The Southern Cross - 110525

May 25 to May 31, 2011

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Record number for Jo’burg’s Fatima procession

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no 4727

Vatican issues new norms for old Mass Page 4

Vatican’s new rules to handle abuse

By Cindy wooden

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Children at linmeyer marist College in Johannesburg have fun as they welcome autumn.

Vatican top job for lay official

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OPE Benedict has named a long-serving lay official at the Vatican to be the number 2 official at the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Guzman Carriquiry (pictured), 67, leaves his post as undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity to be the new secretary of the Vatican’s Latin America commission, which promotes cooperation between the various offices of the Vatican and the Latin American bishops’ council.

Mr Carriquiry, a Uruguayan, will be the first to hold the position of secretary at the commission. The previous number 2 spot was that of vice-president, which had to be occupied by a bishop. The office that has

been eliminated.

Born in 1944, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Mr Carriquiry has served the Vatican in various capacities for almost 40 years. He has a degree in law and social sciences and has taught at a number of universities.

He is married and has four children and eight grandchildren.

Mr Carriquiry will serve under Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, who is president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.—CNS

Bright start for Hope&Joy after May launch STaFF RePoRTeR

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CTIVITIES under the Hope&Joy banner are taking hold in South Africa following the network’s official launch on May 8, and hundreds of individuals have signed up to Hope&Joy, according to convenor Raymond Perrier.

Hope&Joy, a unique South African initiative, was introduced in early May to the Catholic faithful in features and articles published in The Southern Cross, diocesan newspapers and the Catholic Link parish newsletter prepared by the Redemptorists.

The British Catholic journal The Tablet also carried a report on the launch of the Hope&Joy network.

Mr Perrier was interviewed about Hope&Joy on Radio Veritas and Talk Radio 702/Cape Talk.

He said presentations on Hope&Joy have been made to groups of religious education teachers, men and women reli-

gious superiors, Knights of Da Gama, Catholic Women’s League and all the priests of the Dundee diocese.

Hundreds of people have registered their interest in Hope&Joy by e-mail (info@hopeandjoy.org.za)and SMS (to 078 590 0781), he said.

The website (www.hopeandjoy.org.za) is now live and constantly updated.

Catholics can also receive inspirational text messages of Hope&Joy. “You can get free weekly SMS in June, and then daily messages from July for just R3,50 per week,” Mr Perrier said. To subscribe, text the word '”JOY” to 31222.

Hope&Joy is a grassroots-driven network of Catholic bodies and individuals.

It intends to provide popular education on the Catholic faith as expressed in the Second Vatican Council through all available media, from Internet facilities to preaching.

VERY bishops’ conference in the world must have guidelines for handling accusations of clerical sex abuse in place within a year, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said in new guidelines.

The Church in the Southern African region already has such protocols in place.

A letter to all bishops’ conferences signed by the congregation’s prefect, Cardinal William Levada, said that in every nation and region, bishops should have “clear and coordinated procedures” for protecting children, assisting victims of abuse, dealing with accused priests, training clergy and cooperating with civil authorities.

Describing sexual abuse of minors as “a crime prosecuted by civil law”, the doctrinal congregation said bishops should follow local laws that require reporting cases of sexual abuse to police.

Since the early 1990s about two dozen bishops’ conferences, starting mainly with English-speaking countries, have drawn up guidelines for dealing with accusations of sexual abuse of minors filed against clergy and other Church employees.

Other conferences—for example, the Italian bishops’ conference—have said they did not draw up guidelines because bishops were obliged to follow canon law and special provisions enacted in 2001 by Blessed Pope John Paul II and in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi SJ said the fact that conferences were given a precise deadline and only 12 months to draft their guidelines demonstrates how seriously the Vatican takes the matter.

“The aim is to give bishops a strong common denominator for drafting guidelines appropriate to their own national situation, with its unique culture and legislation,” he told reporters.

The guidelines of several countries, including the Southern African region, have been adopted as mandatory norms in those countries and approved by the Vatican.

The guidelines the doctrinal congregation now is seeking throughout the world do not have to be binding, the letter said, although they must reflect the binding provisions of canon law and the special provisions enacted in 2001 and last year.

The special provisions issued in the past ten years expanded or extended several points of Church law: they defined a minor as a person under age 18 rather than 16; set a statute of limitations of 20 years, instead of ten years, after the victim’s 18th birthday for bringing a Church case against an alleged perpetrator; established an abbreviated administrative procedure for removing guilty clerics from the priesthood; and included child pornography among crimes which could bring expulsion from the priesthood.

Barbara Dorris, a spokeswoman for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, said in a statement that “the Vatican abuse guidelines will change little”, particularly because they do not insist that the national guidelines be binding.

“Bishops ignore and conceal child sex crimes because they can,” the SNAP statement said, adding that “any ‘reform’ that doesn’t diminish bishops’ power and discretion is virtually meaningless”.

The doctrinal congregation said new guidelines should reflect the fact that diocesan or national review boards “cannot substitute for the discernment” and decisionmaking authority of individual bishops.

Fr Lombardi said the point of the letter was to make clear that an individual bishop “cannot abdicate his responsibility” for ensuring child safety and handling abuse cases, even though he may avail himself of the advice of outside experts.

He said the fact that the guidelines do not have to be binding does not lessen a bishops’ responsibility or the Church’s commitment to ending abuse. Rather, he said, it is a recognition that in many countries all the bishops have agreed to follow the same procedures and, culturally, did not feel a need to have a Vatican stamp on them in order for them to be binding.

“The responsibility for dealing with the delicts of sexual abuse of minors by clerics belongs in the first place to the diocesan bishop,” the letter said. But the adoption of national guidelines is meant to “lead to a common orientation within each episcopal conference, helping to better harmonise the resources of single bishops in safeguarding minors”. Citing Pope Benedict’s meetings with representative victims of child sexual Continued on page 5

England returns to meatless Fridays

By Simon Caldwell

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ATHOLICS in England and Wales will be obliged to abstain from meat every Friday under a new rule brought by the bishops.

The “act of common witness” will take effect on September 16, the first anniversary of Pope Benedict’s visit to Britain.

The rule reverses a relaxation of the Friday penance regulations introduced in England and Wales in 1984. This allowed Catholics to choose their own form of Friday penance— such as offering additional prayers, attending Mass or abstaining from alcohol.

But critics have said that the end of a tradition in which Catholics ate fish or eggs instead of meat on Fridays led to a loss of common identity, with many Catholics today abstaining from meat only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

The return to an obligation to abstain from meat was a key resolution of the bishops’ May plenary meeting held in Leeds.

“Every Friday is set aside by the Church as a special day of penance, for it is the day of

the death of Our Lord,” said the bishops’ resolution.

“The law of the Church requires Catholics to abstain from meat on Fridays, or some other form of food, or to observe some other form of penance laid down by the bishops’ conference.

“The bishops wish to re-establish the practice of Friday penance in the lives of the faithful as a clear and distinctive mark of their own Catholic identity,” it said.

The resolution said those “who cannot or choose not to eat meat as part of their normal diet should abstain from some other food of which they regularly partake.”

Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said the bishops wanted “to establish a shared practice, a shared habit, because habits that are carried out together are better learned and are stronger—we give each other mutual support.”

“So that’s why there’s a simple, across-theboard expectation that this will be something that Catholics will do.”—CNS

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LOCAL

The Southern Cross, may 25 to may 31, 2011

Alcohol Abuse Cycle needs to be broken

By ClaiRe maTHieSon

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LCOHOL abuse in rural youth is a problem debilitating and inhibiting the youth in the rural areas of the Western Cape, particularly on farms, according to speakers at a roundtable discussion hosted by Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO), an associate body of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, and Youth Unlimited, a Church-based youth service.

Elna Lindoor is a programme

assistant of the Women on Farms Project (WFP), an NGO working with women in commercial agriculture. She said the Western Cape had the highest rate of foetal alcohol syndrome in the country; an issue stemmed from the availability of alcohol in rural areas and the social acceptability of its mass consumption.

Ms Lindoor said the abuse of alcohol can be traced back to the now outlawed “dop system”, whereby farm workers would receive payment in the form of alcohol. “The situation today is an

effect of what happened in the past. The act of drinking has been handed down the years from one generation to another.”

Alcohol abuse does happen in urban areas, said Ms Lindoor, but it was “especially a problem in rural areas where the youth drink because their circumstances are not good”.

Ms Lindoor explained that many farm workers were impoverished: “Often the youth drop out of school because they need to help their parents or because they can’t afford it. Sometimes they need to find clothes.

Young girls have been known to get money from older men and pay with their bodies.”

She said there is a high incidence of teen pregnancy, poverty and HIV, which leads to the youth drinking. As a result, the drinking culture is perpetuated and peer pressure encourages more youth to drink, resulting in further pregnancies and an increased HIV rate.

“The rural youth have a lack of self esteem, lack of recreational facilities and resources,” Ms Lindoor said. This is why many youth turn to alcohol. “The farms are isolated; access and transport are a problem. But ‘shebeens on wheels’ make alcohol very accessible.”

