Plans to re-enact the crucifixion of Christ and his resurrection, at a nightclub in Wexford on Easter Saturday night have been scrapped due to an overwhelming number of objections. The Music Factory, Main Street, Wexford, had planned a theme night for their Easter Sunday club which was to include a depiction of Christ on the cross being brought through the club and to culminate with the resurrection of Christ.
Club co-owner, Peter May, said that they never intended to upset the Church or the Catholic and Christian communities and he felt terrible about the upset they caused. He also believed there were a lot of crossed wires about what was planned and that the media had portrayed the story in a much more sordid manner than was the intent of the club.
“The press release about the theme night did not contain any mention of whippings or crucifixion,” Mr May told ciNews. “The piece was called ‘Resurrection Section’ and it was our intent to raise awareness about the real meaning of Easter.” said Mr May.
“I feel a lot of young people have forgotten what Easter is about,” he added.
The club co-owner said that their club has thousands of revellers attending “religiously” every week but didn’t think too many of them were getting up to attend Mass the next day. The Music Factory simply felt they could help to bring awareness of spiritual and religious issues to the patrons by adding an appropriate theme to their club nights.
However, Fr. Jim Fegan, Wexford parish administrator, called the planned re-enactment 'a mockery and a blasphemy' and warned that the nightclub might even be underestimating the reaction of some of its customers.
“The proposed event in the night club in Wexford is offensive to the religious beliefs of the people of the parish and beyond. This has been stated unequivocally. It is a matter for management at the hotel to now discern and address,” he said.
Speaking to The New Ross Standard, Fr. Fegan said it was “clearly not a religious event. Therefore, one has to think that it's a mockery of the crucifixion and a blasphemy.”
He said he had no objection to genuine religious events taking place in venues other than churches but in his view, this was 'distasteful'.
The Mayor of Wexford Cllr. Ted Howlin was also critical of the event. “I think it's terrible. It's insulting to all Catholics.”
Peter May said he would be keen to discuss such ideas with the Church to raise awareness of spiritual matters in the future. He had intended to discuss this event with them prior to the media storm that followed their press release.
The theme night has since been scrapped by the club owners due to the overwhelming number of objections.
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(Source: CIN)