The Southern Cross - 100217 by The Southern Cross

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SOUTHERN AFRICA’S NATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY SINCE 1920

Pope on Lent: Strength in Christ by conversion

Inside Church to handle funds The bishops’ Aids Office has been given direct management of a large US grant to treat 60 000 patients.—Page 3

Call to canonise Romero

BY CINDY WOODEN

As the 30th anniversary of the murder of Salvadoran Archbishop Óscar Romero approaches, El Salvador’s bishops have agreed to write a letter to the Vatican supporting his canonisation.—Page 3

Religious orders in ‘crisis’ A leading Vatican official has said religious orders today are in a “crisis” caused in part by the adoption of a secularist mentality and the abandonment of traditional practices.— Page 4

That ‘clumsy’ word in creed In his Open Door column, Michael Shackleton explains why what a reader calls a “clumsy” word now forms part of the Nicene Creed.—Page 9

What do you think? In their Letters to the Editor this week, readers discuss Our Lady’s patronage of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, parish volunteers, Vatican II and Chris Moerdyk’s column.—Page 8

This week’s editorial: Truth in the fruits

Vatican decries defamation BY JOHN THAVIS

Let your heart be broken

www.scross.co.za

February 17 to February 23, 2010 No 4663

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SA bishops The mystery of Turin speak on Shroud Lent

Lenten reflections for our MPs

Reg No. 1920/002058/06

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SMALL but annoyingly persistent scandal over trumped-up accusations against a Catholic editor in Italy has underlined how much attention the Vatican pays to Italian affairs. The Vatican issued a statement deploring what it described as a “campaign of defamation against the Holy See”—a campaign, it said, aimed in part at Pope Benedict. The statement was designed to put to rest an incident that has played out like a soap opera in Italy for several months. But in fact, it only seemed to elevate the dispute to a higher level. The “poison” in this case was the insinuation that the character assassination against Dino Boffo, the former editor of the Catholic paper Avvenire and critic of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s womanising, was an inside job instigated by the Vatican and not the Church’s political critics. Il Giornale, owned by Mr Berlusconi’s family, had published a front-page attack on Mr Boffo, publishing allegations its editor, Vittorio Feltri, later admitted to be false, but claimed that the original documentation against Boffo had been given to him by “a very authoritative source in the Holy See”. The Vatican statement, issued by the Secretariat of State, said these insinuations were baseless. In addition to exceptionally strong language, the statement was unusual in underlining Pope Benedict’s direct interest in the case. The decision to involve the German pope in what was essentially an Italian political and media dispute prompted different reactions inside the Roman curia. Several Italians said it was a necessary move and perhaps should have been done earlier; some non-Italians were puzzled that the Vatican had to take such a high-profile step.—CNS

The clergy of Cape Town lines up to greet their new ordinary, Archbishop Stephen Brislin, and pledge their loyalty to him. Archbishop Brislin was installed as archbishop of Cape Town before 6 000 people at a Mass in the Bellville Velodrome. More photos of the installation at www.scross.co.za/brislin PHOTO: SYDNEY DUVAL

New chapter for Mother Church BY MICHAIL RASSOOL

HE fourth archbishop (and tenth bishop) of Cape Town, Archbishop Stephen Brislin, told the 6 000-strong crowd attending his installation how pleased he was to have moved to “the most beautiful city in the world” and was looking forward to working with the people of the archdiocese, through “a common ministerial baptism, feeding people through Word and Eucharist”. The ceremony, held at the Bellville Velodrome, was described by apostolic nuncio Archbishop James P Green as “a new chapter in the long and illustrious history of the Mother City of South Africa”. It was attended by 22 bishops of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference territory and of Windhoek, Namibia, as well as priests, religious, deacons and laity from across South Africa. Among the guests of honour were Western Cape premier Helen Zille, Cape Town mayor Dan Plato, public works minister Geoff Doidge, a Catholic, and members of the diplomatic corps. It was also attended by representatives of other churches, including Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop Sergios Kykkotis of the Greek Orthodox Church, Rev Rod Botsis of the Presbyterian Church and Bishop Wilfred Messiah of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Addressing the gathering towards the ceremony’s end, Archbishop Brislin said he recognised that proclaiming the Gospel “in season and out of season” is a huge responsibility. He spoke also of the need to be faithful to the stewardship entrusted to each Catholic, which takes into account the qualities of discipleship and self-sacrifice. These, he pointed out, often go against the grain of the prevailing societal culture, with its emphasis on uncontrolled greed, materialism and self-gratification. The archbishop also spoke of difficult times the Church has been through, referring especially to sex abuse scandals involving priests.

Archbishop Brislin said the essence of living out one’s ministry consists in the ability to live and teach in an honest way. He told the faithful it was important to ask what they should do to become “an authentic Church”, whether it is to serve their own interests or those of everyone. This quest, to deepen one’s understanding of what it means to share Christ’s priesthood as “People of God”, often involves being taken out of one’s comfort zone. The archbishop entreated his flock to pray for priests, for the strength to live up to their specially consecrated role. Archbishop Brislin said he looked forward to working in inter-faith and ecumenical structures in Cape Town. The former bishop of Kroonstad—where he was born, grew up and always ministered, “mostly in the townships”—paid tribute to its people, many of whom had travelled to Cape Town to witness the installation ceremony of their former bishop. He also paid tribute to his family, some of whom attended the installation, including his wheelchairbound elderly mother. In his introduction, Archbishop Green mentioned the extensive consultation process involved in choosing “the right man in the right place, at the right time” as new bishop of a diocese. He also thanked Archbishop Lawrence Henry, the new incumbent’s predecessor, for his long service—including as priest and auxiliary bishop—to the local Church. The crowd responded by giving the retiring archbishop a standing ovation. In his homily, Archbishop Henry, who had headed the archdiocese of Cape Town since 1989, spoke of the history of the Cape Town Church, from its illegality at the time of Dutch colonisation in the 17th century, through the arrival of the first legitimate bishops, Irish Dominicans, after Catholic emancipation throughout British territory in the early 19th century, to the establishment of the archiepiscopal hierarchy in the mid20th century. Continued on page 2

ONVERSION to Christ gives people the strength to break the bonds of selfishness and work for justice in the world, Pope Benedict has said in his message for Lent 2010. “The Christian is moved to contribute to creating just societies where all receive what is necessary to live according to the dignity proper to the human person and where justice is enlivened by love,” the pope said in his message. The theme of the pope’s message was, “The Justice of God Has Been Manifested through Faith in Jesus Christ”. The common understanding of “justice”, he said, is to give each person his or her due. But because people are created in God’s image, they not only need food, water, shelter and jobs; they need God and they need love. The greatest sign of God’s love is the gift of salvation in Christ. When people accept that gift, the pope said, they recognise that they are dependent on God. “Conversion to Christ, believing in the Gospel, ultimately means this: to exit the illusion of self-sufficiency in order to discover and accept one’s own need—the need of others and God, the need of his forgiveness and his friendship,” the pope wrote. The Vatican invited Hans-Gert Pottering, the former president of the European Parliament and president of Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation, to present the pope’s message to the press. Mr Pottering said the basic call of the pope’s message is “to work in union with our creator on our responsibility in the world”. “In these words—charity, solidarity, fraternity—lie the key to a true understanding of the responsibility of Christians in the world,” Mr Pottering said. “Solidarity or charity implies the responsibility to defend and protect the universal dignity of any human being anywhere in the world under any circumstances.” Mr Pottering said unfortunately modern politics has placed so much emphasis on promoting freedom and equality that it has almost ignored the obligation to promote solidarity and fraternity. For example, “whereas Europe and the world have already invested unimaginable sums for the fight against the financial crisis, the implementation of charity leaves much to be desired, especially in the fight against hunger in the world,” he said. More than a billion people live on less than $1,50 (about R11) a day, he said. Aids, malaria and tuberculosis are devastating the world’s poorest nations, and pollution is destroying the air, water and farmable land. The international reaction to the financial crisis demonstrates that “international cooperation can overcome huge challenges. A similar firmness is equally necessary in the fight against worldwide poverty”, Mr Pottering said. On a concrete level, he called on all countries and all airlines to join the UNITAID project, which works with the World Health Organization to buy bulk quantities of anti-Aids, malaria and TB drugs using funding from a $1 or $2 surcharge on airline tickets. The minor increase in the cost of a plane ticket “could help ease the misery in the world”.—CNS

LOCAL

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2010

New head for Cape Church Continued from page 1 Archbishop Henry pointed out that Archbishop Brislin was inheriting an archdiocese with strong foundations. He also mentioned successes such as the Cape Town archdiocese’s development arm, Catholic Welfare and Development (CWD). He said despite these things, the archdiocese has not been without its difficulties and challenges, such as poverty and lack of services (water and sanitation), in places where he said a Church presence is vital. Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban, congratulated Archbishop Brislin on behalf of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, in absence of its president and first vice-president, Archbishops Buti Tlhagale and Jabulani Nxumalo, who were in Rome. As recently elected second vice-president, Archbishop Brislin could not congratulate himself, the cardinal joked. Cardinal Napier spoke strongly against the political establishment’s non-support for a culture of life, condemning the ready availability of abortions on demand. He also spoke of the Synod for Africa which took place in Rome last October, where the many pastoral challenges facing the largely conflict-ridden, poverty-stricken continent were presented. The synod, he said, determined that the Church in Africa, which sees itself as “The light of the world, the salt of the earth”, should operate in the interests of

