Vocation includes standing up for Catholic truths says a bishop who is taking on the AFL.
By Anthony Barich
Melbourne Bishop Les Tomlinson has set himself in opposition to powerful AFL clubs by affirming that the Catholic Church does not want games to be played on Good Friday.
Victorian AFL clubs Carlton, Collingwood, Geelong and Hawthorn have in the past month mounted cases for Good Friday fixtures, while North Melbourne has annually requested such games for most of the past 12 years, the Melbourne daily The Herald Sun reported.
Extra pressure is being put on the AFL by these Victorian clubs, who have promoted the concept of a Good Friday game as a fundraiser for the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Media personality Fr Bob Maguire, a Melbourne diocesan priest, told The Herald Sun that “Catholics would be dying to go to the footy on Good Friday; it’s just the 3pm thing where they all have to be in church”.
This prompted Bishop Tomlinson, Vicar General for the Archdiocese of Melbourne, to reaffirm the Church’s position that any proposal to play games on Good Friday fails to properly consider the spiritual needs of people in the community.
“It’s not just about the three o’clock ceremony. It is about the day,” said Bishop Tomlinson, who was ordained and installed as a bishop of Melbourne by Archbishop Denis Hart on June 17.
“From our awakening to the end of the day, it is the day Christians remember that Jesus Christ suffered and died for us so that we might know and enjoy the love of God for all eternity.”
Bishop Tomlinson told The Record that Holy Thursday night, Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday games are already played, which is adequate. Bishop Tomlinson, 65, who grew up in the rural town of Mildura, never followed an AFL club, but supported his local grass-roots club growing up.
“We are very proud of Melbourne’s sporting culture,” he said. “Easter and the Easter holidays are a season of the spirit and the spiritual for Christians.”
He said that Good Friday is part of Melbourne’s culture and identity, and urged the AFL to “continue to show leadership in this matter; as it has done so effectively in other aspects of sporting culture”.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou told the Herald Sun he is personally against football being played on Good Friday, but respects the fact that others want to see it played. He also called on clubs to make a stronger case for change.
Perth diocesan priest Fr Michael Rowe had written to AFL clubs prior to this season reminding them of the sacredness of Good Friday, receiving support from Mr Demetriou.