The Star of the Sea at the Stella Maris Parish of Bakau yesterday celebrated their feast day with a Mass.

Bishop Robert Ellison CSSp led the Mass with hundreds of worshippers that lined the outside of the Church.

Bishop Ellison CSSp said in his sermon that when Saul got to Jerusalem they were all afraid.

Acts of the Apostles he said tells man about the early Church including the extraordinary story of Saul’s conversion where Jesus shouted saying, “Why are you persecuting me?” Bishop said there were no other important Christian figures then. “Paul realised he had to go to Jerusalem to meet the big wigs, to see if he could get the approval to continue his mission given to him by Christ”.

Bishop Ellison said after Stephen’s death, Saul went from house to house for total persecution and he later got his total conversion to Christianity. “Bernabas we are told explained to the other apostles what had taken place on the way to Damascus . His name means Son of Encouragement. He stepped into the gap whenever there was trouble. Paul was welcomed and the apostles gave him the green light. The people plotted to kill Paul then because he had betrayed them by following the man they all had rejected. Bernabas was asked again to escape with him. That was a cooling period for Paul. This is seen in his preaching, “Woe to me if I do not preach the Good News. Paul and Bernabas set out for Antioch and Paul found out that the work was too much for him, but had to continue with the others. Paul had said their work was too much,” said Bishop Ellison. Jesus’ power he said becomes manifest in their weakness. Jesus promised His apostles saying, “You will be my witnesses to the end of the earth.”

Bishop said the message reached Ireland a long time ago through St. Patrick and it reached The Gambia in 1848 through the Holy Ghost Fathers. “Today we are celebrating the Church feast, we should thank God for that,” he said.

Lawrence Bruce the Parish Pastoral Council Chairman gave the vote of thanks as the day continued in joy amidst lots of food.