Vic: Large numbers of Victorians worshipped on Good Friday

AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-2004
Vic: Large numbers of Victorians worshipped on Good Friday

MELBOURNE, April 9 AAP - Large numbers of Victorians worshipped this Good Friday seeking
hope in a troubled world, church leaders said today.

Auxiliary Bishop for the Catholic Church of Melbourne, Father Christopher Prowse, said
he believed attendances at the 232 parishes throughout Melbourne had been high, with good
attendances at the Way of the Cross walks.

He said the Iraqi War and difficulties people faced within their own families had brought
them closer to God.

"People are more aware of the dark side of our humanity and turning to the church for
hope in a troubled world is a strong aspect of what's happening," he said.

Fr Prowse, who is the parish priest at St Kevin's in Ormond, said the strong presence
of evil in the world over the past 12 months led people to look to the church for guidance.

Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart said Easter was a time when Christians
celebrated the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

"Our Easter faith is that Jesus is Lord and Saviour of the world," Archbishop Hart said.

"Easter gives hope and dignity to the human race.

"It scatters confusion and despair and brings joy."

Meanwhile, Anglican Archbishop Peter Watson said Jesus of Nazareth lived and died in
the Middle East - then and now a place of violence and suffering.

"Easter, the central focus of Christianity, is marked by the flesh and blood of human
suffering," Archbishop Watson said.

He said it was hard for us in the modern world to comprehend just how appalling life
was for the ancients.

"Human life was cheap then," he said.

"But is it all that different now?"

He said while poverty and disease and violence remained human life was diminished.

"Beyond the darkness there is light - out of the death of Christ a new life was raised
up," Archbishop Watson said.

"Death on Good Friday leads to the new life of Easter morning.

"Now we know there is eternal life and hope can flourish in the human heart for a far,
far better day."

AAP hmg/sjb/jlw

KEYWORD: EASTER VIC NIGHTLEAD

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