Does Fr Rod Bower's confessional go the full Shariah on Gosford's sinners?
Monday, 29 August 2016
"Oh My God! Is that a camera crew?"
Sorry parish-pump-punters, you'll have to consecrate your own communion and self-cleanse your sins please, Fr Rod has a higher calling.
How do you reckon God feels about playing second fiddle to his priest's media profile?
Padre drop the pretence, rent the curtain, cast out the devout and register as a political lobbyist and PR concern.
Render unto Rupert your spin-doctoring for the Mufti.
And reserve for Our Lord at least one place of worship that doesn't dish out penance like your Muslim Mates do.
The way you're going Rod, a quick trip to confession could cost 3 Hail Marys, 2 Our Fathers and an appointment with the duty beheader.
Your interfaith stuff is dangerous endorsement of horrible cult practices. Hint mate, the mob that preaches execution for gay people probably doesn't warrant Christian blessing.
Gosford Anglican Church united in many faiths with Father Rod Bower and Grand Mufti Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed
PEOPLE from all faiths, backgrounds and traditions have come together today as a show of solidarity at a multifaith service at the Anglican Parish of Gosford.
The service was led by Central Coast Anglican Archdeacon Rod Bower and also featured the Islamic Grand Mufti of Australia Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed, local Buddhist leader Gen Kelsang Dawa and Newcastle Anglican Bishop Greg Thompson.
It was organised as a response to the protest by a group of right-wing extremists from the Party of Freedom who posed as Muslims and stormed a sermon by Gosford Anglican priest Father Bower recently.
Dozens of parishioners and Father Bower were “shocked” and “traumatised” as nine members from the anti-Islamic Party for Freedom — which has a cover photo of Pauline Hanson on its Facebook page — barged into the Sunday morning service.
More than 300 parishioners packed the service today with people coming from Sydney and as far away as Victoria for what Father Bower described as a “wonderful celebration”.
“This service was our response to the intrusion on our sacred space by a right-wing extremist party a couple of weeks ago, and of course our response to that ideology is to become more committed to building a more happy, healthy, functioning multicultural society,” Father Bower said.
“We had a wonderful celebration today, about 300 people from all faiths and backgrounds and traditions and nationalities came together to celebrate the solidarity we have within our diversity here in Australia.”
Australian Grand Mufti Mohammed praised the interfaith gathering as a way of uniting the country.
“Indeed it is society that has been triumphant,” he said.
“It is society that has been successful because all of those great qualities and attributes that have been shared today have been fulfilled in all of the actions and attitudes.
“We’ve got over 120 different faiths that are followed in Australia and over 200 cultures and ethnicities, without doubt we are pluralistic and we are a multicultural society.
“So therefore we need to realise that reality, continue to come together on principals that are going to unite us rather than divide us.
Buddhist leader Dawa described the recent protests as “meaningless” and today’s response as “uplifting”.
“Three weeks ago, the service was interrupted by people with very strong opinions, not the most positive opinions in the world and some strange views,” he said.
“The response here has been very meaningful, it’s transformed what was a meaningless approach to getting a view across in not a very skilful manner to this (which) was incredibly moving.
“If this is the response, if this is how people can have their minds moved just coming together in such a simple way, no doubt this needs to happen everyday as far as I’m concerned.”