Homily delivered by Bishop Noel Treanor on Good Friday in St Peter’s Cathedral

03 Apr 2010

PRESS RELEASE
2 April 2010

Homily delivered by Bishop Noel Treanor on Good Friday in St Peter’s Cathedral

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, gathered here in St Peter’s Cathedral and those of you joining us via television and radio, the Good Friday ceremony zooms in on the heart of the Christian faith: Jesus of Nazareth, hanging on a cross among crucified criminals.  In the person of Jesus of Nazareth divine love was slaughtered by human malice.

On the Cross God revealed Himself in Jesus Christ as a God who suffered and who died in order to offer mankind new and eternal life.  

As he died he was supported only by his mother, by Mary of Magdala, and by one disciple. Peter had denied knowing him and wept bitterly.  Today we too are witnesses with our own life’s stories to this Calvary event.

This Good Friday we invoke God’s mercy on ourselves and on our Church. We confess our sinfulness.

We express our sorrow to you, Crucified and Risen Jesus, for our betrayals of your message, especially for the crimes and sins of the abuse of children, minors and vulnerable persons by your ordained ministers and religious. We ask pardon for the scandal of its cover-up.
Before your Cross I apologise to them and beg forgiveness from You and from them.  

We pray to you, Our Crucified Saviour, that you may empower them to forgive and to experience your healing grace.
Sustain us, Lord, in ministering healing to those whose lives have been desecrated by this crime and sin against the innocent.

Amen

ENDS

Further information:
Fr Edward McGee, Down and Connor Diocese, tel 078111 44268, www.downandconnor.org