Family Feast at St. Michael's Church - Sharjah
A family get-together was organized on Friday, the 11th February 2011at St. Michael’s Church – Sharjah. The intention was to generate some fund to build churches in some northern emirates of UAE.
Apart from a fair which are being held throughout the churches in UAE, this one turned out like a casino which accommodates bazaar which sells even Valentines day’s gifts, gambling games, disco, music and overenthusiastic activities of youngsters. I wonder how such carnivals can be held inside a church compound! DJs were playing music in loud volume with their announcements in nauseating slang. Other jokers were blowing vuvuzela started from early morning till night, ignoring the fact that lots of Holy masses were being celebrated inside the church. The volunteers of the event were cogently asking the worshippers who came to attend the mass to buy raffle tickets.
Sitting inside the church, you could hear the vuvuzela or western music louder than the church choir, and the DJs announcement louder than the priest’s sermon!
There are many low-income laborers who can afford to come to church only on Fridays. However, the luxuriant activities inside the church compound forced them to abandon their prayers for that week, because they even could not enter into the church compound. As everyone knows, St. Michael’s Church compound is already congested because of the newly and recently built prayer group/car parking facilities. In addition to that, such abundant activities inside that area is obviously to prefer or favor some category of people, whether it is in the basis of community or region.
I had to conduct the choir for the 12pm and 8:15pm Holy Masses. I could hardly stand on this absurd business inside our church. Outspokenly I was thinking of some alternative sources to perform my faith and service to God. But, I just surrendered everything to Jesus. However, after the Holy Mass of 8:15p.m the scenario in the parish hall was too much for me to accept. The community hall was unlit and some discotheque lights were there to make us feel it like a night club. Apparently I felt like I was entering into a nightclub bar in Dubai or somewhere in Goa, Bombay and Bangalore. And the real disco dance started after 8:30pm which lasted till midnight! The youngsters, especially teenagers were enjoying the rave party in full swing. Was this a part of the fund raising campaign for Jesus? Unbelievable! One of the organizers later told me that, the teenagers were accompanied by parents! Frankly, since morning I could hardly see any parents caring or accompanying their children roaming around the compound.
I heard such gatherings happening in churches of Europe and America which is meant to attract youngsters into church activities. However, I wonder if such an attempt it required here in Sharjah St. Michael’s church, which is already overcrowded! Moreover, such late night noisy activities can invite hatred and anger from other communities and even the nearby residents which could lead into a misfortune!
If any particular community or regional group needs such festivities they can have it in some hotels in Dubai or Ajman. Using a church premises and parish hall for such activities should be banned because, Sharjah St. Michael’s Church comprises people from many different society, civilization, culture and traditions.
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John 2:13-16"The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!"
