The annual SVD Marsfield Community Carols by Candlelight was a wonderful celebration again this year, featuring choirs and performers from a broad range of ethnic communities.

The multicultural flavour of the evening was topped off when everyone came together to sing Silent Night, with verses in different languages as well as in English. And there was even a visit from Santa for the kids.

The Bible Group from the St Arnold Janssen Chapel opened the evening with a dramatization of Mary and Joseph being turned away from the inn, before finally being welcomed into shelter and warmth for the birth of the baby Jesus.

Outlining the religious and political situation of the Jews at the time of the birth of Christ, Fr Michael Nguyen SVD said that on this evening, we all “look up to heaven and pray, Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel”.

“On that night, the holy night, the night that heaven came down to the sinful world, the Prince of Peace arrived in Bethlehem,” he said.

“And no-one is aware of his coming. The people of Bethlehem are actually caught up with drinking, smoking, sleeping, shopping, and many other things. And behold the Prince of Peace is coming. Jesus Christ is coming to town.”

This was followed by carols and performances from choirs including the St Anthony’s Marsfield choir, St Kevin’s Eastwood, the Vietnamese community, Chinese community, Indonesian community, Slovak community, Filipino community, and also the combined SVD/SSpS choir.

The Carols evening was hosted by Frances and Fr Elmer, who entertained the crowd with a Christmas quiz and jokes.

“What do you get if you eat tinsel at Christmas?” Fr Elmer asked. The answer? “Tinsilitus.”

As always, the evening included fundraising and raffles for those in need, and it concluded with a magnificent multicultural shared meal. Christmas cakes on sale also raised funds for Cana Communities to assist their work with homeless people.