Lenten reflections for politicians D URING Lent 2010 South African legislators will be receiving daily e-mailed spiritual reflections in a joint initiative of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO) and the Jesuit Institute of South Africa. It began as an idea of Fr PeterJohn Pearson for the benefit of Catholic MPs, but the service will also be offered to MPs of other Christian denominations and other faiths. Each day during Lent subscribers

will receive an e-mail consisting of an inspirational quotation, a brief reflection and a final prayer. The format is influenced by the highly successful Irish Jesuit website Sacred Space, which has enabled thousands of people around the world to pause briefly at their work-stations and spend a few moments in reflection and prayer. The flow of the reflections is flexibly based on the themes from St Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises. The hope is that this Ignatian approach

of “finding God in all things” (as for example in the natural world or the arts) will enable MPs to seek and experience God’s presence in their work during and beyond Lent. The quotations are taken from sources, ranging from the scriptures through prophetic thinkers like Gandhi to contemporary secular figures such as Nelson Mandela. A further service will be the fielding of e-mailed prayer-requests. These will be funnelled through Fr James Fitzsimons SJ to a small team

of people who have undertaken to pray for the parliamentarians and their intentions. “The Lenten reflections are available to the general public, to enable people to pray both with and for our MPs,” the Jesuit Institute said in a statement.  To receive the reflections on e-mail, contact database@jesuit institute.org.za or visit the websites of either the Jesuit Institute (www.jesuitinstitute.org.za) or the CPLO (www.cplo.co.za/site/)

Kidney recipient dies BY MICHAIL RASSOOL

NEW ARCH: Fr Emil Blaser interviews Archbishop Stephen Brislin following the episcopal installation ceremony at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town. Archbishop Brislin, formerly bishop of Kroonstad, succeeded Archbishop Lawrence Henry, who had headed the archdiocese of Cape Town since 1989. PHOTO: SYDNEY DUVAL

reconciliation, of justice and reason. A reception was held for invited guests at the recently renovated

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YOUNG transplant patient whose quest for a new kidney was championed by The Southern Cross, has died. Adrian Leaner, 22, (pictured) parishioner of Our Lady of the Assumption parish in Brooklyn, Cape Town, succumbed to hypoglycaemia, a condition associated with diabetes when bloodsugar reaches very low levels, which starves the brain and renders the sufferer comatose, his mother said. Imelda Leaner said the diabetes was a by-product of the kidney disease that he had inherited. Along with his elder brother, Emile, Adrian suffered from a genetic disorder, Alphort Syndrome, which is characterised by deafness, eye problems and kidney disease, and which is known to skip a generation, so Mrs Leaner is not affected. The Southern Cross successfully

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supported both Adrian’s and Emile’s quests for new kidneys. After reading of the latter’s quest in the newspaper, a then priest-candidate, Maximilian Kolbe Jacobs OSB, came forward and donated a kidney, which was successfully transplanted but rejected by Emile’s body after a few years. The 26-year-old, once again, had to revert to thrice-weekly artificial purification of the blood in the kidney, at Groote Schuur Hospital, an ordeal he continues to endure. Mrs Leaner said Adrian’s transplanted kidney lasted much longer than his brother's, and the chance of receiving a new kidney fell through at the last minute. Last September, despite dialysis his new kidney weakened further and his body became susceptible to secondary infection.

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LOCAL

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2010

New centre for Kokstad’s disadvantaged children BY MICHAIL RASSOOL

HONOURED: Bishop Jan de Groef of Bethlehem, Free State, blesses five Stations of the Rosary, the Mysteries of Light, erected at the shrine of Our Lady of Bethlehem by diocesan Sacred Heart Society members. On the day of the blessing, five Sacred Heart Society members died in a bus accident on their way to the function. The stations were dedicated in their honour.

HE Daughters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Kokstad diocese are planning to build a new centre in the parish of Mzwangwana near Matatiele, which is intended to make a difference in the lives of the many orphans and vulnerable children of the area as well as young school leavers with no opportunities. The local superior, Sr Gertrude Makatisa, said the centre, which comprises a convent and a project, will be built on land donated by the Eastern Cape Department of Home Affairs. It will be completed by the end of the year. Sr Makatisa said the convent is being built for Sacred Heart sisters

who will be moving into the parish to administer the project. The centre will partly consist of a crèche for small children left orphaned mainly after their parents died of HIV/Aids, or who have been left abandoned under circumstances of extreme poverty and destitution, common to rural areas. The project will also run training programmes for young people, 15 years and older, who are unemployed, many of them even begging as a way to survive or standing on the side of the road waiting for odd labouring jobs. “After they are trained we hope that they will be taken on for the skills they have to offer,” Sr Makatisa said. She said the centre’s architectural designs and official documents

for the land transfer were still lodged with the department in Maluti. Funds were still being collected by the local province of the Daughters of Charity, which also comprises sisters from KwaZuluNatal, from local businesses, parishes and other benefactors, Sr Makatisa said. “We sisters need much help in order to make the project a success,” she said. The sisters, she pointed out, exist to help the poor and needy, the sick and vulnerable, according to the needs of the time, which are widely understood as developmental. The provincial government would also be approached for regular subsidies to the centre in the interests of social development, Sr Makatisa said.

US Catholic Relief Services cedes funding management to local partners BY MICHAIL RASSOOL

NEW funding milestone for Church-based HIV/Aids relief across South Africa was celebrated by the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference’s Aids Office. The Aids office will now undertake direct management of a very

large United States grant supporting HIV care and treatment for around 60 000 people, which for five years had come through the Catholic Relief Service (CRS)-led AIDSRelief consortium. AIDSRelief includes St Mary’s Hospital in Mariannhill diocese, KwaZulu-Natal and the Institute for Youth Development in South Africa

Each of these will now receive its own funds, which support the government’s roll-out of anti-retroviral treatment and ensure that those suffering from TB receive the treatment. In a letter to his agency’s South African partners, CRS president Ken Hackett said the story of AIDSRelief is one of “exceptional coordination,

demic across the country. Paying tribute to CRS, Sr Munro said the agency, a programme of the US Catholic Bishops’ Conference, has stood squarely with local Church agencies to assist them in reaching out to those in need, cooperating with them, capacitating and encouraging them to do what they do.

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INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2010

Cardinal: religious orders in ‘modern crisis’ BY JOHN THAVIS

LEADING Vatican official has said religious orders today are in a “crisis” caused in part by the adoption of a secularist mentality and the abandonment of traditional practices. Cardinal Franc Rode, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, said the problems go deeper than the drastic drop in the numbers of religious men and women. “The crisis experienced by certain religious communities, especially in Western Europe and North America, reflects the more pro-

found crisis of European and American society. All this has dried up the sources that for centuries have nourished consecrated and missionary life in the church,” Cardinal Rode said in a talk delivered in Naples, Italy. “The secularised culture has penetrated into the minds and hearts of some consecrated persons and some communities, where it is seen as an opening to modernity and a way of approaching the contemporary world.” Cardinal Rode said the decline in the numbers of men and women religious became precipitous after the Second Vatican Council, which he described as a period “rich in

experimentation but poor in robust and convincing mission”. Faced with an aging membership and fewer vocations, many religious orders have turned to “foreign vocations” in places like Africa, India and the Philippines. He said the orders need to remember that quality of vocations is more important than quantity. “It is easy, in situations of crisis, to turn to deceptive and damaging shortcuts, or attempt to lower the criteria and parameters for admission to consecrated life and the course of initial and permanent formation,” he said. In any case, “big numbers are not indispensable” for religious

orders to prove their validity. It’s more important today, he said, that religious orders “overcome the egocentrism in which institutes are often closed, and open themselves to joint projects with other institutes, local churches and lay faithful”. Cardinal Rode, a 75-year-old Slovenian, spoke to a conference on religious life sponsored by the archdiocese of Naples. The Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano published the main portions of his text. Cardinal Rode said it was undoubtedly more difficult today for all religious orders to find young people who are willing to break

away from the superficial contemporary culture and show a capacity for commitment and sacrifice. Unless this is dealt with in formation programmes, he said, religious orders will produce members who lack dedication and are likely to drift away. The challenge, however, should not be seen strictly in negative terms, he said. The present moment can help religious orders better define themselves as “alternatives to the dominant culture, which is a culture of death, of violence and of abuse”, and make it clear that their mission is to joyfully witness life and hope, in the example of Christ.—CNS

German party told to remember its ‘C’

ERMAN Church leaders have criticised Chancellor Angela Merkel’s governing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for moving away from its Christian ethos. In an interview with Germany’s Rheinische Post, Bishop Gerhard Müller of Regensburg said having the word “Christian” in a name should mean “something concrete.” “A party which stands for an unconditional defence of life and then begins to waver betrays itself and democracy. Humanity can’t be treated instrumentally—its dignity provides the frontier for political compromises,” he said. Such parties

“should abandon the current opportunism—people won’t vote for anyone who fails to uphold their own principles.” Media analysts say the CDU’s new coalition with the Free Democratic Party has moved it to the left and risked alienating conservative supporters. A recent poll showed 4% of practising Catholics had resigned their membership in the party. In January, Archbishop Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising told the news magazine Der Spiegel that the party’s tax policy had “proved beneficial above all for rich people”,

adding that he also objected to its support for stem-cell research and aspects of its family policy. “What’s lacking for me is a decisive acknowledgment of the Christian faith and church—the CDU’s programme talks only very generally about Christian values, which is too hazy,” said Archbishop Marx, who heads the social action commission of the German bishops’ conference. “The ‘C’ in Christian carries an obligation toward Jesus Christ. It isn’t just an adjective like ‘liberal’ or ‘social’, whose meaning can be freely interpreted,” he said.—CNS

English bishops: Don’t over-sedate dying patients BY SIMON CALDWELL

HE excessive sedation of dying patients should be avoided because it denies them the opportunity of a “good death,” according to a draft document, “A Practical Guide to the Spiritual Care of the Dying Person”, issued by the Catholic bish-

ops of England and Wales. The bishops said it is wrong to render patients in the last days of their lives either unconscious or semi-conscious if it is not necessary for “effective symptom relief”. “This could deprive people of the opportunity to make a good death, setting things right as

much as they can, making peace and saying their goodbyes,” said the 29-page document. “It will rarely be the case that pain cannot be controlled without deep sedation,” it said, adding that “there is a compromise between comfort and lucidity, and different people will want to compromise at different levels.”—CNS

PO Box 11095, Mariannhill 3624 LENTEN LECTURES

APRIL 30 - MAY 2

Mgr Paul Nadal: Talks on “The Year for the Priest” on five Mondays of Lent at 19:00 Feb 22: Jesus Christ the Eternal High Priest Mar 01: The Priesthood of the Faithful Mar 08: Priesthood and the Church Mar 15: The Ministerial Priesthood (Priest in the Parish) Mar 22: The Priest in the Modern world

Mgr Paul Nadal: “Jesus Christ I” Son of God, Son of

FEBRUARY 26-28

JUNE 25-27

Mgr Paul Nadal: “The Priesthood”. Weekend (a repeat of the talks listed above), from supper Feb 26 to lunch Feb 28.

