Cathedral staffer pelted with stones and verbally abused by anti-war protesters
by Jeremy Halcrow
Rick Filmer, verger of St Andrew’s Cathedral was pelted with stones and verbally abused as he stood inside the Cathedral entrance during a violent anti-war demonstration in Sydney Square on March 26.
Mr Filmer, whose role involves managing the Cathedral property, said he was attacked by young men carrying Lebanese flags and whose comments indicate they mistook the Cathedral for a Jewish synagogue.
Asked if he was hit by the stones, Mr Filmer said, “Yes, but it was more annoying than painful.”
Eight leadlight windows were also smashed during the ‘Books not Bombs’ student protest. Total damage could reach $6,000.
Before the rally, protesters entered the Cathedral, climbed the pulpit and sprayed graffiti on the 150- year-old woodwork. Fortunately the pulpit was already slated for restoration and so the additional cost of the damage was minimal.
Café chairs thrown at police during the rally were also owned by the Church.
Archbishop Peter Jensen has called on Christians to love their Muslim neighbours. “We should recognise that this is not a war against Islam either at home or abroad. In particular, the Muslim people who live amongst us have all the rights of full citizens of our country, and deserve our respect, concern and practical demonstrations of love at this time.”
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<td bgcolor=”#E9E9E9”><p><strong>Cathedral to be the flagship to take the
‘Mission’ to whole community</strong></p>
<p>The new senior assistant minister at St Andrew’s Cathedral, the
Rev Chris Moroney, wants the Cathedral to be a ‘flagship’
for Sydney Diocese as it seeks to take the gospel to the whole community.
</p>
<p> The Cathedral must take the lead in the diocesan Mission, Mr Moroney
said. “Reaching at least ten per cent of the population is a very
tall order, and I hope that the Cathedral can take a lead in that. There
are many other churches that are trying things, but I hope the Cathedral
will be outstanding, more like a flagship for the whole Diocese, in taking
the Mission to the community.</p>
<p> Having also been recently elected to the NSW Council of Churches, Mr
Moroney says he anticipates being part of the wider work of the Christian
church in Sydney. “The Council speaks on behalf of a number of denominations
about important issues for our society,” he said. “That will
be a new role for me, and I’m looking forward to being part of that.”</p>
<p> Mr Moroney has been rector of Moorebank Anglican Church since 1986.
During his time there a number of new initiatives have been established,
including a ministry to the Indian community now headed up by the Church’s
assistant minister, the Rev Manoj Chacko. </p>
<p> “There are now 33,000 people living in the city of Sydney. I really
hope that the Cathedral doesn’t just minister to one particular
segment of society, but has a ministry to all sorts of people, and that
our church in general can have a broader ministry to people of other backgrounds
than just Anglo-Saxons.”</p>
<p> Mr Moroney will assist Dean Phillip Jensen and the ministry team at
St Andrew’s, as well as playing a part in ministry training and
development across the Diocese. </p>
<p> Mr Moroney is a member of Sydney Standing Committee as well as General
Synod Standing Committee, and will continue in both these roles.<br>
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