The Southern Cross - 111228 by The Southern Cross

December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

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R5,50 (incl VAT RSA) Reg No. 1920/002058/06

Death of Southern Cross stalwart journalist Page 3

No 4756

Pope Benedict’s message for New Year’s Day

In 2012, grow in holiness

Page 5

Page 7

How S Africa will shape up in 2012 BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

HE African National Congress’ national conference in December 2012 will colour much of South African politics in the new year, according to Mike Pothier, research director of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO). At the conference in Mangaung, the ANC will elect—or reject—its president and other senior office bearers—and with that the likely next president of South Africa. “It appears that just about everything that President Jacob Zuma does is very much influenced by this pre-election stage. So whenever he makes a decision to hire or fire a minister or senior official, people are analysing it in terms of what it may mean for the national conference and what is he trying to achieve,” said Mr Pothier. Mr Pothier stressed that the conference would not necessarily be behind every decision made in the next year, but it will certainly be a highly influential consideration throughout the year. Another interesting development will concern the gathering of opposition parties, Mr Pothier predicted. He said a formal merger is unlikely, “but it could be the beginning of unity”. The fragmentation of the opposition in previous years has been unhelpful, but as the parties have come together on certain issues, there is a common face against the ANC on mutual interests, such as the controversial Protection of Information Act. The CPLO’s education expert, Kenny Pasensie, said the new Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (or CAPS) will be implemented and has so far been seen as a positive addition to the education system. CAPS is a new guideline which teachers of all subjects will be required to follow. The document includes what to teach, how long to teach for, the number of assignments to be completed and evaluation procedures. The new system is being introduced in various phases and Mr Pasensie said that teachers should welcome it. He also pointed out that in 2012 many of the so-called “born-frees”—those born in 1994—will matriculate. Plans for a National Health Insurance (NHI) will be another familiar topic in the new year as pilot projects are launched. “But, we will only start to get a better idea

A Nativity scene and Christmas tree are on stage during a papal audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican. The display is from the Mexican state of Puebla and the tree from Ukraine. (Photo: Paul Haring, CNS)

of what the NHI will look like once the budget speech is delivered,” said Mr Pasensie. “Only then will we get a better idea of how much it will cost and start to see where the money will be spent,” said Mr Pasensie. CPLO researcher Palesa Siphuma said the beginning of 2012 will be filled with post COP17 analysis—both on the successes and shortcomings of the conference and the impact it made in the country. “I think eco-issues will be more visible in the next year, but it is still likely to fall short of what is needed,” Ms Siphuma said. The government has yet to establish a clear direction on what kind of power generation strategies it will prefer in the future and this will leave some confused. The government plans to forge ahead with a new R80 billion coal power plant, will continue planning for a new nuclear plant as well as making funds available for independent power producers who will produce cleaner and renewable energy. “There seem to be a lot of competing agendas when it comes to power, and this is going to be a major environmental concern for 2012.” Mr Pothier said the CPLO will also investigate animal conservation—an area which he said was not getting nearly as much local attention as need be. With rhinos regularly poached and a massive natural heritage, “we want to see whether conservation efforts are happening effectively”. Other areas of interest for the CPLO in the new year will include the youth, the disabled, the elderly and prisoners. The Children’s Act will again come under the spotlight, said researcher Lois Law. “A top priority is the governance around the foster care of children and the appropriate paying of grants,” she said. The Children’s Act is continuously amended as the environment in which children are today growing up changes regularly, Ms Law explained. One issue that may find its way into the act is that of cultural practices. Virginity testing and genital mutilation were two practices previously not included in the act as they were not considered to be local practices. But due to migration patterns in recent years, these have become increasingly more common and laws around such practices will soon be included in the Children’s Act.

Stigmatine Fathers Jacob Banda and MacLloyd Mdzinga were ordained at St John the Baptist parish in Pretoria North by Archbishop William Slattery, seen here laying his hands on Fr Banda. Archbishop emeritus George Daniel of Pretoria and Bishop emeritus Boniface Setlalekgosi of Gaborone, Botswana, concelebrated. The new priests were given their obedience by the Stigmatine superior in Southern Africa, Fr Patrick Rakeketsi CSS. Fr Banda was born in Chipata, Zambia, and will be an assistant priest in Soshanguve, Pretoria. Fr Mdzinga comes from Dedza, Malawi, and will assist at Gaborone-West, Botswana.

Former PE bishop dies BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

ISHOP Michael Coleman will be remembered as a caring and active leader, and a great storyteller. The retired bishop of Port Elizabeth died on December 17 after a battle with cancer. He was 72. He had headed the diocese for 25 years until he retired in August due to his illness. At the time, Bishop Coleman said he was grateful for the privilege of serving the Eastern Cape’s largest diocese. Mgr Brendan Deenihan, apostolic administrator of Port Elizabeth, said: “His passing leaves a great void in the diocese, especially after having celebrated his silver jubilee in July. We are happy that his suffering is over and he is at peace, enjoying his eternal reward.” He described the late bishop as a “remarkable man. He gave active leadership. He was a caring man.” Born in Mafikeng and raised in Uitenhage and Kimberley, where he attended Christian Brothers College, Bishop Coleman dedicated most of his life to work in the Eastern Cape. His first pastoral ministry was Grahamstown, where he was ordained a priest on June 30, 1963. From there he worked with various disadvantaged communities around the Eastern Cape. He also worked with seminarians as a lecturer in the formation programme at St Peter’s seminary in Hammanskraal, Pretoria, in the 1980s. Bishop Coleman was ordained head of the Port Elizabeth diocese by Archbishop Stephen Naidoo of Cape Town on June 22, 1986, succeeding Bishop John Murphy. Anneliese Bekkers, his secretary for nearly 25 years, said Bishop Coleman was the perfect example of a prayerful man who made sure that the diocese’s work was for the Lord and his people. “He treated us all as part of his family, always concerned for our and our families’ well-being. And, of course, his sense of humour kept us constantly on our toes. He was a great storyteller and we enjoyed many, many hours listening to his experiences as

scholar, seminarian and young priest.” Bishop Coleman built 25 churches during his 25 years. He also dedicated his tenure to increase the number of religious in the diocese, to ensure quality of education and to make certain the youth felt welcomed by the Church. Messages of condolence flooded both social networks and the chancery at the news of Bishop Coleman’s death. One commentator on Facebook said he believed the “diocese will always remember you not only for being our bishop but a friend also”. Another mourner on Facebook said the bishop had “fought the good fight. May you now enjoy eternal life with the Lord”. Neill Deane, manager of St Luke’s Retreat in Port Elizabeth said while the late bishop was his boss and sometimes acted in a bosslike manner, he will always be remembered as a “kind, smiling and gentle soul who loved nature and especially wild life with a passion”. Bishop Coleman would spend any free time on his family farm near Grahamstown. “We often had private chats about spirituality and in particular our Catholic faith. He was approachable and always gave me encouragement in any challenges that arose at St Luke’s. “It was his dream to have a retreat centre in the diocese, and I have been blessed in playing a small part in realising that dream for him,” said Mr Deane. Throughout his illness, Bishop Coleman was “always patient, enduring whatever took place and was done to him without complaint”, said Miss Bekkers. “In the many hours of suffering he did not stop praying and encouraged us to join him in prayer.” She added those who worked with him will miss the bishop. “I am convinced that he will intercede for us and his diocese in his heavenly home,” she said.

LOCAL

The Southern Cross, December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

Unite with police in our parishes BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

HE Bishops’ Justice and Peace Department (J&P) has called on all parishes to invite police officers into parishes and unite in prayer against crime and corruption in celebration of National Police Day on January 29. J&P coordinator Fr Mike Deeb OP said everyone was aware of how much of a threat crime and corruption was to our society and as such, everyone should want to get involved. “The rate of homicide, rape, domestic violence and assault, kidnapping, robbery, hijacking and child molestation among others is far above those of comparable countries. Dealing with crime is not as easy as arresting the perpetrators; it is a task involving a sustained multi-pronged approach that involves each and every citizen,” he said.

Fr Deeb said it is necessary for the Church as well as civil society and government to work together to tackle the causes of crime. He said a recent J&P round table discussion acknowledged that the Church needed to be much more involved and proactive in the fight against crime. The Dominican priest said all parishes should get involved in celebrating together with the South African Police Service (SAPS). “Each parish is urged to invite police officers from the local police station, especially Catholic police officers, to come to church and to speak at the end of the Mass about efforts to tackle crime and its causes.” The celebratory day was established on the anniversary of the founding of the SAPS into law in 1995 to commend the police on the positive work done, to honour

the sacrifices that the men and women of the SAPS have made and continue to make and to show that it has the full support of government. Fr Deeb said inviting police into parishes would show further support from the country’s people as it will “affirm the work that many police are doing, putting their lives at risk to keep the streets safe and to create a better relationship and collaboration between the Church and the police in fighting crime so as to be able to hold the SAPS accountable and to reduce the level of corruption”. Fr Deeb said the effort will increase awareness to the causes and effects of crime in society and the Church and encourage the involvement of the Church and communities in the fight against crime. J&P will make resource material available to parishes but until it

Parishes have been called to invite the men and women of the SAPS to their parishes and unite in prayer against crime and corruption.

arrives has asked that parishes think “creatively about how you can celebrate this National Police Day”. Fr Deeb said he hopes all parishes and dioceses will participate in the event so that “together, we can express our support for the

work being done by the SAPS and for the fight against crime. Let us pray for an end to crime; work towards building a just and peaceful South Africa that we can all be proud of”. n For more information contact Justice and Peace on 012 323 6458

