Ark’s 1st stop – St. Mary’s Chilliwack

By LAUREEN McMAHON

"We're the first!" was the excited response from St. Mary's Church secretary Pat Hampson when The B.C. Catholic contacted the Chilliwack parish to find out how plans are coming along to receive the Ark of the New Covenant in two weeks' time.

Hampson, who also heads the St. Mary's Catholic Women's League, said that the pastor, Father Paul Bui, is meeting with parish and school representatives to finalize plans for the ark's arrival.

Built to be the symbol of next year's 49th International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City, the boat-shaped woodcarving will dock on May 10 at St. Mary's.

On that day, at 11 a.m., the ark will be carried into the church by four members of the Knights of Columbus. It has been designed to be carried in procession using carrying poles inserted through rings on its sides.

Ray Williams, State Church Director for the Knights B.C. State Council, said he is busy working out the final schedule for the ark's arrival at St. Mary's and for the visits to other parishes around the Vancouver archdiocese from May 10 to the 17th.

"The ark is coming to us from Merritt, which is the last stop in the Kamloops Diocese. From here, it will go to St. Ann's in Abbotsford," explained Williams.

Other parishes anticipating the ark include: Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver, St. Mathew's in Surrey, Our Lady of Fatima in Coquitlam, Sacred Heart in Vancouver, St. Mary's in Vancouver, St. Edmund's in North Vancouver, Sts. Peter and Paul in Vancouver, Good Shepherd in Surrey, and St. Monica's in Richmond.

In Chilliwack, St. Mary's elementary students will have a chance to see the ark along with parishioners anxious to be the first in the archdiocese to get a close-up view.

The ark was blessed last year by Pope Benedict XVI when the Canadian bishops introduced it to him in Rome.

Decorated with colourful icons painted by Romanian Orthodox monks, the ark features a pair of carved kneeling angels fore and aft. It will be at the centre of next year's IEC on the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city of Quebec, the seat of the first Catholic diocese established north of Mexico.

On Thursday, May 17, after a viewing by archdiocesan priests at their Day of Recollection at St. Monica's, the ark will board a B.C. ferry and set sail for the Victoria Diocese.

More information on the ark is available at www.rcav.org.