The Southern Cross - 101215 by The Southern Cross

December 15 to December 21, 2010

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Reg No. 1920/002058/06

The year 2010 in review

“Nativity” by Philippe de Champaigne (1602-74)

Pages 13-15

Recalling a century of Christmases Page 3

Christmas in the movies Page 25

No 4706

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

CHRISTMAS

What would you get Jesus on his birthday? A

Tsholofelo Tuge, 11: “Clothes. I think tracksuits.”

Jamie Wessels, 11: “Love by sharing, and a PSP [PlayStation Portable].”

BOUT 2000 years ago, three wise men that came to Judea, the area around Jerusalem and Bethlehem, having seen a star that signalled the birth of the Messiah. The men journeyed to Bethlehem following the star which led them to the infant Jesus. When they finally reached the cave where Jesus was sheltered, they presented him with gold, frankincense and myrrh. On December 25, as Christians the world over celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, they give each other presents. The Southern Cross asked the Grade 4 learners of St Mary’s School in Cape Town what gifts the three wise men might give Jesus if he was born today.

Nwabisa Jansen (left), 10, and Mbalentle Sili, 10: “Respect, joy, joyfulness and food, like baby food. And a teddy bear and nothing else.”

HOLY SPIRIT CENTRE (CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL WESTERN CAPE)

The principal, staff and learners of Loreto Convent School, Skinner Street, Pretoria, wish all parents, friends and colleagues a very blessed, happy and holy Christmas and a peaceful, joyous New Year. Our prayer is that everyone will experience the happiness and joy the coming of the Christchild brings to the world and that all lives will be filled with gladness.

We wish the Catholic Renewal and all our patrons a blessed Christmas and abundant blessing in 2011. From management and staff P.O. BOX 925 MAITLAND 7404 161A CORONATION RD. MAITLAND Tel: 27 21 021-510 2988 Fax: 27 21 021-510 7699 E-mail: hscentre@telkomsa.net (SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR: Reverend Father Emmanuel Siljeur)

Vhutshilo Ndlovu, 9: “A baby bottle and a PlayStation.”

Jacques Leibrandt, 9: “An iPod with some gospel music.”

Oyintando Nata, 9: “He would get presents. Games, fighting games.” Brian Kayagondo, 10: “He would get music–love music. It would be love music from Justin Bieber and Michael Jackson’s Heal the World, and nobody else.”

Vasha McLachlan, 11: “I think an iPod with baby music, nursery rhymes and Catholic songs.”

Catholic Liturgical Arts To all our many customers, thank you for your valued support during the year. We wish you a blessed Christmas and all the very best for 2011.

Merry Christmas to all our clients. Thank you

for your support. A blessed and peaceful Christmas season to all our family, friends and failthful clients. From: Management & Staff, CB Industrial & Fastener Suppliers, Port Elizabeth FELIS NAVIDAD

His Lordship Bishop Emeritus Erwin Hecht, Archbishop Jabulani Nxumalo, Br President D D Madden, Principal Ms A N Dondolo, past principals Br T M Dolan, Br M A O’Brien, The Christian Brothers, priests and nuns of the Diocese of Kimberley, past and present teachers, parents and students.

CHRISTMAS

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

Over a century of Christmas memories Margherita Blaser’s earliest Christmas memory goes back to 1911. Still, Christmas remains special even today, as she tells CLAIRE MATHIESON.

ITH 106 Christmases under her belt, Margherita Blaser could be considered an expert on the feast. Even after so many, the parishioner of St Ignatius church in Claremont, Cape Town, maintains it is a “special and important day for the family”. Mrs Blaser said that Christmas today is very different from her earliest memories of 99 years ago. She recalled her earliest festive memories on her family’s Philippi farm outside Cape Town where she grew up. “When I was seven years old, my brothers and I were given a white linen pillow slip to hang up on Christmas Eve. In the morning it was full of presents!” While the gifts were exciting, Mrs Blaser said the best memories over the years have more to do with the people with whom she has shared the holiday. “My father was a farmer and supplied seven of Cape Town’s hotels with chickens, eggs and vegetables three times a week.” These hotels included The Royal, a prestigious hotel in its heyday, and the famous Mount Nelson. Due to the family’s dealings with many in the city, the festive season brought many visitors to the farm. “We as children were expected to help with certain things and we were mixed up with all these visitors. Christmas was always an exciting time.” Mrs Blaser, whose father was an

Italian immigrant, said she grew up understanding Christmas as a time for the family to be together. It was also when her mother was allowed to relax. “My mother didn’t have to cook. My father would make ravioli on special days like Christmas, and all the men would do all sorts of things in the kitchen.” The ravioli that was served is something that Mrs Blaser holds very dear to her heart. Having learnt the art of cooking ravioli at the tender age of ten, today Mrs Blaser can still be seen busy making the dish in her kitchen and sometimes at cooking demonstrations. Before Mrs Blaser’s father, a trained carpenter, and brothers built the area’s first Catholic church, the Christmas Masses of her youth in Philippi were celebrated in the homes of the community. “Fr James Kelly used to cycle on his bicycle all the way from Rondebosch to celebrate Mass with us in Philippi every Sunday.” To this day she is “astounded” by the distance the first editor of The Southern Cross travelled to celebrate Mass. The traditions that were established in the early 1900s remain strong in the Blaser household. “My father was strict about Christmas. We always got the family together and that is something that we still do today.”

rs Blaser has been a successful restaurateur, acclaimed dress designer and cooking instructor. She is also proud mother for four. One of them is Fr Emil Blaser OP. She recalled how young Emil from an early age played being a priest. It was around one Advent when the matriculant Emil “coolly” informed his parents that he would like to be a priest. Since

then, the Dominican priest has often appeared on television and radio, ultimately founding South Africa’s only Catholic radio station. The festive season sees multiple celebrations in the Blaser household. It was on Boxing Day in 1931 that John Blaser married Mrs Blaser. “My husband was one in a million. He never complained and was always satisfied.” The couple was married for 49 years. Mrs Blaser said that particular Christmas in 1931 was a quiet one, however the rest have been dedicated to celebrating the birth of Christ, and the anniversary has been given the back seat. Mrs Blaser said the celebrations are “simple yet important”. The gift-giving is fun, she said, but it is for children. “Today, too many people are worried about shopping. It’s a different way of living today altogether.” She said Christmas can be a fun time for children—who should have noisy presents and be allowed to run around and have fun. Food is an important part of the Christmas festivities in most families, and the Blaser family is no exception. Mrs Blaser, the onetime owner of an award-winning restaurant in Cape Town, recalls the food from many of the Christmas celebrations. “We ate wonderful dishes— turkey, legs of lamb, chicken and of course, there always had to be a pasta dish. I also remember my mother used to make a trifle with cream straight off the farm.” Despite the lavish Christmas fare, on the whole it is “simplicity” that Mrs Blaser attributes to her age. She abstains from alcohol and feels television today does not fill the mind with positive

Margherita Blaser is looking forward to her 107th Christmas with her family, which she says is the most important thing about the day. (Photo: Claire Mathieson) thoughts. The avid gardener believes the secret to long life is “good, clean living”. And the secret to a memoryfilled Christmas is family? “It’s important to remember what Christmas is all about. Today people seem to shop too

much. Christmas is very different today, but the thing that stands out in my memory is the people I shared it with and what we did together”. This year, Mrs Blaser will be celebrating her 107th Christmas, sharing it with people she loves.

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

CHRISTMAS

Christmas on the streets For many homeless people, Christmas mean just another day on the street, as NEILAN ADAMS reports.

CITY street filled with people can be a lonely place for a homeless person. We jostle hurriedly passed them eager to get to our destination, or are simply put off by their pestering for money, and food or drunkenness. As Christmas approaches, people become busier than ever and we often forget or think that we are incapable of helping those less fortunate than ourselves. While we are preparing for a bountiful Christmas, it will be just another day for others, no different from the last. For many homeless people, the joy of Christmas is lost because of their dire circumstances. Bertus Le Roux, who lives on the streets of central Cape Town, is one such homeless person. Bertus, who is originally from Queenstown in the Eastern Cape, has been living on the streets with his partner Rachel Le Roux for the past 13 years. Bertus recently suffered a stroke and needs crutches to walk. Now he says he simply sits and waits for handouts from passers-by. Most days he and Rachelare lucky enough to get something to eat from Mass-goers at St

Mary’s cathedral, or from visitors and overseas tourists they meet on the streets of Cape Town. Rachel says they are faced with many hardships, one being Bertus’ epilepsy condition. Explaining how bad his condition is, Bertus says that he was once arrested for breaking a shop window. He says he had a fit and fell into the window and smashed it. The case was later dropped. Rachel says harassment from gangsters is also a constant problem which makes them feel very unsafe. The couple feels that Christmas is a special time that they wish they could spend with “family and old friends”, but most of them have either passed away or are in the Eastern Cape. Bertus cries when he recalls better days spent with family during Christmas, memories which he cherishes dearly. They both admit to usually spending Christmas day on the street. They receive a plate of food and material goods from St Mary’s parishioners, they add.

here are many Catholics who express Christ’s love for the poor throughout the year, but try to add a little more at Christmas. One such group is the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) at Holy Trinity parish in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The SVP assists the homeless with food, clothes, shoes, blankets, ID photos, pension assistance, and transport assistance, says Emily Schneider, president of the parish’s SVP. They also

Tangney Special Interest Tours To our Archbishops, Bishops, Monsignore, Priests and Pilgrims.

Be assured of our prayers for Christmas. May the Lord bless and keep you now, and throughout 2011

make available the Job Mail, a newspaper advertising employment. Medical students from Wits University look after those who need medical help. Mrs Schneider said Braamfontein’s SVP hosts an annual Christmas party for the homeless two weeks before Christmas. Additionally, the parishes’ soup kitchen is operational throughout the festive season, making this time of year more joyful and bearable for the destitute. Mrs Schneider said that during the Christmas season many of the homeless people in the area “would love to go home to their families, but finances prohibit this, both from their side and from us”. Providing for the homeless during Christmas time, like any other time of the year, has its difficulties. For Mrs Schneider and her team, one of these resides in discerning “which story to believe and which one is just someone who is hoping to get some money for drinking”. Another difficulty is a shortage of clothing and especially shoes to hand out. Mrs Schneider says her parish’s SVP never has enough stock “so obtaining second-hand shoes is one of our biggest challenges”. Mrs Schneider believes the balance between being strict and giving is very tricky. “We know that at times we might give money or goods to the wrong person, and at other times might refuse to give to the right person.” She says one has to be mindful that as long as one works in good

Rachel Le Roux stands outside the gates of St Mary’s Cathedral that assists many destitute people. Bertus Le Roux (below), who lives on the streets of Cape Town, is a well-known face to many who frequent the area. (Photos: Neilan Adams)

faith and with love and respect for all, one cannot be responsible for and sure of every decision. The work of Braamfontein’s

SVP is replicated throughout South Africa, just as there are people like Bertus and Rachel in every city in the country.

December 15 to December 21, 2010

www.scross.co.za Reg No. 1920/002058/06

No 4706

The editor and staff of The Southern Cross wish all our readers, advertisers, associates, friends and supporters a blessed and joyful Christmas, and a happy, peaceful 2011.

After scare, pope will be on TV this Christmas By CLAIRE MATHIESON

Raymond Perrier (left), director of the Jesuit Institute of South Africa, and Fr Michael van Heerden, rector of St Augustine College in Johannesburg, were unexpectedly sporting moustaches last month to mark “Mo-vember”, an awareness-raising campaign for men’s health issues such as prostate and testicular cancer. “Just as many men nowadays are embarrassed to grow moustaches, so they are also embarrassed to do things to keep themselves healthy,” explained Fr van Heerden. “We are not alone in this madness,” said Mr Perrier. “If you think that I looked like Sammy Davis Jr, you should see Fr Anthony Egan, who resembled Stalin, and Fr Chris Chatteris, who looked like a Hollywood matinee idol. Gus Hauptfleisch from Knights Insurance bore a passing resemblance to Tom Selleck!” The five temporary moustaches helped raise almost R7 000 for the health clinic for homeless men which is held weekly at the Jesuit-run church in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. (Photo: Else Strivens)

Pope in a solar ride? By CAROL GLATz

OPE Benedict would welcome having an electric popemobile as a further sign of his commitment to protecting natural resources and safeguarding the earth, according to Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, president of the commission governing Vatican City State. If a sponsor offered the pope an electric-powered vehicle that “was in working order, efficient and suitable, why not? It would be a sign of his environmental concern,” Cardinal Lajolo said at a Vatican news conference to present a new book, The Energy of the Sun in the Vatican, about the Vatican’s solar power initiatives. Through the generosity of the Bonn-based company SolarWorld, the Vatican installed 2 400 solar panels on the roof of the Paul VI audience hall in 2008 and, in 2009, the Vatican set up several high-tech solar collectors to help heat and cool

its buildings. Some 305 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, or CO2, have been avoided because of the Vatican’s solar installations, said a Vatican press release. Pier Carlo Cuscianna, director of technical services for Vatican City, told reporters that plans to supply Vatican City with a fleet of electric vehicles were in a “well-advanced” stage. Milan Nitzscke, head of communication for SolarWorld, told reporters that it would be possible for the popemobile to be powered with electricity—even from its own solar panels. An electric popemobile is just an idea so far, he said, and “we have to discuss with [Vatican] security” to assure them that the car would be safe, secure and fast. Security personnel would need the car to have “fast acceleration,” he said, adding that an electric car can go from 0 to 100km/h in 3,5 seconds.—CNS

Wishing all our Benefactors, friends, staff and the editor of The Southern Cross a very happy Christmas. “In gentleness and peace he comes, may he fill your hearts with joy in this holy season”

The Sisters of Nazareth, Durban

HIS year’s papal Christmas Eve Mass from St Peter’s basilica in the Vatican will be broadcast on December 24 on SABC 3—and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has untertaken to transmit the Mass every year. The Mass also be broadcast live on Radio Veritas, which can be accessed on DStv’s audio channel 170 or streamed on the Internet (www.radioveritas.co.za) This year’s TV broadcast was almost cancelled due to what a Church spokesman described as a lack of professionalism and urgency from the SABC. After nearly a year of unsuccessful negotiations with the SABC, Fr Chris Townsend, head of Communications and Media for the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), issued a statement in early December that the Papal Midnight Mass could not be broadcast because the SABC had not responded in a “timely or professional manner to our repeated requests and expressions of interest to broadcast”. “As we spend a considerable amount of money on this broadcast both in technical service fees and advertising, a timely response is necessary,” Fr Townsend said in the statement, adding that the bishops had shown interest immediately after the broadcast of the 2009 Papal Mass, and had commu-

nicated this throughout the year. A few days later, the SABC announced that the broadcast of the papal Mass was on again. Ed Worster, the SABC’s acting general manager of content, acknowledged that the corporation had not communicated effectively with Fr Townsend and the SACBC. However, he told The Southern Cross, there had not been a specific decision by the SABC not to broadcast the Papal Mass. In fact, he said, “it was Fr Townsend who decided to withdraw from the arrangement on the basis that he had not yet heard from the SABC”. Fr Townsend said the SACBC could not wait any longer and therefore the decision had to be made. Noting the SABC’s regret for the breakdown in internal communications at the corporation that led to the situation, Mr Worster informed Fr Townsend that the SABC would be “able to accommodate the broadcast of the Papal Mass, as we have done so for a number of years”. Fr Townsend said the bishops’ conference was very pleased that the SABC will broadcast this year’s papal Christmas Eve Mass. He said it is regrettable that the decision was not finalised in time for full preparation, as much advertising and technical planning was needed for a successful broadcast. However, he said, the importance of being able to bring the pope’s message to South Africa

Pope Benedict celebrates the Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican last year. After initial confusion, the SABC will broadcast the papal Mass, which is transmitted live to homes around the world. (Photo: Paul Haring, CNS)

Mary and Child poster next week

Don’t miss next week’s issue with a fuLL-PAgE POSTER of French painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s beautiful painting of “Virgin of the Lilies”. Out on December 22 outweighed the issues. Fr Townsend said the airing of the Mass on national television meant the pope’s message was more accessible to more people. “The broadcast is important for many people who are unable to attend Midnight Mass and it is important to many who are unable to attend Mass at all.” He said the pope’s message is of wider interest than just the Catholic Church, as the coverage of the papal visit to Britain in September showed. Mr Worster stressed that the SABC had no problem with airing religious-themed content, pointing out the SABC has one of the most representative religious portfolios of any public broadcaster, and “the SABC’s religious broadcasting policy ensures fair and equitable representation of the diverse religious communities in South Africa.” Fr Townsend said he was relieved that the problem issue resided not in the intentions of the SABC but in the internal issues. Mr Worster confirmed the that the papal Christmas Eve Mass would be scheduled annually as of this year to ensure similar problems do not occur in the future.

The managers of The

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Associates Campaign wish all its supporters a blessed Christmas and a peaceful 2011

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

Singing animals (and humans) in candlelight theatrical presentation

HE Durban Catholic Players Guild in association with the Knights of Da Gama will be using live animals to stage and host their Carols by Candlelight theatrical presentation on December 18, at 19.00, at Greyville Racecourse in Durban. The animals together with all those in attendance will sing popular Christmas carols. Those attending are asked to bring along a new or used toy to be donated. A special processtion will also take place during the event. Bring along a picnic basket while enjoying the presentation. Entry is free. For more information contact 083 286 2155.

