TT: La Divine de la Pastora

Romanist parishioners put their priest to shame as they ignored the rain and insisted on the annual procession for La Divine.

Carrying brightly-coloured umbrellas, the procession marched out of the La Divina Pastora RC Church at Siparia, braving the weather and trekking through Coora Road, High Street and back into the churchyard.

Parish priest Fr Stephen Doyle, who led the procession was at first reluctant to proceed with the annual march.

He said if the weather didn’t change within five minutes they would have a simple procession inside the church.

Murmurs of disapproval echoed among the congregation as the procession in the church began.

When this ended, a few members of the congregation insisted that the march be taken outside.

“Rain or no rain, we having that procession,” one man said as he walked out of the church.

A woman said: “Let us get wet for Jesus. A little rain is nothing. Jesus died on the cross for us.”

Eventually, Doyle announced the march would begin outside.