In Judaism, the great celebration of the year is the historical coming out of Egypt. Jewish friends describe this as a parable. Egypt represents imprisonment in something that is unhealthy, something that restricts the freedom of God’s people. God leads his people out of Egypt. At first the enemy will pursue people. This is represented Read more
“We’re back,” was the reaction of one parish priest to the swelling congregations at Easter services. The priest with four churches in the parish told CathNews that all the main services at prime times were full. “I always knew people would come back”, he said in an uplifted tone. “I nearly had to erect a Read more
Pope Francis has often urged us to prayerfully meditate before the crucifix. Because by prayerfully meditating before the crucifix, one can see and begin to understand the ultimate result of sin. The Romans’ sins, the Jews’ sins, our sins nailed our Lord Jesus to the cross. The cost of sin is death. Our sins killed Read more
In the Catholic tradition, 14 ‘stations’ represent Christ’s journey to the cross. Many artists have depicted Christ’s journey to Calvary. These depictions portray Jesus’ final hours and particularly come to the fore during Lent. Called the Stations of the Cross, or the Way of the Cross, ‘the Stations’ are part of church life. On the Read more
A new ‘Mass in Time of Pandemic’ and a special intention to be used during this year’s Good Friday liturgy have been approved by Pope Francis. Francis approved the two new liturgical texts for use during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Cardinal Robert Sarah, the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, wrote the decree accompanying Read more
Prisoners, guards and the chaplain of a prison in Padua, Italy have been asked by Pope Francis to write this year’s Way of the Cross meditations. The service will take place on Good Friday, at Rome’s Colosseum. In a public letter, the pope said he chose the parish community so the meditations would reflect on Read more
Coronavirus concerns are seeing Catholics being told not to touch or kiss the Cross during veneration on Good Friday. In the Philippines, updated liturgical guidelines issued by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and posted on Twitter step up the precautionary measures the Conference announced in January. With the addition of the latest decree – that during Read more
One of New Zealand’s most prolific TV producers, Ross Jennings, died a year after directing a Passion play in Auckland. Mr Jennings, 71, died on Good Friday after a battle with cancer. Last year he directed “They Crucified Him”, a Passion play which portrayed Jesus’ last days on Earth. It featured a largely Pacific Island Read more
Catholics in Sri Lanka are asking the country’s president to make Good Friday a “mercantile holiday” so Christians working in the private sector can properly commemorate the day. “[Good Friday] is a public holiday but not a mercantile holiday which means Christians working in the private sector do not enjoy the right to fulfill our Read more
The bishops of England and Wales have appealed to Rome to change the Good Friday prayer for Jews as it is said in the extraordinary form liturgy. The prayer reads: “Let us also pray for the Jews: that our God and Lord may illuminate their hearts, that they acknowledge Jesus Christ is the Saviour of Read more