The Catholic Weekly 13 March 2022

catholicweekly.com.au 2 13, March, 2022 NEWS Call 02 9649 6423 or visit www.catholiccemeteries.com.au Consecrated lawns and chapels Sydney’s only Catholic crematorium Monthly mass for the Repose of Souls Funeral directors available for a Catholic service Bereavement pastoral care Serving the Catholic community for over 150 years ARCHBISHOP ANTHONY Fisher OP has thrown his support behind Australia’s Ukrainian community, assur- ing it of “constant prayers” for their besieged homeland, de- nouncing Russia’s president, promoting a humanitarian appeal and lighting St Mary’s Cathedral in blue and gold, the national colours. The archbishop told mem- bers of the Ukrainian Catholic community last Sunday after joining their Divine Liturgy at St Andrew’s Church in Lid- combe that their homeland was fighting a “David and Go- liath” battle with Russia but that it was also a “battle for the soul of humanity”. “A brave, sovereign, peace- ful, democratic country is be- ing overrun by a rapacious, imperial power that aims to decapitate its peaceful neigh- bour and replace its demo- cratically-elected government with a puppet regime,” he told the parishioners, civic and community leaders gathered for the Liturgy. “As a result thousands are dying and millions being dis- placed.” President Putin also “will not abide” the independ- ence claimed by Ukrainian Catholics and most Ukrainian Orthodox from the Moscow patriarchate, the archbishop said, and that if religion has become a pretext for this war, “it must also be part of the solution”. In keeping with Pope Fran- cis’s call for prayers and fast- ing for an end to the war for the safety of people inUkraine and Russia, the archbishop said there had been “constant Archbishop Fisher prays and pledges support fromparishes ¾ Marilyn Rodrigues Sydney supports Ukraine in crisis prayers for peace in my cathe- dral, in all the parish church- es of Sydney and around the country and the world, and indeed in other Christian churches and other faiths”. The crisis was also essen- Fr Simon Ckuj with Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP outside St Andrews Ukrainian Catholic Church, Lidcombe. PHOTO: PATRICK J LEE tially “a spiritual one, a battle for the soul of humanity, and only by the intervention of God, His Most Holy Mother, the martyrs and saints, will peace be restored.” The archbishop concele- brated the liturgy with parish priest and vicar general of the eparchy Fr Simon Ckuj and a number of other clergy. In the homily Fr Ckuj said it was vital that Christians fol- low the example of Our Lord’s forgiveness on the cross, and that this is only possible with hope and love. When we allow ourselves to hate an oppressor “we fall into the trap the evil one has set for us”, he said. At St Mary’s Cathedral, a traditional icon of Our Lord, a gift to the Archdiocese of Sydney by late Ukrainian Car- dinal Josyf Slipyj, has been placed near the sanctuary to help people to pray for an end to the conflict. The archbishop has asked all parishes to pray for the end of the conflict and give generously to Caritas Aus- tralia’s emergency appeal for Ukraine. Donate at www.caritas.org. au/donate/emergency-ap- peals/ukraine/ I n this edition News Movies, books Archbishop’s homily Editorial & Letters 1-11 8-9 20-21 24-25 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Kenny (02) 9390 5348 EDITOR Peter Rosengren (02) 9390 5400 REPORTERS Marilyn Rodrigues (02) 9390 5410 Debbie Cramsie (02) 9390 5396 Adam Wesselinoff (02) 9390 5400 SUBSCRIPTIONS Rita Ng (02) 9390 5411 ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Steve Richards (02) 9390 5404 Katie Clarke (02) 9390 5402 DESIGNERS Renate Cassis Mathew De Sousa Faith in the trajectory of life catch it now at: thiscatholiclife.com.au Our story begins in 1839 with the Australasian Chronicle, continuing with the Freeman’s Journal in 1850. Level 13, Polding Centre, 133 Liverpool Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9390 5400 | Vol 73, No 5225 The Catholic Weekly is published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney ABN 60 471 267 587 and is printed by Spotpress Pty Ltd, 24-26 Lilian Fowler Place, Marrickville NSW 2204. DOWNLOAD THE OUR FAITH OUR WORKS APP Your one-stop location for Mass and Confession times, spiritual reflections and meditations, podcasts, local Catholic news, the Go Make Disciples mission plan, and much more. To download the app visit ourfaithourworks.org/app or scan the QR Code. If religion has become a pretext for this war, it must also be part of the solution” ArchbishopAnthony Fisher OP