Good Friday Around the Country

For over 20 years, we have gathered on Good Friday to commemorate the passion of Christ through a Way of the Cross among D.C. institutions. The observance of Christ’s passion is an opportunity to reflect on the ways we have broken our covenant with God at the expense of other persons and creation. In the suffering of the earth and its creatures, we have crucified Divinity in our midst. At each station we will focus on a different economic or ecological challenge or sign of hope for our times. Economic & Ecological Way of the Cross, Washington, D.C.

United Methodist Minister Greg Henneman was part of the team that help bring back a Good Friday procession to Albuquerque, a role that once belonged to the Center for Action and Contemplation. Greg, Episcopal priest Susan Allison-Hatch and other lay organizers and clergy decided to call the new pilgrimage through the streets of downtown Albuquerque The Urban Way of the Cross. During the the first two years of the Urban Way of the Cross, the pilgrimage started at Wells Park near St. Martin's Hospitality Center. The next three years (including this year), the starting and ending point is Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, a Jesuit congregation in downtown Albuquerque.

Greg left for Columbus, Ohio, in 2014, where he provided input for a downtown pilgrimage in that community, organized primarily by the Community Development for All People. The procession starts at Livingston United Methodist Church and ends at the Church for All People.

As people of faith in Albuquerque and Columbus walk to pray with the community of need and mercy, pain and hope in their respective cities, other communities around the country have also organized pilgrimages around Good Friday: New York City; Washington, D.C.; Madison (Wisconsin); Indianapolis; Kansas City; Houston; Richmond (Virginia); Rochester (Minnesota) and many more cites. The pilgrimages of reflection are generally organized by local Pax Christi, Catholic Worker and Maryknoll groups but have broad ecumenical participation. Here is a partial list from Pax Christi of cities organizing a Way Of the Cross.  The link also includes a list of resources.

This year’s theme is “Do you see me? What will you do?” The journey is meant to challenge people to see those on the margins whom we so very often ignore or fail to see. Each of the 14 stops along the way will provide an insightful reflection on a segment of our population right here in the greater Atlanta area that suffers from injustice and relegation to the shadows. We will end with a reflection on building the Kingdom here on earth by making the decision to do something about those we meet along the journey that day; a true Christian call to action that asks us to really live our faith. Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta