|
|
|
|
|
Home > National > Article
|
Go back |
|
2500 attend Archbishop’s funeral
|
Printable version |
| By DAVID SCHUTZ
11 May, 2008 |
 |
| Photo: Peter Casamento |
|
|
A CRUCIFIX, mitre and rosary adorn the coffin (left) of Archbishop Francis Little at his funeral Mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne.
More than 2500 people packed the cathedral to bid farewell to the former Archbishop of Melbourne.
An atmosphere of beauty and transcendence surrounded the lowering of the casket containing the mortal remains of our deceased father-in-the-faith into the cathedral crypt.
In harmony with the late archbishop's motto, the whole celebration of the funeral liturgy was a cry of Kyrie Eleison – at once a petition and a celebration of the Easter victory over sin, death and corruption.
The last Archbishop of Melbourne to be laid to rest in St Patrick's was James Robert Cardinal Knox, Archbishop Frank's predecessor.
There was standing room only in the cathedral for the 2500 who attended. Two hundred priests joined in concelebrating the Mass with Archbishop Denis Hart on April 15.
A number of state and political dignitaries attended the funeral Mass.
Of particular note was the attendance of friends of the archdiocese from other Christian communions and other religious organisations, marking in a special way the work that Archbishop Frank did to promote ecumenical relationships in Melbourne.
Present were the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier, and the vicar of St Peter's, Eastern Hill, the Rev John Davis.
From the Council of Christians and Jews: Morna Sturrock, Bill Clancy, Walter Rapaport and Albert Isaacs; and also from the Jewish community, Drs Paul and Helen Gardner. From the Muslim Australian Intercultural Society: Professor Ismail Albayrak, Emre Celik and Osman Orka; and from the Hindu community, Karuppan Chockalingam.
this article originally appeared in Kairos.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