LOCAL

Volunteering benefits all By CLAIRE MATHIESON

OLUNTEERING benefits both the volunteer and those in need. This is the attitude that drives the Edmund Rice Camps (ERC), a project that encourages youth, aged 16-30 to volunteer their services to making a difference in the lives of children in the Western Cape, many of whom have been affected by HIV/Aids, abuse or have experienced poverty. The camps originated in 1979 at a Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) in Melbourne, Australia. According to Evona Rebelo, coordinator of the Edmund Rice Network in South Africa, the life and work of the Christian Brothers’ founder—after whom the camps are named— is both the inspiration and basis of their work. “Through working, praying and dreaming together we make the vision of Edmund Rice a reality in our own lives and the lives of the children, young adults, agencies, institutions and projects who are part of Edmund Rice Camps [in the] Western Cape.” The concept and the programme have seen rapid growth on account of its success. Today the camps are held across Australia and New Zealand, Tanzania, Paraguay, Ireland and South Africa. Ms Rebelo said the camps aim to provide holidays, recreational activities and continual support for children, families and young people who are disadvantaged. Children who attend the camps experience friendship, learn from positive role models—the volunteering leaders—and receive an opportunity to build self esteem and confidence. The camps also offer volunteers an opportunity to grow and develop as young adults through leadership training. “Many children and youth in the Western Cape suffer great disadvantage resulting from the effects of broken family lives, abandonment, abuse, neglect, gangsterism, violence, poverty and HIV/Aids,” Ms Rebelo said. The camps attend to the needs of these children by allowing them to experience aspects of “normal childhood.” They host children aged 713 and 14-16 with the volunteers working one-on-one with the children acting as leaders and role models. Ms Rebelo, who is also a CBC teacher, said the camps are enriching for those volunteering and those attending. “I am passionate about social justice and particularly about exposing our young people in

A volunteer spends time with her “buddies” at the Edmund Rice Camp in Stellenbosch.

schools to outreach.” She said the camps not only make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children, but also facilitate a “powerful transformation in the lives of the young volunteers who serve on the camps”. Recruited from local schools and youth groups volunteers are paired with a “buddy” for the duration of the camp. Ms Rebelo said strong relationships are forged between the leaders and their buddies. Jessica Dewhurst, a student from CBC Parklands, said the experience taught her more than she had expected. “I came to Camp three years ago thinking that I was doing the kids a favour. Instead they gave so much to me. I always wanted to be a fashion designer but now I know that my true calling is social work.” The camps take place once a month at the Christian Brothers’ Centre in Paradyskloof, Stellenbosch. They work in collaboration with the social development agencies and provide vulnerable children with fun-filled weekend and holiday progammes whilst imparting valuable life skills. Ms Rebelo said there was a need to recapture and promote core values of social justice. She said the benefits to the children were clear and positive, but added that often the benefit of volunteering is forgotten. “This form of service goes far beyond the conventional charity response of

donating money and goods. I have had the privilege of witnessing the transformative role that this experience has facilitated in the lives of the young volunteers. This type of service learning nurtures empathy and challenges young people to critique the unjust structures that give rise to such disparity in society. It motivates them to work towards a more equitable society.” Volunteers come from different cultural, racial and socio-economic backgrounds and receive training in first aid, conflict management, facilitation skills and child protection law. Ms Rebelo said the camps were always on the lookout for assistance in the form of financial support, skills training and volunteers. “Too many children lack the sparkle that we see in the eyes of a normal, happy child. ERC has a very specific role to play in bringing the smiles back onto the faces of our children. They are taken out of their difficult situation and into an environment where they can indeed experience joy and laughter.” She said the fact that one can do something to help is of huge importance but the fact that volunteers will gain from the experience is something that should motivate young adults to get involved in this “life changing experience”. ■ For more information on volunteering e-mail edmund ricecamps@yahoo.com

What’s new with you? Send your news and photographs to: The Southern Cross, PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000 You can also email pics@scross. co.za

LOCAL

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

Condoms and abstinence: Failed strategies STAFF REPORTER

ROMOTION of condoms and calls for abstinence have both failed as prevention strategies in the fight against HIV/Aids, according to the archbishop of Cape Town. Addressing an Aids Day Mass in Lansdowne, Archbishop Stephen Brislin stressed that “prevention must be achieved by changing behaviour”. He also welcomed Pope Benedict’s recently published comment that in certain circumstances condoms could be used to prevent infection, but which also emphasised “the dignity of sexuality”. “It is clear that he does not regard condoms as a real or moral solution to Aids. He gave an example of an exceptional situation where the life of a partner may be at risk. At no time does he justify the morally disordered exercise of sexuality, but the use of a condom to diminish the risk of passing on infection may be ‘a first assumption of responsibility’, a first movement towards a more human sexuality,”

the archbishop said. Archbishop Brislin said that amid all the tragedies of Aids, “perhaps the greatest of all...is that after so many years, we have not been able to turn the tide”. Until recently, he said, government campaigns focused on the promotion to “condomise”. “The Church’s message has been abstinence before marriage and fidelity within marriage. By and large, neither message has been adhered to,” he said. “The number of teenage pregnancies, and the increased number of abortions, both testify that many people have not listened to the condomise message. Equally, they have not listened to the Church’s message of abstinence and fidelity.” Archbishop Brislin said many people do not understand “what the Church is teaching” on HIV/Aids and sexuality. “Our sexuality is a God-given gift that when properly lived and integrated into our lives leads to our development and actualisation as human-beings,” he said. “One of the most profound and

Archbishop Stephen Brislin deepest experiences of our humanity is the ability of a man and woman to enter into a lasting and committed relationship where the two sexes complement and complete each other into becoming more fully human.”

Faith flavoured jamming By CLAIRE MATHIESON

N annual music event held at Bryanston’s church of the Resurrection in Johannesburg placed locally produced and performed Catholic music on show in effort to encourage the youth to embrace Christian lifestyles and to promote Catholic music. In its second year, parish youth coordinator Ashleigh van Kerckhoven said the event was “spectacular” and the “growth in the bands since last year’s event was amazing to see”. The event came about as an effort to unite the youth of the Catholic parishes in the area. Originally designed as a “battle of the bands”, Ms van Kerckhoven said it was decided that a winning band was not necessary. The point was to grow faith through music, not create competition, she said. This year’s aim was to provide an event where “youth can come [and] watch various bands from the churches play and join them in praise and worship of God”. Ms van Kerckhoven said it was important to meet youth in a casual atmosphere. “I think that music speaks to everyone both young and old and has the potential to draw people back into an amazing relationship with God through the message it conveys and this is a great opportunity to do this—to connect with youth, in particular, on a spiritual level but through music and friendship.” This year three bands performed: The parish bands from St John’s and Rivonia as well as Pocket Kings 3:16 from Victory Park. Ms van Kerckhoven said while the concept of “bandjams” was common among other Christian denomina-

Members of a Catholic band from Rivonia play to a crowd at the Jam for Faith music event held in Bryanston. tions, it was rare to have a Catholic gathering of this nature. To encourage locally flavoured music, Byron John from Pocket Kings 3:16 has called on all the bands to write original scores for these events and produce their own music, songs and sound which, Ms van Kerckhoven said, is a great opportunity to develop the musicians and Christian music in the churches. She said the event was “immensely powerful” in both bringing youth from around Johannesburg together and getting people to share their faith. It is hoped the event will grow bigger in coming years. “I think that within the Church we need to start focusing on reaching out to youth in

general and bringing them back to faith in love, friendship and understanding,” Ms van Kerckhoven said, pointing out that such events can help bring more interest to Church life and how they can be a starting point in “building relationships with youth and helping them in their journey with God”. Bryanston parish has been focused on promoting youth events with youth Masses celebrated on a regular basis. Ms van Kerckhoven said the Faith Jam had received a “great” response and will be a prominent fixture on the Church calendar. She hopes more parishes will get involved in the event to reach more youth who are in need of experiencing their faith in their own language.

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However, if sexuality is seen only as a physical need that must be gratified, “it becomes trivialised and distorted as a selfish pursuit of pleasure and entertainment, that dehumanises people and risks great injustice, especially to the more vulnerable who may be used or even abused”, he said. Current culture emphasises a “shallow and physical” view of sex that “excludes the emotional, spiritual and developmental aspects”, the archbishop said, adding that “the massive pornography industry perpetuates this understanding of sex”. Contraceptives have fed this culture, he said. “While many married people use contraceptives not because they wish to live promiscuous lives but rather because they see it as a pragmatic solution to economic and other difficulties, it cannot be denied that the mass availability of contraceptives has greatly contributed to a promiscuous culture which in turn has certainly contributed to the spread of HIV and Aids.” Archbishop Brislin noted that

“the contraceptive culture has contributed to a number of negative social consequences”. “This is so on three levels: The intrapersonal level where I suggest there is an increasing number of people who feel alienated and alone. One can seriously question whether some are losing their ability to form intimate long-term relationships. “Secondly, on the inter-personal level, for example the difficulty of being able to trust others in a culture of multi-partner relationships. “Thirdly, on the level of society this culture has had an enormous impact on fidelity, and family life in general,” he said. Archbishop Brislin said people with HIV should be accepted. “As Christians and Catholics, we accept any person with the virus as a brother or sister, without judgment or wondering how they became infected. “As with any other person who battles a disease, we treat those with full-blown Aids as a person who is in need of compassion, support and hope.”

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

INTERNATIONAL

As cardinal in 1988, pope sought action on abuse By JOHN THAVIS

A People visit the traditional Christmas market in front of the city hall in Vienna. (Photo: Heinz-Peter Bader, Reuters/CNS)

Relics of Christ stolen By ANTO AKKARA

HREE historic relics of the crucifixion preserved at a 10th-century church under the Syro-Malabar Irinjalakuda diocese in India’s Kerala state are missing. Police are investigating the disappearance of the relics from the Holy Cross Shrine Mapranum in Irinjalakuda. “Everyone is stunned here as the sacred relics have been stolen,” Bishop Pauly Kannookadan of Irinjalakuda said. The stolen relics include what is believed to be a piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified, a blood stain of Christ and a piece of the

towel with which his face was wiped during the Passion. The shrine houses a letter from Pope Leo XIII confirming the authenticity of the relics that reached the church in 1887. “They [the thieves] did not touch the offertory box with a lot of cash,” said Fr Joji Kallingal, vicar of the parish that was elevated as a shrine in 2008. “They also uprooted the centuries old five-metal cross on top of the tabernacle but did not take it away.” Built in 928, the shrine is one of the oldest Catholic churches in India.—CNS

NEWLY disclosed letter reveals that as early as 1988, the future Pope Benedict pressed for swifter and more streamlined procedures to punish priests guilty of “grave and scandalous conduct”. The letter, written by thenCardinal Joseph Ratzinger when he was head of the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation, expressed concern that the normal process for dealing with such priests—which typically involved a request for dispensation from priestly obligations— took too long and was seen more as a favour than a punishment. Eventually, with Cardinal Ratzinger’s involvement, the penal procedures were simplified and sanctions were strengthened. But in 1988, the cardinal’s suggestion of a “more rapid and simplified penal process” was rebuffed by the Vatican’s canon law experts. The letter was cited in a lengthy article published by the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano. The article highlighted what it described as a “crucial role” and “decisive action” by Cardinal Ratzinger in the 20year process of strengthening sanctions against errant priests. Cardinal Ratzinger’s letter, dated February 19, 1988, was addressed to the president of the Pontifical Commission for

the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, who at that time was Venezuelan Cardinal José Rosalio Castillo Lara. The doctrinal congregation was in charge of examining petitions for dispensation from priestly obligations, some of which involved priests guilty of grave crimes. Those offences included sexual abuse, although sexual abuse was not specifically mentioned in Cardinal Ratzinger’s letter.

ardinal Ratzinger’s concern was that not enough attention was being given to penalties foreseen by Church law for priest-offenders—including “reduction to the lay state”— because the penal process was too cumbersome. Such penalties “in the judgment of this dicastery, ought in some cases, for the good of the faithful, to take precedence over the request for dispensation from priestly obligations, which, by its nature, involves a ‘grace’ in favour of the petitioner”. “Yet in view of the complexity of the penal process required by the code [of canon law] in these circumstances, some ordinaries are likely to experience considerable difficulty in implementing such a penal process,” Cardinal Ratzinger wrote. The response from Cardinal Castillo Lara came less than a

month later. It was sympathetic with Cardinal Ratzinger’s concerns but recommended that bishops be reminded to exercise their authority rather than streamlining penal procedures. “To seek to simplify the judicial procedure further so as to impose or declare sanctions as grave as dismissal from the clerical state...does not seem at all appropriate,” Cardinal Castillo Lara wrote. He likewise rejected changes that would allow an “extra-judicial administrative decree in these cases”. Cardinal Castillo Lara said such modifications would “endanger the fundamental right of defence” and would favour the “deplorable tendency” towards “so-called ‘pastoral’ governance” that obscures the due exercise of authority. Instead, he said, bishops should be reminded “not to omit their judicial and coercive power” in such cases, “instead of forwarding petitions for dispensation to the Holy See”. In 2001, the doctrinal congregation was given exclusive jurisdiction over a number of “most grave crimes”, including the sexual abuse of a minor by a priest. In 2003, Cardinal Ratzinger obtained from Pope John Paul II new faculties to deal with sex abuse offenders, including those making it easier to dismiss them from the priesthood.—CNS

INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

Pope’s condom comment ‘shows pastoral concern’ By JOHN THAVIS

OPE Benedict’s recent comments about condoms represented a “normal and traditional” pastoral application of moral theology, according to a theologian who advises the Vatican on doctrinal matters. The pope’s comments reflect the principle that there can be “intermediary steps towards moral awareness” that allow for some flexibility in how Church teachings are applied, said Franciscan Father Maurizio Faggioni, a moral theologian and a consultant to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

In the book Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times, the pope repeated his view that condom campaigns are not the way to stop the Aids epidemic, but he allowed that in some specific cases—for example, a prostitute who tries to diminish the risk of spreading infection—use of a condom could be a first step toward taking moral responsibility for one’s actions. Fr Faggioni said the pope’s comments should be seen in the light of traditional principles of moral theology, including gradualism, which understands moral decisionmaking as a path that involves a

series of progressions. “The Holy Father recognises that there is a path of growth in responsibility,” Fr Faggioni said. By saying condom use may mark a step along that path, he said, the pope is allowing for a “wise and prudent” application of Church teaching to individual cases. “This is nothing more than a normal and traditional application of some principles of pastoral teaching and of moral casuistry,” Fr Faggioni said. Moral casuistry refers to a method that tries to determine appropriate moral responses to particular cases and circumstances. Fr Faggioni said the pope’s com-

ments do not place in question the Church’s teaching against birth control, but recognise that there can be different ways of applying the general law to specific situations. “One could ask to which other cases this would extend. This is something that will be seen. One should not force the words of the Holy Father, either,” he said. Fr Faggioni noted that the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation began studying the morality of condom use in disease prevention at a time when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger— now Pope Benedict—was the congregation’s prefect.

He said the pope had chosen an informal medium, that of a booklength interview, to discuss the issue. In the strict sense, then, his words do not have the weight of official Church teaching, he said. But at the same time, Fr Faggioni said, the pope knows what he’s talking about, having followed the theological discussion on this issue for many years. He said commentators should remember this when suggesting, as some have, that the pope may have strayed outside his field of expertise. “This is the pope speaking, after all,” Fr Faggioni said. “He is the supreme teacher.”—CNS

Pakistan’s Christian minister ignores death threats By RITA FITCH & CINDy WOODEN

ESPITE receiving death threats, Pakistan’s minister for minorities, a Christian, said he will not give up his battle to guarantee religious freedom for all the country’s people. “Threats and intimidation follow one after the other. I take them all seriously, however my life mission is to protect religious freedom, minority rights, justice and equality. I will continue to do so without hesitation,” said the minister, Shabhaz Bhatti. In an interview with Fides, the Vatican’s missionary news agency, Mr Bhatti said he believes the government will also continue to help religious minorities, despite pressure from extremist groups threatening violence. Specifically, he said he hoped for the abolishment of anti-blasphemy laws, which make insulting the Quran an offence punishable by life imprisonment or death. The Catholic Church, other Christian groups and human

rights observers have repeatedly complained that making an accusation is so easy and disproving it is so difficult that the blasphemy law is often abused as a way to harm a Christian with whom one has a complaint or grudge. The minister said he trusts that the courts will prove the innocence of Asia Bibi, a 37year-old Christian woman who faces the death penalty for blasphemy. Mr Bhatti commended Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari for showing care and sensitivity towards minority issues “The government and the president of Pakistan will not allow terrorism to flourish and to influence the life of the country, society, the rule of law and stability,” he said. In the struggle for religious equality, “many have paid with their lives”, Mr Bhatti said. He asked “the Holy Father and all the faithful of the world to pray for me”. However, Pakistan’s president may not have the political strength needed to abolish the anti-blasphemy law,

though he has promised to try to revise the law, said Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. The cardinal met with Mr Zardari during a late November trip to Pakistan, he told Vatican Radio. “He demonstrated great interest in the Holy See’s position on religious freedom,” the cardinal said. Mr Zardari has formed a commission “to re-examine the blasphemy law with a view toward possibly eventually abrogating it”, Cardinal Tauran said. “I told the president and everyone else I met that Christians in Pakistan are under the impression that they are considered second-class citizens,” Cardinal Tauran said. “The president is aware of the fact that authorising a revision of the law would ex p os e h im to s tron g criticism,” the cardinal said. “But I sincerely believe that he realises this law must at least be revised,” he said.—CNS

The retired archbishop of Naples, Cardinal Michele Giordano (pictured in 1998), died on December 2 at the age of 80 after suffering respiratory problems. Born in the southern Italian province of Potenza, he was ordained a priest in 1953 and worked as diocesan assistant for Catholic Action. He served as auxiliary bishop of Matera before being made archbishop of the city in 1974. Pope John Paul II named him archbishop of Naples in 1987 and inducted him in the College of Cardinals in 1988. He retired in 2006. While archbishop of Naples, the cardinal was charged in 1998 of complicity in loan sharking, but he was cleared by an Italian court after a two-year investigation. Prosecutors had accused Cardinal Giordano of funnelling more than R3 million to a usury ring run by his brother and of embezzling hundreds of thousands from archdiocesan bank accounts. The cardinal repeatedly proclaimed his innocence in the case and had often publicly denounced the problems of usury and corruption in Naples. (Photo: Reuters/CNS)

The Vatican’s Christmas tree is erected in St Peter’s Square. The tree, from the northern Italian province of Bolzano, is more than 30m tall and grew for 94 years.