Food drive pilgrims make a difference BY THANDI BOSMAN

HE Schoenstatt Family League in Cape Town organised a pilgrimage with the aim of collecting non-perishable goods for the poor. The charity drive, called the “Shelter-Seeking Shrine Pilgrimage,” saw more than 30 members

of the Wynberg’s Corpus Christi parish collect and deliver food items to needy families, visiting three shrines along the way. While the parish has embarked on similar pilgrimages in the past, parish priest Fr Susaikannu Esack SAC said he was keen to get involved in the Schoenstatt charity drive so that his parishioners could

participate in a pilgrimage with a difference. Organiser Keith Stober said there were many homeless people who knocked at the door of the Schoenstatt Sisters at Villa Maria and the organisers of the pilgrimage wanted to do something meaningful on their next pilgrimage. By dropping off some non-

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perishables for the destitute families in Hanover Park and leaving food for the homeless at the shrines, he said the league hoped to make a difference. Mr Stober said that the pilgrimage included the stops at the Adoration Chapel in Wynberg, Villa Maria in Tamboerskloof and the Schoenstatt shrine in Constantia. He said ten cars were needed to transport both the donations and the pilgrims, which included Fr Peter-John Pearson and Fr Esack, from shrine to shrine. The pilgrimage was able to help a lot of people with food—a goal for the month. Both the parish and the league had been involved in collecting food for various dri-

ves including Catholic Welfare and Development’s Buckets of Love. Mr Stober said it was great to see so many people come together for a good cause. He added that young and old were involved in the food collection drive. “Even the catechism class of Corpus Christi had collected items of toiletries for babies.” Mr Stober said the organisers were incredibly happy with the outcome due to the great involvement and enthusiasm to donate food and goods to the needy. The successful event will hopefully become an annual pilgrimage as the contributions made a big difference in many people’s lives.

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LOCAL

The Southern Cross, December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

Southern Cross journalist dies at 81 STAFF REPORTER

ONG-TIME Southern Cross staff member Gene Donnelly (pictured) died on December 18 at the age of 81. Mr Donnelly served The Southern Cross for 41 years, first as managing editor, from June 1969 to December 1997, then as semiretired sub-editor from January 1998 to May 2010. In that time, he worked with six editors, including Cardinal Owen McCann. “Gene was a consummate subeditor of the old school, with a hard eye for detail,” said editor Günther Simmermacher, who worked with Mr Donnelly for more than 15 years. “I picked up many copy editing tricks from Gene which shall remind me of him every day.” Mr Donnelly was born on October 21, 1930 in Cape Town. Baptised Alan Keith, he retained his childhood nickname Eugene throughout his life. He was educated at Christian Brothers’ College in Green Point,

Cape Town. After leaving school he took on several jobs, including driving frontloader bulldozers in the diamond mines of Namibia. Having worked as a radio operator on an Antarctic station—during which his intervention saved a stricken supply ship’s crew—he joined the staff of the Cape Times as a sub-editor in the late 1950s. In the Cape Times newsroom he worked with future Southern Cross columnist Owen Williams, who was yet to make his conversion to Catholicism, and whose copy Mr Donnelly would later edit for many years. Mr Donnelly was a life-long devout Catholic with close links to the Schoenstatt Family Movement. As a young man he spent time at the Dominican novitiate in Stellenbosch. He decided that he was not suited to the consecrated life, but when in 1969 the opportunity arose to become the managing editor of The Southern Cross, succeeding Andrew Murray, Mr Donnelly decided that this was the way he

would serve the Church he loved, even at the sacrifice of being paid an uncompetitive salary. In an interview with The Southern Cross last year, Mr Donnelly said he did not enjoy working in the secular press. “I was finding it rather pointless: you read about another murder, another body stuffed in a closet. It was a gift from God that the post [at The Southern Cross] opened.” As managing editor, he ran the dayto-day editorial affairs of the newspaper, for long periods working with little support staff and contending with frequently absent editors. Some weeks he had to put together an entire edition on his own. “He never demanded recognition for his immense work; he

very rarely even gave himself a byline,” said Mr Simmermacher, adding that Mr Donnelly was generous with his praise for the work of others. He pointed out that Mr Donnelly rarely took a day off sick. “There were days when he would call in sick in the morning, and by lunch time he was in the newsroom because he was feeling just a bit better,” Mr Simmermacher recalled. “He was totally dedicated to his job.” Mr Donnelly also managed the production transition from typesetting to desktop publishing in the early 1990s (The Southern Cross was South Africa’s second newspaper to switch entirely to DTP production), and the adoption of the nascent Internet technology.

Chris Moerdyk, chairman of the Catholic Newspaper & Publishing Company, which publishes The Southern Cross, said: “Gene will go down in the history of the Southern Cross as one of those great stalwarts that contributed so much over so many years to ensure that the newspaper never missed a single issue in more than 90 years. He was exceptional at the way he worked and exceptional at the way he lived.” For his services to The Southern Cross and the Church in the archdiocese of Cape Town, Mr Donnelly was awarded the papal Bene Merenti medal in 1998. In his work, which he saw as an apostolate, Mr Donnelly was supported by his wife Marge, whom he met while distributing Holy Communion at a hospital. They married in 1966 and had two sons—Simon, a doctor of linguistics and now a priest in the archdiocese of Johannesburg, and Martin, a psychologist based in Grahamstown—and one grandson, Liam.

Make missionary opportunities available to the youth BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

HILE vocations may be down, there are still many young people who want to volunteer and become missionaries for the South African Church. Southern Cross columnist Steven Edwards said missionary work need not be a lifelong commitment and there are many young adults who are very keen to give of their time and energy—“they’re just looking for somewhere to go”. Volunteer and missionary work need not be heading out to far out places. “Mission work is going out to be the loving hands and feet of Christ wherever that may be. And it takes different forms depending on the community. It's definitely a broad term as what you do as a missionary could range from running a soup kitchen and handing out blankets to running confirmation retreats in your local parish,” Mr Edwards said. “My main experience with mission work has been my eightmonth trip to the United States

where I worked as a missionary intern for a small Catholic nonprofit organisation, Dumb Ox Productions/Ministries in Louisiana. Their main focus is spreading the message of chastity and Theology of the Body,” Mr Edwards said adding that while his work was not traditional work, he was a missionary with their team “in the sense that I helped them with their ministry”. From running retreats, hosting large youth events for teenagers and producing a DVD, Mr Edwards volunteered his time and helped spread the message of the Church. “It wasn’t your traditional mission work in terms of going to a destitute community and helping them build physical homes, but I was a missionary to a spiritually dry community.” And he said there are many more young people looking for similar opportunities. There are both foreign and local youth looking for experiences but they don’t always know where to go. Volunteering benefits both the volunteer and the host organisa-

tion. The host gets a free service and the volunteer gets work experience. In a Catholic context, both end up doing the work of God, said Mr Edwards. “The group just out of high school is an awesome age to do mission work—the ‘gap year’ time could be a time for 18 or 19-yearolds to give a year to serve in their parishes and dioceses as missionar-

ies where they serve their parishes and communities.” Mr Edwards said there are young people out there “dying to come to South Africa for between a month and a year to do mission work.” He added that there were many more youth here wanting to do the same thing. But more opportunities need to be made open for the youth.

“There’s so much great work going on and we can be doing so much more too!” Mr Edwards said missionary work could be doing anything in offices of the Church and since there is always a need in the Church, there should always be opportunities. Catholic organisations just need to open their doors and make their needs clearer, Mr Edwards said.

Moral Matters The Rediscovery of Social Freedom The problems of the Southern African society are well-known. One aspect mentioned often is a moral decay or loss of values. It sums up all sorts of unruly behaviour from minor moral transgressions to criminal acts of the most severe nature. Practically everyone has experienced something in the fairly recent past and diagnosis an increase in moral decay. The creation of moral values in society is a complex process. Preaching by religious leaders and bible classes may help but only to some degree. A first step of understanding has to recognise the difference between intellectual reasoning and communicative rationality. Moral values are created in a communicative process which may include unwritten and non-verbal elements. In a second step one has to concede the highly acclaimed human rights approach may be very useful for the constitutional court but has its limitations in the creation of a value-based society. The individual human person it talks about is just not a given fact. Society is not just a numerical sum of individuals who own human rights. From here it is a small step to acknowledge moral values are not created but discovered and re-discovered in society again and again. Moral values are not only emotions expressed by an incensed speaker. They are features deep insight of social life. The are hidden and shifting at times. Relationship values may be an example: The idea of eternal love and care nowadays may be embedded more in the multi-generational multi-local families than in the romantic m arriages of modern singles.

Many young people who want to volunteer and become missionaries for the South African Church by giving of their time and energy.

