STORY - "Covenant must take on flesh and bones"

Christ Church Cathedral was host to a standing room only congregation of over a thousand members of the Christian community gathered to witness the signing of an historic covenant by the Bishops of the Catholic Dioceses of Maitland-Newcastle and Broken Bay and the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle on 2 April.

The Tri-Diocesan Covenant commits the three dioceses to a series of joint initiatives ranging from an annual Bishops’ Dialogue to the exploration of possibilities for the sharing of church resources. Bishop David Walker of Broken Bay said, “This Covenant is a pledge to continue the things that we are doing together, and a commitment to be open to further involvement in the future. It is also a challenge to our respective communities to enter, formally or informally, into closer relationships with other Christians.”

In the spirit of the agreement, representatives from the three dioceses worked collaboratively on all aspects of the Covenant, from its content and wording to the liturgy.

In what was surely a ‘first’, Dominican Sr Jenny Gerathy of Waratah preached the homily, asking “Why do we as individuals choose to be here tonight?” She dared all present, the People of God, to be the “flesh and bones” which the Covenant demands:

“Last Saturday’s editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald concluded:
‘The earth is changing; we must change with it.
Tonight it’s time to switch off.’
May I conclude by saying:
The Church is changing; we are the church; we are the change.
Tonight, it’s time to switch ON together for the reign of God.
Earth Hour! – Church Hour! - Now is the hour!”

The liturgy began with a welcome by an elder of the Awabakal people, after which Bishops Brian Farran, Graeme Rutherford, David Walker and Michael Malone sprinkled the congregation, a reminder of the baptism all share. Later, students from St Mary’s Campus All Saints College ‘danced’ the copies of the Covenant to the altar for signing by the Bishops and other representatives of each diocese. An Indigenous lament acknowledged the divisions which remain between churches and among people.

Just before the liturgy concluded, there was an outpouring of joy as the congregation spontaneously stood and applauded. Parish representatives returned to their communities with a copy of the Covenant, and more importantly, a challenge to each individual to “switch ON together for the reign of God”!

Tracey Edstein

From Cardinal Cassidy
“While being deeply involved in promoting relations between the Catholic and Anglican churches at the international level [while President of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity], I was well aware of the need for our efforts to be supported and received by the churches at the local level. Nice clouds in the sky will not produce crops, unless the rain they contain falls to earth and penetrates the soil.”

From homilist Sr Jenny Gerathy OP
“I never dreamt so many people would be there. The whole liturgy was both powerful and moving. It was a privilege to be there. The silence of the Congregation as I preached was profound. I had a sense of the Spirit bursting forth as at the first Pentecost, as the Congregation rose and applauded the signing of the Covenant. It was truly a joy-filled occasion. ”

From Lidy Waanders, Raymond Terrace Parish representative
“What a privilege to be part of this historic event in both our church’s story and our own personal faith journeys!”

From Rodney Knock, Christ Church Cathedral Parish
“To me there were two significant acts of liturgical symbolism: one a renewed affirmation, and the other a sad reminder that we continue separated and maimed. The affirmation, the asperging of the baptismal water from the coolamons, was the symbolic act of a new beginning, like the lighting of the Paschal fires on Holy Saturday. The sad reminder of our continuing separateness was the bringing of the bread and wine to the altar, from which the bishops immediately moved aside as the lament was played.”

From Rev Julie Turnbull, Chaplain at Bishop Tyrrell College
“It was really exciting to see how many people were involved. My congregations asked me the following weekend, ‘Does this mean that we can take Communion in the Roman Catholic Church?’”

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