(Photo: CNS)

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The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

CHRISTMAS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Guest editorial: Sr Judy Coyle IHM

An exchange of gifts

T is common during the Christmas season to exchange gifts, husband and wife, parent and child, friend and friend. The gift may be pleasing to us, and the giver gratified when we use it. Or it may be inappropriate. But once we have expressed our gratitude, the gift is ours to do with as we wish. The gift of Christmas is different, for what is given and “exchanged” does not end in the giving, nor can it ever be put aside. It is our life given and exchanged with the very life of God. In the Mass of Christmas, the Prayer over the Gifts speaks of this Christmas mystery as O admirabile commercium, “O wondrous exchange.” What is the wonder? What is exchanged? What of heaven is given to earth, and what of earth is given to heaven? We know well the gifts God has given to us in sending Jesus his Incarnate Son. The gospel stories, the whole of our Catholic tradition tells us over and over again of gifts of creation and life, of grace and redemption, of healing and forgiveness. In the death of Jesus, God’s own Spirit was poured forth upon the earth. We grow ever more deeply into these realities throughout our life.But what did we “give” to God in this exchange? What of our earth ascended with Christ into heaven? What of our humanity “marked” forever this Divine Child? And how did this “exchange” alter forever our relationship with the Godhead? In his humanity, the infant Jesus knew our utter dependence, hunger and growth, maternal care and the tenderness and strength of human love. As a young child he absorbed the delights of play and companionship, of learning, parental obedience, and prayer. He knew the wonder of night and day, a full moon and

burning sun, rain and a howling wind. He knew our seasons of want and plenty.As a youth he learned our work, to craft and fashion with his hands, to help in the household, to garden and glean. He began to think and reflect, to judge and to joke, and to ponder the meaning of his Father’s business. As an adult he saw our injustice, fear, illness, greed, and hypocrisy. But he also knew our hospitality, devotion and unfeigned love. In his dying he absorbed our jealousy, false accusations, an unjust sentence, the betrayal of friends, and abandonment of followers. Faithful to the end, in physical agony, he surrendered his humanity—and ours—in degradation and hope to the Father, who did not disappoint him. The life of Jesus, our human life, begun at Christmas and transfigured in his Resurrection remains now forever in God. In this an “exchange” was accomplished, humanity and divinity made one. All that we are is now “in” the Godhead—our hunger, our pain, our gratitude, our fear, our delight. And all that is in us comes from the Godhead—our compassion, our humour, our wisdom, patience and peace. In prayer and act, this is the reason for all our confidence. Christ, whose coming we celebrate anew in this Christmas season, once came to make his home among us. Our home now is in him, we in God and God in us, a wondrous exchange, admirabile commercium. Christmas calls us afresh, to pause in our daily routines to ponder the gifts we have been given, our humanity, God’s divinity, manifest in a manger, acknowledged by sheep and sages, sung by angels and shepherds. O wondrous exchange, O admirabile commercium

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.

Gospel and professional standards

ROCEDURES for dealing with complaints within the Catholic Church are not always as effective as they could be. However, Frank Bompas’ letter (December 1) does ask for a clarification on a number of levels. All complaints of unprofessional behaviour that relate to moral issues are handled by the bishop of a diocese. If there are civil or criminal cases, this process by the bishop is secondary to state law. The bishop receives the complaint, appoints assessors if the complaint is deemed real, and then necessarily has to step out of the process—bishops as leaders cannot be investigators, prosecutors or defenders. Their role as governors makes them judges and they rely on those they appoint, be they vicarsgeneral, judicial vicars, deans or professional conduct committee delegates. These procedures are governed by canon law, various codes of pro-

Road safety is up to you and me!

HE letter in The Southern Cross of November 3 by Richard Benson from the Road Safety Action Campaign, makes an important appeal. Mr Benson asked where is the public and media outcry on our unacceptably high traffic road carnage. South Africa’s road deaths are one of the worst in the world. However, allow me to make the following points: although I agree that our current speed limits need to be adjusted, it is fruitless doing so if there are no visible policing and monitoring mechanisms in tandem with such adjustments. Also, more importantly, the carnage on our roads will continue irrespective until each road user, that’s you and I, motorist, passenger or pedestrian take personal ownership for our actions on the roads. It is up to us to drive carefully, respect all laws of the road and respect fellow road users. If we all did our part, the more than 14 000 traffic–related deaths every year would be drastically reduced. Manny de Freitas, Shadow deputy minister for transport, DA

Pope and condoms

E welcome the comments made by Pope Benedict about the use of condoms to promote and preserve life among those vulnerable to disease, especially HIV and Aids, made in

fessional conduct, such as the “Protocol for the investigation of complaints of sexual abuse of minors by clerics”, and agreed standards of behaviour such as the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) document “Integrity in Ministry”. In this, the Church is attempting to comply with the expectations of gospel and professional standards. In my experience as a priest and as a member of the professional conduct committee of the SACBC, the issues that are not moral issues—such as clerical bad behaviour—are often not dealt within a gospel or professional manner at all, by both complainant and respondent. We are reminded that Jesus has given us a procedure for dealing with issues—Mathew 18:15-17. I wonder why we so seldom go one-on-one and discuss issues we have with our priests. Most Catholics prefer to moan and move

the recently published book: The Light of the World; the Pope, the Church, the Signs of the Times. However, we deeply regret the pain and suffering that has been meted out by Church leadership to individuals and groups whose prophetic understanding of and pastoral stance on the issue of the use of condoms, and other matters, has been consistent with the moral and social teaching of the Catholic Church. Our deep desire is to see and hear prophetic and critical voices now and in the future listened to with openness and respect. They may indeed be the prophets of our day! The Spirit is always at work throughout the entire Church and in all members of the People of God. To ostracise those who speak out of an informed conscience seems to indicate fear and an undue need for control. This is not a sign of the Spirit and does not promote the communion for which we all long. Brigid-Rose Tiernan SND, Marie Bergin HF, Judy Coyle IHM, Shelagh-Mary Waspe HF, Sue Rakoczy IHM, Loek Goemans, Ann Wigley OP, Judy Stockill, Mary Natalie Kuhn OP, Elizabeth Martiny, Cora Richardson MSHR, Mary Tuck OP, Colleen Wilkinson RSM, Johannesburg

Taking us back

EEING the interesting photo published with Chris Moerdyk’s article (November

on. It has been seldom in my life as a priest that people have been brave enough to come and talk to me directly about how I might have offended them. Following the gospel procedure of escalation, once again the idea of approaching an offending person as a group—such as a sodality or pastoral council—rarely happens. Power games, territory disputes and one up(person)ship takes over; scores need settling and often reputations are casualties. I know of a couple of brave bishops who have instructed secretaries that if there is no evidence of a proper procedure having taken place—approach as one, approach as a group, approach as a church— then the bishop will not deal with complaints until this is done. Mr Bompas speaks of the Church not following reputable procedures. This is not my experience. Fr Chris Townsend, Information Officer, Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference

3), took me back to when I was a boarder at Holy Cross Convent, Aliwal North from 1937-1941. During that time I witnessed many ordinations, namely of Frs Ward, Petersen, Maginnis, Leighton, Hughes and Mason. I am unsure whether Fr Eddie Cahy was already ordained or whether he was ordained with the latter two priests. He was in charge of St Joseph’s Institute in Aliwal North where he accomplished great works. Sadly he passed away on November 18, 1995. Elizabeth McLellan, Cape Town

Moral, ethical crisis

HERE are we failing as a church? Our churches are packed every Sunday; the laity organisations in the Catholic and Protestant chruches are very active, yet our jails are overflowing and we are building new ones. I recall as a youngster how we were made to sing the Ten Commandments before Mass on Sundays. Why is this no longer practised? Samuel Solomon, Johannesburg 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.

The Holy Cross Sisters wish the editor and staff of The Southern Cross and all readers a Blessed Christmas and New year Holy Cross Provincialate Belgravia/Johannesburg

PERSPECTIVES

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

Hollow ringing vs Christian hope

REAT celebrations arise from a kind of euphoria mixed with gratitude and inexpressible love. Think of a newborn child, the reunion of loved ones, the wedding of true soul mates. These are the great moments of the human drama. Of all the times of the year, however, December is most peculiar when it comes to celebrations. Sparkling trees, presents, reunions, stockings, hams, travel plans, lights, sleigh rides, caroling, mangers, shepherds and angels—these traditions define the last month of the year. But the building crescendo, which reaches its height on December 25, results in great celebration only in as much as we have something profound to celebrate. All the gifts and traditions turn strangely dull and burdensome if it becomes apparent that the occasion is unworthy of grand pageantry. In fact, the music, gifts and feasting might well seem downright excessive. Perhaps this is why some downplay December 25—even to the point that many schools and businesses refuse to

even call it “Christmas” anymore. Increasingly, we hear of “Holiday Fests”. But what separates a “Holiday Fest” from the country fair? Come if you want, stay home if you’d rather. There’s nothing particularly necessary about attending a fair or fest. They are more social gatherings, which might be fun and entertaining, but they are not worthy of the greatest celebrations we can muster. If Christmas is only an occasion to gather with family and friends, then why not gather in January or July? Why make a big deal out of what some call the “Winter Fest”? Why not a “Summer Splash” instead? In the end, it is left to the Christian to affirm the profound and earth-shattering reason to celebrate on December 25. Sin and salvation: These are the dual reasons for the season and this is what Advent conveys. During the Advent Masses, the liturgy and the readings of Holy Scripture reminded us that all have sinned, all have turned from God, all were lost and separated from the source of eternal life. During Advent, the Church called us to fast, repent and

Why I hate Catholic music

Point of Debate

Now, here’s the disjunct: the youth can’t stand them and find them “boring”, but because the tradition of liturgical music is so poor in most of English-speaking Catholic South Africa, they have no choice. It is a disingenuous argument that chooses music for them without giving them a choice. Yes, good music is difficult. It requires practice. It requires planning and it should be simple enough that the congregation can sing. It is possible, if we stretch our musical horizons just a little bit. The standard Catholic four-requiredspots for music (entrance, preparation and presentation of the gifts, Communion and recessional) has left us with the strange situation of singing an entrance song and then neglecting to sing the Gloria or the Alleluia or the other parts that should be sung. As for the silence that is so necessary for liturgy as prayer, we are all in such a rush that, as a priest, in many parishes I’m shimmied on by those keen to get out. Sad. It’s not only in English-speaking Catholic South Africa. Many of our black communities suffer from the same tragedy—the hymn books date from the ‘70s and ‘80s of the last century and, again, only about 16-20 songs are in regular use. All our communities, often quite ignorant of our own Catholic riches and tradi-

Open Door

Point of Reflection

Fr Chris Townsend

H JOY! Recently I read a blog by one James Macmillan about Catholic music which made me want to jump and dance and sing. At last, there was someone who isn’t afraid to speak out about how horrific our Catholic music has been allowed to become in the English-speaking Catholic world. “Shine, Jesus, Shine” indeed. I have noticed that I’ve become physically averse to singing some of the rubbish that passes as liturgical music in our Catholic communities today. We have allowed ourselves and our musical tradition to become “dumbed down” to the point that most parishes sing from a catalogue that consists of a maximum of about 16 hymns—and the only way we know it is a different liturgical season is when the order of the hymns change. Before you get me wrong and accuse me of being a neo-conservative and “not with it” (how we love labels in our Church), know that I was born in 1972 and have no clear recollection of anything except such meaningless ditties as “Morning Has Broken”. One of the greatest legacies I received from my father and grandfather is a love for music, especially liturgical music. I listen to everything, from the great polyphonics, to Gregorian chant to Hillsong and Michael W Smith. So it is not that I choose to say or feel this because of an agenda, other than the value, purpose and usefulness in Catholic liturgy. The extremely contentious (actually, it wasn’t) implementation of the revised English translation of the Roman Rite gives us an opportunity for a catechesis on liturgy that focuses on nobility, longevity, history and prayer. Revising how we see the Mass gives an opportunity to see how we can all participate in keeping liturgy about worship and prayer. I was recently subjected to an argument that we had to sing particular songs “because the youth would like them”.

Michael Shackleton

Joel Davidson

give alms, as we looked again to that extraordinary moment in human history when God deigned to become a human infant and thus began a mission that would result in the salvation of the world. In December, it is especially evident that the Church is truly a great treasure to the world. She reminds humanity that there is still a profound reason to celebrate. We were lost in sin, certain to die, desperate for deliverance and longing for a Saviour. Let us acknowledge the weight of our sins so that we might know the euphoria of the Christmas celebration. n Joel Davidson is the editor of the Catholic Anchor, newspaper of the archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska, in which this slightly edited article first appeared.

tion, import music from other churches— much of which is just dodgy. Darlene from Hillsong is brilliant and the scriptural basis of much of contemporary Christian music is commendable, but is it good to use in liturgy? Beware of the use of ‘I’... much of this music is selfish. I listen to the radio a lot. I often have some or other tune running through my head when I’m not listening (sometimes called an “earworm”). I know how powerful lyrics can be and how much more powerful they are with the multiplier effect of a good tune. Then why don’t we use the catechetical advantage this gives to teach more by our music? But we’ve been lulled into complacency, dumbed down by choice, told that it’s too hard to learn music, so we sing because it is required, because it fills time—and rarely if ever think about it. If I had my wish, having won a big lotto payout, I would love to see an Academy for Church Music established for Catholic South Africa—a place where the liturgy could once again sing with worship, with meaning and with quality. A place where we could practise what Pope Benedict calls a “hermeneutic of continuity”, where we can rediscover the beauty of the past and re-interpret that past in order to “pray twice”. South Africa has a wealth of musical talent and history—if we’re willing to stretch ourselves. “Go, the Mass is ended.” Sometimes I’m really happy to be the first person out of Church, and I feel a deep sympathy for those who rush out at the end of Mass. If I had to listen to that, I would too. Wait, I do. n Fr Chris Townsend serves in the archdiocese of Johannesburg and is the information officer of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference. He is writing in his personal capacity.

Tangney

Infallible and indefectible The Catechism (889) says that Christ who is the Truth, willed to confer on the Church a share in his own infallibility so that the People of God unfailingly adheres to the faith handed down by the apostles. I know that infallibility means that the Church cannot err from the truth. But what about indefectibility, which, I am told is not identical with infallibility? Surely, if infallibility means impossibility of straying from true doctrine, indefectibility implies precisely the same. Pauline

O be indefectible means unfailing or incapable of defecting. As a property of the Church, St Augustine explained it in these words: “Unbelievers think that the Christian religion will last for a certain period of time in the world and will then disappear. But it will remain as long as the sun rises and sets; that is, as long as the ages of time shall roll, the Church of God, the true body of Christ on earth, shall not disappear” (On the Psalms, 70). This is an elaboration of Christ’s promise that the gates of the underworld will never hold out against his Church (Mt 16:18). If the Church is to continue in existence till the end of time, it has to preserve the truth handed on to it by Christ and his apostles, and this is summarised in the contents of the creeds, such as the Apostles Creed. St Paul wrote to Timothy that it is the Church that upholds the truth and keeps it safe (1 Tim 3:15). Although at first glance the word infallibility may seem to mean the same as indefectibility, it has an extra meaning. Christ is the Truth and he commanded the Church to preach his truth to all nations (Mt 28:20). This immediately implies that the Church is infallible in a certain way in so far as its preaching is preserved by the Holy Spirit from deviating from the truth given to it by Christ (Jn 16:13). Doctrines may not always be clearly expressed, because words have nuances, but they contain essentially what the Church believes. There is a similarity in the two words, indefectibility and infallibility, but the former emphasises that the Church, no matter how much it grows or even shrinks, will never stop in its mission; the latter emphasises that it is impossible for the Church to stray from the Truth. n 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.

ARCHDIOCESE OF PRETORIA

I, Monsignor Abel Gabuza, Administrator of the Archdiocese of Pretoria, would like to thank all the Archbishops, Bishops, Clergy, Religious and Laity for their loyal support during the past year. Assuring you of my prayers and wishing everyone the Blessings of Christmas and happiness in the New Year.

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The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

YEAR REVIEW

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

The Church in Review 2010: Synods, condoms, saints

Synods

T has been a busy year for the Catholic Church. Just as the African Synod of 2009 settled, the Middle East Synod began. In some ways more complex than others, since it includes not only Latin Rite but also a swathe of Eastern Rite churches in communion with Rome, its timing is appropriate: Christians are more and more a persecuted minority in the Middle East. Catholics have been assassinated and churches bombed in Iraq. In Palestine-Israel, they exist in a very uncomfortable middle ground between Jews and Muslims. The “Arab-Israeli” conflict that continues between a hardline Israel and increasingly Islamist Palestine (and neighbouring countries) put the mostly Arab Catholics in the firing line—literally. The Synod’s criticism of Israel has led to counter-criticism from Israeli sources, even from progressives. There is also historic tension between Eastern and Latin Catholics. Many Eastern Catholics feel that Rome is constantly trying to “Romanise” them in matters including Church discipline. Eastern priests, like the Orthodox, are allowed to marry—and many do in the Middle East. But this is traditionally not permitted in the Christian Arab Diaspora—a sticky point that won’t go away. Most of all, the Synod was an attempt to express solidarity among Middle Eastern Catholics, and of Rome with the Middle East. As with many such synods, time will tell of its impact.

