On Saturday, January 4, 2025, the RCME community came together at St. Theresa’s Parish in Edmonton for a joyous Christmas and New Year celebration, Joyfest 2025, embodying the transformative power of unity and connection.
The event commenced with the Malayalam Mass at 3:30 PM, led by Fr. Paul D Ramachamkudy (Spiritual Director, RCME) whose inspiring homily ignited a sense of reflection, hope, and renewal among the gathering of approximately 160 participants.
The celebration commenced with children doing the Bible reading, followed by a captivating Christmas message by Fr. Paul. A highlight of the event was the unveiling of the RCME logo, symbolizing the community’s shared values and heritage. The logo masterfully represents the RCME community as a globe of faith, centered on Jesus Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit, and rooted in the Word of God. Incorporating a map of Kerala and a maple leaf, the logo honors the community’s origins in Kerala and its connection to Canada. The logo also beautifully embeds the community’s core values – Spiritual, Social, and Tradition – in Latin. Fr. Paul also blessed the RCME 2025 Calendar, designed based on the 2025 Jubilee year theme “Pilgrims of Hope”, which was later distributed to the families present, symbolizing a bright and promising year ahead.
A sumptuous dinner feast was served, and everyone enjoyed the delightful spread.
The celebration showcased an impressive array of 26 performances, including dance, singing, theatrical dance drama, a fashion show by the tiny tots, and instrumental music, highlighting the community’s diverse talents and creativity. The outstanding performances, ranging from our youngest participants to our seasoned artists, left the audience in awe. Excitement reached its peak with the raffling of door prizes.
This event was made possible by the generous support of our Mega Sponsor BJS team (Binoj, Jiji, & Shelton), Gold sponsor Shalini & Dinesh Jagasia (Broker Team Insurance), and our Silver Sponsors Jogy Mathew (Edmonton realtor), Anil Thomas (Home Inspector), Asha Ben (InsureLine Brokers), Vendan Sekar (WEM Toyota), Jayakrishnan Mohanan(Jay Law), Rajesh Chandran Sethu (Mortgage Specialist BMO), & Jerin Davis (Financial consultant, Finsight) whose unwavering trust and contributions took this event to new heights. Special recognition is due to our tireless and energetic committee members and volunteers, who worked selflessly behind the scenes to make JoyFest a resounding success, fostering a sense of togetherness and belonging among all attendees. Joyfest 2025 was a shining testament to the community’s strength, resilience, and generous spirit, inspiring a renewed sense of purpose and unity for the year ahead.