Mgr Paul Nadal “Caritas Veritate” Papal Encyclical

Man, Sign of contradiction. Weekend from supper Apr 30 to lunch May 2.

‘Keep Islam out of Kenya’s constitution’

SLAMIC courts should not be included in the new proposed Kenyan constitution, a group of Christian leaders has said in a statement. The religious leaders, representing 23 church and Christian organisations said: “We remain extremely opposed to the inclusion of [Islamic] Kadhi courts in the constitution. “It is clear that the Muslim community is basically carving for itself an Islamic state within a state. This is a state with its own Sharia compliant banking system; its own Sharia compliant insurance; its own

Halaal bureau of standards; and is now pressing for its own judicial system,” the church leaders said. Such a move would be tantamount to dividing the nation on the basis of religion, they said, warning that this could destroy the country. “Entrenchment of one religion in the constitution is a risk that we should not take. We have witnessed many countries that have broken up because of religion,” the statement said. “Religion does not have to be in the constitution for its adherents to enjoy its system.”— CISA

JUNE 4-6

CONGREGATION OF MARIANNHILL MISSIONARIES

Mgr Paul Nadal: “Jesus Christ II” Risen and alive. Lord today and for ever. Weekend from supper June 4 to lunch June 6.

Letter of Pope Benedict XVI. Love as personal gift, love as social gift. Weekend from supper June 25 to lunch 27.

MARCH 27 - APRIL 4 HOLY WEEK, from supper Mar 27 (Saturday before Palm Sunday) to breakfast Apr 4 (Easter Sunday):

JUNE 27-JULY 05 Fr Urs Fischer & Team: 7-Day Guided Retreats, from supper June 27 to breakfast July 05

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JULY 16-18 Fr Pierre Lavoipierre: “The heart of the Matter” Lord,

2. Dives in Misericordia: On “The Mercy of God” by John Paul II and St Faustina

you know me, see me, and my heart is in your hands. Weekend from supper July 16 to lunch 18

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INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2010

Could inter-church catechism work? BY CINDY WOODEN

Salvadorans honour Archbishop Óscar Romero last year in San Salvador on the anniversary of his assassination. Archbishop Romero was shot dead March 24, 1980, while celebrating Mass. El Salvador’s bishops have written to Rome asking that his sainthood cause be expedited. PHOTO: LUIS GALDAMEZ, REUTERS/CNS

Santo subito: El Salvador wants Romero sainthood

S the 30th anniversary of the murder of Salvadoran Archbishop Óscar Romero approaches, El Salvador’s bishops have agreed to write a letter to the Vatican supporting Romero’s canonisation. “As Church, it is our great desire that Archbishop Romero be canonised as soon as possible,” San Salvador Archbishop José Escobar Alas told reporters. Archbishop Escobar said the Vatican Congregation for Saints’ Causes is considering the matter. “We have had no communication from the congregation about dates or how things are going. This is a process that the Church does with privacy. The process demands silence, secrecy and respect for the person being examined.” He said the bishops had agreed to form a commission to write a letter “that would help in the process of canonisation”, but had not yet drafted the missive. Archbishop Romero was gunned down while celebrating Mass on March 24, 1980, shortly after a radio broadcast in which he urged Salvadoran soldiers to stop turning their weapons on civilians

in El Salvador’s civil war. The canonisation cause entered the verification phase in 2000. In 2005, around the 25th anniversary of the prelate’s death, the Vatican informed the Salvadoran bishops that the cause had passed the first phase of verification. Although formal canonisation is a slow process, many Salvadorans have considered the archbishop a saint since his murder. His image hangs in many churches, and there are icons of “St Romero”. In May 2007, en route to Brazil, reporters asked Pope Benedict about Archbishop Romero’s cause. The pope said the archbishop was “certainly a great witness of the faith, a man of great Christian virtue who worked for peace and against the dictatorship. That the person himself merits beatification, I do not doubt.” But he said problems had been created when some groups unjustly tried to co-opt Archbishop Romero as a political figure. He added that work on the sainthood cause was proceeding. Beatification is one of the steps towards sainthood.—CNS

VATICAN official has floated the idea of a shared “ecumenical catechism” as one of the potential fruits of 40 years of dialogue among Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists and members of the Reformed churches. “We have affirmed our common foundation in Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity as expressed in our common creed and in the doctrine of the first ecumenical councils,” Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, told representatives of the churches. Opening a three-day symposium at the Vatican to brainstorm on the future of ecumenism, Cardinal Kasper said it is essential “to keep alive the memory of our achievements” in dialogue, educate the faithful about how much has been accomplished, and prepare a new generation to carry on the work. He said the members of his council “proposed an ecumenical catechism that would be written in consultation with our partners”. But he added that “we do not yet have any idea how such a catechism could be structured and written”. One thing for sure, he said, is that there is a need for “an ecumenism of basics that identifies, reinforces and deepens the common foundation” of faith in Christ and belief in the tenets of the creed. The churches may hold those positions officially, but if

BY CINDY WOODEN

HE Catholic Church has a positive vision of human life, marriage and family which must not be presented as a list of things the Church opposes, Pope Benedict told the bishops of Scotland on their ad limina visit to Rome. The Church’s “positive and inspiring vision of human life, the beauty of marriage and the joy of parenthood” are “rooted in God’s infinite, transforming and ennobling love for all of us, which

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he symposium was a follow-up to the publication in October of Harvesting the Fruits, a book complied by Cardinal Kasper and his staff summarising the results of 40 years of official Catholic dialogue with the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Methodist Council and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. As for questions that still must be tackled in order for Christians to reach full unity and be able to share the Eucharist, the cardinal identified two basic areas: a common understanding of the church and its structure; and a common approach to applying the Gospel to modern social and moral concerns without falling into relativism. Ethical issues—such as homosexuality and women’s equality— not only divide churches, he said, they raise more fundamental questions for modern and post-modern society, such as, “What is man, and what does it mean to be a man or woman in God’s plan?”

In the area of church structure and ministry, he said, the dialogues have seen progress towards a common agreement on the sacramental nature of ordination and on apostolic succession in the ministry of bishops, and have taken initial steps toward discussing the primacy of the bishop of Rome, the pope. But on a more basic level, the dialogues must get into “not only what is the Church, but where is the Church? Has God given his Church a specific structure or has he left the Church to find its own structure, in such a way that a pluralism of structures is possible?” Cardinal Kasper asked. The cardinal said the Vatican needs to better explain to its dialogue partners the Catholic conviction that “the Catholic Church is the church of Christ and that the Catholic Church is the true Church”, even while “there exist many and important elements of the Church of Christ outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church”. The Catholic Church does believe “there are deficits in the other churches,” he said. “Yet on another level there are deficits, or rather wounds stemming from division and wounds deriving from sin, also in the Catholic Church.” Ecumenical dialogue is the place where all Christians “learn to grow and mature in their faithfulness to Christ,” he said, and as each moves closer to Christ, they naturally will move closer to each other.—CNS

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their members do not hold firmly to the basics of Christian faith, the dialogue cannot move forward. Cardinal Kasper, a theologian who will be 77 in March and has led the council for nine years, also said that ecumenical dialogue “is perhaps in danger of becoming a matter for specialists and thus of moving away from the grassroots”. He called for “a people-centred ecumenism” that would support and give new energy to the theological dialogues.

opens our eyes to recognise and love his image in our neighbour,” the pope said. “Be sure to present this teaching in such a way that it is recognised for the message of hope that it is,” he told the bishops. Too often, “the Church’s doctrine is perceived as a series of prohibitions and retrograde positions, whereas the reality, as we know, is that it is creative and life-giving”. The pope said one key to defending human life and the family in society is to help lay Catholics understand the teaching

and their role in promoting it. “Sometimes a tendency to confuse ‘lay apostolate’ with ‘lay ministry’ has led to an inward-looking vision”, where lay people think that if they are not employed by the Church, they do not have a role in the Church. The Second Vatican Council taught that “wherever the lay faithful live out their baptismal vocation—in the family, at home, at work—they are actively participating in the Church’s mission to sanctify the world”, he said.— CNS

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2010

HEALING STATEMENT FOR THE YOUTH OF SOUTHERN AFRICA Issued by the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference Youth desk

Dear Young People

SING the words of Jesus, the recent Synod of African bishops call us to live and become “…the salt of the earth…the light of the world.” (Mt 5:13-14)

OUR HOPE – “LIVE YOUR LIVES TO THE FULLEST” (John 10:10) The history of our people recounts many heroic deeds on the part of youth. The 16th of June 1976 stands out in particular as a witness to the struggle the youth waged for our country and their contribution in shaping the path towards the democratic and non-racial elections of 1994. We celebrate such events with pride and we find the courage to continue to face many other challenges with confidence. Among the challenges ahead of us is addressing the growing gap between those who have and those who do not have—a gap which continues to widen. While some of you tell us of your great hopes and expectations for the future, many others relate to us their experiences of hopelessness and despair. We note that each one of you experiences the need for healing in one form or another, be it spiritual or emotional healing, healing of relationships, and, for those who bear the burden of low self-esteem, healing which brings a new sense of inner strength. Our hope is that you will live your lives to the fullest (John 10:10) by coming to know Jesus as the fulfilment of all your potential as young persons, living in the midst of so many challenges and difficulties which you continue to face daily.