It is not sufficient to mention numerous cases of immoral behaviour by individuals to conclude a moral decay of society. It is equally not sufficient to only re-discover where the moral values may have shifted to. Social scientists and politicians need a normative basis for their diagnosis of the moral situation of the nation. This normative basis answers the question why society lays its trust in moral values. It is the faith that provides the trust. In our postmodern society faith has diverse roots. It may be rooted in a religion, a myth or an idealistic faith. It may even be a cynical non-faith. But it will be an answer to the question how reason and love may be linked. Christians see an ultimate unity they call God. The common basis for the morals of society is called natural law. One can’t write it down as it immediately disappears when it is rationalized. But it is what all discussions on moral values really talk about. The good news is: It can be discovered while it is seemingly absent. There is hope for the social freedom of the nation. Andreas E. Peltzer (Chair)

The Southern Cross, December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

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Prison Care and suPPort network Under the auspices of the Catholic Church (Reg. Number: 012-905 NPO)

appeals for old/used Christmas Cards For a reCYCLinG ProJeCt Please assist our initiative by dropping off cards either at your parish or at the offices of Prison Care and Support Network: 86 Lawrence Road, Athlone, Church Hall: First Entrance or call the office at 021 697 1348 or 021 697 4174 Contact Alledene Cupido Monday to Friday between 09.00 - 13.00. Contact 021 697 4174 (Tel & Fax) 021 697 1348 prisoncare@mweb.co.za

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Abortion review ‘unreliable’ BY SIMON CALDWELL

ATHOLIC medical professionals have questioned the reliability of a British review concluding that women who have abortions have no increased risk of developing mental health problems. The British governmentfunded “Systematic Review of Induced Abortion and Women’s Mental Health” found that although an unwanted pregnancy may cause mental health problems, it made no difference to the mother’s mental well-being if she continued with the pregnancy or had an abortion. The review was carried out by the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health at

the Royal College of Psychiatry. But David Jones, director of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre, a Catholic institute serving the Church in Britain and Ireland, said researchers had used evidence selectively. He also pointed out that the publication of the review came very soon after a meta-analysis of 22 studies published in The British Journal of Psychiatry found that abortion increased the risk of a woman developing mental health problems by 81%. He said that in contrast the systematic review “did not conduct any original research” nor present a meta-analysis of other studies but instead

“excluded the evidence of most studies and relied on a very small number of studies for its conclusions.” Dr Pravin Thevathasan, a consultant psychiatrist and member of the Catholic Medical Association, said that even pro-abortion researchers had criticised the systematic review. “There are still many questions to be asked about the link between abortion and mental health,” he said, adding that the findings of the review suggested that the 98% of abortions in Britain carried out to protect the mental health of the mothers may be technically illegal if they did not serve their purpose.—CNS

Witness of love on Bethlehem’s hated wall of separation BY JUDITH SUDILOVSkY

YLVANA Giacaman, 54, of Bethlehem in the West Bank gave herself a different kind of gift for Christmas: She is allowing her photo and a personal story to be posted on the Israeli separation wall. On her poster Mrs Giacaman, a Catholic and the sole member of her immediate family who still resides in the Palestinian territories, shares a turning point in her life. During the first intifada, she miscarried after being exposed to Israeli-fired teargas. A week later, while in Jerusalem for a medical exam, she saw an Israeli child playing on top of an escalator and about to fall. “Thoughts rushed through my mind. Should I leave him and let him die the way the Israeli soldiers let my boy die a week ago, or should I make a desperate attempt to grab him? All of a sudden, I felt an impulse that made me hurry forward,” she said on her poster. “Throwing myself in front of the boy, I prevented his fall.” This incident changed her whole life, she said. “As a Christian I was about to take revenge [on the little boy], but then I realised what I must do as a Catholic and a Christian: to catch this baby with my own hands,” she said. “If somebody does something to us we mustn’t take revenge. We must take that opportunity to do better. After this happened, I realised I must love people even more and accept people the way they are... I must see in them the image of God.”

Sylvana Giacaman and her husband, Fuad, stand beside the Israel separation barrier in Bethlehem. (Photo: Judith Sudilovsky, CNS) Mrs Giacaman’s poster is part of a unique open-air exhibition sponsored by the Sumud Story House, which stands just a few metres from the separation wall and one of its guard towers. The house was established in 2007 by the Pax Christi International-affiliated Arab Educational Institute as a centre for awareness-raising activities locally and internationally. In Arabic, sumud means steadfastness, and the house’s activities are aimed at fostering persistence in staying on the land. “These are all real stories of our lives,” said Mrs Giacaman.

“I think that when people will read my stories and my sisters’ stories they will share in my suffering. They will realise that we Christian Palestinians are on this land.” AEI development director Toine van Teeffelen, who is helping with the project, said the posters are meant to show the resilience of the women whose stories have usually gone unacknowledged. “Groups who visit want to hear about the women’s lives, to hear from-the-heart stories about life here,” said Mr van Teeffelen, who is originally from Holland and has made Bethlehem his home. “Women’s stories have not been acknowledged, certainly not in politics. We are hoping that at Christmas time when we celebrate the Prince of Peace, we will be able to bring new life in this area which has been deadened. We want this to be a statement of life rather than the predilection of the wall to kill [activities in the area].” Mr Van Teeffelen said he is not sure how the Israeli soldiers will react to the posters, but they have not opposed all the anti-wall graffiti that local residents and international visitors have created. Highlighting the women’s stories is “very important,” said Mr van Teeffelen, whose institute was looking for sponsors for more. He said when they have at least 50 posters, they will be able to have a full museum-like official opening—some time after Christmas.—CNS

‘Tens of thousands’ abused in Dutch Church

REPORT on a Dutch inquiry said “several tens of thousands of minors” were sexually abused by Catholic Church personnel between 1945 and 2010, and it faulted Church leaders for covering up the abuse and failing to help victims. Dutch bishops and heads of religious orders expressed “shame and sorrow” at the revelations and pledged to “take all measures provided for under Church and civil law” to prevent and punish such abuse in the future. The report was the result of a lengthy independent inquiry requested by the Dutch bishops’ conference and the Conference of Dutch Religious. The commission that conducted the study had access to Church archives, and it received 1 795 specific reports of sexual abuse

of minors in the Church; it also conducted a survey to estimate the scale of abuse over the 65year period. The report estimated that between 10 000 and 20 000 children who spent part of their youth in a Catholic institution in the Netherlands suffered abuse by Church personnel. It estimated that about one in ten Dutch children in residential institutions experienced unwanted sexual advances from a perpetrator working in the Church. It noted that there was no significant difference between Catholic and nonCatholic institutions. The report faulted bishops and other Church officials for covering up cases of sexual abuse, for transferring perpetrators without punishment, for taking few preventative measures and for failing to give recognition, help and compen-

sation to victims. It called on bishops and superiors to give a public accounting of their actions. It said financial compensation is “an essential element of the reparation that must be made to the victims.” The report urged Church officials to dialogue with victims and victim groups. In a statement, the bishops and directors of the Conference of Dutch Religious said that “the perpetrators are not the only ones to blame. Church authorities who did not act correctly and did not give priority to the interests of and care for these victims also share in this blame”. They also pledged that, in the future, church officials would notify civil authorities “when there is any suspicion of a punishable offence”, in accordance with Dutch law.—CNS

INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

Pope: Young people are a key to justice and peace BY CINDY WOODEN

HEN young people recognise the dignity and beauty of every human life, including their own, and are supported in their natural desire to make the world a better place, they become agents of justice and peace in the world, Pope Benedict says in his message for the World Day of Peace 2012, observed on January 1. Peace and justice are built on “a profound respect for every human being and helping others to live a life consonant with this supreme dignity”, the pope’s message says. The theme the pope has chosen for the 2012 celebration is “Educating Young People in Justice and Peace”. He asks parents and teachers to be more attentive to the hopes and fears of young people today and to their search for true values, and he asked governments to put more resources into education and job creation. And the pope asks young people themselves to take their schooling seriously and to be open to the example and knowledge their elders have to share. He asks them “to be patient and persevering in seeking justice and peace, in cultivating the taste for what is just and true, even when it involves sacrifice and swimming against the tide”. Adults have a serious responsibility to help the young fulfill their potential, not just by sharing information with them, but by being examples of what it means to live lives marked by the joy of faith, charity and respect for others, Pope Benedict says.

“Today more than ever we need authentic witnesses, and not simply people who parcel out rules and facts: We need witnesses capable of seeing farther than others because their life is so much broader.” Educating people in justice and peace begins in the family, where they learn to value the gift of life, solidarity, respect for rules, forgiveness and hospitality, the pope says. Too many young people today are missing that basic human formation because “we are living in a world where families, and life itself, are constantly threatened and not infrequently fragmented”. Pope Benedict appeals to parents to give their children “the most precious of treasures”, which is the gift of their time. The pope also urges governments to make it possible for parents to choose the type of education they want their children to receive and to enact immigration reforms aimed at “reuniting families separated by the need to earn a living”.

resenting the message at a Vatican news conference, Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said the pope’s message highlights the fact that he sees young people not only as hope for the future, but as “an active part, the most vital part of the human family” in a world that needs energy and new ideas now. Bishop Mario Toso, secretary of the Justice and Peace council, said the young people who energised the Arab Spring movements toward democracy this year illustrate the fact that the young have

a positive role to play in society today. They proclaimed to the world that “there can be social justice in their societies if there is democracy and, vice versa, that if there is democracy, there can be social justice”, he said. The heart of the pope’s message focused on what he called the “integral formation of the person, including the moral and spiritual dimension”. “Man is a being who bears within his heart a thirst for truth—a truth which is not partial, but capable of explaining life’s meaning—since he was created in the image and likeness of God,” the pope wrote in his message. Acknowledging God as creator leads to recognising “one’s own profound dignity and the inviolability of every single person”, Pope Benedict says in the message. Based on that dignity, people come to understand that there are certain things that always are either right or wrong, he says. “Deep within his conscience, man discovers a law that he did not lay upon himself, but which he must obey. Its voice calls him to love and do what is good, to avoid evil and to take responsibility for the good he does and the evil he commits.” Pope Benedict says peace is not simply a gift to be received from God, it is a task people of good will must undertake. “In order to be true peacemakers, we must educate ourselves in compassion, solidarity, working together, fraternity, in being active within the community and concerned to raise awareness about national and international issues

Pope Benedict during his general audience on December 14. In his message for World Peace Day on January 1 the pope calls on young people to “swim against the tide”, when necessary. (Photo: Paul Haring, CNS) and the importance of seeking adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth, the pro-

motion of growth, cooperation for development and conflict resolution,” he says.—CNS

The Southern Cross, December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

