'Acceptance, dialogue and coexistence:' Cherry Hill Catholic church holds interfaith service

By Andy Polhamus | South Jersey Times
on January 18, 2015 at 7:11 PM

Worshippers from several different Christian denominations gathered at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Cherry Hill on Sunday afternoon for an interfaith service. Congregants from various major branches of Christianity attended, including people from the Catholic, Episcopalian, Greek Orthodox, Lutheran and Methodist churches. The special Mass honored the Week of Prayer For Christian Unity, a Catholic event that began nearly 50 years ago to bring different churches together. The week runs from Jan. 18 through Jan. 25.

"It's an opportunity for Christians to gather together, to pray together and celebrate our unity in Christ," said Father Joseph Wallace, Director of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs at the Camden Diocese. He was one of numerous clergymen to share a meal with local homeless men from the area after the service.

Although the event was held by the Catholic church, it was not a strictly Catholic service. Bishop William Stokes of the Episcopalian Diocese of New Jersey participated in the service, and the ceremony included music from several different local congregations.

Bishop Dennis Sullivan of the Camden Diocese delivered the homily, centering his words around the Bible quotation, "Jesus said to her, 'give me a drink.'" The verse was chosen by Brazilian churches as this year's theme for Christian Unity Week. It refers to a visit Jesus paid to a Samaritan household while traveling, even though Jews of the day rarely associated with Samaritans.

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