REMEDY – HEALING IN CHRIST Youth of South Africa: encounter Christ who heals you! Pope Benedict XVI wrote to you, the youth, on the occasion of the twenty-fourth World Youth Day 2008, “Make space for prayer in your lives! Learn to pray and thus grow in the experience of faith. Take part in your parish liturgies and be abundantly nourished by the Word of God and your active participation in the Sacraments. As you know, the summit and centre of the life and mission of every believer and every Christian community is the Eucharist.” The Gospel message of Matthew 11:4-6 tells us that through encountering Jesus people found healing. “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is he who takes no offence at me.” Mary Magdalene experienced newness as she wept over the feet of Jesus, wiping them with her hair, (Luke 7:16ff) and Zacchaeus climbed out of the tree with haste at Jesus’ bidding, so eager was he to begin the new life of grace offered to him through his encounter with Jesus (Luke 19:1ff). The process of healing, which means becoming whole, begins with an encounter with Jesus. Pope Benedict XVI stressed this in his address to the Portuguese Bishops in November 2007, when he said: “One doesn’t begin to be a Christian because of an ethical decision or a great idea, but rather because of an encounter with an event, with a Person, who gives new horizons to life, and with that, a decisive orientation.” Such an encounter creates for each of you the opportunity to enter into a personal relationship with Him, nurtured through prayer and the sacraments. In this way you will find the strength to carry your personal cross. When anyone of you accepts to take up the cross, the process of inner transformation develops further. That is why Jesus said: “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, take up your cross and come after me.” (Matthew 16:24,25). An experience of healing through encounter is shared with us by a student: “My name is Shaka, graduate student, born in a village in Limpopo just outside Thohoyandou. In 2005 while doing my second year at University I experienced what I could call the greatest loss in my life. On the 22 July three days after celebrating my 19th birthday, my dad passed on after we had been taking care of him for three weeks, and knowing very well that it was just a matter of time before God would take him. When it happened my life came to an absolute standstill. I remember having to go back to University two days after my dad’s funeral, hardly a minute passed by without the thought of my mother and my sister’s well being. When I got back to campus I received amazing support from fellow ACTS members and chaplains. It was through talking to them that I started putting together the broken pieces of my life; but my life took a step back again when I failed three modules out of four and only made the minimum requirements in the module I passed but it was through talking to people and meditation that I found my self again. In December of that year I attended a youth conference where my chaplain accompanied me on a retreat. Being alone, I spent the entire day meditating and writing down my experiences and every evening the chaplain and I had a fifteen minute reflection on the day. Though it was hard staying by myself and reflecting on my life experiences with my dad, I developed a more intimate relationship with God. I wrote an average of five pages a day on my life experience and at the end of every day I felt my burden become lighter. I discovered that I experienced healing by talking to people and sharing my experiences. It’s more like confession, though most of us are reluctant and not willing to go for confession, we all know how “light” and free we feel after confession. The same applies to healing, I spoke to people. I wrote many pages, I meditated and developed an intimate relationship with God “in silence” and through that I was healed. Healing is like climbing a ladder, you always take it one step at a time, with God, with friends, in silence and also through talking.

ness.Young people, filled with the hope that Christ brings, “Take ownership –‘eyethu’-of your lives in Christ” and through self-mastery, which includes self-knowledge and selfacceptance—celebrate the “gift of self”. We call on you, our Catholic youth, to show the way forward by living a new lifestyle in our country and working for the healing of the woundedness and hopelessness so many young people experience. A Christian lifestyle which also embraces the cultural values embodying the spirit of ubuntu means:

         

thanking God for the gift of life—your life, the life of others and the life mother earth nourishes; uniting with, and working with all who share the same values; nurturing a healthy self-esteem in Christ; fostering a culture of education; sharing resources and information; caring for the marginalised; respecting the rights of people; upholding a culture of human rights; preserving our planet; and ploughing-back gained skills into our communities.

EDUCATION Youth of South Africa: encounter Christ who educates and forms you! We invite you who are learners to approach Jesus who can heal you and the situations in which you live and study. Much has been done over the past fifteen years to address the imbalances caused by the history of discrimination. Much still needs to be done especially to foster a culture of learning and appreciation for what is offered to us. There is much you can contribute by a commitment on your part to developing a culture of education through dedication, discipline, hard work and appreciation—these are values which affirm a person.

HIV AND AIDS Youth of South Africa: encounter Christ who brings life in abundance! We earnestly seek the healing embrace of Jesus in the midst of this most urgent crisis of our time: the HIV/Aids pandemic which is decimating our communities and especially our youth. Everyone recognises that the only answer to this is to change your behaviour and your lifestyle. One who has encountered Jesus and his healing power recognises that this means adopting those behaviours which Jesus taught. We are greatly encouraged by the number of young people who are taking greater ownership of their lives, their bodies and, ultimately, of themselves. We believe that only after a meaningful encounter with Jesus and through the constant assistance he offers, through prayer and the sacraments, can you make choices which affirm you as people living the life that Jesus won for us. The SACBC promotes a programme for youth which assists you to change your behaviour, ‘Education for Life’ and a campaign, the ‘ABCD Lifestyle Campaign’: A for ‘Abstain’, B for ‘Be Faithful’, C for ‘Change your Life’, and D for ‘Danger’ if you do not change your behaviour. We encourage you to reclaim the virtues of chastity and virginity which express the ideals that Jesus promoted and which help us to become faithful to that person whom each one will eventually choose, out of love, to be a wife or husband for life. Jesus can also be asking this of you by following him in chastity as a diocesan priest, religious priest, religious brother or sister.

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT Youth of South Africa: encounter Christ, the carpenter, who compassionately accompanies you! Jesus offers those many of you who are unemployed, many of you without school-leaving certificates and without any recognised skill, a new hope by coming to your aid in this situation which leaves you vulnerable and which wounds your self-esteem. True wealth lies within you, and in the use of your God-given talents. We encourage you not to succumb to hopelessness, but rather to take ownership of yourselves and your situations, and so try, with God’s help and strength, to use your talents to become more entrepreneurial – creating your own work and work for others.

AWAKENING THE POTENTIAL OF THE YOUTH OF SOUTH AFRICA Dear young people of the Catholic Church, the healing which Jesus brings to each of you who encounter him, will empower you to be agents for change helping to awaken the potential of all African youth so that the renewal of the African continent by moral regeneration will become a reality in your lifetime. “Rise on wings like eagles; run and not get weary, walk and not grow weak” (Isaiah 40:31)! In a spirit of togetherness and co-operation, build new and united communities which become signs of hope to our country and Africa at large – indeed the rest of the world. Take up the struggle as young Christians of Africa, grounded in your faith and realising the wisdom of your traditions, by responding to the ‘signs of the times’, by facing the challenges, the divides, and in this way make a contribution to transforming and healing South Africa and, in fact, the continent of Africa.

DEVELOP AND EXPERIENCE A ‘YOUTH SPIRITUALITY IN CHRIST’

MARY, OUR MOTHER AND OUR FORMATOR

Youth of South Africa: you are called to follow Jesus! The young man of the Gospel could have become a hero: Jesus recognised his potential to become just that, but he thought the price was too high, so he walked away into oblivion (Matthew 19:16-22). James and John wanted to become heroes, one on the right side of Jesus and the other on his left and they said that they were prepared to drink the cup that Jesus would drink (Matthew 20:20-23). The parable tells of ten bridesmaids, five of whom made it into the banquet hall, because they kept themselves ready (Matthew 25:1-13). The prophet Isaiah (40:30) tells us: “Even those who are young grow weak; young people can fall exhausted. But those who hope in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed”. A ‘Youth Spirituality’ means precisely that: recognising in the daily circumstances of life the invitation to encounter Jesus and go forward with him. The Gospel teaches us that Jesus’ healing touches the whole person: spiritually, emotionally and socially. Christ in you gives birth to a new hope which means you “take ownership of your lives”—you experience the fullness of life (John 10:10),—you are empowered to overcome all hopelessness and all inner-wounded-

We urge you to turn to Mary as your mother and the one who forms you. She will form you in the same way as she formed her Son, Jesus, in the home of Nazareth. She is the mother of this unique Healer and she will help you take courage to ‘do whatever he tells you to do.’ (John 2:5) Christ yesterday, today and forever makes you “... the salt of the earth ... the light of world.” (Mt 5:13-14)

From Bishop Z P Mvemve Bishop responsible for the Youth and Fr Michael Hagan Isch SACBC Youth Office

Church on the ball! Evangelise 2010

LENT

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2010

A new life out of ashes Lent is a period of renewal and purification of the individual leading to a new life in Christ. Several bishops spoke to MICHAIL RASSOOL about the season in which we prepare for renewal.

