“There are many people who love the Lord in the city. He’s not in behind a wall or a stranger,” said Fr. Terrence McKenna, a councillor for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Council (CCRC). “There’s a lot of excitement about Christ even in the city.”

Along with representatives of the CCRC, members of more than 20 different Christian denominations formed a group of thousands that walked the streets in the 11th annual Jesus in the City parade. The event began with a welcome at Queen’s Park, accompanied by various on-stage performances of live music and dance. The parade followed, as the participants walked, sang and danced alongside their faith community’s float from Queen’s Park, up to Bloor Street, then over to Yonge Street and down to College Street, where they made westward turn back to the starting point. In the late afternoon, the participants came together for a rally and concert.

“It shows unity of evangelization, unity of expression, unity of purpose,” said McKenna. “We have our differences but there’s a spirit there.”

Jesus in the City was initiated in 1999 by evangelicals through Festival of Praise International, a not-for-profit organization with a mission of spreading the Word of God through music, dance, theatre and visual arts. Though the first parade was held in Toronto, the event has spread to Bakersfield, California, and will soon be in Chicago and Atlanta.

The parade has also spread in range of participation. Jesus in the City now incorporates a collection of different ethnicities, from Korean to Russian to Caribbean, and denominations, from Presbyterian to Baptist to Catholic.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to see Catholics aren’t restricted to just traditional ways,” said Janice D’Cunha, a parade participant and musician on the Catholic float.

Catholic youth and young adults like D’Cunha from Sts. Peter and Paul parish in Mississauga, Ont., formed the music ministry for the float organized by the CCRC.

“We’re not known perhaps for our evangelical worship or joyful music ministry, we’re known for organ music and congregational singing, cantors and choirs,” said McKenna. “It’s important that we come across that we have life too, and that youth are proud to be Catholic, pleased to be Catholic. They find what they need in Catholicity.”

The events of Sept. 11, 2001, were also kept in the minds and prayer, as the parade marked the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States.

(Rinaldi is a freelance writer in Toronto.)