In 2010, I travelled to Seville for ‘Semana Santa’ Holy Week.
Now in 2011, I am at home in Sydney and participating in the Holy Week observances with my fellow parishioners at St Canice’s in Elizabeth Bay/Kings Cross. There’s a vast difference in scale between the two events, but neither more fulfilling than the other.
Finding meaning and relevance through life on the streets of Kings Cross doesn’t mean that I’m likely to forego the comforts of home anytime soon.
In this age when so many people are staying away from churches in droves, questioning the authority of the church and the relevance of practising their faith, there’s still much satisfaction and personal growth to be gained spiritually by becoming involved.
Being part of a community like St Canice’s with its unique pastoral outreach to the disadvantaged makes it easier ‘to believe’.
I take a simplistic view. “If we do unto others as we would have them do to unto us”, we’d be all living in a much better world. That long journey into peaceful co-existence has to start somewhere, and with some one!
This short video on ‘The Way of the Cross through the streets of Sydney’s Kings Cross’ on Good Friday shows communities of St Canice’s Catholic parish joining with neighbouring St John’s Anglican parish to transform a 4th Century Byzantine practice of early Christians into a present-day context.
More commonly known as ‘The Stations of the Cross’ – we follow a wooden Cross through the streets of Kings Cross, stopping in poignant spots to identify with, and pray for the plight of many who may be homeless; drug addicts; prisoners; prostitutes; or dying. The participation provides tangible meaning to what it means to be a practising Christian.
Finding meaning walking through the streets of Kings Cross
THE PASSION – After a reading of the Passion, Fathers Steve and Aloysius read the Intercessions. Our St Canice congregation then reveres the wood of the Cross and takes Holy Communion. This is a moving ceremony that prompts personal introspection as to how we treat; what we do; or don’t do for others in more need than ourselves. Again, a short movie tells the story, or part of it anyway.
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