Hold firm to faith in God’s goodness
“Hold firm to faith in God’s goodness”, says Archbishop Costelloe
About 700 people attended a special Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral on July 25 in memory of the 298 lives lost in the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 tragedy.
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB told those present a wave of revulsion, sorrow and anger is still sweeping the world in the wake of the “terrible atrocity” of July 17.
“We continue to struggle to comprehend how such a terrible thing could have happened,” he said.
“As we gather in the cathedral today... we are given an opportunity... to reflect on what has happened and to try and make whatever sense of it we can.”
Members of the congregation included State Premier Colin Barnett, Leader of the Opposition Mark McGowan, and Justice John McKechnie, along with parliamentarians Alannah MacTiernan, Sean L’Estrange and Eleni Evangel.
Family, friends and colleagues of Edel Mahady, a teacher for 14 years at Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School in Kelmscott, were also present.
Mrs Mahady was one of nine West Australians onboard the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
Archbishop Costelloe said the events since the tragedy have resulted in feelings of horror and despair among many.
“The callous way in which the crash site, now a sacred site, has been treated, the ducking and weaving of those who have sought to deny their responsibility for this dreadful incident, the seeming impossibility of even this horrific event to bring a pause, let alone an end, to the violence and hatred being exposed in the fields of Eastern Ukraine – all of this can only lead us to ask how human beings can do these things to each other,” he said.
But despite such feelings and events that test our trust in God, we need to recall Christ’s love for us and hold firm to our faith in his goodness, the Archbishop said.
“It is our belief that love is stronger than hate, and our commitment to live each day in and from this belief, that can sustain hope in the face of the violence that confronts us,” he said.
“It is this belief that can help us never to lose sight of the beauty of our world, and of each other, which could so easily be obscured by the terrible destruction of flight MH 17 and by the vicious and cruel conflicts so prevalent around the world.”
(from left to right) Cathedral Dean Monsignor Michael Keating welcomes State Premier Colin Barnett, Federal MP Alannah MacTiernan, and Leader of the Opposition Mark McGowan (PHOTO: Miller Lokonata)
Leader of the Opposition the Hon. Mark Gowan (left) meets with relative of deceased Edel Mahady, Tom Mahady (right) (PHOTO: Miller Lokonata)