http://anisa.org.za/news/20120420/prayer_service_held_honour_archbishop_hurley
Prayer Service Held in honour of Archbishop Hurley
If Archbishop Denis Hurley were alive today, he would be disappointed with the dark cloud of greed and corruption that is hovering above the nation and growing darker each day, Bishop Rubin Phillip of the Anglican Diocese of Natal said this afternoon.
Bishop Phillip, who described Hurley as one of the greatest sons of the African soil, was addressing worshippers at a prayer service in honour of Archbishop Hurley, attended by President Jacob Zuma, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize, eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cllr James Nxumalo and other senior government officials.
“We know all too well that times are troubled, that we still face massive challenges, such as in education, health, race relations, the growing gap between rich and poor, the plight of shack dwellers and the dark cloud which seems to get even darker each day: greed and corruption. If Hurley were alive today, you can be assured that he would be making his voice heard on these issues,” Bishop Phillip said.
“May we be delivered from this scourge which is eating away at our achievements, destroying us as a nation and impeding our progress towards a vibrant and functional democracy,” he added.
The church, he said, was mandated by Christ to take over his work of preaching good news to the poor. “We are now to continue working for a just and equal society. We dare not neglect this mandate because we have attained political freedom. We still have a long way to go towards attaining the kind of society that most of us dreamed of and, more, actually suffered for,” Bishop Phillip said.
He warned against taking the freedom for granted as it came at a great cost, adding that, that is the reason why we should not only guard and cherish it, but also amplify it and build on it.
Bishop Phillip ended by challenging the church to continue Hurley’s legacy by being prophetic. “It is now up to us, his friends, the church, to continue to speak truth to power and to work for justice. May Hurley continue to inspire us to give ourselves completely, as he did, to the building of our country,” he said.
(Press Release by the Diakonia Council of Churches and used by permission.Visit them at www.diakonia.org.za.)
Summary of Bishop Phillip’s Speech Published in the Daily News
Archbishop Hurley Always Took a Stand for Peace & Justice
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