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aco Titus, a volunteer with WFP and a rehabilitated youth from Stellenbosch, said he was introduced to wine at the age of five, started drinking at age 13, and was working on the farm with his family by 16. “Everybody was drunk on the farm. My father beat my mother. I saw it and learnt from it— so I learnt to be aggressive,” he said.

Mr Titus moved out when he was 18, and moved on to drugs. After a stint in a rehabilitation centre, Mr Titus returned

FRANCISCAN NARDINI SISTERS

elna lindoor and Jaco Titus from women on Farms Project share their thoughts on the growing issue of alcohol abuse amongst rural youth at a round table discussion hosted by the CPlo. (Photo: Claire mathieson)

to the farm. Within three months he was drinking again. After a failed suicide attempt left him in hospital, he succeeded in changing his life. He said his story was not uncommon in the area—but unlike many, he was able to break the cycle.

Today, working in partnership with other organisations which focus on supporting male farm workers, volunteers like Mr Titus promote responsible drinking.

“We don’t tell people not to drink; we tell them to be responsible and to behave. Women must not think of drinking while pregnant, and don’t drink and drive,” said Ms Lindoor.

“Youth don’t have support on their farms. Women on Farms tries to educate women on their rights.

But farmers see us as an enemy,” Ms Lindoor said, highlighting the importance of youth-orientated support groups. The organisation can get on to private farm land only if given permission by the owner—and if the farmer thinks the meeting would be detrimental to business, he is unlikely to allow WFP access.

Moreover, while police are aware of the presence of “shebeens on wheels” and the sale of alcohol to underage youths, it was very

difficult to get access to the farm for action to take place.

“We don’t need to work harder, we need to work smarter. The youth need more support as they lack the confidence to advocate for themselves,” said Ms Lindoor.

The CPLO Round Table discussion was an opportunity for NGOs working on similar projects to discuss the situation, create awareness and to share ideas.

Astrid Solomons from Fisantekraal Youth Council said in her experience with young people, they lacked role models. “The youth look at and learn from the adults in their lives. But since the adults are already stuck in the alcohol abuse cycle, they are not helping their children.” She said the role players needed to find a way to break the cycle of this type of abuse.

Denzil Swarts, a field worker from Youth Unlimited, said one of the problems found in both urban and rural settings was the association of celebration with alcohol.

“Organisations need to work together,” said Ms Lindoor. “The youth are not for tomorrow, but for today. We need to support them and portray a better, more positive life to them—in every form, including the media.”

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LOCAL

The Southern Cross, may 25 to may 31, 2011

Record numbers for Fatima pilgrimage STaFF RePoRTeR

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RECORD 1 500 pilgrims took part in this year’s annual Fatima pilgrimage in Johannesburg—about 500 more than last year.

Pilgrims came from all over Gauteng to join the procession, which was hosted by the Blessed Sacrament parish in Malvern East,

Johannesburg, said pilgrimage convenor Manny de Freitas.

The procession started at Malvern East parish, and ended 4km later with Mass at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Bedfordview.

Throughout, the pilgrims prayed the rosary.

Mr de Freitas said that this year’s procession spanned more than 500m.

more than 1 500 pilgrims stretched half a kilometre across the streets of Johannesburg as they walk with the Fatima statue and the Holy Cross on their way to the Schoenstatt Shrine.

“Our objective this year, as it is every year, was to spread the Fatima messages even wider particularly to people who are unaware of these messages. The main message being the daily meditation of the rosary,” Mr de Freitas said.

“The success of this pilgrimage has surpassed all initial expectations. Fr Tony Daniels, Malvern East’s parish priest, has already agreed that the 2012 pilgrimage should take place on Saturday, May 12,” Mr de Freitas said. “People are already asking about the next one.”

Mr de Freitas started the first Fatima procession, which celebrates the Marian apparitions in the Portuguese town of Fatima in 1917, with “just a handful of people” in 1991.

“We should all heed to Our Lady of Fatima’s request by praying and meditating on the rosary daily,” he said. “This would be the biggest gift that we can give the world and would mean that everyone would also be a pilgrim, even if one is unable to actually attend our annual Fatima Pilgrimage.”

Breakdancing keeps youth off the streets

By ClaiRe maTHieSon

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HE Scalabrini Centre in Cape Town is reaching out to the city’s youth by offering breakdancing lessons.

According to international volunteer Emma Carone, the class runs through MylifE, a community outreach programme structured to empower young people through engaging activities such as breakdancing, boxing, football, and skateboarding, as well as providing a safe place for teens and young adults to congregate.

Mylife was started in response to the increase in youth who have wound up living on the streets or getting involved in drug use. The programme brings young people together in fun and safe activities.

“The goal of the MylifE class-

es, such as the breakdancing class held twice a week, is to empower and encourage the students to make smart decisions for themselves, and to give them the tools to take their skills beyond the class,” said Ms Carone.

It is hoped the programme will instill into the students the idea of “paying it forward”, and taking their new knowledge beyond the classes and out into the public.

The Scalabrini centre continues the work of the Scalabrini Fathers: care of migrants, refugees and seafarers by offering programmes dealing with welfare, training and assistance with access to local services through referrals to schooling, bank accounts, health care, legal representation, qualification accreditation and social assis-

tance. The centre receives around 2 000 people each month accessing the different services.

Ms Carone said the Mylife programme was further outreach of the centre targeted at the youth.

The breakdancing lessons are offered to any youth regardless of skill or experience level and it has been one of the most popular programmes so far.

Ms Carone said it was with the hope of providing a “safe and alternative way for kids to spend their time, both MylifE and the Scalabrini Centre are glad to offer an outlet for the future generation to invest their time into”. n For more information contact the Scalabrini Centr 021 465 6433

The Polish ambassador to South africa, marcin Kubia, walks with Fr Stephen Tully on a visit to emmanuel cathedral and the denis Hurley Centre Project in the durban city centre. The visit was to discuss the possibility of how the Polish people could be involved in giving financial support to this project.

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INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, may 25 to may 31, 2011

New Vatican norms insist on ‘generous approval’ of old Mass

By JoHn THaViS

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NEW Vatican instruction calls on local bishops and pastors to respond generously to Catholics who seek celebration of the Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal, commonly known as the Tridentine rite.

The instruction said pastors should approve such Masses for groups of faithful, even when such groups are small or are formed of people from different parishes or dioceses. These faithful cannot, however, contest the validity of the modern Mass or the authority of the pope.

“In deciding individual cases...the priest responsible for a church is to be guided by his own prudence, motivated by pastoral zeal and a spirit of generous welcome,” it said.

The instruction said that, depending on pastoral needs, bishops should make sure seminarians are trained in celebrating the Tri-

dentine rite, or “extraordinary form” of the Mass.

At the same time, the Vatican said the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei would be responsible for ensuring local Church officials were making the old rite available where warranted.

The instruction was issued by the Ecclesia Dei commission and approved by Pope Benedict. It came nearly four years after the pope, in an apostolic letter titled “Summorum Pontificum”, relaxed restrictions on use of the Tridentine rite and said it should be made available in every parish where groups of the faithful desire it.

The new instruction, in a section listing “specific norms”, addressed several issues that have arisen as groups of faithful have petitioned for the scheduling of Masses in the old rite: • The papal letter had stated that a “group of the faithful” exist-

ing “in a stable manner” could legitimately request celebration of the Tridentine rite. The norms said such a group could be “quite small,” could have formed after the publication of “Summorum Pontificum,” and could be made up of Catholics from different parishes or dioceses who want to gather in a specific parish church or chapel.

• In the case of a priest who presents himself occasionally in a parish church with some of the faithful and wishes to celebrate in the extraordinary form, the local pastor should permit it.

• The norms said the Tridentine rite should be made available at sanctuaries and pilgrimage sites to groups of pilgrims who request it, if there is a qualified priest.

• The faithful who ask for celebration of the Tridentine rite must not belong to or support groups that contest the pope or the validity of the Mass and sacraments as

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Back to tradition: Cardinal walter Brandmüller elevates the eucharist during a Tridentine-rite mass at the altar of the Chair in St Peter’s basilica. it was the first time in several decades that the rite was celebrated at the altar.

(Photo: Paul Haring, CnS) celebrated in the ordinary form, the norms said.

The instruction said that every Catholic priest in good standing is generally qualified to celebrate Mass in the extraordinary form. A basic knowledge of Latin is needed, enough to pronounce the

words correctly and understand their meaning, it said.

Regarding the need to know the rite, it said priests are presumed to be qualified if they present themselves spontaneously to celebrate the Tridentine rite and have celebrated it previously.—CNS

Irish prelate: Society suffers when faith isn’t passed on to the young

By BaRB FRaze

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RISH society is not just suffering from the sex abuse scandal but from a failure to pass on the faith to the younger generation, according to the archbishop of Dublin.

“We have to completely, radically change the way we pass on the faith,” Archbishop Diarmuid Martin (pictured) said in an interview with Catholic News Service. “Our parishes are not places where evangelisation and catechesis are taking place.”

He spoke of the declining practice of the faith in Dublin— only 18% of Catholics regularly attend Sunday Mass—and of the need to give young people responsibility in the parish to reinvigorate them.

Archbishop Martin has served in Dublin since 2003 and presided over the uncovering of hundreds of past cases of sex abuse and the mishandling of priest abusers, but he says the problem goes deeper than abuse.