New direction on condoms and HIV

he most dramatic development, theologically, in the Church was the pope’s statement on condom use in the context of HIV/Aids. In his new book of interviews, Light of the World, published in November, Pope Benedict indicated that condoms may be used (please note, must) by persons whose sexual activities put their partners at risk of contracting HIV, as long as the intention of their use is to prevent the spread of the life-

threatening virus. He did not say that such actions are good, nor that condoms are the solution to the HIV pandemic. The only 100%-safe protection against sexually-transmitted HIV transmission is abstinence if unmarried and fidelity by both spouses within marriage. But if one ignores these principles, or if one spouse is not faithful, one has a duty to at least lessen the risks to all concerned. In doing this the pope has modified the debate, shifting focus from the condom’s primarily contraceptive purpose to the intention a person might have in using it—in this case to prevent greater harm, not to prevent pregnancy. This move mirrors two classical approaches to moral decisionmaking in Christian ethics: “Totality” and “double effect”, both of which can be found in the thinking of two great doctors of the Church—Ss Thomas Aquinas and Alphonsus Ligouri. Totality may best be explained by an example. It is always bad to amputate an arm or leg, even if the leg is gangrenous. But it is, looking at it from a broader perspective, better to do that than to let gangrene spread throughout one’s body, causing death. A wrong act may thus be allowed or tolerated (even if it is itself still not good) to prevent greater harm. Double effect starts with the assumption that an action can have both a good or bad effect. The action itself must be good or at least morally indifferent. The agent must intend the good effect even though he or she may foresee the bad effect, although the bad effect cannot be a means to the good effect. The good effect, however, must outweigh the bad effect or there must be a proportionate reason for allowing the bad effect to occur. Applied to the question of condoms in prevention of HIV transmission, the “bad effect” (preventing pregnancy) is not the means whereby the “good effect” (prevention of HIV transmission) is achieved, but is rather a side effect of the intended good.

McKillop and Newman

Pope Benedict leads Mass and the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman at Cofton Park in Birmingham, England, on September 19. The pope's visit to Britain defied expectations as the Holy Father was warmly received. (Photo: Andrew Winning, Reuters/CNS) Many pastors such as Bishop was founded in July. Though Kevin Dowling of Rustenburg, formed to address questions of and theologians (from liberals like abuse and greater participation of James Keenan to conservatives clergy in the governance of the like Opus Dei ethicist Martin Irish Church, it has also come out Rhonheimer) have been arguing strongly against the new translaalong these lines for years. For tion. them the pope’s statement has no Opposition has been intensidoubt been most welcomed. fied by the revelation that up to Pope Benedict has endorsed a 10 000 revisions have been made change in our thinking on HIV. to the 2008 text that was officially However, this does not change approved by Rome. Liturgical anateaching but develops it by looking lysts suggest that apart from these at the problem from a slightly dif- revisions being at times ungramferent angle. It is not a capitula- matical, some are theologically tion to secularism but a thorough- ambiguous, a few even heretical. ly traditional way of addressing a An online movement, “What if problem that will not go away. we just said wait?” (www.what ifwejustsaidwait.org) started a petiLiturgical Battles tion that netted almost 22 000 sighe battle over the implementa- natures from across the globe. Its tion of the new English liturgy new campaign has focused on the has continued. While the pace of revisions to the 2008 text, invitreaction has slowed down in ing supporters to petition their South Africa—the minority who bishops and expressing concern have noticed and have been both- regarding the translation. ered by it have largely resigned Meanwhile attempts to start themselves to it, or presumably revising the liturgy in Germany quietly left the Church—it has met more solid opposition—from picked up elsewhere. the German Bishops Conference. Loud rumblings of discontent Presented with revisions to the have been heard in places like the funeral liturgy the Conference United States and Ireland. In Ire- rejected it, saying it was “inapproland a new priests association, the priate” to the pastoral needs of Association of Catholic Priests, the Church.

n a holier note, we saw the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman in England in September and the canonisation on October 17, of Sr Mary McKillop, Australia’s first saint. In 1867 Mary McKillop (18421909), born in Fitzroy in the state of Victoria, founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart—a teaching order that focused on providing Catholic education in rural areas. From 1870-72 she was excommunicated as a result of a dispute with a local bishop. Shortly before his death, he absolved her. Years later a commission of the Church totally exonerated her. Despite her temporary excommunication, her congregation grew. She led it, off and on, till her death, despite poor health. John Henry Newman (180190), a distinguished Oxford theologian, converted from Anglicanism in 1845 and joined the Congregation of the Oratory, where he worked in parishes in the English midlands for much of his life—particularly in and around the city of Birmingham. A brilliant member of the “Oxford Movement” to renew the Catholic wing of Anglicanism, his book The Development of Doctrine (1845) argued that while the truth of faith remained constant, our understanding of it in all its complexity did not. Throughout his life, he wrote extensively on theology and on the need for a Catholic understanding of tertiary education. His beatification this year was marked by rumours of anti-papal protest in Britain, partly over clergy abuse scandals. But the reception Pope Benedict received was warm. Despite the accommodation of a number of Anglican dissident bishops and congregations, the archbishop of Canterbury was warm and welcoming, as was the British government. Some commentators have even called it a diplomatic triumph. ■ Fr Anthony Egan SJ is a member of the Jesuit Institute in Johannesburg

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YEAR REVIEW

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

This was 2010 It was the year when South Africa hosted the football world as well as the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux, the clerical abuse scandal exploded again in several European countries, Pope Benedict was welcomed warmly in secular Britain and spoke on condoms, and Southern Africans responded generously to the suffering people of Haiti. GÜNTHER SIMMERMACHER looks back at the year 2010. DECEMBER 2009 Missionaries for Africa Father Louis Blondel, 70, is murdered by robbers at his Diepsloot presbytery near Pretoria. He is the fourth Catholic priest to be murdered in South Africa in 2009. Ireland’s bishops apologise collectively for clerical abuse of children and agree to work with the government to set up mechanisms for handling allegations. Archbishop Mandla Paul Khumalo unexpectedly resigns as head of the archdiocese of Pretoria, and South Africa’s longest serving prelate, Bishop Erwin Hecht of Kimberley, retires at the age of 76. Three years after his excommunication, the former archbishop of Lusaka, Emmanuel Milingo is laicised. Pope Benedict declares Pope Pius XII venerable. Jewish groups protest. A woman knocks down Pope Benedict during the entry procession for the papal Midnight Mass at St Peter’s basilica. The pope is unharmed, but French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 87, suffers a broken hip in a fall during the incident.

JANUARY 2010 Cape Town’s archdiocesan St Francis Xavier seminary closes on January 1. The premises will be used by St Kizito’s orientation seminary, which relocates from Port Elizabeth. At least 37 Church workers were murdered in 2009, almost twice as many as in 2008. Auxiliary Bishop Barry Wood of Durban says it is important that lay Eucharistic ministers perform a solemn renewal of their special charism each liturgical year. The Vatican announces that in 2009, some 2,2 million people saw Pope Benedict at audiences and Angelus recitations. The capital of Haiti, Port-auPrince, is devastated by an earthquake on January 12. Among the more than 100 000 dead is the city’s archbishop Joseph Miot. Within a week, the Catholic Church in Southern Africa raises

R380 000 for Haiti, and more than a million in a month. Final figures exceed 2 million. South Africa’s Catholic schools achieved a matric pass rate of 83,9% in 2009, exceeding the national average by 23,6%. Catholic school students writing Independent Examination Board papers had a pass rate of 99,8%. Petronilla Chikambi Samuriwo, 42, former editor of Catholic Church News in Zimbabwe, dies on January 7 after a short illness. Pope Benedict visits Rome’s main synagogue, laying a wreath at a memorial to the city’s Jewish Nazi victims. Bishop Joseph Sandri is installed as head of the diocese of Witbank. Mehmet Ali Agca, who shot Pope John Paul II in May 1981, is released from a Turkish jail. He promptly proclaims himself “the Christ eternal”. Pope Benedict appoints Flaminia Giovanelli undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the first woman to serve a pontifical council in that position in more than two decades. Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos, Nigeria, says that violence between Muslims and Christians in his region, which killed more than 200 in January, must be attributed to politics, not religion. Fr João Noé Rodrigues of Witbank is appointed bishop of Tzaneen, succeeding Bishop Hugh Slattery. He is installed in March.

FEBRUARY Archbishop Stephen Brislin, former bishop of Kroonstad, is installed as head of the archdiocese of Cape Town on February 7. In the aftermath of revelations that President Jacob Zuma has fathered a child in an adulterous affair, the Southern African bishops issue a statement, signed by Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, calling on political leaders to be worthy role models to young South Africans. Meeting with Ireland’s bishops, Pope Benedict calls sexual

abuse of children by priests a “heinous crime”. Rosemary Goldie, 94, the first woman to hold a senior position in the Vatican when she was appointed undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity in 1966, dies in Australia on February 27.

MARCH As the sexual abuse scandal hits Germany, the country’s bishops ask for forgiveness from victims of sexual abuse at Churchrun schools. Comboni Father Vincent Mkhabela is drugged and hijacked in Pretoria. Leading an anti-abortion march in Johannesburg, Archbishop Buti Tlhagale says that lawmakers had been “binning God” and that their hands “are dripping with blood”. The SACBC launches its Church on the Ball website in preparation of the football World Cup in June and July. Catholics in El Salvador observe the 30th anniversary of the murder of Archbishop Oscar Romero. The guard of the Love of Christ Ministries home for children, Macson Makado, is killed after being repeatedly shot from close range by a paintball gun. In a pastoral letter to Ireland’s Catholics, Pope Benedict says he understands the anger over sexual abuse by Church personnel. At the request of the bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Vatican establishes a commission to study the reported Marian apparitions at Medjugorje. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate accept a request from Bishop Xolelo Kumalo to take over the running of the Marian shrine at Ngome. Referring to the abuse scandal in his homily at Johannesburg’s Chrism Mass, Archbishop Tlhagale says that all priests must take collective responsibility for the suffering, hurt and scandal inflicted by their clerical brothers in Europe and America.

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A woman prays the rosary during a Mass in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, after the devastating January 12 earthquake. (Photo: Eduardo Munoz, Reuters/CNS)

APRIL The Southern Cross launches its digital edition. The Turin Shroud goes on public display for six weeks, for the first time since 2000. Pope Benedict visits it in May. Poland’s military Archbishop Tadeusz Ploski and several priests are among those who perish in the plane crash that kills President Lech Kaczynski on April 10. Zimbabwean Archbishop Pius Ncube, former head of Bulawayo diocese, denies rumours that he is planning to head a political party. Visiting Malta, Pope Benedict meets with abuse survivors, walks in the footsteps of St Paul and encourages local Catholics to keep the faith. Marking 16 years of democracy in South Africa, Auxiliary Bishop Barry Wood of Durban says that the country is still “making many mistakes, just as teenagers are making mistakes when they are looking for maturity”. Couples for Christ celebrate their tenth anniversary of activity in South Africa. Pope Benedict promises action on the abuse scandal, while Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy says that in the abuse scandal, the Church is “on the side of the victims”. Former Grand Knight of da Gama and leading jurist Trevor Blunden dies on April 23 at 85. The Vatican approves the new English translations for the new Roman Missal, with only some local adaptations still pending. It will be fully implemented as of Advent 2011, the SACBC says.

MAY The Oberammergau Passion Play begins its five-month run of performances, the first since 2000. Pope Benedict says that the ongoing global economic crisis shows that the free market is not capable of regulating itself in a way that promotes the common good. The Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office commends health minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s new HIV/Aids policy. Pope Benedict visits Portugal, with events at the Marian shrine of Fatima taking centrestage. On the flight to Portugal, he says that the abuse crisis came from within the Church and not from an outside attack. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna says former Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Angelo Sodano blocked an investigation in the 1990s into the sexual abuse committed by the late Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer. Archbishop Tlhagale accuses the government and many South Africans of complicity in human trafficking because they fail to do enough to tackle modern slavery. Singer Lena Horne, a Catholic, dies on May 9 at 92. Bishop Kevin Dowling is elected co-president of the Catholic peace movement Pax Christi International. Pope Benedict says that microfinancing, small-scale develop-

ment and better education can help pull African communities out of poverty. Paddy Kearney receives the Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutu Prize for best Christian/theology book for his biography of Archbishop Denis Hurley, Guardian of the Light. Centenarian Holy Cross Sister Theodata Pubec, who once taught Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, dies on May 17 at 103. Just eleven days later, another Holy Cross centenarian, Sr Paschal Halmansegger, dies at 102 in Aliwal North. US President Barack Obama went to Catholic Mass for three years and had his first exposure to organised religion through the Church, political analyst Patrick Whelan reveals. Archbishop Tlhagale hands over a fully-equipped police car to the South African Police Services, bought with money raised in the archdiocese of Johannesburg in remembrance of Fr Lionel Sham, who was murdered in 2009.

JUNE Parishes throughout South Africa celebrate World Cup Sunday, with some officially welcoming Catholic football fans from around the world. To coincide with the World Cup, the Damietta Peace Initiative and Caritas stage a Peace Cup in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, in which 26 teams representing different immigrant nationalities compete. Bishop Luigi Padovese, 63, vicar-apostolic of Anatolia (Turkey), is stabbed to death by his driver on June 3. The Southern Cross is listed as one of Marketing Mix magazine’s Top Print Performers of 2009, based on Audit Bureau of Circulation figures. Any form of compulsory military service would be unacceptable in post-apartheid South Africa, says Fr Mike Deeb OP, head of the SACBC’s Justice & Peace Commission, after the idea of the reintroduction of conscription is raised by defence minister Lindiwe Sisulu. Fr Frank de Gouveia of Cape Town is appointed bishop of Oudtshoorn, succeeding Bishop Edward Adams. He is installed on July 27. Pope Benedict visits Cyprus, accompanied much of the time by the island’s Orthodox head, Archbishop Chrysostomos II. Fr Monwabisi Majingolo survives being shot through the head in a hijacking. Two men are arrested. Slain Polish anti-communist priest Fr Jerzy Popieluszko is beatified in Warsaw, almost 26 years after his murder. It is reported that the climax of the six-season TV thriller Lost, broadcast in the United States in late May, was filmed in a Catholic school in Honolulu, Hawaii. Archbishop Tlhagale, as SACBC president, appeals to President Jacob Zuma to intervene in the political crisis in Swaziland, which forms part of the conference’s territory, after anti-monarchy activist Sipho Jele died in police custody in May. Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney makes headlines in Britain after being seen

YEAR REVIEW

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

From left: Archbishop Stephen Brislin with Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban, nuncio Archbishop James P Green and predecessor Archbishop Lawrence Henry during his installation as the new head of the archdiocese of Cape Town on February 7. (Photo: Sydney Duval) l Clergy and a Polish military band lead a funeral procession in Krakow for Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria who were among the 96 people killed in a plane crash near Smolensk, Russia, on April 10. (Photo: Michal zagumny, Reuters/CNS) l Participants get their hands on the Peace Cup, a football tournament held in June and July in Atteridgeville, Pretoria. (Photo: Antoine Soubrier) l Clergy and Knights of da Gama guard the casket containing the relics of St Thérèrese of Lisieux at the Carmelite convent in Benoni. l Pilgrims attend a prayer vigil led by Pope Benedict at London’s Hyde Park on September 18. (Photo: Dylan Martinez, Reuters/CNS) wearing a rosary around his neck during training in Rustenburg. Pope Benedict closes the Year for Priests with a Mass in St Peter’s Square with 15 000 priests from around the world (including South Africa), 350 bishops and 80 cardinals. The Vatican compares the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl in 1986. The archdiocese of Johannesburg announces plans to build a new chancery in Berea, and the archdiocese of Durban proposes to demolish its cathedral parish centre to build the Denis Hurley Centre in its place. Pope Benedict sets up the new Pontifical Council for New Evangelisation. Fr Georg Lautenschlager CMM, postulator for the cause of Mariannhill founder Abbot Franz Pfanner, dies on June 22 at 80. The relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux begin their tour of South Africa, ending in October. President Zuma posthumously honours the late Vincent Naidoo, a Catholic community activist in Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town, who was shot dead by gangsters, with South Africa highest honour, the Order of Baobab. Gene Donnelly, former managing editor of The Southern Cross, retires after 41 years with the newspaper.

JULY Responding to rumours of renewed xenophobic violence after the World Cup, the SACBC issues a statement warning South Africans not to attack foreigners, and several Church agencies engage in education on xenophobia. Bishop Francisco Claver, 81, who drafted the Church statement that led to the revolution that toppled the Philippines’ dictator Fernando Marcos, dies on July 1. Chinese Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo is released after 15 months in detention. For the third year running, the Vatican budget has recorded a deficit in 2009, with a loss of R40 million. It is reported that Dutch World Cup star Wesley Sneijder of Inter Milan converted to Catholicism shortly before his departure to South Africa. Australian scripture scholar Fr Gerald O’Collins SJ begins his tour of South Africa as part of the Jesuit Institute’s Theological Winter School. Pope Benedict appoints Archbishop Francis Chullikat, an Indian who served the Pretoria nunciature as secretary in the 1990s, as the Vatican representative to the United Nations. The Vatican issues its revised procedures for handling cases of alleged sexual abuses by priests.

