Renewed call for hope for missing chef and toddler
Archbishop feels someone ‘must know’ where Madeleine McCann and Claudia Lawrence are
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THE Archbishop of York has called for renewed hope in the search for university chef Claudia Lawrence and Madeleine McCann.
John Sentamu said he could not imagine the pain and suffering endured by the families of the missing.
He said Easter’s celebration of the triumph of life over death should inspire us never to give up hoping they will be found.
His Easter message came two days after Miss Lawrence’s father appealed for help to find his daughter.
The York University chef, 35, has not been seen for more than three weeks despite a massive police operation to find her.
Detectives fear she may have come to harm after meeting someone she knew.
Archbishop Sentamu said: “In both Claudia and Madeleine’s cases, someone knows where they are.
“The message of Easter is a message of hope, and our hope that those who are lost may yet be found must not be diminished by the lack of media coverage that comes as time passes.”
Miss Lawrence’s father Peter Lawrence said he was gaining strength from the prayers of those who had faith, and from the compassionate thoughts of those who did not.
The archbishop also attacked the “glory hunting” decision to stage two English Premier League clashes yesterday – and said the clubs involved would do well to remember their history.
The archbishop threw his weight behind church leaders who said the decision to play top games on Easter Sunday showed disdain for Britain’s religious traditions.
He said yesterday’s Aston Villa-Everton, and Manchester City-Fulham games should be moved, to make Easter Sunday as important as Christmas Day.
Archbishop Sentamu said before yesterday’s matches: “Football has come a long way since members of the Aston Villa Church Bible Class formed a football team in 1874 and the members of St Domingo’s Bible Class started playing football at Stanley Park in 1884.
“But when Villa take on Everton this afternoon for the riches of European glory, they would do well to recall the faith of their founders and to abandon the amnesia of their heritage.”