The Catholic Church runs 90% of the elementary schools in Ireland. Yet if only 18% of Catholics attend Mass, he said he has to wonder about the commitment of Catholic teachers.

“If people are being prepared for the sacraments by people who don’t frequent the sacraments, there’s a real problem there,” Archbishop Martin said.

He reiterated what he has said often in the past, that “young Irish people are among the most catechised and the least evangelised”.

“Unless we address it, we’re not going to have a next generation of young Catholics,” he warned.

“We’re suffering from some of the products of being a ‘mass Catholicism’ in the past. We’re still living, in some ways, as if that were the case today.”

In a speech near the Georgetown University campus in Washington, Archbishop Martin said he believed the secularisation of Irish society was quite advanced, and he spoke of what it means to live as a Christian citizen.

“If we start out in...reflection on the place of faith in our culture with the conviction that God’s grace is present and can be found even within a world

marked by human sinfulness, then our vision of the place of the faith in society changes, and the entire framework for the presence of Christians in society takes on a new shape.

“Christian commitment means getting your hands and your shoes dirty,” he said. “The Christian in society is not just another social commentator, but a witness to another way of living.”

He said Christian commitment “must not be limited to the occasional outburst of global solidarity” after natural disasters or “the more militant enthusiasm engendered around protest meetings”.

“For the Christian, solidarity and sharing should be the stuff of every day, an imperative and not just an option, a daily imperative and not an occasional awakening of conscience,” he said.

“Defence of the faith is about living the faith without being afraid,” he said, adding that it means knowing that faith can improve all aspects of life.—CNS

Pope: Sex is for communicating love

By Cindy wooden

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HE human body is a Godgiven instrument for communicating love, although it also can be used to inflict harm on others or for one’s own selfish pleasure, Pope Benedict has said.

That the body is designed for true love is what gives value to chastity as the virtue that takes seriously the power of the body to communicate something profound if given the respect and time it needs, the pope told participants in a meeting sponsored by the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.

The pope met the group during their celebration of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the institute by Bl Pope John Paul II. The late pope encouraged the institute to study and promote what has been described as his “theology of

the body”.

Pope Benedict told the group that by “connecting the theology of the body with the theology of love” they could help Catholics reach a greater understanding about the purpose of their lives.

“The true fascination of sexuality stems from the greatness of this horizon which it opens: the integral beauty, the universe of the other person and of the ‘we’ that is born of union, the promise of communion hidden there, the new fruitfulness, the journey that love opens toward God, who is the source of love,” the pope said.

“In this light,” he said, “the virtue of chastity receives new meaning. It is not a ‘no’ to pleasures and to the joy of life, but a great ‘yes’ to love as a profound communication between persons, which requires time and respect as a journey together

toward fullness, and as a love that becomes capable of generating life and generously welcoming the new life that is born,” the pope said.

Pope Benedict said having a body is a reminder that there really is no such thing as a “selfmade man,” but that we are born of our parents and, ultimately, of God the creator.

“Only when one recognizes the original love that gave him life can he accept himself, reconcile himself with nature and with the world,” the pope said.

“The family: This is where the theology of the body and the theology of love intersect,” he said. A man and a woman, who pledge themselves exclusively to each other for life, have children and educate them, experience firsthand “the goodness of the body” and the fruitfulness of love, the pope said.—CNS

INTERNATIONAL

Catholics want the Church’s ‘guidance’ on social issues

By CaRol GlaTz

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ATHOLICS are looking for guidance and a larger voice from the Vatican on ethical principles for the world of finance and the environment, said some participants attending a Vatican meeting on social justice in a globalised world.

Some 200 people involved in social justice issues for the Church gathered for an international conference sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. The meeting celebrated the 50th anniversary of Blessed Pope John XXIII’s social encyclical Mater et Magistra.

The gathering was also designed to find ways that the Church’s social teaching, including Pope Benedict’s 2009 social encyclical Caritas in Veritate, could be applied to bring greater justice to a globalised world.

“The biggest weakness is that many Catholics are not even aware of the Church’s social teaching,” said Margaret Garding, a member of the Church’s Justice and Peace commission in Sweden.

There is also a large gap between what the Church teaches and the implementation of those teachings, she said.

To bring Catholic social teaching more fully into people’s lives it has to be a mandatory part of the Catholic school curriculum and of the training for priests and nuns, she said.

Oblate Father Seamus Finn, Washington-based director of social justice for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and a leader within the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, said that Christians cannot be motivated solely by utilitarian arguments that natural resources should be protected so that they will not run out or poison future generations.

Environmental and corporate ethics should be based on the Christian sense of stewardship, of care, respect and appreciation for God’s gifts, he said.

In his speech to congress participants, Pope Benedict criticised current financial practices that “frenetically” issue “credit contracts that often allow for

unlimited speculation”. He deplored market speculation on food and produce that throw the vulnerable into even deeper poverty and insecurity.

The pope also lamented the emphasis on short-term interests when it comes to energy needs, which then causes “negative consequences on the environment and humankind”.

Fr Finn said that while current social teaching has made inroads in outlining the social responsibilities of corporations and governments, the Church has “only scratched the surface” in addressing care for creation.

“We need a stronger theology and vision that can be a source of inspiration for those principles.”

The Vatican can play a stronger, more vocal role in establishing “a set of core principles” so that when Church leaders engage in talks with oil companies, investment firms or global development banks, Church leaders worldwide will have a common set of values coming from a highly authoritative source, he said.—CNS

a priest blesses a woman's womb in a Catholic church where hundreds of people dance and pray for children in an annual fertility ceremony in obando, Philippines.

Thousands of people took part in a procession to honour saints to whom Filipinos pray for children, partners and good fortune.

(Photo: CnS)

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Vatican on handling abuse cases Continued from page 1 abuse during his trips outside Italy, the doctrinal congregation’s circular letter encouraged bishops or their representatives to meet with victims and their families.

Bishops’ conferences should consider introducing child protection programmes aimed at creating “safe environments” for children and educating Church workers and parents about the signs of abuse and how to handle suspected cases, the letter said.

The letter reiterated the need for bishops and religious communities to exercise special care when accepting candidates for the priesthood or religious life and to provide “a healthy human and spiritual formation” and a clear understanding of the value and meaning of chastity.

Special emphasis was given in the letter to the obligation of bishops and religious superiors to exchange information about candidates who transfer from one diocese, seminary or religious order to another.

The doctrinal congregation said bishops must act as fathers and brothers to their priests, ensuring their ability to live out celibacy, to understand how clerical sexual abuse damages victims and “to recognise the potential signs of abuse perpetrated by anyone in relation to minors”.

The Vatican letter offered bishops’ conferences guidance in dealing both with those making accusations as well as with accused clerics.

People making accusations against a priest should be treated with respect, it said, and “spiritual and psychological assistance” should be offered to victims.

The Vatican said when an accusation is made, a priest must be presumed to be innocent until it is proven he is not. However, it said, a bishop can limit an accused priest’s ministry until an investigation can be conducted.

The Southern Cross, may 25 to may 31, 2011

M

eanwhile, Amnesty International for the first time named the Vatican in its annual report on human rights’ concerns for not sufficiently complying with international mandates on protecting children from abuse, CAROL GLATZ reports.

The report noted “increasing evidence of widespread child sexual abuse committed by members of the clergy over the past decades, and of the enduring failure of the Catholic Church to address these crimes properly...in various countries”.

“Such failure included not removing alleged perpetrators from their posts pending proper investigations, not cooperating with judicial authorities to bring them to justice and not ensuring proper reparation to victims,” the report said.

The report recognised Pope Benedict’s apology for abuses that had taken place, and his efforts to combat the abuse of children by clergy and his call for better prevention programmes, an improved selection process for priestly candidates and “just penalties,” including removing abusers from ministry.

However, the report said: “Canon law does not include an obligation for Church authorities to report cases to civil authorities for criminal investigation. Secrecy is mandatory throughout the proceedings,” the Amnesty report said.

Vatican norms maintain the imposition of “pontifical secret” on the church’s judicial handling of clerical sex abuse and other grave crimes, which means they are dealt with in strict confidentiality.

Fr Lombardi has said that said that the provision on the secrecy of trials was designed “to protect the dignity of everyone involved.”

The Vatican’s policy is to encourage bishops to report such crimes wherever required by civil law, he has said.—CNS

St Kizito Children’s Programme

Cape Town

St. Kizito Children’s Programme (SKCP) is a parish-based movement responding to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in the Archdiocese of Cape Town. SKCP is currently working in sixteen parishes serving largely disadvantaged communities, where local Parish Groups of volunteers work directly with the children, caregivers and families who are in need of their services. The Parish Groups are led and guided by Parish Group Mentor responsible for a cluster of participating Parishes.

St. Kizito Children’s programme is seeking to employ as of 1 July a

pariSH GrOUp MEnTOr The key performance areas of the Parish Group Mentor are to: • Establish Parish Groups • Parish capacity building and support to Parish Groups • Monitor and evaluate Parish Groups • Ensure effective communication within SKCP • Record keeping • Networking with interested individuals and agencies The Parish Group Mentor will have the following attributes: • A good understanding and appreciation of the Catholic Church structure and ethos • Love and concern for children • Extensive life and community experience • Ability to work well within a team • Facilitation and training skills • Self-leadership • Fluency in Xhosa • Ability to communicate well in English (written and spoken) • Computer literacy • Own transport and valid driver’s licence • The willingness and ability to work at weekends and outside normal working hours.