Our prayers for 2012

HE resolution of the climate change conference in Durban will have satisfied few who have at heart the welfare of the planet and its people. The governments of the world have pronounced the myopic pursuit of revenue as an absolute priority. The underfunded Green Climate Fund will do little to address climate change and its effects. Our prayer for 2012 must be that pressure and good sense will push governments towards a common purpose in addressing climate change, and other matters of ecology, beginning with COP 18 in Qatar. Climate change is just one contributing factor in the aggravation of the poverty of those who already have little. The economic crisis, which has been caused by an economic system that rewards selfish greed, is serving only to widen the gap between the rich and the poor. This is markedly so in South Africa We pray that Pope Benedict’s appeal to Africa that there must not be an “unconditional surrender to the law of the market or that of finance” will be heard, and that governments become more proactive in rooting out exploitative and other moral iniquities in business practices. In Swaziland an unrepresentative and tyrannical king and his coterie are living the high life as the poor are going hungry. Leaders of Southern Africa’s Catholic Church visited the country in 2011. They forthrightly condemned the political repression there, and called for democratic reform in one of the world’s last absolute monarchies. In Zimbabwe, elections might be held in 2012. There is little to suggest that such elections would be peaceful, free or fair. Moreover, with President Robert Mugabe rapidly aging, the succession battle within his ZanuPF party is already in full swing, with every indication that the battle for supremacy will not be placid. Our prayer for 2012 is that in Swaziland and Zimbabwe especially, the principles of an accountable and transparent democracy in conditions of peace will find firm roots. There is no fear that the succession contest in the African National Congress, which will

culminate in the party electing its president (and therefore the country’s president) in Mangaung in December 2012, might produce violent turbulence. There is, however, a very real danger that the leadership battle is compromising the ANC’s ability to govern effectively, especially if factions use the area of governance and state resources to sabotage one another. Our prayer is that politicians, of whatever factional stripe, will always keep in mind their call to serve the people, with personal ambition secondary, and that voters will hold accountable those who place position and avarice ahead of public service. As the Arab Spring continues, we must pray that those who replace ousted tyrants will maintain respect and consideration for minorities, including Christians. We also pray that those living in intolerable conditions hostile to the faith of Christ, especially in Pakistan, will enjoy the religious freedom which the Catholic Church demands for all. As ever, we must pray that the political will emerges to find an equitable solution to the stalemate between Israel and Palestine. Our prayers must also be with the ever-diminishing number of Christians in the Holy Land. After a decade of revelations of clerical abuse of minors and the cover-up of these crimes, we may be confident that the cleansing in the Church is on track. Pope Benedict is acutely mindful of the need to heal—those who have been abused, and those who have been affected by it. We pray that the Church will let this healing process run its slow course. But there are signs of hope in the Church. In October, the pope will launch a Year of Faith with the intention of promoting the various evangelisation apostolates. In Southern Africa, we are fortunate to enter that special year with much groundwork already done, through renewal programmes in some dioceses and nationally through the commendable Hope&Joy network. So our prayer must be that the Year of Faith will be preceded by sound preparation and be welcomed with much enthusiasm. And finally, we pray that the readers, associates, friends and supporters of The Southern Cross may have a blessed and peaceful 2012.

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.

A place to discuss diversity

HEN talking to an eminently faithful Catholic recently, I discovered she subscribes to The Southern Cross but has no access to a computer. I was sharing some of the “discussions” that take place on The Southern Cross website (www.scross.co.za) and she was surprised to learn that we can comment on such items as the editorial, the regular writers’ columns, the Letter of the Week, and so on. Naturally, there are disagreements and arguments on the various comments being made. It is understandable when you have Catholics who are spread across a wide spectrum of belief and experience, from one pole to the other. Some adopt quite an aggressive approach to others who disagree with their point of view. What follows is partly based on some wisdom I have adapted from Matthew Fox’s latest book, The Pope’s Wars. There is the ideal of unity in the Christian tradition. But in both nature and with human beings, there is diversity. Human beings are different colours, speak different languages, have different rituals, songs, religions and ways of seeing the world. It is now vital for our survival to

We vs I believe

READ with great interest the letter from Fr Michael Austin SJ (December 7) in which he traced the history of the development of the Nicene Creed (or more correctly, as he points out, the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed). I certainly will not presume to enter into a debate with Fr Austin, a priest for whose wisdom and knowledge I have immense respect, about the merits of the “I believe” approach as compared to the “We believe” approach. Both have great meaning and power, and the Church has decided that the most appropriate at this stage in history is the personal rather than the group statement of commitment. It is worth noting that this is not only applicable to the English translation, but to the other translations as well. Fr Austin states towards the end of his letter that I was mistaken in Opinions expressed in The Southern Cross, especially in Letters to the Editor, do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or staff of the newspaper, or of the Catholic hierarchy. The letters page in particular is a forum in which readers may exchange opinions on matters of debate. Letters must not be understood to necessarily reflect the teachings, disciplines or policies of the Church accurately.

honour the planet for its richness and seek together ways to heal all damages and not continue to do more damage. It is equally vital to honour human diversity for its potential richness, to look for common roots and common values. We need to dance the dance between unity and diversity. We need to find the flexibility to celebrate unity with diversity—not fight for uniformity by clubbing the differences, or denouncing them, or holding the opinions of others as heretical or trying to prove others wrong because of lack of knowledge. It is recorded in Scripture that Peter and Paul had diverse opinions. In those early days there were diverse branches of the “Jesus Movement”. James, the brother of Jesus had his followers, Peter had his and logically Mary Magdalene (Jesus’ prime “anointer”) had hers together with the other women who had taken care of the daily needs of the disciples over a period of roughly three years. They all learnt from the same source and there were no doubt many differences of opinion. Diversity exists among the four Gospels and Acts. Paul had a few very strong opinions, and even admitted the one that became known as the

my article dated October 26 when I said that “the words ‘I believe’ are repeated at each of the statements of our belief in the three persons of the Trinity and in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church”. I humbly point out to Fr Austin that my article was in fact correct, and must assume that he had referred to an old version in error. The quadruple repetition of the “I believe” is very clearly included in the new translation. Chris Busschau, Johannesburg

New liturgy query

HE head of our liturgical committee at our meeting last week advised us that the New Order of the Mass (R15) was not for laypersons but only for priests. This was because this book contains the Eucharistic Prayers which the congregation was not permitted to follow in the book as this would be concelebrating with the priest. Last Sunday we were told that we should leave our Missals at home as we are required to listen “to the Word of God” being proclaimed to us” and not follow the readings in our Missals. I have been using both my Sunday and Daily Missal to follow, respond and participate in Holy Mass since I received my first

Pauline privilege was his personal opinion. Can we have Christ without Moses and Elijah (or any of those making up the history of Judaism)? What spectacular diversity! To believe in the myth of unity as “everyone obeying one voice” is a very simplistic notion. Look how Christianity has morphed into many varied expressions and ideas: Greek Orthodox, Coptic, Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism; Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist as well as the various forms of Christianity in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and elsewhere. For this reason I love the beauty and truth found in one “mystical Body of Christ”. Our Church seems to shout anathema and heretic to all developments and creative ideas outside of its control (or to those voices which appear to threaten its power and authority). Another very local example to show the need for control is the Hope&Joy initiative which networks only with those listed in the Catholic Directory. Yet, at the same time, the Church calls on laity to help evangelise ourselves as well as the uncontrollable secular society. If being evangelised is also coming to understand the diverse voices of others, then I am being evangelised on The Southern Cross website. Rosemary Gravenor, Durban

Missal. I would appreciate some clarification of these issues before I buy the New Missal next year Vincent Lawrence, Marianridge, KZN n Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Vatican ll document that set the basis for the post-conciliar liturgy, states that “this sacred Synod strongly urges pastors of souls that, when instructing the faithful, they insistently teach them to take their part in the entire Mass” (56). This makes it clear that all are encouraged to actively follow the Eucharistic prayers. The Church does require that the Scriptures be proclaimed and hence listened to; however, there is no requirement that the congregation should not also read the text while listening to the proclamation. These principles are reinforced in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal as well as in the Pastoral Introduction to the Order of the Mass. The R15 booklets were designed with the purpose of allowing as many people as possible, in particular lay people, to be able to afford a publication that would enhance their participation in the Mass. Lay Catholics are also encouraged to buy the Sunday or Daily missals when they become available early in the new year, and then use them at Mass.—Editor

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PERSPECTIVES Chris Chatteris SJ Pray with the Pope

We’re all in the same rocky boat General Intention: That the victims of natural disasters may receive the spiritual and material comfort they need to rebuild their lives. WAS wondering whether it was just me becoming more pessimistic with advancing age, or whether the annual toll of natural disasters really has risen over the last few years. Or maybe it was an illusion created by the media. Or perhaps because, as the world population expands into flood-plains and onto volcanic slopes, more people get hit by the powerful forces of nature. Or was it the result of climate change? All of the above, apparently. The media certainly mediate our perceptions. According to www.science.howstuffworks.com, ”the media seem to pile on the coverage whenever any flood happens anywhere, so you hear about floods more now than you used to”. Whether we like it or not, in the era of rolling news, floods, or people being pulled “miraculously” from earthquake-devastated buildings, or fiery rivers of lava incinerating entire villages, all make spectacular television. But it’s not just the media. Poor, landless people have indeed been forced to move into the more dangerous natural environments of the planet. “Drawn by undeveloped land and fertile soil, people are flocking to disaster-prone regions,” reports the LiveScience website (www.livescience.com). And there is a statistical increase in the number of natural disasters apparently. A 2008 report by Oxfam, based on Red Cross, the United Nations and researchers at Louvain University in Belgium, found that the “earth is currently experiencing approximately 500 natural disasters per year, compared with 120 per year in the early 1980s”. One significant finding was that geological natural disasters (volcanic eruptions and earthquakes) had held steady whereas the weather-induced disasters had increased very significantly (www.natu ralnews.com). This suggests that the climate really is changing. Natural disasters may seem remote to us— things that happen in the Horn of Africa or the Bay of Bengal. But the statistics suggest that even normally benign environments are now at greater risk. This raises the uncomfortable possibility of our own homes being flooded out or blown away. Such unpleasant prospects can remind us to put before the Lord in action-supported prayer, those whose homes—and lives—have actually been devastated by natural disasters. We are all ultimately in the same environmental boat, and it’s currently passing through some very rough weather. Hence we pray for one another.