AUGUST The bishops of Southern Africa institute a Week of Prayer for prisoners, correctional services staff and victims of crime, starting on August 1, feast of St Peter in Chains. Archaeologists report to have found what they believe to be the prison where St Peter was held before his execution in Rome. A new survey released by the SACBC shows a decline in the number of Catholics over the

previous year. Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal, a convert to Catholicism, dies on August 8 at 84. Kenyans vote for the country’s new Constitution, which the Catholic Church opposed because it may loosen restrictions on abortion and allows for the entrenchment of Shariah courts. Capuchin Father Donal O’Mahoney, Irish co-founder of the Dalmietta Peace Initiative in Pretoria, dies in Ireland on August 14. The Catholic Church marks the centenary of the birth of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Rabbi David Rosen, director of the American Jewish Committee’s department of Interreligious Affairs, visits the Jesuit Institute in Johannesburg. In October, the former chief rabbi of Sea Point in Cape Town later addresses the Synod of Bishops on the Middle East. The SACBC, in a statement signed by Cardinal Napier, criticises the proposed Protection of Information Bill and the African National Congress’s proposed media appeals tribunal.

SEPTEMBER Pope Benedict visits England and Scotland. Contrary to speculation, the pope is enthusiastically received. In Birmingham he beatifies Cardinal John Henry Newman. The Southern Cross hosts the Passion pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Oberammergau, led by Bishop Zithulele Mvemve of Klerksdorp. Fr Mike Deeb of the SACBC’s Justice & Peace Department warns that the Mozambican riots over food price increases could be replicated in South Africa. Chiara Badano, an Italian teenager who died in 1990 of bone cancer, is beatified near Rome, and German Fr Gerhard Hirschfelder, who died in Dachau concentration camp in 1942, is beatified in Münster. Belgium’s bishops say they will learn from their errors after an independent report highlighted hundreds of cases of abuse by priests. The Precious Blood Sisters in Mariannhill and Mthatha celebrate the 25th anniversary of their congregation’s founding by Abbot Franz Pfanner. Speaking about his favourite composer, Pope Benedict says that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart used his compositions in the Requiem to celebrate God’s love and hope even in the face of suffering and death. Fr Bruno Cadoré is elected superior-general of the Dominicans worldwide. Two suspected robbers are killed in a shoot-out with police at Immaculate Conception church in Pinetown, near Durban, after a Sunday evening Mass. Fr Roland Pasensie, 47, head of the Kolping Society in South Africa, dies in Cape Town on September 29.

OCTOBER The Synod of Bishops for the Middle East takes place over two weeks in the Vatican. Kevin McLoughlin, 38, brother of Fr Donald McLoughlin and a leader in Northriding parish in Johannesburg, is killed on October 4 in a robbery. Pope Benedict canonises six new saints, including Australia’s St Mary McKillop and Canada’s St André Bessette.

Visiting Sicily, Pope Benedict urges young people to reject the “path of death” offered by organised crime. Pope Benedict is presented with a flag signed by each of the 33 miners who were trapped underground for 69 days. The Vatican’s visitation of the Irish Church begins. Pope Benedict names 24 cardinals, including four from Africa. The Southern Cross celebrates its 90th anniversary of uninterrupted publication. Church representatives meet with basic education minister Angie Motshekga to discuss Catholic education and proposals for the improvement of the national education environment. The Vatican appeals to Iraq not to hang Tariq Aziz, a leading functionary of the Saddam Hussein regime and a Catholic, after a court sentenced him to death. Johannesburg’s cathedral of Christ the King turns 50.

NOVEMBER Pope Benedict condemns as “savage” a terrorist attack on Baghdad’s Syrian Catholic cathedral in which 58 people, including two priests, are killed. In a new book of interviews conducted by German journalist Peter Seewald, Pope Benedict acknowledges that under certain circumstances, the use of condoms as a method of preventing HIV infection can be permissible. Theologians and Church experts on HIV/Aids agree that his comments represent no revolution.

The Church observes the 150th anniversary of the first Indians landing in South Africa. The bishops of Southern Africa call for an interdiocesan consultation to review the 1989 pastoral plan and chart the way forward. Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi SJ meets with representatives of 100 protestors against clerical sex abuse who are denied permission to gather in St Peter’s Square. Visiting Spain, Pope Benedict blesses Barcelona’s Holy Family cathedral and visits Santiago de Compostela. Pope Benedict is ranked at #5 of Forbes magazine’s list of the world’s most powerful people. A 33-m high statue of Christ is dedicated in Swiebodzin, Poland. It is announced that the first group of Anglicans to become Catholics in terms of Pope Benedict’s 2009 apostolic constitution Anglicanorum coetibus will cross over in January 2011. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari lifts the death penalty passed under the country’s controversial Blasphemy Law of a Christian woman, Aasia Bibi. Pope Benedict issues his apostolic exhortation Verbum Domini, based on the 2008 Synod of Bishops on the Word of God. Two, young priests who were ordained in October 2009, Frs Monagenf Mathole and Baile Swelke, die in a car crash in Pretoria on November 14. Pope Benedict says that Catholic newspapers play an irreplaceable role in Catholic life.

In Memoriam Fr Louis Blondel M.Afr., 70, of Pretoria, murdered on December 7, 2009. Cardinal Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi, 81, former archbishop of Tokyo, on December 30. Cardinal Cahal Daly, 92, former archbishop of Armagh, Northern Ireland, on December 31. Cardinal Armand Gaetan Razafindratandra, 84, former archbishop of Antananariva, Madagascar, on January 9, 2010. Fr Albert Herold OSB, 82, of Eshowe, on February 16. Fr Peter Stuart O’Connor-Ferrero, 81, of Johannesburg, on March 12. Fr Dominic Boardman, 86, of Durban, on March 27. Cardinal Tomas Spidlik SJ, 90, Czech preacher and broadcaster, on April 16. Cardinal Paul Mayer OSB, 98, German liturgist, on April 30. Cardinal Luigi Poggi, 92, Italian Vatican diplomat, on May 4. Fr Jack Robinson, 84, Cape Town-born missionary in Papua New Guinea, on May 7. Fr Michael Hubbart, 73, of Kimberley, on May 2. Fr Cosmas Hlengwa TOR, 60, of Mariannhill, on June 12. Fr Georg Lautenschlager CMM, 80, of Mariannhill, on June 22. Mgr Gerald Pietersen, 68, of Cape Town, on July 6. Fr Donal O’Mahoney OFM Cap, of Pretoria, on August 14. Fr Roland Pasensie, 47, of Cape Town, on September 29. Fr Danilo Simoni OSM, 87, formerly of Johannesburg, on November 9. Fr Edmund Hill OP, 87, formerly of Stellenbosch, on November 11. Fr Monageng Mathole, 26, of Pietersburg, on November 14. Fr Baile Swele, of Pretoria, on November 14. Cardinal Michele Giordano, 80, former archbishop of Naples on December 2. This list includes only names of priests whose deaths were reported to The Southern Coss.

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The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

FOCUS

Lebanon’s dwindling Christian community CINDy WOODEN travelled to Lebanon with the Catholic Near East Welfare Association and looked at the many problems facing Christians in the country, as she reports in the following two pages.

ARONITE Father Louis Matar believes in miracles, and he believes that if there’s just one Christian left in Lebanon, Christianity will survive in the country. The priest, who spent 21 years as superior of the Maronite monastic community at the Shrine of St Charbel Makhlouf—a holy place visited by 4 million people a year—said the miracle-seeking visitors include Christians, Muslims and Druze and are a demonstration that Lebanese can find the common values needed for coexistence. But even if Christians continue to emigrate, he said, the Gospel spread from the Middle East throughout the world on the strength of the witness of just Twelve Apostles and “even with one Christian person to preserve the faith, the seeds of salvation and love will continue to be planted”. Fr Matar was one of the Lebanese Christians who met with reporters in early November during a visit organised by the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, a relief and development agency with offices in the United States and Canada. The 93-year-old Maronite Catholic patriarch, Cardinal Nas-

rallah P Sfeir, received the group at his residence at Bkerke near Beirut. “We have always had difficulties” in Lebanon, he said. “I am concerned, but I trust in God.” “The young people are very anxious about the future, about jobs, but if we have faith, we must go on with life,” the patriarch said. The Lebanese population is estimated to be just more than 4 million people. Based on statistics from the Catholic churches in the country—Maronite, Melkite, Latin and Armenian—the Vatican estimates about 51% of the population is Catholic. However, most researchers believe about 30-35 % of the people living in Lebanon today are Christian, either Catholic or Orthodox. No official census has been taken in Lebanon since 1932. The top political and military positions in the country are allotted on the basis of religious identity—for example, the president is always a Maronite Catholic—so many Lebanese fear a new census could trigger serious new tensions. In the villages of Yaroun and Ain Ebel, in southern Lebanon less than 4km from the Israeli border, very few young people remain. “There is a danger the Christians here will die out. Most people here are old,” said Fr Marios Khairallah, pastor of the Melkite parishes in the two towns. With little water, farming isn’t much of an option. And there is no industry in the area. “A major problem is finding private investors because of the proximity to the border,” he said. No one wants to invest in the area, which has been the scene of repeated wars and shelling from Israel.

Tarek Matta, the deputy mayor of Ain Ebel, a predominantly Christian town, said the villages suffer because “anyone who wants to throw even just a stone” at Israel comes to the border towns. And the villagers pay the price when Israel has had enough. “We are here because our roots are deep in this land, but that is not enough. We need support,” said Mr Matta, a member of the Focolare Movement. “As long as there is blood in our veins there will be crosses on these hills.” Rita Sidawi, 20, said: “Young people have very few options in this part of the country to study or work. They feel they have no choice: it’s either Beirut or go abroad.” Ms Sidawi studies in Beirut and lives there with her brother and sister. Their parents still live in Ain Ebel and the siblings return to the village most weekends. Rita’s father, Saadi Sidawi, said: “We feel under siege, surrounded by non-Christians who won’t give our children jobs.” Melkite Archbishop Georges Bacouny of Tyre said he has tried some of everything: giving seed money to start small businesses, using Church property to build low-income housing for poorer Christians, and looking high and low for scholarships. “Sometimes I wonder what I am doing. Things aren’t changing. Most of the young people dream of going to university and going away. They dream of it,” he said. The only way to slow the rate of Christian emigration, the archbishop said, is to bring a just and lasting peace to the region. Things are better in Beirut, a bustling city with universities, a

A girl looks out from the small patio of a home in the in the Dbayeh refugee camp near Beirut, Lebanon. The refugee camp is the only all-Christian one in Lebanon and houses some 2 000 Palestinians. Many of the refugees were born in Lebanon but are not citizens of that country or any other state. (Photo: Nancy Wiechec, CNS) construction boom and a thriving banking industry. The seven Antonine priests who staff the Maronite parish of St. Elias in Antelias, about 5km north of Beirut, have their hands full. The parish has close to 40 000 registered members. The priests offer three divine liturgies each week day and seven on Sundays, including a children’s liturgy. Antonine Father Joseph Abed Sater said his parish is the largest in Lebanon “and probably the biggest in the Middle East”. Joy Choughary, 19, is a member of the parish and a university student preparing to be a teacher. She said she is not confident about the future of the Christian community in Lebanon, but her faith teaches her to hang on to

hope. “The responsibility of having a family, raising a family here is frightening. It will take hard work,” she said. “There are people who want to go to Europe or the States, but many of us want to stay because of our families.” Emigration is a worry shared by all the Christian churches in Lebanon. Catholicos Aram I of Cilicia, the Beirut-based patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, said: “The churches in the Middle East have a clear policy on emigration: we are against it. “The Christians should not leave the region,” the Orthodox leader said. “Christians belong here and they should stay firmly attached to our land and our tradition.”—CNS

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FOCUS

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

Emigration concerns at Catholic university

EBANON is not what you see on TV; it’s what you see here,” said Cyrill Reaidy, a marketing major, pointing to his fellow students and the sprawling new mountaintop campus of Notre Dame University-Louaize. The English-language university, founded in 1987 by the Maronite Order of the Holy Virgin Mary, currently has about 6 000 students. International business and economics is its most popular degree programme, followed by computer science and computer engineering. Ameen Rihani, vice-president for academic affairs, said the university adopted English and a USstyle curriculum to prepare students to pursue post-graduate degrees in the United States. “We are not encouraging them to leave,” he said. “Part of our historical tradition is for students to study in Lebanon, go abroad for higher studies, then return home.” Reine Hanna, a 21-year-old computer science major, said: “I would prefer to stay in Lebanon. My family and friends are here and that’s more important than any job.” Emigration is a huge concern in Lebanon and the university, and many of its professors, are

involved in a variety of research projects focused on what causes people to leave, who is leaving and its impact on the country. Assaad Eid, vice-president for research and development, said, “As Christians, we have to have this thing called hope. As teachers in a Catholic university, we must teach hope. But in the area, in the region, things are getting tense. When we see what is going on in Iraq and other parts of the Arab world,” Christians are right to be concerned. “When Lebanese Christians have a child, the first thing they think about is getting the child a foreign passport” if the parents also hold citizenship in a North American or European country, he said. Joseph Ajami, chair of the university’s mass media department, said he believes only 25-28 % of Lebanon’s current population is Christian. Michel Nehme, a professor of political science, said his colleague’s figures “only take into account the people living permanently in Lebanon”, but the percentage of Christians would be higher if one counted the people living, working or studying abroad temporarily.

Jasmine Ashkar, a freshman graphic design student, takes a break from classes at Notre Dame University in Louaize, Lebanon. The English-language university, founded in 1987 by the Maronite Order of the Holy Virgin Mary, has about 6 000 students. (Photo:Nancy Wiechec, CNS) Eugene Sensenig-Dabbous, chairman of the department of political science and an associate researcher with the Lebanese Emigration Research Centre, said:

“Christians have been leaving for more than 100 years.” Muslims emigrate as well, and in large numbers, but they do not tend to stay away like Christians do, he said. The professor added that economic opportunities are by far the most important motive for leaving Lebanon, but Christians have the added “pull factor” of knowing there are well-established Lebanese Christian communities abroad that will support them and help them integrate. He also said students at Notre Dame are not defensive about their Christian identity, but rather “are starting to ask themselves what is positive about being Christian” and what particular contribution Christians can make to Lebanon. With the Muslims, especially the Shiites, starting more schools, hospitals and other social projects in Lebanon, he said, Christians can no longer claim to be the exclusive provider of those services. Increasingly, he said, students are focusing on Catholic social teaching and the Church’s peace agenda as important values to share with the rest of their country, especially in battling corruption.

A statue of Mary is seen in a breezeway at Notre Dame University in Louaize, Lebanon. The English-language university, founded in 1987 by the Maronite Order of the Holy Virgin Mary, has about 6 000 students. (Photo: Nancy Wiechec, CNS) “Today, Christians [in Lebanon] have been reduced to an ethnic group, not a witnessing Church,” he said. “The entire field of ethics in government and business is being left wide open” and, he hopes, Notre Dame students will bring their faith to bear on those fields. Clovis Karam, an anthropology professor, said: “Students are tired of the idea that we [Lebanese Christians] are martyrs. They prefer we talk about being witnesses for love and truth. The young would like to live as free people, not die here. That’s why they leave.”—CNS

Christian parents struggle to raise children

HE narrow lanes between the concrete block houses in the Dbayeh Refugee Camp are called Street No 1, Street No 2, Street No 3 and Street No 4. The “Study Station” where the Palestinian refugee camp’s 350 children get after-school help with English, French, Arabic and math is located on Street No 1. The tiny library where the children congregate in the evening and attend “Sunday school” (on Tuesdays) is on Street No 2, not far from a tiny grocery store. Dbayeh is the only all-Christian Palestinian refugee camp remaining in Lebanon. Although the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees officially lists the camp’s population at 4 000 people, camp leaders said there probably are only about 2 000 there today. Most of the others are living abroad. The school at the 85m² camp was heavily damaged during the 1975-1990 Lebanese civil war and never reopened. Although most of the children and more than half of the people registered as living in the camp were born in Lebanon, they are not Lebanese citizens. Elias Habib, 41, grew up in the camp, which opened in 1956. He is the Dbayeh director of the Joint

Christian Committee, an ecumenical organisation that works to improve life in the camps, primarily through educational projects. The committee runs the after-school programme and the library at Dbayeh. He said the 400 000 Palestinian refugees registered in Lebanon were not granted work permits until recently and even now they face serious restrictions in the types of work they can get. They are not allowed to own property in Lebanon. “Working for the JCC and living here wasn’t a choice. I have no right to buy a house somewhere else and I can’t get a job somewhere else, so I’m here trying to improve conditions,” he said during a visit sponsored by the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, which funds projects at Dbayeh. “Usually, no one is born a refugee,” he said, because refugees are people forced to flee their homeland. But generations of Palestinians born to those who originally fled their homes immediately before and after Israeli statehood in 1948 are still considered refugees. “If you are born in a country, you should be a citizen of that country,” Mr Habib said. “But in Lebanon, if you are born a refugee, your children are born refugees and

Mgr Andrew Borello, Joan Armstrong and the Staff of the Centre for Pastoral Development wish the priests, deacons, consecrated persons and all the lay faithful in the Archdiocese of Cape Town the peace, joy and love of Jesus as they celebrate Christmas.

even if your son marries a Lebanese, he’s still a refugee.” Paul Damouni, who also works for the JCC, is proud to be a Palestinian but said, “I’d take Lebanese citizenship for one reason: because

I’d have rights.” No one is starving at Dbayeh, he said, but the lack of work means parents cannot afford to send their children to good schools. That means that even if they could get scholarships, they

wouldn’t get into good universities. The lack of a university degree seriously impairs their ability to get a good job—if and when Lebanese law is amended to give Palestinians full access to the job market.—CNS

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

PERSONALITY

Jesuit: Church teachings like traffic lights S

OFTLY spoken and pleasantly engaging, yet remarkably agile and energetic for his more than three-quarters of a century, Fr Al Winshman SJ from the Marian Renewal Ministry in Boston said his mission work is fulfilling the calls by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict to reevangelise Catholics through devotion to Mary. Last month Fr Winshman visited South Africa at the invitation of Fr Joseph Leathem OMI of St Thérèse parish in Edenvale, Johannesburg. His “mini-mission”, running from Sunday to Wednesday, covered topics such as “Faith and Prayer”, “Prayer and Fasting”, “Penance and Conversion”, and “The Eucharist and Life”. Fr Winshman shares the qualities that come with age—wisdom, experience and knowledge—in his preaching and in one-on-one encounters. He joined the Jesuits as an 18year-old in 1952, and consecrated his life to Jesus through Mary. He has been leading parish missions, retreats and Eucharistic healing evenings in parishes from Canada to Egypt since 1988. This was his first trip to South Africa.