Closing date for position: 13 June 2011 Please submit CV and letter of motivation to The Coordinator, pO Box 69, philippi, 7781 or info@stkizito.org.za No late applications will be considered and only those short-listed will be contacted

6

The Southern Cross, may 25 to may 31, 2011

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

pray for our youth

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

Abuse: Church is serious

T

HE Vatican’s new instructions to the world’s bishops’ conferences must be welcomed as another concrete signal that the Church is serious about addressing the incidence of clerical sexual abuse, in terms of prevention and of action when allegations are made.

In particular, the Vatican’s guideline that people making accusations against a priest should be treated with respect and be offered “spiritual and psychological assistance” underlines a growing empathy with the survivors of abuse—a quality that was not always evident in the past.

It is remarkable that there should be a need for the Vatican to issue an instruction to bishops’ conferences to set up a protocol to deal with allegation of abuse and to set out preventative measures. Surely the distressing experiences of the Church in the United States, Ireland, England, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and elsewhere should have motivated bishops’ conferences that do not have a protocol in place to address that deficiency.

The Vatican instruction has been criticised for not making these protocols binding on individual dioceses. However, caution needs to be exercised not to compromise the authority of diocesan bishops.

There seems to be a confidence in the Vatican that diocesan bishops will feel ethically obliged to follow the guidelines set out in their regional conference. That may be so, but it is not clear what provisions are made in cases where a bishop might use his discretion to obstruct or manipulate the protocol of dealing with an allegation of abuse.

There is much commendable in the Vatican’s determination to act on clerical abuse. In that light, the inclusion of the Catholic Church in Amnesty International’s annual report on human rights’ concerns (on which we report this week) would appear gratuitous, even if the status of the Vatican’s position on mandatory reporting remains too ambiguous.

Only a policy that is uniform, transparent and accountable will put to rest questions about the Church’s unequivocal commitment to rid itself of clerical sexual abuse.

In just a few years, the Church has made great progress

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.

in addressing issues related to clerical abuse and in the way it regards the survivors of abuse.

Pope Benedict deserves much credit for this. Far from being the subject of a slander—that he presided over a most grievous scandal—Pope Benedict must be praised for seeking to correct, with much humility, the terrible failures of the past.

But that correction is a process. There is much still to be done, tested and learned.

In that respect, the independent research by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, which has been commissioned by the US bishops, is particularly useful, in as far as the results can be extrapolated to other regions.

The latest report, issued on May 18 and titled “The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010”, overturns several misconceptions.

The report reveals that the Church’s discipline of mandatory clerical celibacy has had no effect on the incidence of abuse in the United States—and Catholic priests may even be less disposed towards abuse than men in corresponding professions.

The report also makes it clear that homosexuality was not a statistical factor in abuse. In fact, the report notes that the increase in the number of gay priests from the late 1970s corresponded with “a decreased incidence of abuse”.

In a particularly significant passage, the report suggests that the stress, isolation and lack of supervision in priests’ lives were factors that contributed to “deviant behaviour”. The researchers proposed greater involvement by the laity to relieve the scope of responsibilities borne by priests.

Having learnt from experience and with new insights being acquired, we may be confident that over time the Church will heal from a painful chapter in its history.

However, the Church must guard against complacency. We must take to heart the advice given last week by Bishop Blase Cupich, chairman of the US bishops' Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People: “There is no room for fatigue or feeling that people have heard enough when it comes to efforts to protect children.”

O

UR young people will soon be attending World Youth Day with Pope Benedict in Madrid, Spain. I would like to suggest that a prayer for them could be said at all Masses prior to their pilgrimage and while they are away, as a means of solidarity and support to them, for they are the Church of tomorrow.

Perhaps an Our Father, Hail Mary, and a Glory be could be said, and an invocation to a patron saint for youth, or perhaps to our recently beatified Bl John Paul II, as he was the one who introduced

is it just?

T

HE Church’s inclusive approach to Robert Mugabe receiving Communion (May 11) is very compassionate, but is it just?

Just to those who are regularly excluded from Communion, like divorcees and those in gay relationships, who may lead an exemplary Christian life in all other respects? Or just to the Zimbabwean people who have experienced genocide during Mr Mugabe’s presidency, and the Zimbabwean bishops who have protested against it?

Does this not smack of the double standards that Jesus deplored?

Brian & Francoise Robertson, Cape Town

Cause for scandal

E

ITHER Robert Mugabe was at the Vatican officially or as a tourist. But the social teaching of the Catholic Church on human rights, democracy and so on would suggest it would support the ban of the European Union and the United States on Mr Mugabe freely travelling to these places.

The right to tourism is not an absolute right. If then he was there in his official capacity, he is representing not himself but his country and in particular his regime. By all accounts it is a morally illegitimate regime.

Whereas the Church as the prime sacrament is a sign not only of union with God but of “the unity of mankind”, this public event welcoming the dictator would seem precisely to be a scandal, and that is how ordinary Catholics have taken it.

Cardinal Wilfrid Napier in his statement on the matter has well expressed the primacy of conscience in partaking in the Eucharist. The Second Vatican Council moved away from a legalistic model of Christian life— who’s in and who’s out—to a more personal one. The muddle

us to World Youth Day. School children could also be encouraged to pray for our Southern African representatives during this period, and let’s also include those who are house-bound through age or ill health.

South Africa needs priestly and religious vocations and an experience of this nature, where there are different nations and cultures united in prayer, and adoration with the Holy Father, will surely bless and inspire them through the power of the Holy Spirit. This could also result in a call to serve God as a priest or religious.

Parish societies and sodalities could be encouraged to do a spiri-

tual bouquet for these young people, which could consist of offering their attendance at Mass and receiving Holy Communion; saying rosaries or the Divine Mercy chaplet; making a visit to the Blessed Sacrament; offering little sacrifices or deeds of love.

Our precious youth need all the encouragement that we, as parents and fellow Catholics, can give them. Let us pray that God will bless them and Our Blessed Lady protect them, and may they return to us filled with the flame of God’s love, hope and joy, ready to serve him as a community serving humanity.

Gillian Tweehuysen, Benoni

comes in because of a confusion of the legal entity the Vatican state (primacy of conscience does not apply to the issuing of visas!), with the Eucharistic communion.

It does seem that the muddle has to do with the (fairly recent) centralisation model of authority in the Church. The longer, more ancient tradition has the focus on the local churches but forming a worldwide network. The integrity of the sacraments is always a matter of responsible discernment, of conscience, but the excessive emphasis on top-down government has undermined this.

Greater freedom of dialogue in the Church would really help.

One has to say that sadly, once again (one thinks here of rulings on gender and sexuality of course) there is a lack of common sense, prudentia, here in the position upheld.

Patrick Giddy, School of Philosophy and Ethics, Howard College, Durban

engineers. Even without being an engineer, learners could do good work and earn their living, but they must know that from nothing comes nothing. Hard work and common sense is in any case a necessity.

I myself was for many, many years involved in active farming.

It was a vocation which I lived out to the fullest extent, and I am proud of what I have achieved.

Goswin Matthaei, Cape Town

Value in farming

I

N your article “Farming as a Vocation” (May 11), Paul Mofokeng hits the nail on the head. It is time that many of us begin to realise that farming is a proper occupation, and not just a kind of work which anybody can do. It can and should be a vocation.

How much better it could be for our country if we had more people really interested in making a living from the ground, the earth on which we all live. Huge areas in our land are in the hands of so-called farmers, but they do nothing on it. It is no good to be the owner of a farm and not to produce any food from it.

I thank Mr Mofokeng for his courage to inspire the learners to see farming as a vocation. They should know that at the end of a proper study of agriculture they may also be called an engineer.

There are not only electrical, chemical, mechanical and other engineers, but also agricultural

URSULINE SISTERS OF THE ROMAN UNION “LEAD A NEW LIFE” “WHEREVER THEY ARE, THEY SHOULD SEEK TO SPREAD PEACE AND CONCORD.” FROM THE SECOND COUNCIL OF ST ANGELA MERICI.

Fifth column

R

ADIO Veritas licencing woes need the Church’s “fifth column”—a countrywide novena Adrian Kettle, Cape Town

Defining dogma

F

ATHER Anthony Esposito’s letter (March16, “The New Mass: A Work of Man”) refers, and also Mr Simmermacher’s editorial “Church in Dialogue”, which I applaud.

Regarding the Tridentine Mass, is Fr Esposito aware that the Tridentine Mass of Pope Pius V underwent various modifications at the hands of different popes up to and including Pope John XXIII No one ever questioned this authority.

It is the doctrinally ill-informed who hold that the liturgy of Pope Pius V may not be changed by subsequent popes. There must be very few today who have even seen an unaltered version of Pius V’s original Mass.

Many of our most important dogmas were defined at the 20 ecumenical councils prior to Vatican II, often with very slim majorities in the voting process.

