Letters

Stations of the Cross (letter)

Charles Bignold

Contents - Apr 2001 - Buy a copy now Editorial: 'If Christ is not risen, then your faith is in vain' - Peter Westmore John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family to open in July 2001 - AD2000 Report News: The Church Around the World Former Townsville Bishop's admissions on liturgy practices - Bishop Raymond Benjamin Is Townsville the model for Ballarat's priest shortage? - Michael Gilchrist Archbishop Curtiss on implementing the theology 'mandatum' - Archbishop Elden Curtiss US parishioners more outspoken about church "renovations" - Zenit News Service Thomas More Centre Summer School 2001: "Building a Culture of Life" - Michael Daniel How to avoid banal, superficial liturgies - Bishop Kevin Manning Rights of unborn are inalienable - Archbishop Barry J. Hickey Tanzania's Father Winfried makes return visit to Australia - Martin Sheehan Letters: Melbourne RE texts (letter) - Barbara Chigwidden Letters: Sponsorship (letter) - Barry O'Brien Letters: Legal action (letter) - Chris Joseph Letters: Inaccuracy (letter) - Fr Michael Kalka PP Letters: Ambiguities (letter) - Valentine Gallagher Letters: ACU Syllabus (letter) - John Kelly Letters: Stations of the Cross (letter) - Charles Bignold Letters: Good responses (letter) - Hyacinth Morel Letters: Dress code (letter) - Raymond de Souza Review Article: A 'silly book' from ACU professor of theology - Frank Mobbs Books: Keeping The Faith: Making a Difference by Wilson D. Miscamble - Michael Daniel (reviewer) JESUS - Jubilee Edition Video - Johanna O'Farrell (reviewer) Books: 'Contraception: The Hidden Truth' by Christine de Stoop - Katie Forster (reviewer) Books: The Apostles' Creed, Defend the Faith and other apologetics topics - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: 'The Atonement Child' by Francine Rivers - Mary-Jane Donnellan (reviewer) Books: The Seven Cities of the Apocalypse, by Roland J. Worth - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Reflection: Giving witness to the Gospel of Life - Rebecca van Rensburg

On our travels, my wife and I have seen many beautiful churches and cathedrals in all States - some with beautiful altars, complete with statues of angels and saints, and altar rails left in place with just a gap in the middle.

However, this year we saw two churches and a cathedral with the Stations of the Cross altered by excluding Veronica wiping the face of Jesus. On inquiry we were told they were not biblical.

Now I thought that the Protestant Churches were Bible-based and the Catholic Church Apostolic, and that the Church herself passed on the full Christian teaching, the Bible, as well as tradition and the wisdom of the ages. By dropping those stations, four beautiful and deeply moving stories are lost to future generations, because by what other means are children going to hear about them?

In Brisbane's Cathedral, those Stations have been replaced by "biblical" Stations; but hanging over the altar is a carving of Jesus with one hand still nailed to the cross bar and the other reaching up into the sky - definitely not biblical, and totally misleading and confusing to children.

It is tragic that some church officials, in their zeal for correctness and change, are thoughtless towards the sensibilities of the older generation, as well as depriving children of some of the ancient and beautiful stories and traditions that are part of their rightful heritage.

CHARLES BIGNOLD
Cobden, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 14 No 3 (April 2001), p. 14