Most Rev Anthony Randazzo
Bishop of Broken Bay
Message for BBNeighbourhoods
31 August 2021
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Over the past few weeks, I have heard and seen some of the struggles and worries that are
being shouldered in our community of the Church. I have been asked why I don’t speak out
more and defend the Church, especially with reference to the closure of our church buildings.
I understand the burden and would simply ask that at all times when we engage in this
conversation, that we maintain a sense of respect and charity towards each other. There is
never any need to vent publicly on social media, nor is there justification to mail anonymous
and abusive letters. This is the behaviour of uneducated, uncharitable, and pusillanimous
people. It is directly opposed to the teaching of Jesus who said, “love one another as I have
loved you” (John 13:34). Sledging and sniping is certainly undignified behaviour from someone
who professes to be a disciple of Jesus and a member of His Church.
It is rather naïve to think that angry public demonstrations and rude letter writing campaigns
are the best way to have a voice in our society today. By all means, as citizens, each one of
us has the right and the duty to make known our concerns about our community and society,
but always in charity and with respect. Our civic leaders are dealing with a once in a century
pandemic. No one has the perfect road map to navigate our way through this time. Mistakes
will be made, but much good will also be achieved. Certainly, communication between
Church and State can be improved, but to presume that no conversation is happening is simply
false and misleading.
I am very mindful that the negative impact of this situation is not only physical and emotional,
but also spiritual. As your bishop my greatest concern is your spiritual wellbeing. A small
number of people have demanded that I reopen our church buildings. To do so at this time
would place vulnerable people at risk. I am not prepared to do that. Mass is being celebrated
throughout the Diocese on a daily basis by myself and the priests. They are not private
Masses, as Mass is never a private affair. When the Mass is celebrated, the whole Church
celebrates, and every member of the Body of Christ is present at the altar of sacrifice through
the communion of saints. To argue otherwise is to misunderstand the very nature of the
Church and the mystery of the Mass. In the ritual offering of the bread and wine, the priest
gathers up and offers the prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of every member of the
community of the Church.
My brothers and sisters, I urge you to remain strong in these challenging times. As soon as
is reasonably possible, I will reopen the churches throughout the Diocese, however, in the
meantime, I would entreat you to ensure that you have done everything reasonably possible
to ensure that you are fortified against the COVID virus. Each member of the community
must take responsibility for his or her own actions in caring for the whole community of the
Church and of society.
As the community of the Church, it is important that we focus on our spiritual life by creating
meaningful engagement with God and with each other, despite the lockdown limitations. I
encourage you to continue to pray, to make spiritual communion, to read the Scriptures, and
to sanctify each day through the power of the Holy Spirit.
My words this week may seem rather direct. I mean no offence. My prayer is for your
wellbeing and that of your families and loved ones. Together we must endure the sufferings
of this time and unite them with the sufferings of Christ on the Cross. In the communion of
the Holy Spirit, we are one in the Body of Christ.
+Anthony