Surprising power Missionary Intention: That the dedication of Christians to peace may bear witness to the name of Christ before all men and women of good will. T’S not every day of the week that a prime minister appoints the founder of a lay, Catholic movement to his cabinet. Italy’s new leader, Mario Monti, has just done so. He recently named Andrea Riccardi, the founder of the Sant’Egidio Community as a member of his government. Sant’Egidio’s mission is peacemaking. At the time of the civil war in Mozambique, the community was a key player in bringing about an accord between the warring factions and the eventual peace that now reigns in that country. Today, Sant’Egidio continues to play an important, if discreet role, in efforts to make peace in various regions of our conflicted world. The movement had minuscule beginnings. A small group of laypeople came together in the church of Sant’Egidio in Rome in the 1960s to pray and to discern how they should serve God. From this beginning, of mustard-seed proportions, came a community and an organisation which has made a Gospel mark on global affairs. The story of Sant’Egidio shows how it is still true that “the Spirit blows where it wills”. The Church has officials and institutions specifically tasked with promoting peace in the world, but this does not mean that the Spirit works only through them. Nor does a Spirit-filled group have to make huge headlines to be effective. Indeed the persuasive power of Sant’Egidio has to some extent been its sheer lack of power. A small and dedicated group, it is said, is all that is required to change the world. In the history of Christianity we think of the anti-slavery movement; we think of religious founders; we think of the Twelve. “Blessed are the peacemakers”, and blessed are we in supporting their work with our prayers.

The Southern Cross, December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

To grow in holiness in 2012

T Christmas time we are reminded of the glory of God in the words sung by the angels. Holiness and glory do go together but in quite an enigmatic way. Holiness is related to the Christ child, to the Holy Family and also in the week after Christmas to the Holy Innocents, those innocent babies slain by a jealous king fearful of losing his throne and his power. A meaningful tradition over the years too in some places has been the singing of Te Deum, the hymn of praise to God’s glory on New Year’s Eve as thanksgiving for the year past. Words have interesting meanings and connotations. Holy does mean sanctified, saintly. Another meaning is whole, wholesome and complete, without imperfection to diminish its value. This year unfortunately we miss out on Holy Family Sunday—unfortunate because it is the only feast that particularly celebrates the family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus together. There are many other feast days for them individually but a family is more than a number of individuals. I have always valued the idea, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” It might not be a mathematical concept, but is certainly one that the United Nations recognises and is built into the SA Family Policy, which is still in draft form for general consultation. It is stated that policies should recognise the needs of individuals while recognising that they are also members of families.

We could consider that the holiness of the Holy Family lies in their individual qualities, but also very much in their unity in their relationships. We know very little of St Joseph, but Pope Benedict in various talks presented him as a model to husbands and fathers, a model of faithfulness, commitment and humility. The men of the St Joseph’s Sodality active in parts of our region do have him as their patron and model and one wonders how many fathers, foster-fathers and stepfathers have him as their model too. The need to consider the place of men, not only in the Church but especially in their families, has been identified as a focal area for the family apostolate for the year ahead. Recent research has noted that only a third of South Afrcan children spend most of their childhood years with their biological father, and yet the majority of those fathers are alive somewhere. It is not just a straightforward question of challenging those men to be true fathers to their children, because they are likely in other relationships, possibly have other children, or may be working away from home to be able to provide for their families. The issue needs to be explored more deeply in the months ahead, together with parenting and later in the year a general focus on marriage and its many aspects. Promoting all this will be the work of the SACBC Family Life Desk, of others in the family aposto-

Greening the Church

N many of his writings and speeches Pope Benedict, like many other Church leaders, sees care for the environment as a moral challenge to all people. While not explicitly addressed in depth, because at the time it was not high on the agenda of most people, we can see the roots of his concern in Vatican II. When the Council met (1962-65) there were already glimmerings of concern about the environment and the impact of human beings on nature—exploitation of land and water resources were already showing dangerous signs of having a long term negative effect. Pollution from factories was already being felt in some areas, but at this stage there was little knowledge or insight into the phenomenon we now know as global warming. Scientists were already experimenting with new fertilisers and seeds to create a “green revolution” that they hoped would solve world food shortages. They were yet to see the serious adverse effects of some of their experiments. As the Council drew to a close, the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, was promulgated. Focusing on the Church ad extra—to humanity, to the world—it affirmed the dignity of the human person as the image of God called to cooperate in the struggle to share in “earthly activity in such a way as to integrate human, domestic, professional, scientific and technical enterprises with religious values” (43). Speaking on the importance of economic, social, cultural and political rights, it concluded: “It is the Father’s will that we should recognise Christ our brother in the persons of all and love them with an effective love, in word and

in deed, thus bearing witness to the truth” (93). Within a few years this call to work together for human improvement came to be seen as inseparable from concern for the planet. Noting the dumping of waste materials in the atmosphere and sea, the post-Vatican II 1971 Synod of Bishops warned that “irreparable damage would be done to the essential elements of life on earth” (Justice in the World, 1). The outpouring of concern for justice, a fruit of Vatican II, took a new direction. While the Council did not explicitly talk about ecology it was the logical extension of the call to cooperation of Vatican II and the concerns raised by the 1971 Synod: humans, inseparable from the rest of the planet, exist in an increasingly uneasy balance with the natural world. Indirectly what we do to the planet we do to ourselves, as much as what we do to our brothers and sisters defines, dignifies or dishonours ourselves. In a Joint Declaration on Environmental Ethics, Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Bartholomew I stated: “In our own time we are witnessing a growth of an ecological awareness which needs to be encouraged, so that it will lead to practical programmes and initiatives. An awareness of the relationship between God and humankind brings a fuller sense of the importance of the relationship between human beings and the natural environment, which is God’s creation and which God entrusted to us to guard with wisdom and love (cf Gen 1:28).” With this declaration, the pope and patriarch buried forever the idea that environmental concern was anything other than at the heart of the Gospel and

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late and of the whole Church as Family of God. The recent document from the Second Synod for Africa stresses that reconciliation, peace and justice are the concern of the whole Church. In 2011, the Family theme has been “Peace on Earth Begins at Home”. Reconciliation too begins in the intimate relationships in our families. Parents spend endless hours telling their kids: “Say sorry to your brother or sister.” Do we do the same? Couples receive the grace of forgiveness as one of the graces of matrimony. “Day by Day with God and Family” will be the theme for 2012. “New Beginnings”, starting in January, is a perfect opportunity to begin or otherwise to build on the already strong relationships in the home. It is a time of new beginnings and so we reflect on the beginning of life, of a new school and work year. Pray that no more Holy Innocents, begotten in the midst of holiday madness will lose their lives. Pray that through the way families live their lives as fully and completely as possible they will be holy families too and so reveal the glory of God. With St Ireneaus we say: “The glory of God is people fully alive.” And our family prayer for 2012, built into the family year planner and the reflection booklets points the way: “Day by day, Oh dear Lord, three things I pray. To see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly and follow thee more nearly.” In that way, in spite of our imperfections, may we grow in holiness and so give glory to God.

Anthony Egan SJ A Church of Hope and Joy the universal call to holiness and justice that Vatican II proclaimed 40 years before. Noting this, we must realise that environmental stewardship challenges us with many tough choices about our lifestyles and even our positions as human beings on the planet. We now know that resources on earth are far less renewable or abundant than we imagined. Water is not an easily renewable resource, nor is it unlimited. The pursuit of human survival has led to the extinction of thousands of animal and plant species, many of them essential to the survival of other species—and the numbers of extinctions increase annually. Uncontrolled human population growth has an effect on this: more people, less food, more conflict over resources is a lethal formulation of this interconnected problem. This leaves us with uneasy questions. Though a simpler lifestyle might slow down the crisis, can it save us in time? Despite the insights of all religions, which agree substantially on values of compassion and sharing, will human beings really put aside self-interest? The alternative seems to be a global social engineering project that would entail controversial actions—radically reducing meat production, dietary controls, and even strict population control. The latter in particular would be anathema to the Catholic Church. All would limit personal freedoms. But does commitment to the environment, if only based on human self-interest in survival, demand this?

The Southern Cross, December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

COMMUNITY

Some 150 young people from Sicelo descended on Bosco Youth Centre in Johannesburg for a fun day organised by the Bosco youth ministry team. The activities on the day included a Nativity play, Christmas card-making, fun games, swimming and a magic show.