SH Wednesday should mark the start of a change of life for the individual, according to several bishops. They say that the symbols, particularly ashes, of the occasion signify a sense of transience, of passing through mere earthly forms to experience a fuller life in God, a destiny that calls for purification of who we presently are in order to be worthy of it. According to Bishop Stanislaw Dziuba of Umzimkulu, Ash Wednesday is a special time to remember the suffering of Christ for the salvation of humankind. He said the distribution of ashes, used for marking the foreheads of members of the congregation, is intended to remind them that they are on a journey towards their final goal, which earthly life and death are part of. He and other bishops agree on the idea that Lent is a period of integrating the things of God in the various aspects of one’s life, of eliminating divided mindsets and a tendency to compartmentalise, of taking stock of who we truly are, especially in relation to God. “It is a time for unloading, of cleansing our conscience and a return to the view of life which holds that God gives all that one needs, and not just ourselves,” Bishop Dziuba said. The idea, he explained, is that

once this process is ended at the end of Lent one is “resurrected” with Christ, purified, alive again (that is, alive to God and the true meaning of life), fully attuned to the idea that one was from Christ and to him one is returning. It is a rising from a lowly place to being with God, said Bishop Pius Dlungwane of Mariannhill, KwaZuluNatal. He pointed out that the Lenten ashes also symbolise the part of one’s nature that one has burnt, from which a new self arises. “So yes, it is a time of spiritual renewal and a shedding of the old self to embrace Jesus Christ,” Bishop Dlungwane said. He said it symbolises a time of sorrow for one’s sins, pleading forgiveness before rising anew with Jesus during Holy Week. But purification and renewal should not just be associated with Lent, Bishop Edward Risi of Keimoes-Upington pointed out. This should be a continual process while one sojourns on earth, he said. He explained the origins of the Lenten observance, saying it at first marked the final preparation for baptism. This is the final stage of repentance and conversion, particularly among prospective adult Christians, and their baptism and accompanying deepening of their conversion were associated with Easter. Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban said that Lent was instituted to enable Jesus’ followers to imitate what he himself did after baptism by John in the River Jordan. For 40 days, like him, they too could go into the desert fasting, praying and being tempted by the devil.

He said this is precisely what transpired between Jesus and his disciples. After his own purification, he called men such as James, John, Simon (Peter) and Andrew so they could undergo the same experience. The same applies to his followers today, Cardinal Napier said. Most of the bishops spoken to said they did sometimes admire the attitude of Muslims towards the fast of the Islamic month of Ramadan. This is a period of special effort in terms of honouring faith commitments, such as fasting, limiting food and lifestyle, and sharing one’s bounty with others, according to religious teaching. They see it as something that Catholics perhaps could take note of when it came to Lenten observance. Bishop Dziuba said he personally is encouraged by this, especially the part about sharing one’s time, skills and resources with those not as fortunate as one is. He believes Catholics are not above the idea of learning ways of doing things from other faiths. Bishop Dlungwane said that Muslims presently seem to be ahead of Catholics in their observances during special seasons, because the latter seem to have abandoned traditions and practices that Catholics of the past held dear, such as fasting, eating fish on Fridays, and so on. Muslims, on the other hand, seem to have kept up theirs more faithfully, he said, and on the whole seem to be more anchored in making their faith more alive and meaningful. Bishop Risi believes Ramadan is tied up with Muslims’ own experience of faith and life, and are in the process of saving themselves. “We,

A cross is draped with Lenten purple. The penitential season calls Christians to prayer, fasting, repentance and charity. The Southern Cross discussed Lent with some South African bishops . PHOTO: GREGORY A SHEMITZ VIA CNS

on the other hand, are saved by Christ. Our Lenten readings call us to repentance, to humble ourselves so Christ can renew us. While Muslims’ work is self-attained, we open ourselves to change through Christ.” Cardinal Napier spoke of KwaZulu-Natal’s long history of inter-faith engagement, especially organisations such as Durban’s interreligious council, where people of different faiths attend one another’s feasts and festivals, also learning from one another, a tradition fostered by his predecessor, Archbishop Denis Hurley. He pointed out that many Catholics are inclined to minimise the idea of fasting, a sacrificial act of worship, to Friday abstinence, and many go through Lent without noticing any growth in their spirituality. The cardinal said many see 2010 as a watershed year because it marks the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the end of apartheid, and

because of the football World Cup. Instead, he said, they should see what they can do to make it a transformative year for themselves, tied up with a broader movement to this end from within the Church. He said many dioceses were organising synods, encouraging all in the Church to know Jesus in a new way, a human way, understanding how in this way he made an impact on the people around himself, and how this can still be so today. He said the archdiocese of Durban actively encourages such an approach to faith, one that emphasises the centrality of scripture. Such understanding, Cardinal Napier believes, would almost certainly lend itself to a deeper meaning of fasting and abstinence, a sense of sacrifice on a deeper level and hence, a deeper engagement with the Eucharist. Prayer would then become more meaningful and charity more genuine—especially when it means sacrificing to better someone else.

Kindly contribute generously to the Lenten Appeal. Monies collected will help the Works of the Church in South Africa including the poor and needy programmes Let your sacrifice be to the Glory of God. Get your posters, envelopes and mite boxes from your parish. Bank Details Name of Bank: Name of Account: Account Number: Branch Number:

Postal Details SACBC Lenten Appeal PO BOX 2206 Pretoria 0001

Standard Bank SACBC Lenten Appeal 010009744 01004500 National Director: Fr Michael Flattery Contact Details: 012 323 6458

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2010

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

Truth in the fruits

S the Church prepares to exhibit the Shroud of Turin, which many hold to be Christ’s burial cloth, the debate concerning its authenticity doubtless will go into overdrive again. Catholics are free to believe that the shroud, which features a photographic image of a crucified man, is indeed Christ’s burial cloth. Pope John Paul II made no secret of his devotion to it, calling it a “relic”, and Pope Benedict— always a sceptic in matters of apparitions and revelations— has indicated that he too believes the shroud to be authentic. By the same token, Catholics who do not believe that the shroud is the real article are perfectly entitled to hold that view. Pieties relating to the Shroud of Turin are private devotions, along the same lines as devotions to various Marian apparitions, the Divine Mercy or novenas. These may encourage spiritual growth but are not necessary for salvation. But even sceptical Catholics would welcome definitive proof by sindonologists, as Shroud researchers are known, that the Turin Shroud is indeed the genuine burial cloth of Christ referred to in John 20:5-7, for there would be no greater known relic than that, as those who believe in its authenticity will testify. Alas, such evidence has yet to materialise. What we do know of the Turin Shroud’s history is that the earliest historically conclusive reference to its existence dates to 1357 (though some sindonologists conjecture earlier dates). Carbon testing on a portion of the shroud’s cloth in 1988 dates its origins to between 1260 and 1390. However, critics of that test have claimed that the portion

of cloth used for the carbon test was a medieval patch—a notion denied by the test’s proponents—and that exposure to smoke in a 1532 fire might have contaminated the sample. The carbon test results, in any case, cannot explain by what process the image of the crucified man appeared on the cloth. Some have speculated that the image was created by the use of primitive photographic techniques available in the 14th century (more excitable theories even involve machinations by Leonardo da Vinci). These methods have been tested by modern sindonologists, but none arrived at an exact replication of the composition of the image on the Shroud, only rough facsimiles. Anyhow, there is no reasonable explanation why the invention of photography should have remained a mostly unexplored secret for another five centuries. In other words, for every item of evidence that denies the shroud’s authenticity, there is a refutation which can be answered only by speculation and extrapolation. And vice versa. We may never learn the whole truth about the Shroud of Turin, and the polarisation of entrenched positions may mean that the argument will never be settled to universal satisfaction. And to Catholics, that should not matter. Even if the shroud is not an authentic relic, it nevertheless is an icon which brings those who venerate it closer to Christ. In this way it is wholly unimportant whether or not it is the genuine burial cloth of our Saviour. For Catholics, the truth of the Shroud can be found in its fruits: the deepening of faith of those who believe in it.

Visit www.scross.co.za/category/editorials/ for an archive of all Southern Cross editorials going back to 2001.

The Editor reserves the right to shorten or edit published letters. Letters below 300 words receive preference. Pseudonyms are acceptable only under special circumstances and at the Editor’s discretion. Name and address of the writer must be supplied. No anonymous letter will be considered.

Mary has long led SA’s way H I S m o n t h t h e q u e s t i o n and midnight would be August T “Where were you when FW 1 5 , f e a s t d a y o f O u r L a d y m a d e t h a t s p e e c h ? ” h a s b e e n Assumed into Heaven. “Yes,” I addressed to many people, but my memory goes back to an earlier speech. I remember sitting at home watching the evening news. It was a very sombre state president P W Botha who informed the nation that he was standing down. His final remarks went something like: “I shall no longer be the President of South Africa as from midnight.” I was visibly shaken because he was speaking on August 14, 1989

thought, “Our Blessed Lady has heard the cry of her people.” The speech made by FW de Klerk was made on February 2, feast day of the Purification of Mary and the day she presented her Son in the temple. To cap all of that, Nelson Mandela was set free on February 11, feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes. It is now 20 years on, and even though we have many problems in our country, I have always been and will remain hopeful

Test of time

Zuma: speak out

T has been a privilege to have lived through the end of the 20th century and now into the beginning of the 21st century. In the 20th century, most people were aware that the early Christians in Western Europe were responsible for the dark ages, and through them the impact they had in the world in general. Western countries became militarily strong and spread their beliefs to the Americas and the East with the sword; even, if considered necessary, by torture, including burning people at the stake. In this scenario, Pope John XXIII saw the need for positive change, so he set up Vatican II to make the Christian Church relevant in the modern world. Despite the support of archbishops, bishops, priests and theologians, Pope John XXIII is already lost to the world; and sadly, Vatican II also seems to be on the way out. Death comes to us all; hope now is that all those that support the visions of Vatican II will somehow be able to make the Second Vatican Council a reality. Deryk Bayman, Durban

