Abbot tells Good Friday flock

ABBOT John Perreira of the Abbey of Mount St Benedict in his Good Friday message to parishioners said social injustices in society must be addressed as millions of innocent people are suffering just as Christ did 2,000 years ago.

Perreira gave his address yesterday during morning prayer at the Abbey of Mount St Benedict, a more than 2,000 parishioners participated in an re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross. The parishioners of St John the Baptist RC Church in St Augustine gathered from as early as 4 am at St John’s Road, where in a candle light procession both young and old made their way up the Mount. The procession ended at 6 am, where parishioners joined the monks at the Abbey of Mount St Benedict for morning prayer.

Perreira, in his address, said as Christ suffered innocently 2,000 years ago when he was condemned to death, people today are also suffering because of structural evil forces in our society. Perreira said the high cost of legal fees are having an effect on poor people who are unable to pay for a good lawyer. These people who can be innocent are then made to suffer.

“Life is more than just about money, hedonism and pleasures. Establishing right relationships with ourselves is the only way to happiness,” said Perreira.

However, Perreira said he was pleased with the high turnout of young people during the procession. Perreira said more youths have been moved by the suffering of Christ, which he said was a positive sign that there is still hope for society. Perreira said Good Friday should be a solemn day of reflection, when we recall Christ who died for our sins.

People were indeed reminded of the suffering of Christ, as earlier in the morning a re-enactment of Christ’s journey to Calvary was portrayed by Matthew Eversley. The winding road to the Abbey of Mount St Benedict came to life as women wailed at the cracking of whips and the ever present Roman soldiers. Eversley travelled to the 12 Stations of the Cross just as Christ, depicting important scenes in which Christ’s mother Mary witnessed the suffering of her son.

Eversley carried the cross to the top of the Mount where he was nailed to the cross and later placed in the arms of his mother.

One woman who was impressed with the production said the portrayal was much more animated than last year.