WINTON The rapidly changing face of rural Southland was highlighted in a religious way with the presence of 60 Catholic Filipinos at 10am Mass in the Church of St Thomas Aquinas, Winton, on a recent Sunday. Organised by Marilyn Hilaga, the volunteers supplied greeters, prayer readers, Offertory bearers and other personnel associated with lay duties at Mass. They also provided music during the service and sang hymns in their native language Tagalog.

The growing presence of Filipinos in recent years is due to the huge growth of dairying in the central Southland area, where hundreds of farms have switched from sheep farming.
Almost all are employed on local dairy farms. Most are young.

For this occasion some came from Gore, Otautau and Riverton to join their compatriots.
Warm applause from the other members of the congregation greeted the new influence in the parish at the end of the Mass.

Parish priest Fr Dan Cummings welcomed the initiative, which came from the Filipinos themselves.