Job-hoggers

S Fr Allan Moss rightly points out, “Self-importance can blind us” (letters, December 30). There are power struggles also among Catholic laity doing jobs such as choir, church-cleaning, music, flower-arranging. I have encountered some people’s defence of such tasks as quite shocking. They are unwilling to admit new people into their circles, which they see as status symbols. If parish priests ask for volunteers to help “the few who work so hard for the good of the parish”, they should not be surprised by few responses. Once you’ve been rebuffed, you’ll not likely return for more of the same. Lily P Fynn, Johannesburg

that our Blessed Mother will watch over us and continue to intercede for us if we continue to honour her as our patron and mother. Ethne Stevens, Cape Town

s a marketing analyst with an International reputation, Mr Moerdyk is more than qualified to give some of his busy time to write a column for our Catholic newspaper. That his column is occasionally light-hearted is for me a plus, after reading other media with their messages of doom, gloom and mayhem. I wonder if Fr Nicholas King and Conrad mind being on the same back page? Peter Fewell, Simon’s Town

RESIDENT Jacob Zuma is seemingly more erotic than the Kama Sutra. He has hit the headlines for having fathered another child out of wedlock. The mother of the child is the daughter of a personal friend who was flabbergasted. Other countries would impeach their president for far less. Political party leaders and Church leaders, not including the Catholic Church as yet, have publicly expressed their disapproval of the presidential iniquity. We are dealing with a national scandal. The Church should be a voice of conscience to the nation, proclaiming what is right, condemning what is wrong. Mr Zuma has presented South Africa with three first-ladies, claiming all to be equally his wives, and at least three love-children from extramarital affairs. What role model is he to the nation, especially in these times of abuse, promiscuity and Aids? Allan Moss OMI, Pietermaritzburg

Chris Moerdyk defended

HE letter of WQ Benson “Flawed column” (January 27February 2) refers. What a good thing we are all so different and do not enjoy the same things. I never cared much for the Owen Williams column, and find that of Chris Moerdyk much more interesting. Maybe Mr Benson should try to write something riveting for 52 weeks of the year. Bridget Stephens, Cape Town I FIND Chris Moerdyk’s back-page column a breath of fresh air. His marketing background has led him to creative ideas and humour. Ron Maroun, Johannesburg

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WEN Williams had his own personality, so inevitably there was going to be a change of style with his replacement. The Southern Cross is one of the best Catholic weekly publications that I have read in my travels round the world. Of course it is a serious publication, but I disagree with Mr Benson. Chris Moerdyk’s usually lighthearted piece on the back page is entirely appropriate. A Calvinistic approach to Catholic life is counter-productive. Paddy Ross, Cape Town

Worth a chuckle HANK you, Chris Moerdyk, for a wonderful laugh (Moerdyk chuckle, February 3-9). I’d heard this camping joke before, but never that the stars tell us that “Astrologically...Satan is in Leo”. He must be prowling round like a roaring lion looking for some aliens to devour. Keep up the humour. Dolores S Steenhuis, Cape Town Opinions expressed in The Southern Cross, especially in Letters to the Editor, do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or staff of the newspaper, or of the Catholic hierarchy. The letters page in particular is a forum in which readers may exchange opinions on matters of debate. Letters must not be understood to necessarily reflect the teachings, disciplines or policies of the Church accurately.

PERSPECTIVES

Let your heart be broken this Lent

Henry Makori

Reflections of my Life

My friend’s pain in the Church

Y friend and I call him the Africa Editor in Heaven’s Newsroom. Peter, as I shall call him (because I do not wish to reveal his real name), was in his late 30s when we first met. A very neat and calm gentleman with a wide smile and a boundless sense of humour, he looked every inch a Catholic priest. But Peter was a Catholic journalist. We easily became friends. Not long afterwards, I heard in our office that Peter was a former priest. My ears flapped in disbelief. But though we spoke freely, I shied away from asking him about it because I had never met an ex-priest. I also feared I could hurt him by asking, in case he had not fully recovered from the trauma of his quitting. And, to be honest, I had concluded he had done a horrible thing abandoning his holy calling. In 2006, Peter went on his annual leave, but he did not return. Soon after, he told us he had found a better job. We were very happy for him. (We all endured, not enjoyed, our salaries.) And then Peter was diagnosed with cancer and hospitalised. We visited him. At his bedside was a woman. Peter, not very much bothered with his terrible illness, introduced her as his wife—of course with a joke or two. Several years before he had decided to leave the priesthood. He requested to be released from the clerical state, but the Church authorities were still studying his file. Meanwhile, he moved on with his life. He secured a job with the Church as a journalist and got married. They had a little daughter. Peter recovered and returned to work, but for only a short time. He was back in hospital again, seriously ill. One day the bad news came. Peter had died. The funeral in his rural home was a dismal affair. The Church authorities and the many priests, nuns and religious who knew him stayed away.

remember my late friend Peter in this Year for Priests because in Africa today there are clergy who find themselves in a situation similar to his. Those who want to leave the clerical state find it very difficult. In his autobiography, the retired archbishop of Nairobi, Ndingi Mwana ‘a Nzeki, recounts how he tried to stop a priest from quitting, including sending him away to another diocese and outside the country for studies. But still the priest married the nun he had had a child with. And then there are priests who want to have a wife and continue serving. Because this is not possible in current Church practice, they leave to form or join “splinter” churches. There have been several such cases in Kenya and other countries. Perhaps the biggest ever exodus in Africa was the departure of 20 priests in Uganda in January. The Catholic Church has its own valid reasons for insisting on clerical celibacy, although we know that this is not a doctrine but ecclesiastical discipline. As my friend Peter would have joked, it is not necessary to the priesthood or for salvation. But Catholics cannot ignore the fact that celibacy has caused misery to some people and that it is causing division within the Church. Yes, it may be true that priests who have difficulties with celibacy are only a few and that most priests live their celibacy joyfully. Yes, no one is forced into celibate priesthood. And indeed, throughout history there have been Christians who found difficulties with a certain Church practice, so this is nothing new. The mere fact that a practice makes demands on us is no good reason to reject it. Moreover, the Church has withstood a lot of arguments and splits down the ages. We must, however, admit that mandatory celibacy for priests is a really divisive issue. The priests who quit may be few but, as Jesus teaches, the Good Shepherd is never content because he has 99 sheep and only one has strayed. Instead, he leaves the 99 in the hills and does not return until he has found the one that strayed (Matt. 18:12-14). My friend “Peter”, Heaven’s Africa Editor, went to his grave without the Church granting his request to be freed from mandatory clerical celibacy. Today, there are priests in a similar situation. Others do not really practise celibacy and would be happy to serve the Church while married. Is it not time the Church, like the Good Shepherd, ventured out of its own territory to search for the stray sheep? Isn’t the present crisis a call to the Church to attempt new thinking about mandatory priestly celibacy?

S we enter the 2010 Lenten season, we recall the most catching words that inspire these 40 days: almsgiving, fasting, prayer, ashes, Stations of the Cross, abstinence, giving up, Palm Sunday and Holy Week. Every year at Matola Marist novitiate in Mozambique we come up with a community Lenten project. Before sharing on the topic, our Brother Veteran, Mansoa, briefs us on the significance of this liturgical period in our life as Christians. Those of us familiar with the Israelite’s history associate the 40 days of Lent with the 40 years in the desert filled with the people’s murmurings against Moses. And we associate Lent with Jesus’ 40 days in the desert, with the three temptations, before beginning the public ministry. The Lenten period provides us with a great opportunity for conversion and believing in the Good News. That is why at the end of the season we always renew our baptismal promises, denying wholeheartedly all of Satan’s temptations and traps, and our catechumens are welcomed as new-born babies in the family of faith. The Lenten season is important for the whole Church: those already baptised and those awaiting baptism. That is to say, all of us enter the conversion process. “Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn,” the prophet Joel said (2:12-18). The idea of “fasting, weeping, mourning” comes up in this text too. Almsgiving, giving up, abstinence help us to come out of the world of being greedy and being mean to emerge with an extreme generosity. Love becomes victorious over greed. Our hearts will be broken when we see poor Africans dying of hunger created by the dry spell. How can our hearts fail to be broken when others are victims of destitution and starvation? When we finish the period of Lent without a concrete example of charity, it means only our garments were torn, but our hearts never were broken by seeing the many miserable people around us. Lent helps us to alleviate the suffering of our neighbours. In the Chichewa language, we say: “Pepani sapoza chilonda”—“Sorry does not heal nor cure a wound”. The letter of James has strong words on this too. He wants faith that is put into practice. Lent should help us demonstrate faith in charitable and

Simeon Banda FSM

Lenten Reflection

Michael Shackleton answers your question

Open Door

Why such a clumsy word in the Creed? In the Nicene Creed we now recite at Sunday Mass, we say that Jesus Christ is “consubstantial with the Father”. Why the choice of this clumsy word? Surely, to say “of one being with the Father” or “one in being with the Father” better conveys the idea that the Father and Son are one God? Denise W

A practical activities. This is so because where there is charity, there is God. In this way, faith and charity are bound together. So when our Lenten period comes to end and we have not been charitable enough towards the less privileged, we place a big question mark next to ourselves. Can we be mere spectators towards the unfortunate neighbours after the 40 days of Lent? If we are just spectators, we betray the spirit of Lent which ought to generate compassion in us, made visible through charity. The ashes that we have smeared on our foreheads on the first day of Lent should help us go deep into the conversion process and make us more generous towards our destitute brothers and sisters. Our charity ought to be inclusive, directed at all who suffer. Jesus told us: “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do it to me” (Mt 25:40). These words can carry more weight when the Lenten period generates in us a compassionate heart for those who are less privileged. We have to become Simons of Cyrene who help to carry the big crosses of others as they walk to their own calvary of untold miseries. We should be new Veronicas with handkerchiefs in our hands, drying faces of those sweating with the misery of suffering—physical, mental, social, spiritual or material. Let us pray that this Lenten season will make us double our generosity towards our suffering neighbours.  Marist Bother Simeon Banda is based in Matola, Mozambique.