In his younger days, Fr Winshman spent many years studying and lecturing in chemistry and physics. “When I reached ‘Grade 31’,” he joked with the congregation, “I asked myself if it was necessary to have all these academic qualifications—accolades seemingly essential for an impressive CV—when in fact my best credential is that I am an ordained Jesuit priest.” Born in Massachusetts in 1934, Fr Winshman is the eldest of five children. His mother was a devout Catholic and his father converted to Catholicism before the couple married. “It was thanks to this upbringing, growing up in a family of faith, praying the rosary and joining my mother for daily Mass, that I received my religious vocation when I was only seven years old,” Fr Winshman recalled. “I clearly remember the day when I told my mother as we left morning Mass at St Mary’s church in Dedham that I was going to be a priest. As a youngster I became involved with the Church in every way I could. I especially enjoyed being an altar boy, and our parish priest sometimes gave me extra privileges,

The Franciscan Friars Development Office At this time we would like to thank all our benefactors, sponsors and Franciscan Friends, for their generosity in supporting our Mission Work here in South Africa.

With thanks on behalf of the Franciscans Friars in South Africa

ments of the holy Eucharist, forgiveness and reconciliation and living our lives by God’s law, the Ten Commandments. Mass, he said, is not merely a “filling up”, as many Catholics like to call it, but rather a milestone to “moving forward” in the faith. Is weekly Mass enough, he asked, or should we use every opportunity we have to go to daily Mass? “As a priest, it is a privilege to make Jesus present and to bring him to his people at the consecration. The Eucharist is the bread of life, as essential to our spiritual needs as daily bread is to our physical needs,” Fr Winshman said.

I Jesuit Father Al Winshman

such as serving at all three of the Christmas Day Masses.” In a quiet, resolute way Fr Winshman preaches the sacra-

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A CHRISTMAS PRAYER

directors, the staﬀ of e Southern Cross, and all the privileged readers of this publication a grace-ﬁlled, blessed & glorious celebration of this Holy Season and a highly successful New Year

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prayerfully wishes the editor,

n many ways, Fr Winshman’s years of theological and academic studies have been useful in his ministry to encourage Catholics to apply the Ten Commandments. Rather than “rules” written long before our time, Fr Winshman presents them, one by one, as relevant to life today. He does not see Catholicism as a burden of rules and rituals. Instead he finds opportunities to grow closer to God through faith

and with the help of Mary. “Take stop-lights [traffic lights] as an example,” he said. “They’re there for our safety—not to frustrate us. When unexpected events happen in my life, I think of them as ‘Godinstances’, not coincidences. These challenges could annoy and frustrate me, but I use them as opportunities from God instead, to do, think or say something positive—especially if I can help another person in some small way.” Fr Winshman emphasises that God is forever forgiving, and at the sacrament of reconciliation our sins are forgiven when the priest absolves us after a sincere confession and says: “Sin no more.” There is no need to carry the burden of guilt and regret into our daily lives. One is free to enjoy holy Mass with a clear conscience in joy and thanksgiving to God, “from whom all good things come”. Fr Winshman also visited Rosebank, Primrose, Benoni, Maryvale and Houghton parishes in Johannesburg. ■ More information about Fr Al Winshman and his Marian Renewal Ministry can be found at www.mar ianrenewal.com

O GOD OUR LOVING FATHER HELP US TO RIGHTLY REMEMBER THE BIRTH OF JESUS THAT WE MAY SHARE IN THE SONG OF THE ANGELS, THE GLADNESS OF THE SHEPHERDS AND THE WORSHIP OF THE THREE WISE MEN CLOSE THE DOOR OF HATE AND OPEN THE DOOR OF LOVE ALL OVER THE WORLD DELIVER US FROM EVIL BY THE BLESSING THAT CHRIST BRINGS, AND TEACH US TO BE MERRY WITH CLEAR HEARTS. MAY THE CHRISTMAS MORNING MAKE US HAPPY TO BE THY CHILDREN AND THE CHRISTMAS EVENING BRING US TO OUR BEDS WITH GRATEFUL THOUGHTS FORGIVING AND FORGIVEN FOR JESUS’S SAKE.

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The Franciscans and the Staff of La Verna would like to take this opportunity to thank all who supported us so generously throughout the past year. We wish you all a very Happy and Joyful Christmas filled with the blessings of our founder Father Francis. Looking forward to seeing you all next year again.

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CHURCH

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

Treasures of the Vatican Library By SARAH DELANEy

TATE-of-the-art technology and the latest in multimedia presentation techniques reveal some of the centuries-old treasures housed in the “pope’s library” in a new exhibit at the Vatican. The show’s blend of antique and supermodern aims to give a glimpse of the vast and varied collection of books, manuscripts and prints that line the Vatican Library’s about 50km of shelves.

A reproduction of a 19th-century book containing African-language translations of Pope Pius IX’s proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

Starting last month and running until January 31, the exhibit “Know the Vatican Library: A Story Open to the Future” offers a virtual glimpse of the papal library that is off-limits to all but the most highly qualified scholars from around the world. The show, held in the Braccio Carlo Magno next to St Peter’s Square, is part of the celebration marking the end of a three-year restoration of the papal library, created in the 15th century by Pope Nicholas V. The exhibit was conceived “to allow all those who don’t have the privilege to enter” to get to know the library, said the Vatican archivist, Cardinal Raffaele Farina. At a news conference at the Vatican he also said the show would illustrate how the Vatican Library “is the patrimony of all humanity”. Cardinal Farina said Pope Benedict is expected to view the exhibit on December 18. Visitors walk in to a recreation of the frescoed Sistino hall, where they can see in video images on the walls how monks of centuries past toiled at their desks as they wrote their manuscripts and illuminated them with exquisite drawings. Visitors can don white gloves and take their turn at turning the pages of high-quality reproductions of the medieval-

A copy of the Borgianus Latinus, right, a missal for Christmas made for Pope Alexander VI, is displayed in a new exhibit on the Vatican Library at the Vatican. The exhibit gives visitors a glimpse of the Vatican Library, which is usually open only to qualified scholars. (Photos:Paul Haring, CNS) and Renaissance-era volumes. Another room shows a selection of the manuscripts kept in the

Sincerely wishing all the poor missions of South Africa and their courageous pastors a peaceful, deeply joyful and fruitful Christmas season, with many special graces from above. father Ralph de Hahn

Visitors, holidays and the warm summer sun Nazareth in PE greets EVERYONE. Advent, Christmas and much good cheer. To our big family, at this time of year, So many friends, you come to mind, Gave generously of every kind, To our frail and old, showed love and cared And quality time with them they shared Such people like you are valued today So we express ThANkS in a very big way: For all you gave and all that you did do Happy Christmas and New Year and God bless You!

library, most of them reproductions of the invaluable originals. They include a Book of the Hours in Latin from 1500, Greek Bibles in parchment rolls and a book by the 14th-century Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio. Original prints and engravings of maps and landscapes of Rome from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries are followed by original volumes of printed texts by Galileo, Petrarch, Ludovico Ariosto and Voltaire. An original 15th-century print by German artist Albrecht Dürer can be found with original drawings for the altar at Rome’s basilica of St John Lateran by Baroque architect Francesco Borromeo. The Vatican Library’s rich collection of coins and medallions is represented by original pieces and a video explaining the evolution of coinage. An eight-minute video describes the history of the library and offers a glimpse of the building, its study halls and endless shelving and describes the contents: some 80 000 manuscripts, nearly 1,6

A reproduction of music in a hymnal from the 1500s. million books, approximately 8 400 incunabula (early prints) and an important coin and medallion collection of 300 000 pieces. It also explains how in such a vast network, a misplaced book can be lost forever. Now, each book can be identified and found through a system using radio frequencies. Entrance to the exhibit costs €5 and reservations can be made through the website www.vaticanlibrary.va—CNS

A reproduction of a book from the early 9th century.

Paintings of cardinal librarians through the ages.

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

COMMUNITY

Fifteen learners proudly show off their certificates after completing a nine-month Level 2 Mixed Farming learnership at the Pax Skills Development Centre in the Capricorn District of Limpopo. Pictured are (back) Malose Ledwaba, Jim Kale, Petrus Madiba, James Ledwaba, Meisie Mphela, Johannes Nkoana, Gloria Matli, (middle) Br Douglas Robertson, Jackinha Ramoroka, Maria Kale, Germina Teffo, Jennifer Maleka, Rosina Maake, H Kgole, Rina Langenhoven, (front) Anna Sethosa, Nkibe Chokoe, Sonti Matlala, Sara Mokome and Lucky Sekele.

Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town, Fr John Bartmann and Deacon Alan Peterson with youths of St Paul's church in Somerset West after their Confirmation. (Submitted by Karen BufĂŠ)

Six children of Mother of Mercy church in Saldanha, West Coast, celebrate their First Communion. Pictured with them are Fr Jude Amatu and catechist Bev Gregory.

Nottingham Road in the Natal Midlands is a small farming community. About 16 children from different schools in the Midlands recently completed their first year of catechism in the area. The community is slowly increasing and there is now a request for Mass in the area. There are also plans to form a Catholic prayer group. Anyone living in Nottingham Road and surrounding areas interested in finding out more can contact Sam McDonald at sammc@telkomsa.net or 072 605 9909.

COMMUNITY

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

The Empangeni Catholic Women’s League entertained senior citizens at a Christmas party with a Christmas skit. Pictured are members Stella Lamarque playing the cow, and Bunny Hall as the donkey.

Robyn-Leigh Katz, Maria February, Caitlin Smithsdorff, Selena Perreira and Storm Trout are pictured with Fr Canice Dooley SDB and teacher Shaunene Edwards after their First Holy Communion at the Chapel of Ease in Ottery, Cape Town. (Submitted by zelda van der Holst)

Sacred Heart Sodality enjoys their annual concert at Rabasotho Hall. The concert was hosted by St Matthew’s parish in Thembisa. (Submitted by Gertrude Serage)

Committee members of the Catholic Chinese Welfare Association with Fr Ron Houreld OMI at a Christmas function and Mass for the residents of Hong Ning Aged Home in Johannesburg. (Submitted by Lily Loo)

IN FOCUS

Edited by Nadine Christians Send photographs, with sender’s name and address on the back, and a SASE to: The Southern Cross, Community Pics, Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000 or email them to: pics@scross.co.za

Ursuline Sisters of the Roman Union wish all their families, friends and benefactors God’s richest blessings during this Christmas season

The Cabra Dominican Sisters send their prayers and greetings to all their friends and colleagues May the Peace and Joy brought by the Christ Child be with you this Christmas, and always

The Missionary Sisters of the Assumption wish all their co-workers, friends and benefactors peace and joy at Christmas and blessings in the New Year.

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PILGRIMAGE

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

Mount of Olives: Where Jesus prayed and wept O UR group left Bethlehem, where Jesus entered this world, and began our first day in Jerusalem at the place where he reputedly departed from it. Catholics commemorate the ascension in a small mosque on top of the Mount of Olives, which contains a rock with the imprint of what looks like a left foot, the existence of which was documented as early as the 4th century. The other footprint was taken by Muslims; some say to the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. The little octagonal mosque sits in the courtyard surrounded by the remaining walls of a Crusader basilica, which had been built over a succession of earlier churches. After Saladin beat the Crusaders in 1187, the basilica was at least partly demolished, with its exterior walls preserved, presumably as a fortification. Muslims regard Jesus as a

Günther Simmermacher

The Pilgrim’s Trek

prophet and share our belief in the ascension, so they converted a chapel within the church to a mosque. They never used it because so many Christians came to venerate there, as they would through the centuries, and instead built a mosque next door. As we moved out of the complex, two of the countless traders who make their living selling postcards, bookmarks and batteries on the Mount of Olives came to blows, apparently over a territorial dispute. By the universal standards of brawls, this one was handbagsat-dawn stuff, but it reminded our group of 45 pilgrims that our tour of holy sites was set very much in the real world.

Pilgrims pray at the rock on which Jesus reputely suffered his agony before being arrested, in Jerusalem’s church of All Nations.

People live here, and have done so for thousands of years, surrounded by the ancient and the modern, the holy and the sinful. Like people everywhere, they’ve been shoving each other for millennia. On the Mount of Olives and in the Old City, these residents are mostly Palestinians (though Israel is now building illegal settlements in East Jerusalem), both Muslims and Christians. One Mount of Olives dweller I had seen on all of my previous five visits was an old, blind beggar whose regular position was outside the gates of Paternoster church, just around the corner from the mosque of the Ascension. To my alarm, he was not there on my return in September. His presence among the irritating traders and pick-pockets was a reminder of human vulnerability and humility.

aternoster church is where Jesus reputedly taught the disciples the Our Father. The church and its large courtyards are covered with ceramic plaques reciting the Lord’s Prayer in hundreds of different languages, including Aramaic. Some our region’s languages are also represented: Afrikaans (donated by Protestants), Ndebele, Sotho, Swazi, Xhosa and Zulu. The church, run by French Carmelite nuns, was built in the 19th century, before the discovery of a cave in which Our Lord and his disciples might have met. The first church built on the spot in about 330 commemorated not the Our Father, but the ascension. There is, however, a long tradition associating it with the Lord’s Prayer. If, as seems plausible, this was one of Jesus’ regular meeting places on the Mount of Olives, then both events might well have taken place there. Or neither, since Scripture has Jesus ascending near Bethany, 2km away from the Mount of Olives, and locates his teaching of the Lord’s Prayer in Galilee (Mt 6:515). Luke, however, places it on the route from Jericho to

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A local resident navigates his donkey on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. (Photos: Günther Simmermacher) Jerusalem (11:1-4), “in a certain place”, a description that suggests some importance. The JerusalemJericho road leads along the western foot of the Mount of Olives, from where it is a short walk to the cave at Paternoster church. So that might well be the “certain place”. As always on a pilgrimage, the where is much less important than the what. As pilgrims descend the mount further, they arrive at the church of Dominus Flevit, where Jesus correctly predicted the destruction of Jerusalem—which would happen just four decades later—and shed tears for it (the church’s name means “The Lord wept”). The beautiful church, completed by the great Antonio Barluzzi in 1955 and shaped like a teardrop, may mark the spot of our Lord’s tears, but another tradition places that story at the cave at Paternoster church—“a certain place”. At the foot of the Mount of Olives is the Garden of Gethsemane, which in Jesus’ time was a massive olive grove. Gethsemane itself means oil press. The olive groves are long gone (as part of their destruction of Jerusalem, the Romans cut them down), but a few ancient olive trees stand outside the church of All Nations. Nobody knows how old they are, but, given that olive

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trees regenerate themselves when cut down, they are almost certainly descendants from those trees that stood here when Jesus was arrested. Scientists once determined that the roots of the trees are about 2 300 years old. The adjacent church of All Nations—Barluzzi’s masterpiece bears that name on account of the international funding that facilitated its construction—is the third church on the site to mark the place of Jesus’ anguish before the arrest. The reputed rock on which he prayed is in front of the altar, with a low metal crown of thorns (presented by Australia) serving as an altar rail. The windows filter only a little light, so the church is dark, recalling the nocturnal character of our Lord’s agony. It is here that we encounter the Son of God at his most vulnerable, at his most human. It is a deeply affecting place at which many pilgrims connect with their own torments and fears, especially those who are privileged to have Mass here, as our group did. Not surprisingly, our bidding prayers focused on various sufferings, some of them intensely personal. May their prayers be heard. n This is the eighth part in Günther Simmermacher’s series on The Southern Cross’ Passion Pilgrimage in September.