Children of St Francis Xavier parish in Maclear, Mthatha diocese received their First Holy Communion. (From left): Joshua king, Claryssa Graham, Aiden Graham, Malcolm Carrol and Sokhana Makeleni (front). (Submitted by Wendy Vorster)

IN FOC US

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 Edited by Lara Moses

Sr Nobulali Bulurelo visited St Patrick’s parish in East London with a group of the children from Masiphuhlisane Project who are cared for by the sisters at St Peter Claver convent in Duncan Village. The St Patrick’s CWL supports the Masiphuhlisane Project by means of regular donations in the form of cash and clothing. The children enjoyed a party arranged for them in the hall. Christmas parcels for the 35 babies that are cared for at the project’s crèche were also given to Sr Nobulali during her visit. (Submitted by Ann kent)

(From left): Miguel Tablai, Diante Tablai, Matthew Blow, Jason Barnes and Matthew Solomons (not photographed) made their First Holy Communion at Our Lady Help of Christians in Lansdowne, Cape Town. They are seen with parish priest Fr Canice Dooley SDB. (Submitted by Zelda van der Holst)

Little Flower Primary in Eshowe collected 502 cans of food for drought-stricken Somalia. W Moodley, head of the pastoral committee, is seen with some of the learners. (Submitted by Leo van der Sandt)

Please contact us for details of planned 2012 presentations of Blessed John Paul II’s life-changing

THEOLOGY OF THE BODY An Introduction by C.West – Discovering the Master Plan for your Life Teens by Jason & Crystalina Evert – Discovering God’s Plan for Love and Life God’s plan for a Joy Filled Marriage by C.West …and more! 1st Retreat for 2012: “T.O.B for Teens” 3-5 February Contact:Marie-Anne 0834491129 / ffpandf@gmail.com

Senior citizens enjoy their annual Christmas lunch served by the Ladies of Charity at Holy Spirit parish in Arcadia, Port Elizabeth. (Submitted by Rita Martin)

LITERATURE

The Southern Cross, December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

The Bible that helped form the English language It is 400 years since the publication of the Bible that gave us words such as “broken-hearted” and “clear-eyed” and phrases such as “to see the writing on the wall” and “to go from strength to strength”. MICHAEL AUSTIN SJ looks at the history of the King James Bible.

RANSLATION is in the air for us English-speaking Catholics. The revised translation of the Roman Missal into English has been approved, authorised by the Vatican, and imposed by our bishops. We know all about Dynamic Equivalence style of translating the Missal that was used in the 1973 version, now rejected, and Literal Equivalence of the latest translation. Some have rejoiced, some have wept, and probably the majority just go along in blind obedience. Because of this innovation, most English-speaking Catholics have not noticed the celebration in the Protestant churches and faculties of English in universities in commemoration of 400 years of the Authorised translation of the Bible, commonly called the King James Bible, that was published in 1611. This bible, together with the Elizabethan English of William Shakespeare’s plays, is held up as the benchmark for the glories of the English language. But, like the new translation of the Roman Missal, it was the product of scholars working as teams in shifts. King James VI of Scotland, born of the devout Catholic Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, was raised in the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. When Queen Elizabeth I of England and Wales died in 1603, she was succeeded by her nominated cousin James Stuart.

With the union of the two kingdoms he became James I of England. He had received a good education in the classics and the Reformed theology of Calvin. He delighted in arguing points of religion and was no slouch in his knowledge. Notoriously, he engaged with the brilliant Jesuit theologian Cardinal Robert Bellarmine who dubbed James “the most learned fool in Christendom”. He was a strong believer in the Divine Right of kings, telling the English parliament: “Kings are justly called gods.” He took to his role as Head of the Church of England with gusto, glorying in the Catholic pomp and sacramental system that remained from Henry VIII’s church and which was so very different from the dreary lugubriousness of Calvinism. He determined on an accurate and up-to-date translation of the Bible to be read in “his” church. And what a gloriously inspiring text it turned out. It is still the most printed, sold and read book to this day. Under the leadership of Bishop Lancelot Andrewes, 54 scholars of Oxford and Cambridge, proficient on Hebrew, Greek and Latin, were divided into teams of six to eight and allocated about ten books from both Old and New Testaments. But they were fortunate that they did not have to start translating from scratch. Already in existence was the amazing solo translation of William Tyndale.

illiam Tyndale was born in England in the late 1400s. He was a brilliant scholar with fluent Latin and Greek and went up to Oxford University aged 12. At this time the Catholic Church was not happy to put the Bible into the hands of ordinary folk, so it was kept in Latin. Having graduated from both Oxford and Cambridge Universities, Dr Tyndale in his 30s had a burning desire to translate the Bible into English so that even a ploughboy could understand it when read at Mass. Martin Luther had translated the New Testament into common German while under house arrest

in Wittemburg in 1522. The Catholic bishop of London, Cuthbert Tunstall, refused his support for the project, so Tyndale went to Germany to work and produce his translations made direct from the Greek and Hebrew into straightforward vigorous English. Regrettably he had taken on some of the ideas of Luther and other reformers that showed in his translation. Thus it was rejected by the bishops of Henry’s church and by St Thomas More. Living in Antwerp, Belgium, Tyndale was spied on by a priest and reported to Henry VIII who had him arrested and burnt at the stake in 1536. Being warned of this threat he had had his precious folios smuggled into England where they were kept in safety. In my view, this was another disaster for the authoritarian and benighted Church of Rome that cavalierly disposed of a great scholar and lover of God’s word.

hen we “put words into someone’s mouth” and “see the writing on the wall” or “cast the first stone”, or when we say “you are the salt of the earth” or “a thorn in the flesh”, when we “fight the good fight” or “go from strength to strength” or “when the blind lead the blind” or are “sick unto death” or “broken-hearted” or “clear-eyed”, or talk of “the powers that be”—in these and literally thousands more ways we talk the language of the 400-year old Bible of King James. It is estimated that about 74% of Tyndale’s translation was incorporated into the Authorised Version. Its words comprise 8 674 from Hebrew; 5 624 from Greek; 12 143 from Old English. Napoleon said of the King James version: “It is no mere book but a living creature with a power that conquers all that oppose it.” It is accepted that the two greatest speeches in the House of Commons, Westminster, were by Christians and imbued with the words of the King James Bible. These were by Winston Churchill in 1940, just after the outbreak of the Second World War, and by William Wilberforce when he made his first speech for the ending of the slave trade in 1789.

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This is the 1767 king James Bible used by George Washington at his first inauguration. It is still owned by the St John's Masonic Lodge in New York. (Photo: CNS)

William Tyndale was not the first to translate the Bible into English. One of the texts I had to study at university in Old English was the translation of some of the Gospels under the impetus of King Athelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great, round about 930. A century before, the Benedictine monk Bede of Wearmouth had translated the Gospel of John. In the 14th century another Oxford scholar, John Whycliff, had organised the translation by a group of scholars of St Jerome’s Vulgate Bible into English. This was completed and published in 1382, precisely one thousand years after Pope Damasus had ordered his brilliant secretary, Eusebius Jerome, to pull together the hotchpotch of Latin variants and old Greek translations of the Scriptures. This translation into Latin was known as the Vulgate and remained unchanged and unchallenged for a millennium till Vatican II. This monumental work of scholarship by a single man was known as the Vulgate because of its common use by the Catholic Church of the west. Latin, of course, had become the language of the Roman Empire and thus of the Church of Rome. It was St Jerome who stated that ignorance of the Bible meant ignorance of Christ. It was the King James Bible that

accompanied the Pilgrim Fathers to New England in 1620 and was used by George Washington to take the oath of allegiance at the establishment of the United States of America. The British colonialists took it to India and to Africa as the empire expanded. It was the basis for the Established Church in those countries and the guarantor of law and order. Abraham Lincoln quoted from it in his Address at Gettysburg. It has been used in the coronation ceremony of English kings and queens since James’ son Charles I was crowned in 1626. In Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion (which provided the template for the musical My Fair Lady), Professor Higgins reminds the cockney flower girl that she is murdering the language of Shakespeare and the Bible. On Ash Wednesday 2012, the Lectionary for Mass will replace the Jerusalem Bible version with the New Revised Standard Version which was begun in the 1880s. The growth of biblical scholarship and the availability of new versions for comparison, as well as changes in English usage since 1611 led to revisions being carried out by scholars. Since Vatican II Catholic scholars have worked with Christians of other churches and Jews to produce an accurate version couched in acceptable language.

YEAR REVIEW

The Southern Cross, December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

ISSUES: (from left) A Southern Sudanese woman shows her inked finger and registration card after voting in the independence referendum. l A Christian cleric clasps hands with a Muslim sheik during a rally to demonstrate unity between Muslims and Christians in Tahrir Square in Cairo. l Archbishop Stephen Brislin introduces Hope&Joy in Cape Town. l A priest celebrates Pope John Paul II’s beatification by wearing vestments featuring the late pope’s image.

What we said in 2011 Every week, The Southern Cross delivers a commentary on a pertinent issue in the form of an editorial. Here is part 1 of a summary of 2011’s editorials, which were written by editor Günther Simmermacher (except where indicated otherwise).

ture readings during the liturgy”. Commenting on the announcement of Pope John Paul II’s beatification in May, Michael Shackleton wrote: “Whatever has been said or will be said of this amazing man, the truth cannot be suppressed that he possessed extraordinary virtues that will be an inspiration to many.”

FEBRUARY JANUARY As South Sudan prepared to vote for independence, we warned: “As a multi-cultural society, South Sudan will have to guard against tribalism, and as a country rich in natural resources, it must exhibit zero tolerance for corruption. As a new democracy living in the neighbourhood of several countries and enclaves run by ruthless kleptocrats, it must fortify itself against power grabs by those who seek to enrich themselves.” Observing the creeping marginalisation of the Church in public discourse, we wrote: “We must not be silent when our faith is marginalised, trivialised, assaulted, distorted, insulted or treated with rank hypocrisy. When it is, our response must be measured and respectful of those with whom we disagree (even when they are lacking in courtesy), and our battles must be chosen carefully.” Discussing the Catholic relationship to the Bible in the postVatican II Church, Michael Shackleton noted that “there has been a new energy in the Church to bring a deeper knowledge of the Bible to Catholics [who] have never before heard so many scrip-

J.M.J

Reviewing the debates that followed the 200th anniversary of Darwinism in 2009, Michael Shackleton noted: “New evidence continues to strengthen the arm of evolutionists, and the Church respects this. However, the Church insists that humankind was created in the image and likeness of God, and has an intrinsic value unshared by any other creature.” Discussing public morality, Michael Shackleton said: “Individuals have the gifts of intelligence and free will. By means of these, personal integrity embraces what is known to be good, true and of moral worth.” Of the Mass, Michael Shackleton wrote, there ought to be: “sacred silence at sacred moments; restrained and prayerful singing; a liturgy undertaken in the awareness of the divine presence. Priest and people will need to work together to perfect these and so emphasise that it is the Mass that matters.” Commenting on the “Arab Spring” protests, we noted that “it will be crucial that in the recalibration of Egyptian (and Arab) politics the Christian communities succeed in securing equitable minority rights”.