Vatican II was the most all-inclusive Council in history, with 2 500 Council Fathers present.

The promise of our Lord to Peter in Matthew 16:18-19 confirms the pope’s infallibility in matters regarding the deposit of faith, most particularly when united with the bishops in Council. continued on page 11

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PERSPECTIVES

Ready for the final exam?

H

AVE you ever watched teachers and learners preparing for the matriculation examination, or any General School Certificate examination? Let me tell you, it’s a serious business!

Every school that is worthy of the name wants its name to appear in the Hall of Fame or in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the best performing schools.

The surprising thing is that we all know we are going to die one day, and will appear before the Judge of the world—and yet we never really spend as much time preparing for that very serious exam as good schools do in preparing their students for school examinations!

Jesus says we must get ready for we know neither the day nor the hour. So, let me put on my hat as a life examinations coach and try to help you and me prepare for our final exam.

The American entrepreneur and philanthropist Bob Buford suggests there are two major questions on life’s final exam. I believe there are at least four, and here they are: Question 1: What did you do about God and Jesus?

I think for this one you and I need to know our Nicene Creed which tells us about the triune God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit: Three persons in one and indivisible God. However, it is not enough to recite these as articles of faith. We must love God above all things and believe that

Jesus is not only Saviour of the world, but my personal saviour as well as my role model as a Christian. I should know that he is calling me to be his disciple who must learn to be more and more like him, and his apostle who should proclaim him to the world so that the whole of humanity can know him and be saved.

Question 2: What did you do about your neighbour?

Well, who is my neighbour? Is it the man next door who never greets me and whose dogs seem to hate me? Is it my boss at work who is on a mission to find my faults? I hear God saying: “Yes, they are your neighbours. The beggar at the street corner is your neighbour, too. Your spouse and your siblings are your neighbours.

Yes, your neighbour is anyone you come into contact with about whom you should do something. The beggar might want money from you, but the man next door might need a kind word from you, perhaps a greeting or a prayer. The same goes for your spouse and siblings. You should treat everyone with such love that they can see Jesus in you”. Tough, hey?

Question 3: What did you do about your shortcomings?

This is another tough one, but what it does is to highlight the importance of selfawareness in the life of a Christian.

Socrates once said: “The unreflected life is not worth living.” So I should know both my strengths and weaknesses. I must do something about my shortcomings; confess my sins and resolve to fight against temptation.

Above all, keep sight of God

‘A

BOVE all else, we must try to make sure that people do not lose sight of God” (Pope Benedict in Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times).

It’s a startlingly simple statement.

Above all else, the Holy Father says, we must make sure that we don’t lose sight of God. Simple, but not easy.

It can be argued that the original sin, the sin of our first parents, was losing sight of God. As sinful people, we constantly focus on other things—good things, bad things, things that in themselves are neutral—but all too often, as a consequence, we lose sight of God. That’s why, in response to a question about the most important law, Jesus says: “The first is: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mk 12:29-31).

The First Commandment is to keep God first in our lives, and not be distracted by all the diversions offered to us by the Evil One. All the other commandments flow from this primary focus on God. If God is in the centre of our vision, everything else is seen in its proper perspective.

“Above all else,” Pope Benedict says.

This is much more than a casual connecting phrase. It is the heart of the matter.

First and foremost, before everything else, we must try to keep God first in our lives. God cannot be an afterthought. He cannot be someone we think about only when we are in trouble or filled with emotions of fear or joy or gratitude or hopelessness. We must keep God in sight always— above all else.

Nothing is more important, or more difficult, than keeping God in plain sight.

The Church’s liturgy, her sacraments and devotions, her teaching and her charitable works are all designed to help us focus on God as the most important person in our life. The Church works hard to capture and maintain our attention, but there is strong competition, especially today.

The Church constantly strives to help us focus on God, but we must cooperate.

We must attend Sunday Mass. We must receive the sacraments—especially the Eucharist and the sacrament of penance.

We must participate. We must reach out to those in need. Above all else, whatever we do, we must not lose sight of God.

W

hat happens when we allow other things to take priority in our life? We lose our way. We become spiritually empty, unhappy people. We focus on ourselves and on our selfish wants and desires.

We forget who we are and how we are supposed to live as free people made in the image and likeness of God. No one—with the exception of the

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Very importantly, I must do something about that ego. See how large it is? The aim is to become less and less my selfish self and become more and more like selfless Jesus.

Question 4: What did you do with what I gave you to work with?

This question is about the Parable of the Talents (Mt 25). You see God gave each of us talents—natural and spiritual gifts. Natural talents like the skill of baking, sporting, business acumen, a good mathematical mind; and spiritual gifts such as kindness, the gift of healing, the ability to read and interpret scripture and so on.

We are supposed to be aware of these gifts so that we can use them in the service of humanity and the building up of the Body of Christ, the Church. We should not behave like the unfaithful servant who dug a whole in the ground to hide his talent instead of making it multiply.

The irony is that when the time comes you might pass with flying colours while I, the coach, might just manage to scrape through—God has no favourites, you see!

But to be sure, let’s read our Bibles daily, go to church as required, say our prayers daily, and examine ourselves daily.

Practice makes perfect; and God rewards those who are poor in spirit, who seek him with a humble and pure heart.

Daniel Conway Point of Reflection

Blessed Virgin Mary, who was conceived without sin—succeeds at keeping God in sight all the time. That’s why the Holy Father says: “Above all else, we must try.”

Losing sight of God is part of our sinful human condition. Recovering our sight is the ongoing challenge of discipleship and continuing conversion of life.

How do we maintain—or regain—our vision of God? Pope Benedict provides us with a simple programme. As Church, a community of Christian disciples standing together in faith, the Holy Father says: “The task is to live the faith in an exemplary way, to proclaim it and at the same time to keep this voluntary association, which cuts across all cultures, nations and times, and is not based on external interests, spiritually connected with Christ, and so with God himself.”

The task is simple but not easy—to live our faith, to proclaim it and, so, stay spiritually connected to God. Above all else, let’s try to keep first things first. Let’s set aside all the distractions and turn to God as the number one priority in our lives.

When God is at the centre of our field of vision, everything else in our dark and dreary world becomes clear and bright. n This article first appeared in The Criterion, newspaper of the archdiocese of Indianapolis.

The Southern Cross, may 25 to may 31, 2011

7

Chris Chatteris SJ Pray with the Pope

Let’s ♥ our priests!

General Intention: That priests, united to the Heart of Christ, may always be true witnesses to the caring and merciful love of God. ♥ Jo’burg.” “♥ is a warm puppy.” Today the heart is popularly used on bumper stickers and T-shirts as a symbol for love.

These slogans are all very sweet and endearing, but they hardly do justice to the rich heart-symbolism which exists down the centuries and across cultures.

The heart has been thought of as symbolising, or even as actually being, the seat of the emotional, intellectual, moral and spiritual life of the human person. This indispensable part of the body has often powerfully expressed what it means to be human. This is why the Sacred Heart of Christ is such an abiding devotion in the Church. Through the heart of Jesus we are in touch with him in his full, loving humanity.

The pope’s intention is that the world will experience the love of God through priests who are united with Christ’s heart and who model themselves on his life of love.

There’s a helpful ambiguity in the symbolism of the heart which is rather fitting here. On the one hand we value a good strong and steady heart in the priest. We want our priests to be solid, reliable and courageous characters, the kind of person who is there for us in a crisis, men with “hearts of oak”, the English would call them.

On the other hand, we appreciate a priestly heart that is open and which can truly feel what others feel. Although, or perhaps because he is a strong person, he possesses a heart that can bleed and be broken.

We want him to mirror the Lord whose heart was moved and who suffered when he came face to face with the sick, the poor, the possessed and the bereft, especially when we find ourselves in one of those dire categories. The priest’s heart must, like his Master’s, be able to be pierced for his people.

To live out this often painful paradox a priest will need to live a life of prayer and action which unites him to the object with which he identifies. We pray with and for priests in their lifelong pursuit of this union.

‘I

Missionaries needed Missionary Intention: That the Holy Spirit may bring forth from our communities many missionaries who are ready to be fully consecrated to spreading the Kingdom of God. HE African continent is unique in the enormous number of languages spoken here. It is said that a quarter of all the languages in the world exist in Africa and that the total number of languages and dialects has been estimated as being as high as 3 000.

This significant statistic makes the astonishing missionary work done in the last 200 years on this continent all the more remarkable. Not only was the terrain that missionaries crossed often harsh and dangerous, but the challenges to communication with local people must sometimes have seemed insurmountable.

The missionary history of the African continent surely has more than its fair share of men and women who were and are “fully consecrated to spreading the Kingdom of God”.

One continues to see evidence of this today in the missionary congregations which are now drawing African vocations and who often find themselves in Brazil or Bangladesh rather than in Botswana or Burkina Faso. They undertake these missions even though their own countries and continent are still in the missionary phase of the proclamation of the Gospel.

They remind us of the Lord’s urgent words: “Start out now”. We give thanks for their generosity and pray that it may inspire others to follow them.

