Church Leaders Deplore Sport On Good Friday

Press, Volume C, Issue 29480, 5 April 1961, Page 16

Church Leaders Deplore Sport On Good Friday

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON. April 4. Church leaders were unanimous today that organised sport should not interfere with the sacred observance of Good Friday. The Bishop of Wellington (the Rt. Rev. W. H. Bains) said Good Friday was sacred to Christians to keep as a memorial of the Lord’s death, and that fact deserved to be remembered by all de-cent-minded citizens, especially the hours from noon to 3 p.m., which by tradition was a memorial of the hours of the Lord’s crucifixion. “It is unfair and contrary to our tradition to put a conscientious Christian who is also an athlete in a fix by arranging sports on that day. It is just not playing the game,” he said. “However, provided people are given the opportunity to observe Good Friday, and especially up to 3 p.m., as a sacred memorial, I personally see no objection to their relaxing during the remainder of the day in games. “Those who want to keep Good Friday as a Christian memorial have a right to be respected by their fellows and those who want to keep Good Friday simply as a holiday have a right to be respected by Christians.” The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (the Rev. J. S. Somerville) said that, generally, his Church would be opposed to organised sport or general public meetings. “Good Friday, as far as the community is concerned, and apart from what the Church thinks, is the most closely observed day of the year, and in view of what it com-

memorates, I think the Church would be opposed to sport.” He said churches did not just hold services at special times that day. but were likely to hold services at any time. “It would be a cheapening of the whole value of Good Friday if it was open to organised sport,” he said. The chairman of the Wellington district circuit of the Methodist Church (the Rev. R. Thornley) said the rules concerning the observance of Good Friday would be likened to “putting a fence round a rare and precious flower.” Good Friday was not only a special day for Christians, it also commemorated an event of significance tor all men, he said.

"Christians do not presume to lay down rules for others, but raise the issue whether it is not in the best interest of the people, and perhaps the welfare of the community to maintain this fence which safeguards Good Friday as a holy day and discourages organised sport.”

The Roman Catholic Metropolitan of New Zealand (Archbishop P. T. B. McKeefry) said that though his Church had no desire to force the consciences of anybody, he considered that in a community nominally Christian, there should be a proper observance of a day so sacred, and anything in the nature of organised sport should not take place. Good Friday observance should be left alone, he said.