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Bishop celebrates mass for Norfolk's Catholic parishes

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A celebration for all Catholic churches in Norfolk County attracted about 900 people Sunday to Simcoe’s Holy Trinity Catholic High School.

The mass, a first for the area, was designed to unify parishes in Simcoe, Delhi, Port Dover and Waterford.

“It’s the first time we’ve come together as one faith community,” said Bishop Ronald Fabbro of the London diocese, who delivered a message of faith, patience and prayer in this homily. “So, it’s an event of historic significance for us, bringing us together to celebrate the Catholic faith.”

It was the only mass on the weekend within the Catholic family of parishes in Norfolk. St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Waterford, St. Cecilia in Port Dover, Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs, in Delhi and St. Mary’s in Simcoe closed their doors Sunday morning. Each helped plan Sunday’s mass, which was followed by a reception.

Fabbro said he is delighted with Sunday’s turnout,

“It’s really going to boost the community here in their efforts to work together,”

The bishop praised the work of all those who helped put together the event.

Among the organizers were Rev, Alan Dufraimont, pastor of the Catholic family of parishes in Norfolk, and his associate pastor, Rev. Lucio Couto,

“It was a wonderful day,” said Dufraimont.

“This was the first time we’ve tried to come together, pray together and share our faith. We all have our own communities but we have one leadership team so, maybe, in a couple of year’s, we’ll do it again.”

Couto said a lot of planning went into the event.

He expressed gratitude for help received from the Brant Haldimand Catholic District School Board and Holy Trinity administrators, noting that the churches in Norfolk are too small to accommodate the crowd that showed up Sunday.

The Binkley family – Todd and Jill and their children, Chloe and Emmersyn – enjoyed the mass.

“Our kids go to St. Joe’s (school in Simcoe) and we’re members at St. Mary’s Parish,” said Jill.

“It was nice just to be together on this special day.”

For those who couldn’t be at Sunday’s mass, service times at churches outside Norfolk were posted in bulletins.

“Our doors are open to all those who couldn’t be here,” said Fabbro.

“We welcome you with open arms any time.”

SGamble@postmedia.com

@EXPSGamble 

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