The sanctuary area inside St. Damian Catholic Church in Oak Forest seats 800 people, but it still wasn’t enough for all those attending several Easter Mass services.
Many church-goers had to line the walls in the back during some of the church’s five services on Sunday.
The Rev. Joe Noonan said about 3,000 people attended Easter services at the church, which is about double the number of people who come during a regular Sunday.
The Rev. Michael Trail provided a homily during one of the services.
“The fact that we are here today is a testament to the living faith we have,” he said during the service. “You could’ve been anywhere else today, and there are many people who are everywhere but here.”
Trail, who is one of the few black priests to have been ordained in the Chicago Archdiocese, has become a mainstay at St. Damian’s the last couple of years.
The 28-year-old priest said he’s only the 14th black priest in the archdiocese since 1871, and he is following in the footsteps of his late grandfather who was a permanent deacon of the Detroit Archdiocese for more than 40 years.
During the Easter service, Trail reminded the faithful that God is always working through their lives, whether in good times or times of trials, such as cancer or tragedy.
He also encouraged those who only come to church for Easter and Christmas to come more often.
“Don’t let your faith be a twice-a-year faith,” Trail said. “Let it be a 52-week-a-year faith. Let us rebuild and renew that relationship with God, because God has always been there. This is a place where you’re always home.”
Noonan said Easter is the most important holiday in the faith, as many Christians celebrated a spiritual renewal.
“It’s the core of our faith,” he said. “There is no Christianity without the Resurrection of Christ.”
In Bible readings during the service, parishioners were reminded how Christ was resurrected from his tomb after being crucified by the Romans.
Another message during the service was that Christ died for our sins, but had conquered death.
The service also included several songs of Christian hymns and a Eucharist ceremony, in which worshipers accepted a wafer from priests symbolizing the body of Christ.
Parishioner Ida Politano of Oak Forest said Easter is her favorite time of year.
Her son, Mike, said the service was wonderful, and the music was lovely.
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“Easter is a time for new life,” he said. “Everybody has had a resurrection experience. They don’t rise from the dead, but they experience new jobs or other things in their life.”
Parishioner John Hinde of Oak Forest had similar sentiments.
“(Easter) re-energizes you,” he said. “It kick-starts your faith.”
Parishioner Elyse Rogers of Midlothian said Easter is a time to celebrate Jesus Christ and all that he’s done for us.
“To me, (Easter) means joy and bringing families together,” Bob Bennett of Oak Forest said.
While many Christians celebrated Easter on Sunday, Orthodox Christians will celebrate Easter on April 8 this year, following a slightly different calendar.
Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.