By Jamie O’Brien
The announcement of Christ’s love and mercy has been spread to various corners of the Archdiocese of Perth once again.
Members of the NeoCatechumenal Way Communities took to the streets and squares on the Sundays of Eastertide – five in total – as part of the “Mission in the Squares” – which includes taking the Good News directly out into the local community and to people who may not regularly attend Church.
Mirrabooka Parish Priest Father Giosue Marini said participating in and witnessing the experience is a strong element in bringing the death and Resurrection of Christ to life, whether they are Catholic or not.
This year, the Communities of St Gerard’s Mirrabooka gathered at Barry Britton Reserve, with more than 100 people coming together to participate for each occasion.
The same ‘Mission in the Squares’ was also undertaken by the Communities from the parishes of St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth and Star of the Sea Cottesloe, each with numerous presbyters present for the occasion.
“The reality of life is increasingly forcing people away from the Church and, in this time of Easter, as brothers and sisters of Christ, we are called to go to the squares and invite these people into dialogue with Him,” Fr Marini said.
“As Christians, we have a real opportunity to give witness of the love and mercy that Christ has shown to all of us – particularly in this Year of Mercy, announcing that it is God’s mercy which saves us, lifts us up, and enables us to grow more and more into the people He is calling us to be,” he said.
Fr Marini explained that for each of the communities who gathered on the Sunday afternoons in the various public places of their parish during Easter, the occasion commenced with Evening Prayer. Participants played guitars, bongo drums and sang songs of thanks to God.
A member of the NeoCatechumenal Community was then invited to give his or her personal experience of how Jesus Christ has worked in his or her life, complete with ‘concrete facts’. Others continue to visit homes and speak to people in the area, encouraging them to come and listen and participate in the occasion.
As the experiences are presented, passers-by stopped to listen, drawn in by the crowd and music.
A local catechist of the Community, who has pre-prepared for the mission, would then give a short catechesis on the Gospel reading selected for that Sunday.
National Catechist for the Neocatechumenal Way in Australia, Fr Tony Trafford, explained that more than 20,000 communities in 120 countries this year took part in the “Mission in the Squares” – all with the aim of announcing the risen Christ.
“Across Australia, more than 70 communities took part, because they understood it is important to ensure that mankind everywhere (Luke 14.23) can hear the Good News: that Christ is risen from the dead, which means our sins are forgiven and there is the possibility of a new life if we convert,” Fr Trafford said.
“This is done in obedience to the command at the end of the Gospels (Mark 16.15-18) to go out and preach to all nations… St Paul speaks of salvation coming from ‘the foolishness of the kerygma’: it seems something unbelievable, that a poor person with no special education, gifts or merits, but with a real experience of Christ, can bear witness to Him by preaching this Good News – and people convert,” Fr Trafford said.