MARCH At the beginning of Lent, we proposed that “as we journey towards the crucified Lord whose loving sacrifice offers us the gift of salvation, it should not be so difficult to ask for and offer forgiveness and heal broken relationships”. Discussing the nature of discourse on race in South Africa, we noted: “It seems that in 2011 there is still a place in South Africa for racial chauvinists and their loathsome views, be they white supremacists or the proponents of a narrow black hegemony. This was not the promise of 1994, and it is not a tribute to those who sacrificed so much for the promise of a South Africa free of bigotry.” Commenting on the dialogue between the Vatican and the traditionalist Society of St Pius X (SSPX), we said: “There presently is, it seems, as much a chance of the Anglican or Lutheran churches returning to full communion with Rome as there is of reconciliation with the SSPX. Perpetuating a dialogue on full unity where positions are so deeply entrenched would appear to be a pointless exercise.” Discussing reverence at Mass, we said: “[The] external signs of reverence we demonstrate must above all be sincere. So it is salutary to bow before receiving Communion, but this should be because one seeks to show reverence for the present Christ in that manner. The gesture is meaningless if it is merely an automated response to an instruction.” We called for Radio Veritas to be awarded a medium wave broadcast licence, noting that “Radio Veritas’ presence on the airwaves is

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overdue. May ICASA finally, after 11 years of sidelining the Catholic voice, correct a broadcasting injustice”. In September, they did so.

APRIL Pointing out that Catholics must be able to defend their Church with reasonable and informed arguments, we said that “the failure to disseminate the Catholic media more widely plays into the hands of those who seek to attack and undermine the Church.” Discussing the Church’s history of relations with Jews ahead of Good Friday we said: “With every act of anti-Semitism and every act of bigotry, Jesus is condemned and crucified again. The Church must be seen to always stand in opposition to the mobs of prejudice.” In an Easter guest editorial, Fr Russell Pollitt SJ wrote: “Jesus, in his resurrection, sees beyond the bad news and invites us to do the same. It wasn’t easy for him and it isn’t easy for us (remember, after his resurrection Jesus’ hands and feet still bear the wounds of crucifixion). Like Jesus our wounds should not be and are not the end of our story.” Ahead of Pope John Paul II’s beatification, we wrote that the event “will unite the world’s Catholics in joy, for everybody will have an appreciation of at least some elements of the new blessed’s life of holy service”.

MAY Commenting on the launch of the Hope&Joy network, we said that “the responsibility for the success of Hope&Joy resides with all of us: with the faithful, who welcome and make use of this faith-deepening opportunity; with the clergy and bishops, who support and promote it (and make use of its programmes themselves); and of course with those in the Hope&Joy network, on whom rests the obligation to present relevant material to the People of God.” For the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, we noted that “dioceses

and religious congregations should be urged to become more effective in marketing vocations as a life option”, even obtaining pro bono help from experts in marketing. After Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe received a warm welcome in the Vatican at Bl John Paul II’s beatification, we said: “Inestimable harm has been done to the Church by Mr Mugabe’s trip. Zimbabwe’s bishops have been undermined, and the faithful have been scandalised. Now that damage requires correction.” After the Vatican issued new instructions to the world’s bishops’ conferences on dealing with sexual abuse cases, we said that “there is much commendable in the Vatican’s determination to act on clerical abuse.”

JUNE Observing the large number of relatively new bishops in Southern Africa, we noted: “Being named a bishop is a great honour, but it is also a lonely and colossal task, performed by a relatively small number of men who must find ways of meeting the trust that has been invested in them.” Commenting on Catholic education in South Africa, we said: “The fundamental objective of every Catholic school must be to provide children with a Gospelbased education, one which complements the pursuit of academic accomplishment with the infusion of ethical virtues which will serve the good of society, regardless of the learner’s religious background.” Discussing suicide, we said: “The salvation of the souls of those who kill themselves is God’s business; the Church however must take good pastoral care of those who are left behind, and we all are called to offer prayers for the souls of those who have ended their lives, and for those they have left behind.” For World Priest Day on July 1 we noted that “the priest in the parish fulfils many roles, such as sacramental minister, administrator and counsellor. However, his chief function...is to sanctify humanity”. Discussing business ethics, we suggested that consumers are not powerless, arguing that they “should be vocal about transgression by businesses. That starts by protesting when producers employ furtive tricks to exploit consumers and standing in solidarity with workers when their labour disputes have merit. Sometimes that might mean making personal sacrifices—a very Christian attribute. Few things are as persuasive to business as consumers withholding their patronage.” n The full editorials can be accessed at www.scross.co.za/category/ editorials-2011

The Southern Cross, December 28, 2011 to January 3, 2012

Sr Senan Lennon HC

ISTER Senan Lennon, who died quietly at the age of 88 August 19, was born on Christmas Eve 1923, in County Mayo, Ireland. She is survived by brother, Tommie, who is 82, and nephews and nieces living in her home area. Sr Senan was 22 when she entered the Holy Cross Covent in Belfast on February 22, 1946, the year after the Second World War ended. She felt called to be a missionary sister in Africa and after about seven months in Belfast she arrived in Aliwal North on October 15, 1946. Sr Senan made her novitiate in Aliwal North and made her First Profession on January 5, 1948. She served as assistant cook at boarding schools in Aliwal North and Kokstad. From September 1953 to April 1960, she was in charge of the kitchen at Holy Cross convent and

Formation House in Belfast. From there she was transferred to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), first to Livingstone for a few months and then to Sioma for a year, looking after the house and kitchen. Back in South Africa she went to Maitland, Cape Town, for six months to learn sewing. Sr Senan was transferred to Mthatha for a year and was in charge of the boys’ dormitory and taught needlework. She then went to Flagstaff, Eastern Cape, where she was in charge of a dormitory and taught domestic science. In January 1971, she was transferred to South West Africa (now Namibia) where she continued to teach domestic science in Windhoek. In 1978, at the age of 55, Sr Senan did a year’s catechetical course in Mariannhill. The whole approach to the content and methods of catechising had changed a lot since Vatican II.

Family Reflections December 31 New Year’s Eve. Should it maybe be called Old Year’s Eve, or is it the day on the border, balanced between the old and the new, between what has been and what will be? We can look forward with anticipation but we also need to look back at the lessons that have been learned. Is our home any more peace-filled at the end of this year than it was at the start? Can each member give themselves a star or at least a pat on the back or has it been a dismal failure for whatever reason? Do not end the year on a negative note but try your best to make peace in the home so that peace can reign in the world.

Liturgical Calendar Year B Sunday, January 1, Mary Mother of God Numbers 6: 22-27, Psalms 67: 1-3,5-6,8, Galatians 4: 4-7, Luke 2: 16-21 Monday, January 2, Ss Basil the great & Gregory Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59, Psalm 31:3-4, 6, 8, 17, Matthew 10:17-22 Tuesday, January 3, Most Holy name of Jesus 1 John 1:1-4, Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12, John 20:1-8 Wednesday, January 4, feria 1 John 1:5-2:2, Psalm 124:2-5, 7-8, Matthew 2:13-18 Thursday, January 5, feria 1 John 2:3-11, Psalm 96:1-3, 5-6, Luke 2:22-35 Friday, January 6, feria Sirach 3:2-7, 12-14, Psalm 128:1-5, Colossians 3:1221 or 3:12-17, Luke 2:22-40 or 2:22, 39-40 Saturday, January 7, St Raymond of Penyafort 1 John 2:18-21, Psalm 96:1-2, 11-13, John 1:118 Sunday, January 8, Ephiphany of the Lord Numbers 6: 22-27, Psalms 67: 1-3,5-6,8, Galatians 4: 4-7, Luke 2: 16-21

After the course she was sent to Kokstad where she taught catechetics. Finally, she was transferred back to Mthatha in January 1997, her last station before retirement. She did catechetical and pastoral work there for five years before retiring at age 80 to Aliwal North in March 2002. Sr Senan never learned to drive, and even though she had painful foot problems she didn’t hesitate to go on foot anywhere where her services were needed. Sr Mary Bückmann, her last superior, said: “Sr Senan was a quiet and rather private person who preferred to keep to herself. We all agree that none of us ever heard her complain or grumble, nor did she join in any negative talk about anyone. She loved to help, to assist or merely be gently present.” Sr Senan is buried in Aliwal North. Sr Maureen Rooney HC

Word of the Week Immanence: Belief that God exists throughout all of creation and that humans can experience God's presence on earth. Application: As Catholics we believe in God’s omnipresence or immanence—God is everywhere and in everything.

Southern CrossWord solutions SOLUTIONS TO #477. ACROSS: 3 Chaldeans, 8 Clog, 9 Small mind, 10 Dragon, 11 Scout, 14 Macho, 15 Shem, 16 Manna, 18 Chad, 20 Media, 21 Worms, 24 Becalm, 25 Monsignor, 26 Burn, 27 Attracted. DOWN: 1 Academics, 2 Mosaic Law, 4 Hymn, 5 Lilac, 6 Emmaus, 7 Nuns, 9 Sodom, 11 Sinks, 12 Thaddaeus, 13 Embalming, 17 Amber, 19 Dowser, 22 Magic, 23 Font, 24 Bone.