Catholic Counselling Service Suzanne Duncan, a Schoenstatt sister, is offering a Catholic Counselling Service for individuals, couples and families. She works flexi-hours and is registered with medical schemes. Villa Maria 1 Kloof Nek Road Tamboerskloof 082 581 2890 duncan.suzanne1@gmail.com

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The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

Brian Sharkey

a reprimand from his visitor. Brian replied that it was permissible to use pages from the bible as cigarette paper, provided he read the page before using it for that purpose. Brian Sharkey was born on February 3, 1947 in England to an Irish mother and Scottish father, a professional football player. He emigrated to South Africa in 1975 where he met and a year later married his wife Val. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in March this year. In the words of his parish priest, Fr Stan Botha, he bore his illness with “class”. In her eulogy at Brian’s funeral Mass in Milnerton, celebrated by Fr Botha, family friend Kelly Westerman recalled that in mid-November an ambulance was called because Brian struggled to breathe. “While relative chaos was unfolding around him, Brian sat patiently in his chair and waited for the ambulance to arrive. When it arrived, Brian struggled to his feet, shook each paramedic’s hand and introduced himself to them. He was taken to hospital with his hair neatly combed, wearing smart parts and perfectly polished black shoes.” On his way out, he asked his wife to hand him his missal. Brian Sharkey is survived by his wife Val and 94-year-old mother in Birmingham, England. Günther Simmermacher

ITH the death on November 25 of fundraiser and activist Brian Sharkey, 63, the Church in Cape Town lost a true Catholic gentleman. As a long-time director of Milnerton/Brooklyn parish’s Catholiccare outreach programme, Brian used his many contacts in the horse racing and sports fraternity to raise funds, in particular through “horse auction” events in January and July—an appropriate choice of event, as Brian was a successful horse breeder and racer. Much of the fundraising benefited the HIV/Aids organisation HOPE Cape Town, with whom the parish has a partnership. The hundreds of thousands of rand Brian raised have sustained HOPE’s clinic in Mfuleni, which Milnerton/Brooklyn parish adopted. The night before his death of cancer, Brian was still discussing parcels of sweets for the children in Mfuleni.

A man of quiet authority who led by example, it was difficult to deny him a favour. He would readily repay such favours by sharing from his stock of exquisite whiskey. The enthusiastic golfer served his Church in many visible ways— as head of its Men’s Society, catechist, Eucharistic minister, parish pastoral council member and so on—and perhaps even more so behind the scenes. Brian lived out Cardinal Cardjin’s motto “see, judge, act”. Sadly, his great efforts in helping others were not always fully appreciated by all recipients. Brian’s ministries included prison visitations at Goodwood jail, where he counselled inmates and also distributed bibles. One day an inmate confessed that he was using the pages of his bible DECEMBER—THE PRIZE, A GIFT for cigarette Dec 24 Christmas Eve. We hope that all is prepaper, expecting pared and ready for our celebrations. For Mary and Joseph their preparations went badly wrong and in desperation they had to settle for a very humble way to bring Jesus into the world. Families should not forget this as the true spirit of Christmas. Dec 25 Christmas Day. A Saviour is Born for Us, To place your event, call Claire Allen at 021 465 5007 truly a gift from God’s generosity and not one that or e-mail c.allen@scross.co.za (publication subject to space) we deserved. Celebrate as a family.

Family Reflections

Community Calendar

Liturgical Calendar Sun, Dec 19, 4th Sunday of Advent: Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-6; Rom 1:1-7; Mt 1:18-24 Mon, Dec 20, Bl Scubilion Is 7:10-14; Ps 24:1-6; Lk 1:26-38 Tues, Dec 21,St Peter Canisius Song of Solomon 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18; Ps 33:2-3, 1112, 20-21; Lk 1:39-45 Wed, Dec 22, feria 1 Sam 1:24-28; 1 Sam 2:1, 4-8; Lk 1:46-56 Thurs,Dec 23, St John of Kanty Mal 3:1-4, 23-24; Ps 25:4-5, 8-10, 14; Lk 1:57-66 Fri,Dec 24, feria 2 Sam 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16; Ps 89:2-5, 27, 29; Lk 1:6779. Evening Vigil:Is 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5, 16-17,27,29; Acts 13:16-17,22-25; Mt1:1-25 Sat,Dec 25, Nativity of the Lord Midnight: Is 9:1-6; Ps 96:1-3,11-13; Tit 2:11-14; Lk 2:1-14. Dawn: Is 62:11-12; Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12; Tit 3:47; Lk 2:15-20. Day: Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1-6; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14 Sun, Dec 26, Holy Family Sir 3:2-7, 12-14; Ps 128:1-5; Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17; Mt 2:13-15, 19-23

BETHLEHEM: Shrine of Our Lady of Bethlehem at Tsheseng, Maluti mountains; Thursdays 09:30, Mass, then exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. 058 721 0532

DuRBAN: St Anthony’s: Tuesday 9.00am Mass with novena to St Anthony. First Friday 5.30pm Mass–Divine Mercy novena prayers. Tel: 031 3093496

CAPE TOWN: Holy Hour to pray for priests of the diocese, 2nd Saturday monthly at Villa Maria shrine Kloof Nek Rd 16:00-17:00. Adoration Chapel, Corpus Christi Church, Wynberg: Mon-Thurs 6am to 12pm; Fri-Sun 6am to 8pm. Adorers welcome 021-761 3337 St Pio Holy Hour. at 15:30 at Holy Redeemer, Bergvliet.

ST fRANCIS BAY: Saints and sinners charity golf challenge, 18th December 2010, St Francis Bay Golf Course, Fund raising event for building a Church in Catholic Humansdorp. To support this day as a sponsor, with prizes or donations please. Contact Mike: 082 320 4633 PRETORIA: first Saturday: Devotion to Divine Mercy. St Martin de Porres, Sunnyside, 16:30. Tel Shirley-Anne 012 361 4545.

good Shepherd, Bothasig. Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in our chapel. All hours. All welcome.

Announcing a one-day seminar to celebrate

400 Years of the Bible in English on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the publication of the Authorised Version of the Bible Friday 25 March 2011, 0900-1600 Venue: St Augustine College, Victory Park, Johannesburg Themes include: Challenges in translation Social and political uses for different translations The Bible and English language and literature Speakers include: Mr Masenyani Baloyi Dr Maria Frahm-Arp Dr Anthony Egan SJ Jointly sponsored by the Bible Society of South Africa, Catholic Bible College and St Augustine College of South Africa

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CLASSIfIEDS Births • First Communion • Confirmation • Engagement/Marriage • Wedding anniversary • Ordination jubilee • Congratulations • Deaths • In memoriam • Thanks • Prayers • Accommodation • Holiday Accommodation • Personal • Services • Employment • Property • Others Please include payment (R1,15c a word) with small advertisements for promptest publication.

CHRISTMAS gREETINgS CHRISTMAS Blessings and greetings to Fr Sean Collins and Fr Anthony Pathe and Sr Miriam. With lots of love from Maureen Mayes. Hoedspruit, Limpopo. DA SILVA—Mary wishes family, friends, Prayer Group Bellville, the Legion of Mary, the Congregation of St Frances Namaqualand, Koelenhof and the staff of The Southern Cross a Blessed Christmas and good wishes for 2011. God bless you all. LENDERS—Brian, Jean and Laura wish all relatives, friends, priests, and religious and Mary Immaculate Queen Enthronees all the joy and love of this Blessed Christmastide. May the Christ Child and the Holy Family surround you and your loved ones with serene peace and happiness. THANK you all so much for a wonderful Catholic newspaper. It's my weekly fix! you all work so hard and bless you for that. Happy Christmas to all the staff at The Southern Cross. Maureen Mayes. YAZBEK—Mark and Juliana wish family, friends and benefactors a happy and restful Christmas and a prosperous and peaceful New year.

IN MEMORIAM ACCOM—Linnet Mavis. In loving memory of our sister who passed away on December 24, 2007. Rest in peace, Brian Jean and Laura. ACCOM—Ruby Mavis. In loving memory of our beloved mother on this ninth anniversary of her passing on Christmas Day, 2001. May you join the heavenly choirs of angels and share in the rich inheritance promised by our glorious Lord. May Our Blessed Lady shield you under her mantle and may the Holy Family surround you with eternal joy and peace. Brian Jean and Laura. BENTO—Mario. December 24, 2000. I loved you when I met you, I loved you when you died. I will love you still, even more the day I’m again by your side. Still deeply missed and forever in my daily prayers and thoughts. your wife yvonne. MARQuES—Elisa. Born 7/10/45, she passed away 15/12/2000. In loving memory of our dear wife, mother and grandmother. Ten years have passed but we shall always cherish your cheerful smile, your heart of gold and the great example you set. RIP. Forever deeply missed by your husband, children and grandchildren. MIDDLETON—Cheryl (née Cullen)—you left us on Christmas Day 2004, 6 years ago. you are in our memories, in our lives still—we miss you forever. We know you are with Our Lord, and that we shall join you one joyous day. In the meanwhile, our darling daughter, we ask that you pray for us. Love, Mom and Dad.

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PRAYERS Holy St Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke you, special patron in time of need. To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you to come to my urgent need and grant my petitions. In return I promise to make your name known and publish this prayer. Amen. With grateful thanks for prayers answered by The Holy Spirit, Mother Mary, St Jude and St Therese'. David and Felicity Borland HOLY St Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke you, special patron in time of need. To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you to come to my assistance. Help me now in my urgent need and grant my petitions. In return I promise to make your name known and publish this prayer. Amen. Thank you for prayers answered. DC. PRAYER in Preparation for Examination: “O Great St Joseph of Cupertino, who by your prayers, obtained from God the grace of being asked at your examination the only questions which you knew. Obtain for me a like success in the examination for which I am now preparing, and in return I promise to make your name known and caused to be invoked in prayers. Amen. My Blessed Mother, bring to my mind the unknown and forgotten. O Little Flower, in this hour show me your power.” DC.

ful en-suite rooms available at reasonable rates. Magnificent views, breakfast on request. Tel: 082 774 7140. E-mail: bzhive@telkomsa.net KNYSNA: Self-catering garden apartment for two in Old Belvidere with wonderful lagoon views. Tel: 044 387 1052. KOLBE HOuSE is the Catholic Centre and residence for the University of Cape Town. Beautiful estate in Rondebosch near the university. From mid November, December and January, the students’ rooms are available for holiday guests. We offer self-catering accommodation, parking in secure premises. Short walks to shops, transport etc. Contact Jock 021 685 7370, fax 021 686 2342 or 082 308 0080 or kolbe.house @telkomsa.net LONDON: Single £25, twin £40 per night. house protea@hotmail.com, 021 851 5200. MARIANELLA Guest House, Simon’s Town: “Come experience the peace and beauty of God with us.” Fully equipped with amazing sea views. Secure parking, ideal for rest and relaxation. Special rates for pensioners and clergy. Tel: Malcolm Salida 082 784 5675 or mjsalida@mweb.co.za MONTAgu: Self-catering family accommodation. Views, braai, 3 beds , sleeps 5-7. Central and secure. Phone 074 190 5634. gailellis@telkom sa.net SOuTH COAST: 3 bedroom house, Marine Drive, Uvongo Tel: Donald 031 465 5651, 073 989 1074. STELLENBOSCH: Five simple private suites (2 beds, fridge, micro-wave). Countryside vineyard/forest/mountain walks; beach 20 minute drive. Affordable. Christian Brothers Tel: 021 880 0242 / cbc_stel@mweb.co.za SOuTH COAST: 3 bedroom house, Marine Drive, Uvongo Tel: Donald 031465 5651, 073 989 1074. uMHLANgA ROCKS: Fully equipped self-catering 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house, sleeps 6, sea view, 200 metres from beach, DStv. Tel: HolidayDivision, 031 5615838, holidays@lighthouse.co.za

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION CAPE TOWN: Ambler’s Res–holiday or business accommodation in the heart of the Constantia winelands. Fully equipped self-catering open plan unit with secure parking (sleeps 2). R250pp per night sharing. Contact Barbara 021 712 6177 or 082 407 0856 ww.capes tay.co.za/amblersrest CAPE WEST COAST yzerfontein: Emmaus on Sea B&B and self-catering. Holy Mass celebrated every Sunday at 6pm. Tel: 022 451 2650. fISH HOEK: Self-catering accommodation, sleeps 4. Secure parking. Tel: 021 785 1247. fISH HOEK: Self-catering holiday accommodation from budget to luxury. Pensioners rate. Tel/fax:021 782 3647, alisona@xsinet.co.za gORDON’S BAY: Beauti-

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Feast of the Holy Family (Dec 26) Readings: Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14 Psalm 128:1-5, Colossians 3:12-21 Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

EXT Sunday, as always on the first Sunday after Christmas, is the feast of the Holy Family; it is perhaps the Church’s attempt to mend any breaches in our families that may have occurred during the celebration. It is an interesting take on the family that the readings for next Sunday provide. The first reading is from ben Sira’, and emphasises the privileged place that God gives to parents, “He has glorified a father over and above his children, and confirmed a mother’s judgment over her son. Honouring your father means atonement for your sins.” The author, who always gives the impression of having seen everything, adds the rider that such respect will pay off in the next generation “honour your father and you’ll be celebrated by your children”. The author is also aware of potential difficulties, very familiar to us today: “Look after your father in his old age...if he loses his mind, be compassionate.” The psalm for next Sunday paints a beautiful picture of family life; but it starts, as all our family living must start, with God, “Happy

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Family living starts with God Nicholas King SJ Sunday Reflections

are all those who fear the Lord”. Get that right and your wife will be “like a vine that bears fruit in your home, your children like olive-shoots round your table”. The reader may pause to wonder how pleased either spouse or offspring might be by this comparison, but they are clearly understood as A Good Thing. The psalm then concludes with a blessing “from Zion: May you see Jerusalem’s prosperity, all the days of your life.” The sense here is very much that if you get families right then society is likely to follow. You may feel that there is evidence for this point of view in this country today. The second reading for the feast is a notorious passage; those who read it carelessly have been inclined to see in it a justification for men to exploit women, for parents to

abuse their children, and for slave-owners to maltreat their slaves. Look carefully, however, and you will see that it is a far more subversive passage than it may appear at first sight. The heart of the matter is what the Colossian Christians are to wear: “Put on...instinctive compassion, kindness [this word would have sounded like Christ-likeness to those who heard the letter]¸ humility, gentleness, patience, putting up with each other, and letting each other off, if anyone has grounds for complaint”. There is no room here for exploitative relationships. Finally, the top item of clothing is to be “love, which is what links perfection together”. There is more: “Let the peace of Christ referee in your hearts...be grateful. Let Christ’s word live richly in you.” Only then does the author descend to precision about the interaction of wives, husbands, children, and parents. If they have been reading carefully, there is no room here for abusive power-plays. Finally the g o sp el speaks to us of the slightly unusual family which the feast celebrates: A reluctant step-father, a single mother, and a child who is said to be the culmina-

tion of Jewish history. This makes it all the odder that when Joseph has his dream, and a message from the angel of the Lord, his instructions are to “flee to Egypt”, and, what is more, Joseph does this “by night”. We are sadly ignorant of the Bible, and so we do not immediately get the point, but what is going on here is a reverse of the Exodus: Egypt is a place that you should flee from, and not to. A second angelic dream, after the unlamented death of Herod, restores them to the Holy Land, and even uses the phrase, “entered the land”, which for Jewish readers would immediately have signified Joshua and the People of God coming in from the Eastern desert. They get to Nazareth, but notice what is most attention-catching about this family, that they are under threat, and people are trying to kill the child. At the end of the story, of course, they are going to succeed in their murderous plans; but the whole point of the story is that God is in charge, and so the family will not be ultimately destroyed, but restored. May that blessing come upon all your families at this Christmas season.

Put Christmas back into the world

OLLOWING years of paranoid political correctness by countries and companies falling over themselves to not offend non-Christians at Christmas-time, sanity has prevailed quite spectacularly in both Britain and the United States, where Mother Grundies have been increasingly active. According to England’s Daily Express, a few weeks ago, municipalities in Britain were “ordered to celebrate Christmas in the traditional way—instead of being afraid of causing offence to non-Christians”. The newspaper reported that “in a major victory for common-sense, local government secretary Eric Pickles said local authorities should not introduce politically correct versions such as ‘Winterval’”. Mr Pickles urged councils to take pride in Britain’s Christian heritage by celebrating the nativity and all the traditions around it. He signalled an end to the practice of councils denigrating Christmas in what has been described as a wave of “Christianophobia”. “Britain has much to enjoy at Christmas without abandoning its Christianity in a ‘misguided attempt to appease these politically correct grinches’,” the Daily Express said. His message followed controversial festive celebrations that have ditched or sidelined the Christmas theme. Birmingham’s annual Winterval festival was designed to appeal to all cultures, while Lambeth council in London sparked fury when it ordered its Christmas lights to be called “winter” or even “celebrity” lights

Chris Moerdyk The Last Word to avoid upsetting other faiths.According to the Express report, Rochdale council provoked anger this year after it decided to celebrate Eid and Diwali alongside Christmas in a display of lights. Although the Muslim and Hindu festivals had already passed, the lights, they said, were being kept up to “represent the community”. John Midgely, founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, welcomed Mr Pickles’s message: “What a breath of fresh air from the minister, taking on all those who have been pushing political correctness over the years,” he said. “It is absolutely right in our country that Christmas should be celebrated and it does not cause offence to other religions. This is a strong message for the dull bureaucrats who have tried to undermine our traditions.” Said Mr Pickles: “The war on Christmas is over, and the likes of Winterval, Winter Lights and Luminous deserve to be in the dustbin of history. We live in tough financial times, but there’s no need for town halls to play scrooge.” And, of course, there is a commercial motivation as well: “It is in councils’ financial interests to draw in shoppers to town centres, given the benefits of packed car

Conrad

While shepherds wash their socks by night...,

parks to councils’ coffers. Shoppers want to see Christmas lights, Christmas trees, carol services and nativity scenes.” Earlier this year, Pope Benedict and the Anglican archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, both expressed fears that Christianity was being wiped out from public life in the name of equality. Archbishop Sentamu said the ban on mentioning Christmas was part of a drive to censor Christianity. During his visit to Britain in September, Pope Benedict also made an impassioned plea for the country to return to its Christian values and condemned the “politically correct brigade” who dismiss Christmas. Good on Mr Pickles, I say. It’s about time someone read the riot act to those infuriating officers of politically correctness. Across the Atlantic, in the United States, there been a quite spectacular event that has celebrated Christianity and the Christmas spirit. At precisely noon at Macy’s department store in Philadelphia a few weeks ago, 600 choristers randomly dotted about the building, suddenly burst into song with a quite magnificent rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus, in an event that played on the new flash-mob phenomenon. The Opera Company of Philadelphia was instrumental in creating this event as part of the Knight Foundation’s “1 000 Random Acts of Culture” which they’ll be doing over the next three years across the country. The singers were accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ, the world’s largest pipe organ. You can view this remarkable outpouring of song on the internet at http://bit.ly/eNFPbP Political correctness, in my opinion, is not just a threat to one religion but to all. It is put into a nutshell by columnist Don DiCesare of The Western Star newspaper in the US: “How absurd that we should fight over who has the greatest God. But this is what intolerance does and the advocates of this political correctness nonsense, rather than diminish intolerance, inadvertently help to create it. “We should all live life, celebrate it and the diversity of culture and religion, in a nation that tolerates them all, and where all religions learn to tolerate each other.” If all religions are somehow correct and they all really worship the one and same God, then the diversity shouldn’t matter. Let’s forget this meaningless ‘holidays’ stuff and use the words that truly describe the season, whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan or whatever faith we believe in. Merry Christmas all.” I second that. Let’s not only put Christ back into Christmas, but Christmas back into the world. May your celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord be joyful and blessed.