T

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8

LOCAL

The Southern Cross, may 25 to may 31, 2011

IN FOCU S

Edited by: Lara Moses

on returning from pilgrimage to lourdes, Joseph Rehman, Clyde Pearce, Hilda Pearce and June Rehman from Kwa-zulu natal, visited the Chapelle de St Vincent de Paul in Paris, France. (Submitted by michelle Singh)

elzane lotter gives mr Thompson a hug as part of community services done by the Thandanani Centre in Roodepoort.

The centre visits Floroma and ons Huis, both old age homes in Florida, as part of their service. (Submitted by margi King)

elisabeth January—widely known as aunty Betty—from the parish of our lady Queen of Peace in Grassy Park, Cape Town, on her 90th birthday with her great grandaughter nicole. (Submitted by Stephen Flesch)

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

Bishop Frank de Gouveia administered the sacrament of confirmation to 20 young people at St niklaas parish in Bridgton, oudtshoorn. The bishop is seen here with the confirmands and their proud sponsors. (Submitted by Fr leon mostert Co)

John and June Cowan, founder members of the parish of our lady of loreto in Kempton Park, have relocated to Randburg to be close to their daughter. mr Cowan (pictured) was for many years the Johannesburg writer for The Southern Cross, and mrs Cowan a very active member of the Cwl. (Photo: Berniece eales)

Students at St Francis Xavier orientation Seminary in Cape Town celebrated their annual paschal meal with rector Fr david Rowan leading as the rabbi in full attire.

The Catholic women's league recently celebrated its seventh anniversary at our lady of Perpetual Help parish in Retreat, Cape Town. (Submitted by deon Bekker)

FOCUS

The Southern Cross, may 25 to may 31, 2011

9

Why being green is to worship God The Church in Southern Africa convened a meeting to discuss a Christian response to issues of climate change, suggesting that a feast day of Creation be instituted. ClaiRe maTHieSon sums up what was discussed.

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HE Justice and Peace Department (J&P) of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) brought together 80 role players for a Consultation on Climate Change in Johannesburg in May. The consultation, held at the Koinonia retreat centre in Johannesburg, was attended by leaders of the South African Council of Priests, members of the SACBC’s Environmental Working Group, leaders of religious congregations, national leaders of Catholic lay associations, diocesan Justice and Peace vicars, and Catholic media.

According to J&P’s Neil Mitchell, the 17th Convention of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban at the end of the year provided an opportunity for participants to consider “how to get the local Church moving on this urgent issue”.

The importance of the consultation was underlined by the recent

17-page report from Vatican-sponsored experts who said nations and individuals have a duty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enact policies that mitigate global warming.

The Southern African bishops, through J&P, are trying to raise awareness of similar findings, and the May consultation included various expert presentations, said Mr Mitchell.

Professor Mary Scholes from the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand explained the science associated with climate change. She said that the world’s politicians, who will be lobbied intensely by environmentalists from civil society organisations, will have to agree at the Durban convention on climate change—known as COP 17—on how many degrees the earth’s temperature could increase by.

“We need to stay below a 3°C increase,” Prof Scholes said, referring to the long-term change in the average temperature of the earth—either locally or internationally.

Dominican theologian and author Fr Albert Nolan reflected on how the Church has historically had a narrow and immature theology of creation, which has resulted in us becoming alienated from God, from nature, and from one another.

Fr Nolan said science’s discoveries of evolution and the “big bang”, far from creating problems for our faith, “have opened our eyes to the astounding mysteries and miracles of the universe and to the interconnectedness of all

a protester holds a globe during a demonstration in Copenhagen, denmark, during the United nations Climate Change Conference in 2009. a meeting of envionmental experts, gathered by the Justice and Peace department of Southern african Catholic Bishops Conference, worked on a Catholic responde to climate change. (Photo: Pawel Kopczynski, Reuters/CnS) God’s creation”.

He concluded that our salvation lies in realising that we are not lords and masters with the right to dominate and exploit nature.

“Learning to love all living beings, and adopting lifestyles which express our care for the environment, are part of our Christian faith and spirituality and our worship of God as the creator of all that exists,” Fr Nolan said.

Dr David Fig, research associate of the Environmental Evaluation Unit of the University of Cape Town, on the topic of sustainable economies. He said instead of a world that favours large corpora-

tions, “we need a world which is committed to the eradication of poverty and hunger”.

He added that part of such a transformation would be the “reduction of damage to the environment and the maximisation of secure livelihoods for people”.

This, he said, would require a fundamental rethink of how we organise industry, agriculture, resource extraction, water provision, transportation and energy use.

Also presenting at the J&P consultation was Brendan Martin, director of Project 90 by 2030, an initiative which challenges South

Africans to reduce their carbon footprint.

According to Mr Mitchell, participants considered the need to communicate the lessons of the consultation to the broad Church.

“Practical proposals included a ‘Feast of the Creation’ to be included in the Church’s liturgical calendar, an ‘Earth Charter’ which all Catholics who wanted to commit themselves to caring for the environment could sign, walking to church on Sundays to cut carbon emission, and a “Green Pilgrimage” to Durban to coincide with the COP 17 meeting.”

But most importantly, said Mr Mitchell, participants of the consultation felt there was a strong need for “an intensive and ongoing effort among parishes and Church structures to raise the awareness of ordinary Catholics of the dangers of climate change”.

Such thoughts are in line with Pope Benedict’s own actions, whose statements on creation and the environment has seen him dubbed the “Green Pope”.

The Vatican-sponsored scientists in their report called on nations to recognise the “serious and potentially irreversible impacts of global warming” caused by greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

The Vatican has tried to show the way by example. In 2008, the Vatican installed photovoltaic cells on the roof of its main auditorium. A year later it installed a solar cooling unit for its main cafeteria.

The Vatican has also joined a reforestation project aimed at offsetting its CO2 emissions.

10

FAITH

The Southern Cross, may 25 to may 31, 2011

Church in Jerusalem calls us to be one In 2012, churches in Southern Africa will observe the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. PadRaiG SmyTH of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference’s Department of Ecumenism explains that the Church in Jerusalem, in apostolic times and today, calls Christians towards unity.

A

T LEAST once a year, many Christians become aware of the great diversity of ways of adoring God. The event that touches off this special experience is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Traditionally celebrated from January 18-25 (in the northern hemisphere) or June 12 during Pentecost (in the southern hemisphere), the Week of Prayer enters into congregations and parishes all over the world. Pulpits are exchanged, and special ecumenical worship services are arranged.

Ecumenical partners in a particular region are asked to prepare a basic text on a biblical theme.

Then an international group with World Council of Churches-sponsored (Protestant and Orthodox) and Catholic participants edits this text and ensures that it is linked with the search for the unity of the church.

The text is jointly published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and WCC, through the WCC’s Commission on Faith and Order, which also accompanies the entire production process of the text. The final material is sent to member churches

and Catholic dioceses, and they are invited to translate the text and contextualise it for their own use.

The Christian Community in the Holy Land wishes to give prominence to these basic essentials as it raises its prayers to God for the unity and vitality of the church throughout the world.

The church in Jerusalem

J

ust under 2000 years ago, the first disciples of Christ gathered in Jerusalem experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and were joined together in unity as the body of Christ. In that event, Christians of every time and place see their origin as a community of the faithful, called together to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

It is not difficult to see how the situation of the first Christians in the Holy City mirrors that of the church in Jerusalem today. The current community experiences many of the joys and sorrows of the early Church; its injustice and inequality, and its divisions, but also its faithful perseverance and recognition of a wider unity among Christians.

The churches in Jerusalem today offer us a vision of what it means to strive for unity, even amid great problems.

The responsibility for our divisions lies with us; they are the results of our own actions. We need to change our prayer, asking God to change us so that we may actively work for unity.

We are ready enough to pray for unity, but that can become a substitute for action to bring it about. Is it possible that we ourselves are blocking the Holy Spirit because we are the obstacles to unity; that our own hubris prevents unity?

The call for unity this year comes to churches all over the world from Jerusalem, the Mother Church. Mindful of its own divi-

LA SALLE COLLEGE DISCOVERY La Salle College is a Catholic Independent Day School for girls and boys from Grade R to Grade 12 and committed to the ideas of a Gospel inspired education in the traditions of the De La Salle Congregation.

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The College reserves the right not to proceed with filling the post. an application will not in itself entitle the applicant to an interview or appointment and failure to meet the requirements of the post will result in the applicants automatically disqualifying themselves for consideration.

Candidates not contacted before 17 June 2011 should consider their application unsuccessful.

T Retired auxiliary Bishop Timothy lyne of Chicago, the Rev larry Ulrich of the Church of the Brethren and Father aren Jebejian of the armenian orthodox Church of america pray during an ecumenical prayer service to celebrate the week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Chicago this year. (Photo: Karen Callawag, CnS) sions and its own need to do more for the unity of the Body of Christ, the churches in Jerusalem call all Christians to rediscover the values that bound together the early Christian community in Jerusalem, when they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

The Christians of Jerusalem call upon their brothers and sisters to make this week of prayer an occasion for a renewed commitment to work for a genuine ecumenism, grounded in the experience of the early Church.

