Good Friday Walk For Justice Sends Message for Social
Justice
Signs of
Jesusı continuing crucifixion are all around us: budget and tax cuts; elder
abuse; many turning to the glamour of violence through gangs, weapons and
drugs; unending processions of the poor through court systems, jails, military
deployment, hospital emergency rooms, homeless shelters, employment offices,
and non union industries. We pray at public stations to acknowledge how
we, through our civic institutions, continue to crucify Christ in the poor and
marginalized of our society.
-25th Annual
Good Friday Walk for Justice
Not every day does one drive by the Douglas County Courthouse
downtown and see a young man carrying a cross with hundreds of people all
around.
On Friday, April 9, hundreds of high school students and other
members of the Omaha community gathered for the 25th annual Good Friday Walk
for Justice at Saint Mary Magdalene Catholic Church.
The group gathered together to commemorate the passion and crucifixion of Jesus
Christ at Stations of the Cross. Participants began at Saint Mary
Magdalene Church and traveled to the federal building, the county jail, the
courthouse, and the city/county building. More than 15 Catholic churches,
schools, and organizations participated in the walk.
Joyce Glenn, the pastoral associate at Sacred Heart Parish in
Omaha began the Walk for Justice 25 years ago. Glenn says, "The
parish experience of the format of Stations was not feeding my faith the way I
wanted it to." Glenn decided to find a new way to experience
Stations that she could share with a larger audience.
When Glenn began the Walk for Justice in 1979, it was held at
Strategic Air Command, and had between 25 and 50 participants. After
nearly 10 years there, the devotion was moved to downtown Omaha where it is
held now. This year marks Glennıs last year of coordinating the
event.
The Walk has grown over the years from about 25 to over 600 people
uniting together to support and develop their Catholic faith. Now nearly
all the local Catholic high schools, several Omaha Catholic Parishes, Diocesan
Agencies and Creighton University have participants.
A Creighton Prep graduate, Dan Esch, 20,
represented Christ during the reenactment of the Stations. He had been
attending the Walk since he was 3 years old and always knew one day he wanted
to play the role of Jesus someday. He carried a cross and wore a crown of
thorns to symbolize Christ's suffering.
Several Marian students were present at the service and were truly
moved by the public display of such strong faith. Junior Stephanie Brady
said, ³I was able to witness beliefs of others similar to my own and it shocked
me.² Many Marian students were encouraged by such a public display of
faith and trust in the Passion of Jesus Christ.
Marian students took an active role in
the Stations. Marian girls helped by directing the crowd to each
location. Junior Maggie Berigan and senior Amanda Landolt each took part by
reading a passage at different locations that paralleled Jesusı suffering with
that of todayıs world. The reality of the necessity for social justice
awareness was made obvious to all.
The
Walk began at 1:00pm on Good Friday at Saint Mary Magdalene Church on 19th and
Dodge. Several Stations were represented at each stop along the
way. From there the group progressed to the federal building, the county
jail, the courthouse and finally the city/county building. Each civic
institution where stations were read represented the ways in which people are
still persecuted today.
The somber and devoted mood of the group
was truly unique. Each passerby who was unaware of the event stopped to
ask the occasion. Each participant experienced a sense of unity, a sense
of oneness with others of deep faith. After the 15th station was
observed, the crowdıs mood did not change. Participants slowly dispersed
in silence.