by Kevin Mascarenhas
Daijiworld Media Network - Al Ain (SP)
Al Ain, UAE, Dec 8: The new building of St Mary’s Catholic Church in Al Ain was inaugurated by H H Sheikh Hazza Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, the under secretary of Dewan’ Ruler Representative for eastern province of Al Ain, in the presence of Bishop Paul Hinder, the Vicar Apostolic of Arabia here on Monday, December 7, 2009. The new church was constructed under the leadership of parish priest, Fr Anthony P A.
The ceremony was attended by over 1000 parishioners from different Christian communities of Al Ain, many of them, even by taking a day off work; they included people from the Arab to the Filipino communities and also included a sizeable Mangalorean crowd.
Bishop Paul Hinder welcomed the parishioners and thanked the ruling family for their tolerance and generosity towards the Christian community in the UAE. Mathew Keenan, member of the parish council, acknowledged various contributions of the people, which facilitated the construction of the parish church. The event also included entertaining traditional dances from the Indian as well as the Filipino community.
The land, on which the church now stands, was donated by the late ruler, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan in 1969, when the initial building was built. Due to the increased patronage of the parishioners, the church was renovated in 1981 and then finally on October 5, 2008, the foundation stone for a new church building was laid by Bishop Paul Hinder on the very same piece of land. Within a year, this new building had been completed, and was waiting to be consecrated by Bishop Paul Hinder on December 8, which also happens to be the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Parish Feast Day, where a solemn mass would be conducted.
Al Ain, the garden city of UAE that borders Oman, and forms the third corner of a triangle between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which are all spaced within a distance of 130 km from each other. The city is part of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, with a population of about 3, 75,000. This city is a popular tourist attraction, thanks to its cultural heritage and natural beauty. The St Mary’s Catholic Church is also home to many different Christian denominations, who have always been exhibiting a spirit of togetherness.