Four elements of unity

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he 2011 prayers for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity have been prepared by Christians in Jerusalem, who chose as a theme Acts 2:42—“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

This theme is a call back to the origins of the first Church in Jerusalem; it is a call for inspiration and renewal, a return to the essentials of the faith; it is a call to remember the time when the Church was still one.

Within this theme four elements are presented which were marks of the early Christian community, and which are essential to the life of the Christian Community wherever it exists.

Firstly, the Word was passed on by the apostles. Secondly, fellowship (koinonia) was an important mark of the early believers whenever they met together. A third mark of the early Church was the celebration of the Eucharist (the “breaking of the bread”), remembering the New Covenant which Jesus has enacted in his suffering, death and resurrection. The fourth aspect is the offering of constant prayer. These four elements are the pillars of the life of the church, and of its unity.

The themes of the eight days

here is a journey of faith that can be discerned in the themes of the eight days. From its first beginnings in the upper room, the early Christian community experiences the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, enabling it to grow in faith and unity, in prayer and in action, so that it truly becomes a community of the Resurrection, united with Christ in his victory over all that divides us from each other and from him.

The Church in Jerusalem then itself becomes a beacon of hope called to reconcile not just our churches but all peoples.

This journey is guided by the Holy Spirit, who brings the early Christians to the knowledge of the truth about Jesus Christ, and who fills the early Church with signs and wonders, to the amazement of many.

As they continue their journey, the Christians of Jerusalem gather with devotion to listen to the Word of God set forth in the apostles’ teaching, and come together in fellowship to celebrate their faith in sacrament and prayer.

Filled with the power and hope of the Resurrection, the community celebrates its certain victory over sin and death, so that it has the courage and vision to be itself a tool of reconciliation, inspiring and challenging all people to overcome the divisions and injustice that oppress them. n Material sourced from: www.oikoumene.org

The Southern Cross, may 25 to may 31, 2011

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

CLASSIFIEDS

Defining dogma continued from page 8 Our loyalty in this regard is a sure sign of the genuineness of our Catholicity and our loyalty to the See of Peter.

Regarding the Novus Ordo, I quote Pope Paul VI: “Those things should be omitted which in the course of time have been duplicated or added without any real advantage. Those things which have been worn away by

the centuries should be restored to the original form given them by the Church Fathers.”

Practices to which the adherents to the Society of St Pius X object apart from their accusation of having replaced the sacrificial nature of the Mass by a protestant meal, such as the priest facing the people at the altar, receiving Communion standing and under both species,

Southern CrossWord solutions SOLUTIONS TO #446. ACROSS: 5 Impi, 7 Desecrated, 8 Solo, 10 Audience, 11 Legacy, 12 Action, 14 Eschew, 16 Ice cap, 17 Acid drop, 19 Echo, 21 Alexandria, 22 Stem. DOWN: 1 Odes, 2 Cenotaph, 3 Friary, 4 Stadia, 6 Psychopath, 9 Open secret, 13 The beads, 15 Worker, 16 In play, 18 Dram, 20 Onan. .

Word of the Week Magisterium: The teaching authority or office of the Church, directed by the Holy Father and the bishops teaching in union with him Application: The sanctity of human life concerning abortion and euthanasia are taught infallibly by the ordinary universal episcopal magisterium, confirmed by the encyclical Evangelium Vitae.

Liturgical Calendar Year A Sunday, May 29, 6th Sunday of Easter Acts 8:5-8, 14-17, Psalm 66:1-7,16,20,1 Peter 3:15-18, John 14:15-21 Monday, May 30 Acts 16:11-15, Psalm 149:1-6, 9, John 15:26-16:4 Tuesday, May 31, The Visitation of the Virgin Mary Zephaniah 3:14-18 or Romans 12:9-16, Isaiah 12:2-6, Luke 1:39-56 Wednesday, June 01, St Justin Acts 17:15, 22-18:1, Psalm 148:1-2, 11-14, John 16:12-15 Thursday, June 02, The Ascension of the Lord Acts 18:1-8, Psalm 98:1-4, John 16:16-20 Friday, June 03, Ss Charles Lwanga and Companions Acts 18:9-18, Psalm 47:2-7, John 16:20-23 Saturday, June 04 Acts 18:23-28, Psalm 47:2-3, 8-10, John 16:23-28 Sunday, June 05, 7th Sunday of Easter Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9, Ephesians 1:17-23, Matthew 28:16-20

J.M.J

are much more ancient and long-standing than the contrary practices over the past few hundred years.

We have people here who are determined to live on in the religious thought and practice of the 19th century. The old Mass is the symbol of their refusal to think and act along with the universal Church.

John Lee, Johannesburg

Family Reflections 29May 6th Sunday of Easter. The Spirit of Truth. Jesus calls on us to keep his commandments and then he will give us the Spirit of Truth. Discipline is necessary for truth and for living a life of honesty, respect and justice. It is often easier to tell a little white lie than to stand up for the truth.

Discuss the value of self-discipline and of disciplining others in our care. Is discipline neglected in our homes, schools and society?

Community Calendar To place your event, call Claire Allen at 021 465 5007 or e-mail c.allen@scross.co.za, (publication subject to space) BETHLEHEM: Shrine of Our Lady of Bethlehem at Tsheseng, maluti mountains; Thursdays 09:30, mass, then exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. 058 721 0532.

CAPE TOWN: CWD craft market may 27, 37a Somerset Rd, Green Point, 17:30-22:30pm.

St Michael’s fundraising race day at Kenilworth racecourse -R150 includes lunch and activities. To support call diane 082 872 9683 or antoinette 082 855 5372.

Holy Hour to pray for priests of the archdiocese, 2nd Saturday monthly at Villa maria shrine Kloof nek Rd, 16:0017:00.

Good Shepherd, Bothasig.

Perpetual eucharistic adoration in our chapel. all hours. all welcome.

Day of Prayer held at Springfield Convent starting at 10:00 ending 15:30 last Saturday of every month—all welcome. For more information contact Jane Hulley 021 790 1668 or 082 783 0331.

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Holy Redeemer Bergvliet: Padre Pio prayer group, every 3rd Sunday of the month.

DURBAN: St Anthony’s, Durban Central: Tuesday 09:00 mass with novena to St anthony.

First Friday 17:30 mass— divine mercy novena prayers. Tel: 031 309 3496.

JOHANNESBURG: Family walk talk—may 22, 10:30. Start—la Salle College discovery, Roodepoort, finish St John’s, Havenga Street, Florida Park. also may 29, 11:30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: first Friday of the month at 09:20 followed by Holy mass at 10:30. Holy Hour: first Saturday of each month at 15:00. at our lady of the angels, little eden, edenvale. Tel: 011 609 7246..

PRETORIA: First Saturday: devotion to divine mercy. St martin de Porres, Sunnyside, 16:30. Tel Shirley-anne 012 361 4545.

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WEDDING ANNIVERSARY ON 24/5/49—Cora Buytenhuys was married to daniel e H mulholland at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Stamford Hill Road, durban.

DEATH HARPER—Jacqueline. a lifelong friend died on Sunday, may 8 after a long and painful illness. our thoughts and prayers are with her family—Rose and Chris, Joan and George.Deep waters cannot quench love, nor floods sweep it away. lovingly remembered by Pat, John and Paul.

IN MEMORIAM BOONZAIER—Berna dette. Passed away may 30, 1979. (Bellville) The smiling face will always be in our thoughts. Rest in peace. always lovingly remembered by mary da Silva, family and friends, parishioners of Holy Family and our lady of Fatima church, Bellville.

DAVIES—Charles.

26/5/1990. always lovingly remembered. Rest in peace, mary, louise, nicholas and laurence.

DENISON—david John. in loving memory of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, who died on June 3, 2006. His vibrant spirit is with us every day. HdSRiP. lorraine and children.

PARKERWOOD— Sheela. 14/6/194131/5/2002. in loving memory of my darling wife. may almighty God Bless her. Sadly missed by her husband Tony and sons Vincent, Tony jnr and John.

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“It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins” (II Macc XII,46) Holy Mass will be celebrated on the first Sunday of each month in the All Souls’ chapel, Maitland, Cape Town at 2:30pm for all souls in purgatory and for all those buried in the Woltemade cemetery.

For further information, please contact St Jude Society, Box 22230, Fish Hoek, 7975 Telephone (021) 552-3850

or children 3 or 5 days a week. Contact laura 011 882 7461 (home) or 072 388 6794, between 07h30-09h30 or 14h3016h30. Johannesburg area only.

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 to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my present and urgent petition. in return i promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. St Jude pray for us and all who invoke your aid. amen. Say three our Fathers, three Hail marys and Glorias. Publication must be promised. This novena has never been known to fail. i’ve had my request granted. Francoise.

O MOST beautiful flower of mount Carmel, fruit vine splendrous of heaven, immaculate Virgin assist me in my necessity. o Star of the sea, help me and show me you are my mother. o Holy mary, mother of God, Queen of heaven and earth, i humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to secure me in my necessity. There are none that can withstand your power. o mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (say 3 times).Holy mary i place this cause in your hands (say 3 times).Thank you for your mercy to me and mine. amen. Say this prayer for 3 days. PeH.

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FISH HOEK: Self-catering accommodation, sleeps 4. Secure parking.

