising and attending the Mass. He noted that their presence was a clear sign that they are truly serious about their marriages. The Mass was made even more uplifting by the members of the Church of the Nativity choirs, who treated attendees to beautiful songs of praise.
Immediately following the Mass, couples transitioned to a wonderful dinner filled with delicious food, lively conversations, and beautiful background music provided by DJ Sean.
A special prayer initiative was introduced this year, where each couple randomly drew the names of another couple present. This serves a beautiful purpose: to continually pray for one another in the coming year. It stands as a daily reminder that we all need spiritual support to live a life serving God, and that we must constantly aspire to be holy spouses and parents in the model of Saints Joachim and Anne.
We extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this evening so successful. It was a truly beautiful celebration, and we look forward to welcoming even more couples next year and beyond, as we all continue to “put God first” and at the heart of every family.
— Razier Harragin,