Southern Crossword #423

ACROSS 3. Cake for the papal guard? (5,4) 8. St Peter holds them from Jesus (4) 9. Persecution around the coven? (5,4) 10. Portable computer (6) 11. Test what Thomas says in here (5) 14. Overturn and cause distress (5) 15. Take in the past (4) 16. Are they alive with the sound of music? (5) 18. Kind of noisy speakers in church (4) 20. Some sign given to Kenneth (5) 21. Important rank in Salvation Army (5) 24. Dry measure (6) 25. Animal picked out for blame (Lv 16) (9) 26. Christopher, the avian architect (4) 27. Fills with wonder at the openings (9)

DOWN 1. Expertly, I fly skull (9) 2. My possum I find at the conference (9) 4. Lash in parliament (4) 5. Plunders bags (5) 6. Warm up again (6) 7. Yearn at length (4) 9. Value (5) 11.More competent (5) 12. County of 2nd Anglican archbishop (9) 13. A man like Scrooge (9) 17. Portly porter? (5) 19. How well dressed priest may look (6) 22. It may result in groan at Mass (5) 23. Sacred face? (4) 24. Not covered (4)

Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

OTHER and little son were sitting quite near to the altar. The sanctuary lamp was alight as usual; the preacher was going on and on. It seemed like forever. The little boy turned pleadingly to his Mother: “Mom when that light turns green, can we go?” Send us your favourite Catholic joke, preferably clean and brief, to The Southern Cross, Church Chuckle, PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000.

CHRISTMAS

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

Christmas in the movies Can the real meaning of Christmas be found in the movies? NEILAN ADAMS and the reviewers of the US Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting look at some classics to find out.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

egarded by many as the quintessential Christmas movie, It’s A Wonderful Life was produced and directed by Frank Capra, a Catholic, who based it on Phillip Van Doren Stern’s short story The Greatest Gift. Facing financial ruin on the eve of Christmas, a good man (James Stewart) contemplates suicide until his guardian angel (Henry Travers) through an alternative reality shows him how meaningful his life has been to those around him. Capra’s sentimental picture of mainstream American life is bolstered by a superb cast (including Lionel Barrymore as a conniving banker) and a wealth of good feelings about such commonplace virtues as hard work and helping one’s neighbour. Although the film has such noble Christian themes it doesn’t have anything to do with the real meaning of Christmas. The movie even perpetuates the popular confusion about human beings becoming “angels” rather than saints when they die. Despite initially being considered a box office flop due to high production costs and stiff competition at the time of its release, the film has come to be regarded as a classic and a staple of Christmas television around the world.

The Polar Express (2004)

om Hanks inhabits five separate roles in this visually captivating animated fantasy about a doubting young boy who is whisked away on Christmas Eve aboard a magic

Scenes from The Polar Express, Miracle On 34th Street, and Joyeux Noël, and (far right) the promotional poster for It’s A Wonderful Life. train bound for Santa’s village in the North Pole. Based on the children’s novel by Chris Van Allsburg, the beautiful fairytale celebrates childlike wonder and, though secular in tone, imparts a profoundly faithfriendly message about the importance of believing in things that can’t be seen.

Elf (2003)

he warm-hearted yuletide tale tells the story of the foundling Buddy (Will Ferrell), who was raised by elves in Santa’s workshop. Now grown up, Buddy travels from the North Pole to New York City to reconnect with his long-lost father (James Caan), a workaholic scrooge bereft of Christmas cheer. Full of goofy candy-cane humour, Elf imparts a strong family-friendly message, but uses a secular sieve to filter out any religious references about the true meaning of Christmas.

Joyeux Noël (2006)

n intensely moving World War I tale of soldiers—Scottish, French and German—who spontaneously agree to a ceasefire on the Western front on Christmas Eve as they hear carols wafting from the enemy’s trenches. The soldiers intermingle and bond on a human level, to the eventual disdain of their superiors. Inspired by true events, the film is sensitively acted and conveys a powerful message about the senselessness of war. There is an

Maureen Fernandez & Family Wish all our friends, family, priests, religious and fellow parishioners at St Patrick’s in Mowbray, Ctn, a peaceful and blessed Christmas and a New Year full of good health, joy and prosperity.

admirable religious underpinning in the character of a dedicated Anglican priest (Gary Lewis) who brings everyone together for a liturgy on that special night.

innuendo and coarse language that is unsuitable for family viewing. Still, Scrooged is a truly funny and sincere adaptation of the Dickens tale.

A Christmas Carol (1938)

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

n an earlier version of Dickens’ oft-filmed classic, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge (Reginald Owen) fires clerk Bob Cratchitt on Christmas Eve, then undergoes a change of heart after being visited by his dead partner, Marley and three chronological ghosts. The adaptation is faithful to the spirit of the original, though it lightens the tone with some comic relief and makes the 1843 London setting more quaint than grim. Owen’s interpretation of Ebenezer may seem a bit cartoonish by the standards of later incarnations but he portrays Scrooge’s transformation from a grumpy, mean-spirited grinch into a sincere and kind person wondrous and heartwarming.

Scrooged (1988)

he youngest, nastiest network president in the history of television, Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is forced to live through his own Christmas Carol until he is redeemed in the end from his crass materialistic view of programming and life in general. The film satirises the TV ratings game and other mindless yuppie aspirations with savvy technical effects, a large cast of notable comic performers and lots of one-liners. The redemptive quality of the film is undermined by overt sexual

www.stvincentdepaul.co.za

Society of St Vincent de Paul

Funeral Home & Staff

wish all bishops, priests, religious, its donors and all their members and their families

Maitland & Muizenberg, Cape Town

Wishing all our pilgrims, both past and present and future, PEACE, JOY, GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS AT CHRISTMAS AND IN THE NEW YEAR

The Nativity Story (2006)

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

eportedly the first Hollywood feature film to focus solely on the birth of Jesus, it was also the film to premiere at the Vatican. While the film was praised for its impressive production design and reverent retelling of the story, it upset many Catholics because of the Protestant presentation of the birth narrative. Catholics will easily identify the theological sticking points in the story but may be placated by the film’s pious and sincere attempt to convey the real meaning of Christmas.

Bad Santa (2003)

his holiday offender is an abrasive black comedy about self-loathing safecracker Willy (Billy Bob Thornton). He and his dwarf accomplice Marcus (Tony

ased on a novel by Valentine Davies, Miracle On 34th Street has become a holiday favourite, that was remade in 1994. The story follows a department store Santa (Edmund Gwenn) as he strives to convince a lonely little girl (Natalie Wood) who doesn’t believe in him that he’s the genuine article. While we don’t see the real meaning of Christmas played out, it does offer a welcome critique on the over commercialisation of Christmas. The film cleverly balances touching sentimentality and humour with serious issues such as divorce and single parenthood. Miracle On 34th Street asks us to question the role of belief and fantasy in a cynical and disbelieving world.

Wishing you peace, joy and happiness this Christmas and throughout the coming year

The Central Council Cape Town of the

Tony WyLLie wish everyone a Blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year

he Peanuts’ classic TV special sends a powerful and timely message about misplaced values and the commercialisation of Christmas, touching on the secularisation of the feast of the Nativity, and reminds viewers of the birth of Jesus Christ. Despite choppy animation and poorly mixed sound, it remains one of the best-loved Christmas specials. Vince Guaraldi’s jazzy score is a perfect backdrop for a sophisticated animated story.

Cox) pose as a department store Santa and elf as a cover to rob shopping malls of their holiday loot—that is, until Thurman Merman, a friendless overweight boy, stirs Willy’s booze-soaked conscience. The film is filled with obscenities and sets out to offend and undermine all notions of what a holiday film should be. Despite Willy’s moral shortcomings, he finds redemption—though even that is tacked on in the film through the most unlikely of circumstances.

a joyful and blessed Christmas

From the Head of College,

Tel: (031) 266 7702 Fax: (031) 266 8982 Email: judyeichhorst@telkomsa.net

Principals and Staff of Sacred

A list of current pilgrimages can be viewed by clicking on the Valley View Travel icon at www.catholic-friends.com

Heart College, Johannesburg

*Kindly note that our offices will be closed for the holiday season from 15 Dec to 13th Jan 2011 inclusive

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

CHRISTMAS

He has spoken through the prophets Fr RALPH DE HAHN takes us on an amazing journey through the Old Testament which reveals ancient prophecies of Christ’s coming.

HE Advent season is one of searching the scriptures, especially the Old Testament, to confirm one’s faith in the one and only Messiah promised by almighty God. Every Christian should find this season thrilling and intoxi-

Mayfair Convent School Mayfair Convent School wishes all parents, learners, teachers past and present a blessed festive season and a prosperous 2011. May the spirit of this festive season uplift and carry you.

The birth of Jesus in simplicity and poverty constantly calls into question the values by which we live. Jesus responds to our violent ways with a merciful love. His coming among us is forever the sign of reconciliation between God and humanity. May the peace he brings be with you.

Joyful and Blessed Christmas Happy New Year 2011 from the Priests of the Sacred Heart

cating. We read in Hebrews 1: “At various times in the past and in various ways God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets.” As we page through the Old Testament we find it absolutely amazing, almost unbelievable, what these prophets have to say about the coming Messiah. Jesus Christ is the only spiritual leader in all history to be pre-announced and for good reasons. In this serious matter there is no room for an imposter! God alone decided to have his Son, born a Jew, preannounced through the Jewish prophets. I am dumb-struck by the accuracy of these ancient prophesies. In Genesis 3, God already promises a new Adam and a new Eve—a saviour would be sent to reconcile man to his Creator. Isaiah offers a sign: “A virgin is with child, a son to be named Emmanuel;” Micah tells us that Bethlehem will be his birthplace. The book of Numbers “perceives a star emerging from Jacob”; Psalm 71 and Isaiah 60 gladly announce visitors from the East carrying gifts of gold and incense. We are reminded, over and over again that this Messiah will be a king, a descendant of King David, “a root from the stock of Jesse” who will possess a kingdom that will have no end. “The sceptre will never depart from Juda,” it declares. He will be anointed with the spirit of Yahweh, sent to proclaim good news to the poor. Isaiah speaks of this light in the darkness, “a wonder-counsellor, mighty God, eternal Father, Prince of Peace”. Zephaniah asks the Daughter of Zion to “shout for joy for the King of Israel is in your midst”. And how will the people know him as the Holy One sent by Yahweh? Here Isaiah is brilliant: “Look, your God is coming... He is coming to save you...the waterlands will rejoice and bloom, the dry lands will produce springs of water...the deaf will hear, the dumb will speak, the eyes of the blind will be opened...and the poorest of the land will delight in the Holy One of Israel.”

Mary and the Child Jesus are portrayed in the icon “Mother of Fairest Love” by Fr William Hart McNichols. (Photo courtesy of St Andrei Rublev Icons/CNS) He will be gentle but just: “He will not break the crushed reed, or snuff the faltering wick.” We are reminded, more than once that this heavenly visitor will be a saviour, a redeemer and a teacher: “He who is your teacher will hide no longer...you will see your teacher with your own eyes.” There is little doubt that the Messiah will be a Divine Person: “Your very God is coming to save you.” He is named “the mighty God, eternal Father, the Prince of Peace”. Isaiah also adds: “That day a man will look for his Creator...and his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah is inspired, filled with the Spirit and wonderfully accurate. He also foretells the unique calling of John the Baptiser to “prepare in the desert a way for the Lord”. John is also chosen to point out the Lamb of God, the promised Messiah. Malachi will also speak of the “messenger to clear the way before me”. What about the passion of Christ? It is Zechaniah who will

foretell the first Palm Sunday— the King Messiah who will enter the Holy City seated on a donkey. How marvellously Isaiah paints the horrifying scenes in his chapter 53. This Messiah will suffer untold agony for his people. This chapter is incredible. Staggering. Depressing. Amazingly accurate. The Psalms even offer the words and actions of Christ and the people on Calvery, his burial, resurrection and his ascension into glory. Psalm 41 will mention the betrayal of a “a familiar friend in whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread”. And Zechariah tells us of the 30 shekels of silver, “the princely sum at which you have valued me”. And we know who that traitor is. In this holy season every Christian should be immersed in the Jewish prophets. They are so illuminating. What more can one add to this thrilling acclamation? I have not dared mention the other 21 prophecies!

CHRISTMAS

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

A letter from Jesus: ‘Here’s my wishlist’ AMID the usual e-mail spam providing information about financial windfalls and where to go for operations one might not wish to discuss, some readers will have received a letter from Jesus. The real author is unknown, but he puts into Jesus’ mouth what Our Lord might well tell us about the secularisation of Christmas:

T has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking my name out of the season. How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate my birth, just get along and love one another. Now, having said that, let me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting my birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all my followers did that, there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town. Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1-8. If you want to give me a present in remembrance of my birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it: 1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way my birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to people away from home. They are terribly

Pope Benedict prays at the Nativity scene in St Peter’s Square last year. A fictional “letter from Jesus” suggests replacing a couple of Christmas decorations featuring Santas with Nativitity scenes. (Photo: Paul Haring, CNS) lonely this time of year. I know, they tell me all the time. 2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them. 3. Instead of writing complaints about the wording on official Christmas cards, why don’t you write to the sender and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be

nice hearing from you again. 4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of my birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them. 5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her. 6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this

season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference. 7. Instead of nit-picking about what the retailers call the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas”, that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families. 8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary—especially one who takes my love and Good News to those who have never heard my name. 9. There are individuals and whole families living near you who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Society of St Vincent de Paul, or your parish, or some other charity which believes in me and they will make the delivery for you. 10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in my presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine. Don’t forget: I am God and can take care of myself. Just love me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember: I love you, Jesus

The Catholic Order of the The Supreme Knight and Board of Directors of The Catholic Order of the Knights of da Gama wish our Clergy, our Brothers, members of all lay organisations and fellow Catholics a blessed, peaceful Christmas and a prosperous, productive New Year Cell: 083 308 4014 or Fax: 021 380 8362 Email: vic.barra@debeersgroup.com Website: www.kdg.co.za

We would like to wish all families, Priests, religious, and especially all of youwho have experienced a Marriage Encounter weekend the peace and joy of theChrist Child now and throughout 2011 Joe and Neela Kay with Fr Paul Taylor Marriage Encounter National Secretariat. See our website

www.marriageencounter.co.org for contact details.

More Christmas articles at www.scross.co.za/ category/christmas

The Southern Cross, December 15 to December 21, 2010

CZECH REPUBLIC: Fishermen set out to begin a traditional fish haul in Velky Tisy pond near the south Bohemian town of Trebon. Carp is a traditional Czech Christmas Eve dinner dish. (Photo: Petr Josek, Reuters/CNS)

CHRISTMAS

BANGLADESH: Children observe a Nativity scene outside the cathedral in Dhaka, Bangladesh. (Photo: Andrew Biraj, Reuters/CNS)

ROME: Pope Benedict XVI presents a gift to a child during his visit to the Sant’Egidio community centre in Rome. (Photo: L'Osservatore Romano/Reuters/CNS)

CHICAGO: Members of the God Squad set up the outdoor creche at Chicago’s Daley Plaza for the official opening of the city’s Nativity scene. The God Squad has set up the outdoor creche scene annually for the past 25 years. (Photo: Karen Callaway, Catholic New World/CNS)

BETHLEHEM: Palestinian Khaled Bamoura, with sons, Durad, 8, and Bashara, 4, visits the church of Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. (Photo: Debbie Hill, CNS)

BOSNIA: A bonfire burns while children observe a live Nativity scene organised by students from the Franciscan Student Centre in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. (Photo:Danilo Krstanovic, Reuters/CNS)

CHINA: The faithful from zhujiajiao Catholic Church take part in a Christmas Eve procession on a street on the outskirts of Shanghai, China. ISRAEL: Actors re-enact the story of the birth of Jesus (Photo: at Nazareth Village, a recreation of a Galilean communiAly Song, ty from the time of Christ, in Nazareth, Israel (Photo: Gil Reuters/CNS) Cohen Magen, Reuters/CNS)