By TANIA PHILLIPS
THE Catholic churches at Pottsville and Kingscliff found a unique way to mark the Year of Grace -which is set to finish later this month.
Charged with the task of creating a picture based on the face of Christ, the two churches – part of the same parish but 18 kilometres away from each other – decided to mark the moment in time in a way that might bring the congregations closer together.
Parish project co-ordinator Carmel Atikinson said while other parishes arranged to have pictures painted by one member of their congregations, it was decided to involve as many people as possible in the Kingscliff-Pottsville project.
In the end as many as possible ended up being “244” with a band of willing photographers taking shots of parishioners from both churches and Lucy Raftery overlaying them into a picture of Christ.
Carmel said two canvases were then created – one for each church and they were unveiled at the weekend.
“We came together to create something that was unique,” she said.
“We have a copy in both churches and a copy on a USB in the parish archives with the names of everyone involved. The whole idea of this year was to come together as a parish.”
She said most people just attended one church and didn’t know those at the other church before this project.
