“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” — John 1:16
A decade of grace is worth stopping for. When we look back over these years, we see more than a church building rising on this hill. We see thousands of Baptisms, hundreds of weddings, Confirmations and First Communions; we see Jumuiyas born, choirs formed, the sick visited, the dead accompanied to their rest, and the poor fed quietly Sunday after Sunday. We see a parish becoming a family.
None of this is our achievement alone. “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it” (Ps 127:1). Every brick is a small miracle of somebody’s offering, somebody’s sacrifice, somebody’s “yes” to God. To the founding families who gathered and prayed before these walls existed; to the priests and religious who have served here; to the catechists, choirs, councils and workers — the parish thanks you, and the Lord remembers you.
The way forward
An anniversary is not a destination but a door. The next decade asks us to deepen our prayer, to welcome the young people who are the parish of tomorrow, to strengthen the Small Christian Communities, and to reach the neighbour who has not yet heard the Gospel. May Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who has covered this house with her scapular like a roof, continue to lead us to her Son.
Te Deum laudamus — we praise You, O God. For ten years of grace, for every soul touched in this parish, we give You thanks. Direct our steps into the years ahead. Amen.