A priest in Wodonga, Victoria, has defended a
Congolese refugee who felt snubbed by fellow parishioners, and was
almost reduced to tears while speaking about the importance of
acceptance at a weekend Mass, reports the Border Mail.
Father Dennis Crameri said
there was no place for racism after relaying the story to stunned
church-goers on Sunday about how Yves Nkoranyi felt parishioners were
bypassing him for communion, in his role as a special minister, because
of the colour of his skin.
Mr Nkoranyi told Father Crameri of his hurt at instances of people
changing aisles to avoid being served communion by him at services at
Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
The family has also been abused in a supermarket car park since
moving to Wodonga nearly three years ago, but he was more upset by the
treatment of some fellow churchgoers.
"I was seeing people jumping from my line and jumping onto other
lines," he said yesterday.
"For that to happen in the church was really
bad. Maybe they don't like to be served by my black hand."
Father Crameri said he rejected Mr Nkoranyi's offer to stop serving
communion if it was making it people uncomfortable.
The priest spoke at
the weekend services about the importance of acceptance, the report
said.
"It may be human nature to fear what we don't know or to fear being challenged by difference," Father Crameri said.
"But as a Christian community we have to be above human nature, we
are kingdom people and it should never be levelled at a Christian
community that they were in any way selective or non-accepting of
difference.
A Sacred Heart parishioner at the 10.30am mass on Sunday said: "The
fact there was a spontaneous round of applause at the end of his sermon
suggested that the congregation was in support.
"It's not something you see every day, but it obviously struck a chord with people."