A WODONGA priest has defended a Congolese refugee who felt snubbed by fellow parishioners.
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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 raised racism with Mr Nkoranyi after recent events associated with Refugee Week and was saddened and shocked to hear of his experiences in Wodonga.
As a result, he spoke at weekend services about the importance of acceptance and was almost reduced to tears at the 10.30am service on Sunday with the presence of another Congolese refugee now living in Wodonga in the church.
Mr Nkoranyi didn’t attend any of the three services in Wodonga at the weekend.
“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.
“The majority of people are so welcoming and embracing, but (racism) shouldn’t be happening in the church or down the street either for that matter.”
Father Crameri rejected Mr Nkoranyi’s offer to stop serving communion.
“He said if it made it difficult for people him doing it, he wouldn’t give out, but for me that is not acceptable,” he said.
“You get to know them very well and they are just such gentle, lovely people.
“We have to be above what could be considered the norm.”
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.”
