HOPE & PRAY
Cardinal’s positive Good Friday message
SECURITY, SACRIFICE and safety seemed to be on the minds of the hundreds of New Yorkers and tourists who packed into St. Patrick’s Cathedral for a solemn Good Friday service.
Timothy Cardinal Dolan led the hour-long service — and offered the faithful a message of hope.
“Good Friday teaches us that never ever can we claim that our God does not comprehend the troubles that we go through during life,” Dolan said. “When, for instance in the midst of mental anguish, emotional distress, deep anxiety, even depression, we think God distances? No, think again.
“Good Friday teaches us that we dare not accuse God of being distant, aloof or unconcerned.” Many at the service said that the victims of last week’s Palm Sunday suicide bombings in Egypt were in their prayers .
“For whatever reason, bad things have happened but they can’t stop us from attending church,” said Eileen Drinkwater, a 67-year-old retired nurse from Virginia visiting her daughter in the city, as she clutched white rosary beads in her hand.
It was her first Good Friday service at St. Patrick’s.
“I did notice walking in that there were policemen outside,” she said. “That was different for me, I’m not used to seeing that.”
After the service, Dolan (inset) met with Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Bishop David, Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian of the Armenian Church of America, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik and Pastor A.R. Bernard of the Christian
Cultural Center in a show of solidarity. “We gather today together as brothers,” David said on the steps of Our Lady of Peace Church on 62nd St. “It signals that we stand in solidarity against this evil. God created us to be free to choose who we worship and freedom of religion. The good of people will last until the last day. We resist evil by doing more good. We do not resist evil by more evil.”