EASTER IN MY LIFE

In my life of 72 years minus one day, Easter has always played an important , joyful and defining role.

Preparing for Procession to Altar of Repose

My earliest recollections of Easter stand on two bases, as I am sure , do the recollections of very many Sydneysiders - Church and Royal Easter Show. It would be in 1947, that I could place those earliest recollections of Easter.Holy Thursday was the 3rd of April, 1947 and I attended the Mass of the Last Supper on the morning of that day , and recall being captivated, as would always be the case, by the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose and the singing of the beautiful "Pange Lingua"which I have loved ever since.

EVIDENTLY A MAJOR FEATURE OF THE 1947 EASTER SHOW
THIS LEFT NO IMPRESSION ON MY MEMORY

Following my return home, I went out with my  Dad, to the Royal Easter Show.I don't know why my Mum did not come. Maybe she did not have happy memories of the Show - for this was the first Royal Easter Show since the War - or maybe Mum & Dad could not afford it, but on balance, I think it was just that all the crowds did not attract her.

For me,the entry through the  West Gate of the old R.A.S. Showgrounds at Moore Park (now FOX Movie Studios etc.) after our train to Central and tram ride to the Showground, was like wonderland! At the particular gate we used, and continued to use for years later, after passing through the turnstile entrance booth , the ground sloped down gently, so that one had the sense of surveying the vast complex of Pavilions and rides from an ideal platform.Dad knew his way around the Showground which was all entirely new  to me. The whole theme of everything was that of progress after the late war, ended only two years before.

R.A.S. SHOWGROUND NSW GOVERNMENT PAVILLION BUILT 1938

 The two things that impressed me most were : a Spitfire fighter hanging from the roof supports of one of the two Pavillions on the East side of the Showground (they are still there one in red brick, the other cream painted. The other item, was a brand new air -conditioned Railway Carriage for the Newcastle Flyer.Oh! And of course Sample Bags as they were then mostly called, since then they have gradually become Show Bags, as their original purpose was largely lost and they became merely items for sale in their own right. But at that time, the payment made was nominal and the products were supplied often in specially packaged sizes to provide samples of companies'wares. I have always been interested in glassware and I recall one of the sauce manufacturers putting up a Sample Bag that had about 6 or7 miniature sized bottles of their various sauces - one was HP, one Worcestershire and obviously a Tomato Sauce etc. It proved a little difficult to get home safely. The Sample Bags were all made of tough paper at the time, which created further problems whenever it rained.

1947 SHOWBAGS

As I grew and the years passed, I took the Show for granted, but my interest in the Liturgies of Holy Week grew and grew, even though I was never exposed to their celebration in the fullest quality of say Cathedral celebration. 

Then came Marriage and three children and the Easter Show became something else, or perhaps what it had originally been : a source of wonder for our child, and then, our children. At the same time, little children have little patience for , nor of  course, comprehension of lengthy liturgical celebrations. Again , times change and we were able to experience the Easter Liturgies at Cathedral level in Brisbane - mostly a great source of devotion and growth.Here it was free of any Easter Show distractions.

ST.STEPHEN's CATHEDRAL BRISBANE

Times continue to evolve and now once again we live in Sydney and in a Parish in which the celebration of the Holy Week Liturgies is a "Curate's Egg"experience! And tomorrow, on my 72nd Birthday we shall travel by train to the Royal Easter Show at its newer Sydney Olympic Park venue and meet there our daughter Justine and husband Paul and three of our seven Grandchildren as they experience the Show as it now exists.

We have always to keep accommodating to change and enjoying the phenomenon which is the essence of life, while holding on to the truths and principles that never change.The fact and Celebration of the Resurrection is at the very heart of my Faith and Life.