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The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2010

T the outset, let’s appreciate that it is the job of the Vatican ‘s Congregation for Divine Worship to make certain that the new English translation of the original Latin texts of the liturgy accurately expresses the faith of the Catholic Church. The Congregation was not happy with the version we have been using for the past many years, considering it sloppy in places and too removed from the theological significance of the Latin terminology. The Congregation must certainly be conscious of the fact that words can be interpreted in more ways than one, based on many centuries of knowledge about how heresies and errors arise when someone claims that the Church’s understanding of its own beliefs is erroneous. A swift glimpse of the early centuries reveals that heresies abounded about whether Jesus was truly God, since he was born of the Father and became human. Heresies arose because ambiguous terms were applied to this big mystery and those who supported them claimed to be misunderstood by the Church authorities that condemned their errors. Remember that at this time theological terms were still undeveloped and imprecise. At last, in 325, the Council of Nicaea declared that the Father and Son were of one substance, using the Greek term homoousion, which the Latin Church accepted as consubstantialis. This term was chosen from among others because it could refer to nothing less than Christ’s divinity. Of course, it is also true to say that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are consubstantial. The Latin text of the Nicene Creed has been recited in the Roman liturgy for centuries, keeping intact the canonised word consubstantialis. Two dictionaries I looked in, the Concise Oxford Dictionary and Webster’s Universal Dictionary, define consubstantial as the three divine persons of the Trinity being of the same substance. Both accept the word as specific to theology. Perhaps the Congregation for Divine Worship wants to keep it that way, maybe fearing that any new way to express the concept might be misunderstood and neglect the word’s hallowed historical meaning.

 Send your queries to Open Door, Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000; or e-mail: opendoor@scross.co.za; or fax (021) 465 3850. Anonymity can be preserved by arrangement, but questions must be signed, and may be edited for clarity. Only published questions will be answered.

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2010

CHURCH

The mystery of the Shroud The Church has never said that the Shroud of Turin is the genuine burial cloth of Christ, but both Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI have shown a devotion to it. JOHN THAVIS looks a the controversial cloth.

HE Shroud of Turin, which many Christians believe to be the burial cloth of Jesus, goes on public display this year, at a time when experts are debating new claims about the piece of linen. Pope Benedict has already made plans to view the shroud during a one-day trip to the northern Italian city of Turin in early May. Many observers are wondering how the pope will refer to the cloth: as a sign, an icon or—as Pope John Paul II once characterised it—a relic. The shroud’s last showing was ten years ago, when more than a million people lined up to see it in the cathedral of Turin in northern Italy. Officials are predicting simi-

lar crowds for the exposition from April 10 to May 23, and visitors are being urged to book their visits online at www.sindone.org. The pilgrims come to witness with their own eyes what they may have read about or glimpsed on television. Most go away impressed with what they see: a faint image of a bearded man who appears to have been whipped, crowned with thorns and crucified. Carbon-14 tests in 1988 dated the cloth to the Middle Ages, and seemed to confirm the theory that the shroud was a pious fraud. But since then, some experts have faulted the methodology of the testing, and said the tiny samples used may have been taken from areas of the cloth that were mended in medieval times. The shroud has also been chemically analysed, electronically enhanced and computerimaged. So far, no one has been able to fully explain how the image was transferred to the linen cloth, although experts have put forward theories ranging from enzyme reaction to solar imaging.

The shroud has been studied from virtually every scientific angle in recent years. Its weave has been examined, pollen grains embedded in the cloth have been inspected, and red stains have been analysed for haemoglobin properties. One particular sub-category of debate focuses on enhanced images that, in the opinion of some scientists, reveal the impression of 1st-century Palestinian coins placed on the eyes of the shroud's figure. The “jury” on the shroud includes hundreds of experts, some of them self-appointed. They do not split neatly into believers and sceptics, however. The latest controversy, in fact, involves a Vatican archivist who claims to have found evidence of writing on the shroud—a hypothesis that has drawn sharp criticism from other Catholic scholars. The archivist, Barbara Frale, said in a new book that older photographs of the shroud reveal indications of what was essentially a written death notice for a “Jesus Nazarene”. The text, she said, employs three languages used in 1st century Jerusalem. The book immediately prompted a website war in Italy. Several sites dedicated to the shroud ridiculed Ms Frale’s hypothesis, saying it bordered on Dan Brownstyle fantasy. Vatican Radio, however, featured an interview with Ms Frale about her “important discovery”.

An example of a crown of thorns at the Regina Apostolorum University exhibit.

o doubt the world will hear more about this scholarly spat when the shroud goes on display. It will be the first public showing of the shroud since it underwent a restoration in 2002, which removed repair patches and a large piece of linen of a later date. To prepare for the exhibit, the archdiocese of Turin has taken the unusual step of closing the cathedral for three months. It will take that long to set up the viewing area and the informational

A bronze statue, titled “The Body of the Man of the Shroud”, in an exhibit on the Shroud of Turin at Regina Apostolorum University in Rome in January. Although the Shroud of Turin has been studied from virtually every scientific angle, no one has been able to fully explain how the image was transferred to the linen cloth. PHOTOS: PAUL HARING, CNS exhibit for visitors as they wait in line. Pope Benedict’s arrival is a big event for organisers of this year's shroud exposition. Many Catholics look to Rome for direction on how to evaluate the shroud, as Pope John Paul II discovered en route to Africa in 1989, when he called the shroud a “relic”. When excited reporters asked whether this meant it was the authentic burial cloth of Christ, the Polish pope conferred with an aide before answering more cautiously: “The Church has never pronounced itself in this sense. It has always left the question open to all those who want to seek its authenticity. I think it is a relic.” Clearly, Pope John Paul was personally convinced, although when he went to see the shroud in 1998 he carefully avoided using the term “relic”. Pope Benedict has long been cautious about the value of private signs, apparitions and revelations. But he seems to consider

 J.M.J

the Shroud of Turin in a different category. In his book, The Spirit of the Liturgy, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger wrote that the shroud was “a truly mysterious image, which no human artistry was capable of producing”. In his meditations on the Good Friday Way of the Cross in Rome shortly before his election as pope in 2005, he wrote regarding the 11th station: “Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross”: “The Shroud of Turin allows us to have an idea of the incredible cruelty of this procedure.” The pope then offered a kind of prayer inspired by the figure of the shroud: “Let us halt before this image of pain, before the suffering Son of God. Let us look upon him at times of presumptuousness and pleasure, in order to learn to respect limits and to see the superficiality of all merely material goods. Let us look upon him at times of trial and tribulation, and realise that it is then that we are closest to God.”—CNS

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The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2010

Mass readings for the week Sundays year B, weekdays cycle 1 Sun February 21, 1st Sunday of Lent: Dt 26:4-10; Ps 91:1-2.10-15; Rom 10:8-13; Lk 4:1-13 Mon February 22, The Chair of St Peter: 1 Pt 5:1-4; Ps 23:1-6; Mt 16:13-19 Tue February 23, St Polycarp: Is 55:10-11; Ps 34:4-7.16-19; Mt 6:7-15 Wed February 24, feria: Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4.12-13.18-19; Lk 11:29-32 Thur February 25, feria: Est 4:17k-t (4C); Ps 138:1-3.7-8; Mt 7:7-12 Fri February 26, St Alexander of Alexandria: Ez 18:21-28; Ps 130:1-8; Mt 5:20-26 Sat February 27, feria: Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2.4-5.7-8; Mt 5:43-48 Sun February 28, 2nd Sunday of Lent: Gn 15:5-12.17-18; Ps 27:1.7-9.13-14; Phil 3:17 — 4:1; Lk 9:28-36

COMMUNIT Y CALENDAR BETHLEHEM:  Shrine of Our Lady of Bethlehem at Tsheseng, Maluti mountains; Thursdays 09:30, Mass, then exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  058 721 0532 JOHANNESBURG:  First Saturday of each month rosary prayed 10:30-12:00 outside Marie Stopes abortion clinic, Peter Place, Bryanston.  Joan Beyrooti, 782 4331 PRETORIA:  First Saturday: Devotion to Divine Mercy. St Martin de Porres, Sunnyside, 16:30.  Shirley-Anne 361 4545. CAPE TOWN:  Adoration Chapel, Corpus Christi church, Wynberg: Mon-Thur 6am to 12pm; Fri-Sun 6am to 8pm. Adorers welcome.  021-761 3337  Holy Hour to pray for priests of the diocese, 2nd Saturday monthly at Villa Maria shrine Kloof Nek Rd 16:0017:00.  Blessed Sacrament exposed daily Monday to Friday 09:00–22:00 in Holy Redeemer church, Bergvliet Rd, Bergvliet. Visitors welcome. Entries in the community calendar, which is published as space allows, are free of charge. To place your event, call Gene Donnelly, 021 465 5007, or email gened@scross.co.za

Sr Lauda Libera HC

OLY Cross Sister Lauda Libera died in Cape Town on February 8, aged 85. Born in Johannesburg, she joined the Holy Cross Sisters in Aliwal North in 1946 at age 21, and trained as a commercial teacher. She taught in Holy Cross secondary schools in Oudtshoorn, De Aar, Cala and Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, George, Victory Park in Johannesburg, Aliwal North and Maitland, Cape Town. She often looked after boarders. In her later years until her last illness Sr Lauda assisted in many ways in the running of Holy Cross Primary School in Brooklyn, Cape Town, where learners will remember

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IN MEMORIAM MICHAEL—Muriel. Our loving mother and grandmother, three years have passed and we still miss you. Memories of you will never fade. From your children Carole, Lorna, William and families. her hugs and words of praise and support, her sense of humour, her great efforts at the tombola stall she ran at the annual fête, the tuck-shop, and her keen participation in the annual Big Walk. Sr Frances Grogan

Thoughts for the Week on the Family

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PRAYERS

FAMILY CALENDAR: 2010 FAMILY THEME: “Families Play the Game.” FEBRUARY: Match Play Life is a game and it is also a match. There are times in our lives when match-making means looking out for the best life partner for ourselves and our children, or in being that good life partner. In another sense life is playing a match, not just as a contest but as a matching of abilities, skills and talents. How well matched are we in our relationships as couples, parents and children, brothers and sisters? Are you in training to improve your skills? February 21, 1st Sunday of Lent, year C. The gospel of this first Sunday of Lent is always that of the temptation of Jesus in the desert. He was tempted as we are, but did not give in. Men and women, boys and girls in their relationships with one another are often tempted in lots of ways. In these relationships we seem to be particularly vulnerable. Try to identify your own particular weaknesses and pray for strength to resist temptation.

