Celebrating their faith
It didn’t matter if they were Catholic or Protestant, they were all Christians who gathered by the hundreds to celebrate their common faith.
“This morning, we are the family of God. And because we’re a family, you’re not just welcomed here. You are loved,” said Allison Lynn, who teamed up with her husband Gerald Flemming to entertain participants during the annual Good Friday Walk.
She said the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ “has literally changed the world.”
“If we allow it, it can change our lives,” she added.
After starting the procession at Royal House, more than 200 participants filled the street as they walked to St. Thomas Church about 700-metre away, stopping at each church they passed to share Bible stories and hymns.
“It’s wonderful,” said St. Catharines diocese Bishop Gerard Bergie.
“The weather’s co-operated, that’s a big thing too I think. I think it’s just perfect – not too hot, not too cold, and the sun’s out.” In the past, the walk has often been greeted by rain-soaked skies, and cold temperatures. “This is bonus,” he said. Rev. Bill Thomas, who kicked off the event with Rev. Jane Capstick, also from Silver Spire United Church on St. Paul Street, kickoff the event, remembered a recent walk when “it was threatening snow,” he said.
Brothers Caleb and Elijah Moffett, who had the honour of carrying the cross to start the procession, welcomed the warm weather too.
“Last year was a lot colder,” said Caleb, 14, a parishioner at St. George’s Church who has been participating in the events for the past several years.
“It was very, very cold,” added his 12-year-old brother Elijah.
While the event is normally well attended regardless of the weather, Thomas said the bright and sunny weather this year may have inspired even more people to participate.
The size of the ecumenical gathering of Christians was far larger than the priests of any single church sees on a typically Sunday morning.
“That’s the great thing. It brings us all together. All the Christian faiths. I think one of the most powerful things we can do is pray together, and that’s what we’re doing here,” Bergie said.
“So often we see the divisions of Christianity,” he said. “This is a witness to the unity.”
Bergie said it’s the type of event that he’d “love to” see happen more often.
Thomas agreed.
Even the collar he wears as a United Church minister isn’t enough to warrant having communion in churches of other Christian denominations.
“Even with this kind of an ecumenical event, it’s still true. I can’t take communion in a Catholic Church,” Thomas said.
Bergie said the long standing tradition in St. Catharines is a “credit” to the city, as well as downtown churches.
“Hopefully other communities will follow suit, because I think it’s a great opportunity to come together and share what we have in common,” he said.