The Catholic Weekly 12 April 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 5 12, April, 2020 CATHOLICS ACROSS Syd- ney have displayed crucifixes in their windows during Holy Week as a sign of unity despite being isolated due to COV- ID-19. In a simple yet public dis- play of faith, parishioners have put crosses in windows as a sign to people passing by of the love of God. Holy Spirit Catholic Church at North Ryde is one parish taking part and would like it to become a practice carried out not just this year but every year. Parish priest Fr Stan Kluk CSMA said we should not let the fact that we cannot wor- ship together hide the power- ful message of the cross that we celebrate at Easter. “Easter is the high point of our faith, and so it is impor- tant that we are connected to commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Je- sus – the foundation of our beliefs and this is one way of doing that,” he said. “I wanted a way for our pa- rishioners to feel united and connected to each other as we celebrate Holy Week and the Triduum. “Although we might not be physically close to each other this Easter to worship, we can be united by the symbol of the crucifix to remember what Easter is about and to share that message with our world.“ Parishioner Marea Cavaleri said putting a cross in her win- dow made her feel connected and part of the wider Church. “We are the Church and displaying a cross in our win- dow is a way of being united with other Catholics despite being in isolation,” she said. Unable to be at Church, Catholics have witnessed to their faith with their homes ¾ ¾ Debbie Cramsie Sydney windows testify to Christ “I am missing my Catholic community greatly and have found placing a cross in my window quite reassuring and a public display to every one of our faith. “I have noticed a number of crosses displayed in win- dows inmy community which has made me feel connected, joyful and very proud to be Catholic. “It shows we are all in this Palms decorate a suburban home. The initiative has rapidly spread around the world. together and even though we can’t physically be together we are united in spirit.” Fellow parishioner Robert Tonkli said putting the cruci- fix in their window was a sim- ple witness of their faith to the world. “We are not meant to keep it to ourselves, but share this message of love and hope to everyone,” he said. “We are really feeling the In brief Sidewalk prolifers arrested IN THE US members of a Christian pro-life preg- nancy counselling group, Love Life, were arrest- ed in North Carolina while engaging in peace- ful ‘sidewalk counsel- ling”’outside an abortion clinic. Police said they were violating “social distanc- ing” orders because their work is deemed “non-es- sential” by the state. Texas Senator Ted Cruz called the arrest “uncon- stitutional” and made the point that “if providing abortions is ‘essential’, then peacefully giving pregnant women coun- selling on alternatives to abortion is also ‘essential’.” A NEW study from “The Joshua Fund”, a US evan- gelical Christian organisa- tion, has found that some 20 per cent of non-Chris- tians polled in the US have become interested in read- ing the Bible ever since the coronavirus pandemic be- gan to sweep across the globe. Around 44 per cent also said they see the glob- al coronavirus pandemic and economic meltdown as a “wake-up call for us to turn back to faith in God,” and as “signs of coming judgment.” GOOGLING PRAYER 18 Entering deeper into Holy Week … Robert and Mary Anne Tonkli. PHOTO:ALPHONSUS FOK loss of being able to attend our parish, especially during Holy Week so we were happy to do this as a way of entering deeper into Holy Week. “For us the crucifix is a sign of what HolyWeek is all about: the love of Christ, who offered himself for us and just as im- portantly a sign of hope. We know the story doesn’t end there, but on Easter Sunday. “ Interest in Bible grows ‘Catholic clarity for complex times’ Listen to our Podcast every Thursday Ordinary Catholics having a relaxed, informal and searching conversation To subscribe go to thiscatholiclife.com.au NEWS