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Happen what may, God is faithful

2nd Sunday of Lent (February 28) Readings: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 27:1.7-9.13-14; Philippians 3:17 - 4:1; Luke 9:28b-36 HE point of Lent, it cannot too often be stressed, is not our infidelity, but God’s unfailing fidelity, even when things seem altogether baffling to us. That is the message that emerges from the readings for next Sunday. In the first reading, we are given an account of an interlude provoked by Abram’s understandable anxiety: God had promised him large numbers of descendants, but so far, there was no sign of their appearing. So God makes him count the stars (“if you can”), and says: “So shall your offspring be”. To seal the bargain, Abram starts to offer a sacrifice, then falls into a deep Godgiven) sleep. At this point, “The Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘To your descendants I am giving this land, from the River of Egypt to the Great River’.” God is faithful, and the narrator simply tells us that Abram “trusted in the Lord, and it was reckoned to him as righteous-

Fr Nicholas King SJ

Scriptural Reflections ness”. The psalm, as it stands in next Sunday’s readings, starts off cheerfully enough: “the Lord is my light and my salvation” (the motto of Oxford University, as it happens), then goes into a song of confidence that the Lord will not let the singer down: It seems the psalm-writer has been falsely accused. He knows that the only thing to do then is to “seek your face, O Lord”. But he is also aware that it is not quite as simple as that, and asks the Lord: “Do not hide your face from me”, and concludes by exhorting himself (and us, for that matter): “Wait for the Lord, be strong, and stout-hearted, wait for the Lord.”

Like the psalmist, St Paul in the second reading also knows that human beings can let you down… “the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame”. But Paul knows he can trust in his beloved: “We are waiting for the Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ, who will change the body of our humiliation into the shape of his glory.” The key element for Paul here is that Christians have citizenship, not in the Roman Empire, but “in heaven”, and so he can, from his imprisonment (from which he may never emerge alive) calmly exhort his Philippians to “stand firm in the Lord”. As always on the second Sunday in Lent, the gospel reading is the story of the Transfiguration, this year in Luke’s version. It is typical of Luke that he has Jesus “go up into the mountain to pray”; and while Jesus was at prayer, “the appearance of his face became different, and his clothing lightning-white”.

Zoom-out time for Zuma P

RESIDENT Jacob Zuma is by some accounts, an extremely charismatic and charming man. By others, he also has the morals of an alley cat. But then I suppose the same applies to former US Presidents Bill Clinton and John F Kennedy, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and an entire phalanx of prominent politicians going right back to the time when Adam and Eve’s offspring formed the first parliament. There seems to be little doubt that this sort of behaviour is universal. I would surmise that no society on earth can claim to be in a position to cast the first stone with regard to the moral integrity of their leading politicians. In the South African context, the impact of Mr Zuma’s culture and somewhat cavalier attitude to extra-marital sex has become the subject of intense debate. I listened with interest to a radio interview with some of South Africa’s leading HIV/Aids researchers who were emphatic that as far as youths aged 14-19 years were concerned, Mr Zuma’s actions had no effect on them. They said teenagers were almost entirely influenced by peer pressure, and did not take much notice of what adults did. Mr Zuma’s actions on the integrity and fine standing of South Africa in a global context probably will not have much impact of trade or tourism. I spoke to someone who attended a recent global mining seminar in this country when news broke of Mr Zuma’s liaison with the daughter of LOC chairman and Orlando Pirates owner Irvin Khoza. He said that while foreign delegates were openly laughing about it all, this seemed to have no impact of their decision on whether to invest in South Africa or to continue doing business with this country.

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Chris Moerdyk

The Last Word But then, history is full of examples of how business has the habit of separating money and morality. The way in which the world is clamouring to do business with China is a case in point. No one seems to be the least perturbed by China’s appalling human rights records in their rush for profit. I believe, however, that the biggest impact of Zuma’s actions will be on the spread of HIV/Aids among adults and on the campaign to bring down the ludicrously high incidence of rape, wifebashing and widespread abuse of women’s rights in this country. While youngsters might not be influenced by their elders, the same cannot be said for adults.

t worries me that too many older married men will pay little heed to Mr Zuma’s culture, and just assume that cheating on their wives and having sex with multiple partners is quite acceptable. While Mr Zuma may well respect his wives, for many the transition between accepting adultery as something perfectly acceptable and moving on to losing respect for women and ultimately physical abuse might just come naturally. I am not a woman, at least not last time I looked. But if I were, I’d feel somewhat demeaned by the notion of one man being able to have numerous wives

and to have extramarital sex, but not being allowed, in principle, to do the same. I would wonder about that part of our constitution emphasising gender equality. It worries me that culture is being used more and more as an excuse. History is littered with examples of how culture has been forced to adapt to modern circumstance. After all, it is generally accepted that the practice of cannibalism has no place in modern society. Even here in South Africa the cultural tradition of female circumcision has fallen out of favour. One has to ask the question about whether multiple partner sex should still be regarded as a valid part of a modern culture in a world so devastated by HIV/Aids? One has to ask about the culture of brandishing traditional weapons in a modern society in which protest can so easily turn into violence. But it is not just about Mr Zuma’s culture. There are many cultural practices the world over that make no sense in modern society. For example, in the Maharashtra state of India it is common practice to toss newborn babies off the side of a 15m tall temple. This ritual is believed to strengthen the children, give them good luck well into adulthood as well as “courage and intelligence”. And anyone who has been to China would have seen the locals spitting openly on the streets, or even indoors in nice restaurants. It could easily be argued that this is a custom that should adapt to circumstances — the main one being the attempt to stop swine flu spreading. Positive culture is by no means a bad thing. Holding on to destructive, outdated, egoistic cultural elements is simply insane.

This glimpse of Jesus’ real identity is intended to carry Peter and John and James on their journey to Jerusalem, and us on our journey through Lent. We are invited to listen to Jesus speaking with “Moses and Elijah…about his Exodus, which he was about to fulfil in Jerusalem”. Jesus’ closest friends, however, don’t respond very well, “being weighed down with sleep”. Peter wants to stay where they are, and proposes to build a row of tents. Luke charitably comments that Peter “did not know what he was saying”. We can count on God, however. He has been running the story since the beginning of Luke’s gospel. Now “a cloud came and overshadowed them” (just as the Holy Spirit had overshadowed Mary in the very first chapter), and the voice of God is heard identifying Jesus: “This is my Son, the Chosen One; listen to him.” This reduces the apostles to silence; and perhaps it led them to meditate on God’s unshakeable fidelity.

Southern Crossword #378

ACROSS 1. Old Testament zookeeper (4) 3. The Twelve (8) 9. It ends today (7) 10. Warm spot in Jingle Bells (5) 11. Call on the unwell, as Jesus cautioned (Mt 25) (5,3,4) 13. International agreement (6) 15. One who grinds the pepper? (6) 17. They’re in charge at boarding school (12) 20. I mash Mennonite sect (5) 21. Causing death (7) 22. Without ending (8) 23. Prolonged conflict in the family (4)

DOWN 1. Christmas feast (8) 2. Father-in-law of Caiaphas (Jn 18) (5) 4. Infrequent, like a darned garment (6) 5. Tailor who does what he likes, does it (5,7) 6. “Go”, I call. It’s reasonable (7) 7. Spray about the pews (4) 8. The Magi taste stirs up the others (7,4) 12. Predicted (8) 14. Time doe changes for one (Gn 32) (7) 16. Thurible for one who asks for a match (6) 18. The chosen few (5) 19. Herb, the wise one (4)

SOLUTIONS TO #377. ACROSS: 3 Chickpeas, 8 Iron, 9 Arbitrate, 10 Encamp, 11 Janus, 14 Lying, 15 Saga, 16 Onset, 18 Crew, 20 Abide, 21 Dagon, 24 Signet, 25 Prescient, 26 Plan, 27 Knowledge. DOWN: 1 Fireplace, 2 Conceived, 4 Harp, 5 China, 6 Porous, 7 Acts, 9 Amigo, 11 Jason, 12 Saliently, 13 Valentine, 17 Tacit, 19 Warsaw, 22 Olive, 23 Iran, 24 Snug.

CHURCH CHUCKLE More Biblical Bloopers in Catholic schools THE Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert. Afterwards, Moses went up to Mount Cyanide to get the Ten Commandments. SAMSON slayed the Philistines with the Axe of the Apostles. SOLOMON, one of David’s sons, had 300 wives and 700 porcupines. Leo Kritzinger Send us your favourite Catholic joke, preferably clean and brief, to The Southern Cross, Church Chuckle, PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000.