Canning Vale youth choir transforms parish

SAINT Emilie’s Parish youth choir has proved so successful over the past year that parish priest Fr Robert Carrillo has dedicated a whole Sunday Mass to young people.

For the past year, the youth choir has done the music at the Canning Vale parish at the 9am Mass on the first Sunday of every month.
But now the entire Mass has been designated as a youth Mass, with young people to undertake all lay roles including reading, taking up the offertory and collections and being special ministers of the Eucharist.
The fellowship in the parish grew as more than 300 people participated in a sausage sizzle on 3 April after the 9am Mass at the Canning Vale parish to raise money for the at least 16 youth who will attend this year’s World Youth Day in Madrid.
The parish has so far raised more than $9,000 for the youth attending WYD with a dinner dance and small events like fellowship after the 9am Sunday Masses. There are about 40 in the parish youth group.
“It was wonderful to see the youth’s active participation during the Mass with the Youth Choir leading the congregation with songs and hymns and Proclaimers of the Word were also represented by the youth,” parishioner Francis Felipe said.
“The day was full of support from the parishioners and they were more than generous with their purchases and donations. A huge thanks to the Youth Committee and all those involved in making this day the great success that it was. The occasion also attracted new young parishioners to join in the youth ministry. Not only was it a fundraising event but it also gave the young people of the parish an opportunity to socialise with their fellow youth members.”