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GORDON’S BAY: Beautiful en-suite rooms available at reasonable rates. magnificent views, breakfast on request. Tel: 082 774 7140. e-mail: bzhive @telkomsa.net KNYSNA: Self-catering accommodation for 2 in old Belvidere with wonderful lagoon views. 044 387 1052.

LONDON, PRoTea HoUSe: Underground 2min, Picadilly 20min.

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Self-catering. Single per night R250, twin R400. email: houseprotea@hot mail.com. Tel 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 UMHLANGA ROCKS: Fully equipped self-catering 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house, sleeps 6, sea view, 200 metres from beach, dStv. Tel: Holiday division, 031 561 5838, holidays@light house.co.za

FLAT FOR SALE WYNBERG, Cape Town: one bedroom ground floor flat in quiet block.

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ACCOMMODATION OFFERED CAPE TOWN, Cape Peninsula: Beautiful homes to buy or rent. maggi-mae 082 892 4502. Colliers international False Bay, 021 782 9263, maggimaev@ colliers.co.za WEEKLY boarding facility. Catholic home in Florida Hills. Grade 10/11/12 learners—200m from St Catherine’s Convent,

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7th Sunday of Easter: June 5 Readings: Acts 1:12-14, Psalm 27:1,4,7-8a, 1 Peter 4:13-16, John 17:1-11a

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EXT Sunday is (already!) the seventh Sunday of Easter; Ascension Day will have come and gone, and we have to start asking ourselves how we are to live once we lapse back into the drearily-named “ordinary time”. The answer, and you know it well, but it cannot be stated too often, is “prayer”; and that is what the readings for next Sunday seem to be telling us.

The first reading picks up the narrative of Acts in the aftermath of the Ascension, as Jesus’ now orphaned disciples thread their way back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, where he has been taken from their sight.

Luke then lists the tiny group, just eleven of them, if you count. And as you count, ask yourself who is missing, and be aware of the frailty that there is even in the list of Jesus’ first followers. What do they do, these abandoned males? They pray, possibly assisted by the example of the women whom Luke notes as being with them, as well as “Mary the mother of Jesus”, who certainly knows a thing or two about prayer, and then “his brothers and sisters”.

That common prayer is the first requirement of the church today, and in all ages.

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The importance of a healthy diet of prayer Nicholas King SJ Sunday Reflections

The p sal m i st, as always, is deep in prayer, and provides us with words to pray. “The Lord is my light and my salvation—of whom shall I be afraid?”, and then the lovely demand, “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is all that I seek, to dwell in the House of the Lord, all the days of my life, to be attentive in his Temple.”

And the poet is not afraid to be quite insistent in his prayer: “Listen, O Lord to my voice, have mercy on me and answer me.”

The sec o nd reading , throughout this Easter season, has been taken from 1 Peter, and here the author is talking, apparently, to slaves who have suffered unjustly; the message to them is, I suppose, one that will demand some prayer if they are to take it aboard: “Just as you have had solidarity with the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, that when his glory is revealed you may be

glad and rejoice. You are happy when you are reviled as being a Christian, for the Spirit of Glory, and the Spirit of God, is resting upon you.”

You may not feel entirely convinced about this recipe for happiness; but if we are going to suffer because of being Christian, then we are certainly going to need a healthy diet of prayer.

The g o sp e l reading for next Sunday offers us the ideal model for prayer. It is Jesus, still in the Upper Room, where we have been for some weeks now, and here he is drawing his Last Supper Discourse to an end, in the form of a prayer to his Father; we are privileged eavesdroppers, as “Jesus raised his eyes to Heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come’ [and we pause to recall that in John’s Gospel, the ‘hour’ is the moment of his Passion and death], ‘glorify your Son, that the Son may glorify you.”

That attitude is only possible for one who has spent long hours in prayer; and there is no selfishness about all this prayer (as we are sometimes foolishly inclined to suppose); it is also for us, “that everything that you have given him, he may give them eternal life”.

A hiding can be good for kids WAS enormously surprised to see the results of a poll a few weeks ago showing that a massive majority of the almost 20 000 South Africans who took part in a survey on corporal punishment in school, actually felt it should be re-introduced.

Surprising, because I have been under the impression that South Africa was becoming a nanny state with so many parents wanting government to keep passing laws so that they don’t have the hassle of having to bring up or take responsibility for their kids.

I expected the vote to be vastly in favour of those who believe corporal punishment in schools is barbaric and should remain illegal.

However, only a tiny minority of 9% voted this way. Of the rest, 37% felt that corporal punishment was a good way of maintaining discipline and a massive 55% felt it was acceptable in moderation.

Now, I am one of those who grew up in era when corporal punishment was acceptable in schools, and if we did wrong we would get “cuts” on our backsides with a cane or with a leather strap on our hands.

My father had this very fancy horsewhip that he would take to our bums when we stepped out of line.

I believe I have grown up to be a well adjusted and responsible adult and I loved my father dearly until the day he died without ever having resented his use of a horsewhip. So I

Help is as near as your telephone

Chris Moerdyk The last word have never understood why corporal punishment was stopped.

Sure, a tiny minority of teachers went too far, but why stop a great form of discipline to the detriment of millions of kids just because a few dozen were abused.

And I firmly believe that those kids who were abused through corporal punishment at school or by their parents would have been abused anyway—rules or no rules. Sometimes abuse does not have to take the form of anything physical but can be in an even worse form: psychological.

Interestingly, about six years ago, when my youngest son was just finishing matric, the entire high school conducted a survey on corporal punishment. This was initiated by the kids themselves. The result was that more than 95% of them voted for the return of corporal punishment.

I am one of those people who believe that corporal punishment in moderation—a smack on the bum just hard enough to sting but not to enough bring tears to the eyes—is essential in terms of disciplining children. I was brought up that way, and my four children were brought up that

way too.

Nothing will persuade me otherwise because I have seen far too many instances of delinquency, drug abuse and crime among children from families where parents spared the rod and decided instead to engage with their children in conversation regarding right and wrong.

With the best will in the world, children do not react to being “engaged in conversation”, because children don’t stick to the rules. I was absolutely appalled some time ago to hear a young couple talking to their six-yearold son and four-year-old daughter about the possibility of the family having to move from Durban to Cape Town as a result of dad having been promoted within his company.

The parents were actually asking their children for their opinions—how they would feel about the move—and I had the impression that if the children voted against the move, Dad would have turned down the promotion.

How different this was from when I was a kid and my friends’ parents moved away. My buddies were never ever consulted, they were just told what was going to happen. And with children being so remarkably adaptable, not one of them suffered in any way from their parents not having asked their opinion before deciding to move.

If children can get away with being naughty, they will. That is the very nature of children. They will eat too many sweets, they will get into fights, they will tease or bully each other.

Children can be very nasty when they want to be. They are not known for their tact or sense of fair play. And anyone who genuinely believes that their offspring are little angels all day and every day just aren’t taking the time to see what’s happening behind their backs.

All children need discipline. Having a quiet chat with a five-year-old is not discipline.

So I am delighted to see that all but 9% of the participants in that poll actually agree with me.

Maybe we’re not becoming a namby-pamby nanny state after all.

Now the evangelist kindly explains to us this odd phrase, “eternal life”: It is “that they should know you as the Only True God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent”.

It is only through prayer that we can know this, or, as he says of his disciples, come to the realisation that “everything that you have given me is from you”. Here Jesus is quite selective in his prayer: “I am asking about them; I am not asking about the World [the ‘World’, in John’s Gospel, we remember, is a symbol for those who are ranged against God and against Jesus].

Then we realise the effect of prayer: “All that is mine is yours, and all that is yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them.”

We are also invited to understand the need for prayer, namely that Jesus is about to be absent from them: “And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you”.

So we are facing a situation where we are suddenly on our own; and when that happens, it is absolutely imperative that we should give ourselves to prayer.

What will you be doing about that, this week?

Southern Crossword #446

ACROSS

DOWN

5. Body of Zulu warriors (4) 7. Treated what's holy with destruction (10) 8. Lone voice in the church choir (4) 10. Group that may listen in the pope's presence (8) 11. It's handed down by predecessor (6) 12. Machine not working is out of this (6) 14. Abstain from hidden calves chewing (6) 16. Headgear for the Arctic explorer (3,3) 17. Boiled sweet sounds vitriolic (4,4) 19. Reflection of sound waves in the cathedral? (4) 21. Egyptian port in Acts 6 (10) 22. Stalk (4)

1. Does find some poetry (4) 2. War memorial (8) 3. Home of the mendicant brothers (6) 4. Roman measures around the sports grounds (6) 5. The devil finds work for such hands (4) 6. Patchy shop for one with mental disorder (10) 9. It’s not meant to be disclosed but it is (4,6) 13. Be at shed for rosary count (3,5) 15. St Joseph’s title on May Day (6) 16. How cricket ball will be when bowled (2,4) 18. Little drink of spirits (4) 20. Shua's second son (Gn 38) (4)

Answers on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

T

HERE was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her brother in another part of the country.

“Is there anything breakable in here?” asked the postal clerk.

“Only the Ten Commandments,” answered the lady.

Send us your favourite Catholic joke, preferably clean and brief, to The Southern Cross, Church Chuckle, PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000.