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: Good Shepherd, Bothasig. Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the 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. 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: 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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BIRTHDAY CLOETE—Catherine. Happy 80th birthday Mommy on 06/01/2012. May our Lord be with you, guide and protect you, and bless you always—children Agnes, Bernadette and Gregory—in-laws Martin, keith and Carol—grandchildren Leon, Mellisa, Lyle, Mandy, Celeste & Grant

DEATHS SACCO—Louise Francoise Marie Andreé (eldest daughter of the late LeonRené Sacco) and Rosheen Sacco now of Johannesburg called to her eternal reward November, 20th, 2011. Serving at various schools, her devotion and exemplary example as a remedial teacher has enhanced their lives; she will never be forgotten by them. As a member of the Secular order of St Francis of Assisi she has left an indelible impression of courage in her acceptance of illness over several years which interrupted her work but who with determination and renewed optimism returned to her classes. She is survived by her mother Rosheen Sacco, her brothers Marc-Réne of New York, Luke-Léon Sacco of Johannesburg, and sisters Marie- Réne Cameron of Johannesburg and Marguerite Turner of Cape Town. Rest in peace beloved Louise. In honouring her and her chosen profession we recall Christ’s words to His disciples in answer to their query as to the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. “I tell you most solemnly unless you change and become as a little child you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew: 18 1-4.

IN MEMORIAM: CARLISLE—kathleen. Dearest mother, grandmother and great grandmother who died suddenly on 24th December, 2004 at the age of 94. Loved by all who knew you. Your magnificent devotion to God and family will never be forgotten. You are now joined in peace with your beloved husband for all eternity. Thank you for being such a wonderful example to all and for all the love you shared with everyone. Your loving children Francis, Philip, John and Athalie, and all grandchildren and great grandchildren.

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PRAYERS HOLY ST JUDE, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke you, special patron in time of need. To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you to come to my assistance. Help me now in my urgent need and grant my petitions. In return I promise to make your name known and publish this prayer. Amen. In thanks for prayers answered. RCP. O HOLY ST JUDE Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor for all who invoke you, special patron in time of need; to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart, and humbly beg you, to whom God has given such great power, to come to my assistance; help me now in my urgent need and grant my earnest petition. I will never forget thy graces and favors you obtain for me and I will do my utmost to spread devotion to you. Amen. St Jude, pray for us and all who honor thee and invoke thy aid. (Say 3 Our Father's, 3 Hail Mary’s, and 3 Glory Be’s after this) Charlotte Mwenze.

accommodation, sleeps 4. Secure parking. Tel: 021 785 1247. GORDON’S BAY: Beautiful en-suite rooms available at reasonable rates. Magnificent views, breakfast on request. Tel: 082 774 7140. bzhive@telkomsa.net KNYSNA: Self-catering accommodation for 2 in Old Belvidere with wonderful Lagoon views. 044 387 1052. LONDON, Protea House: Underground 3min, Piccadilly 20min. Close to River Thames. Self-catering. Single per night R250, twin R400. Phone Peter 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 mjsal ida@mweb.co.za SOUTH COAST, Uvongo: Secure holiday unit, with lock-up garage. Sleeps 6. In complex. 078 935 9128. STELLENBOSCH: Five simple private suites (2 beds, fridge, micro-wave). Countryside vineyard/forest/mountain walks; beach 20 minute drive, affordable. Christian Brothers Tel: 021 880 0242, cbcstel@gmail. com. STRAND: Beachfront flat to let. Stunning views, fully equipped. Garage, one bedroom, sleeps 3. R450 p/night for 2 people—low season. Phone Brenda 082 822 0607

THANKS GRATEFUL thanks to Almighty God for hearing the prayers and petitions of all our friends for the complete cure and recovery of my sister. Sincere thanks also for the powerful intercession of St Anthony, St Jude and the Mother of Jesus and Fr Bohe’s prayer group of St Michael’s in Potchefstroom. karl Affonso GRATEFUL thanks to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Mother Mary and Ss Joseph, Anthony, Jude and Martin de Porres for prayers answered. RCP.

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Feast of the Epiphany: January 8 Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6, Psalm 72: 2, 7-8, 10-13, Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6, Matthew 2:112

EXT Sunday is the feast of the Epiphany, the celebration of the light coming into our darkness. Now we must not forget that a part of this darkness of ours must be the rueful admission that we often resist God’s light, as Herod does in the gospel reading for next Sunday. The first reading for the feast is a lovely poem about how Jerusalem will look, once the Exile is ended: “Arise, shine for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has shone upon you.” We only recognise the light, of course, when we see it contrasted against the darkness, and so the poet reminds us: “Behold: darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness the peoples.” Set against that is the fact that “the Lord has dawned upon you and his glory has appeared over you”. The poem continues with a marvellous vision of all the exiles returning, and all the gentiles coming to see what it is all about. And if you want to know why you thought the Magi came on camels, then just look at the last line of this reading. The psalm for next Sunday was originally a prayer for a newly-crowned King of Judah: “May he judge your people with jus-

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What the Magi’s gifts meant Nicholas King SJ Sunday Reflections

tice, and your oppressed with right judgement.” Once the monarchy had ceased to exist in Jerusalem, Israel started to read this psalm as a description of the Messiah whom God was sending. Of course it fits Jesus perfectly: “May he save the poor when they cry, the oppressed who have no helper.” And if you want to know why you thought the Magi were “kings”, then read the middle verse: “The kings of Tarshish and the islands...the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.” For Christians, it was absolutely clear that the visitation of the Magi was predicted in Scripture. The second reading is a lovely passage from Ephesians: “The stewardship of God’s grace that has been given me for you, the mystery made known to me in a revelation.” This “mystery” turns out to be the

truth about Jesus, “as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit”. The author does not here use the metaphor of light and darkness, but clearly that is what it is all about. And what is this mystery? It is that “the gentiles are co-heirs and co-members of the body and co-sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel”. That is something to celebrate during this Christmas time. The great story of the feast, however, is the astonishing episode that Matthew has placed right in the centre of his g o sp el story of Jesus’ infancy. It begins “in the days of Herod the King”; and all Matthew’s first readers knew that this spelt trouble. Then we read “Behold!” (which is Matthew’s way of trying to persuade us to pay attention), “Magi from the East”. Now normally we should think of “magi” as a bunch of charlatans; but they are going to be the (unwitting) heroes of this story. They turn up in Jerusalem, and ask the very simple-minded question about “the one who is born as King of the Jews”, whose star they have seen, and whom they are proposing to “worship”; this, we learn throughout Matthew’s gospel, is the most appropriate response to Jesus.

Seeking God’s guidance I N her autobiography, The Long Loneliness, Dorothy Day tells of a very difficult time in her life. She had just converted to Christianity, after a long period of atheism, and then given birth to her daughter. During her season of atheism, she had fallen in love with a man who had fathered her child; and she and this man, atheists disillusioned with mainstream society, had made a pact never to marry, as statement against the conventions of society. But her conversion to Christianity had turned that world upside down. The father of her child had given her an ultimatum; if she had their child baptised he would end their relationship. Dorothy chose to baptise the child, but paid a heavy price. She deeply loved this man and suffered greatly at their breakup. Moreover, given that her conversion took her out of all her former circles, it left her with more than a missing soul mate. It left her too without a job, without support for her child, and without her former purpose in life. She felt painfully alone and lost. And this drove her to her knees, literally. One day she took a train to Washington from New York and spent the day praying at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. And, as she shares in her autobiography, her prayer that day was shamelessly direct, humble, and clear. Essentially she told God, again and

Donations and volunteers and prayers always welcome

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final Reflection

again, that she was lost, that she needed a clear direction for her life, and that she needed that direction now, not in some distant future. And, like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, she prayed that prayer over and over again. She took a train home that evening and as she walked up to her apartment, a man, Peter Maurin, was sitting on the steps. He invited her to start the Catholic Worker. The rest is history. Our prayers aren’t always answered that swiftly and directly, but they are always answered, as Jesus assures us, because God does not withhold the Holy Spirit from those who ask for it. If we pray for guidance and support, it will be given us. In Scripture, we see many salient examples of people who, like Dorothy Day, seek out God’s guidance in prayer, especially so when they are alone and afraid as they stand before some major upheaval or impending suffering in their lives. We see this, for example, in Moses who, when lost in the desert and facing a revolt from his own people, climbs Mount Horeb to ask for God's counsel. And we see it in Jesus who also climbs Mount

Classic Conrad

“The bishop asks if he can have his mitre back, please.”

Horeb to pray and who spends whole nights in prayer, struggling to find both the guidance and the courage he needs for his mission. Looking at the prayer of Moses, Jesus, Dorothy Day, and countless other women and men who have prayed for guidance from God, we see that their prayer, especially when they feel most alone and desperate, is marked by three things: honesty, directness, and humility. They lift their own minds and hearts to God, not someone else's. They share their aloneness and fears with shameless honestly. There is no pretence, no rationalisation, no hiding of weaknesses. They pour out their fears, their inadequacy, their temptations, and their confusion, as do children, begging for someone’s hand to help them. There’s an interesting parallel to this inside some of our classical fairy tales where the figure of God often appears in the form of an angel, a fairy, a fox, or a horse. Invariably those who approach that God-figure with over-confidence, arrogance, or pretence, are denied all counsel and all magic. Conversely those who approach the God-figure in humility and admit that they are lost in their search are awarded with counsel and magic. There’s an important prayer-lesson in that. All of us, at different times in our lives, find ourselves alone, lost, confused, and tempted towards a road that will not lead to life. At such times we need to approach God with a prayer that is shamelessly honest, direct, and humble. Like Dorothy Day, we need to raise our true fears and insecurities to God, praying, over and over again: “I’m afraid! I feel so alone and isolated in this! I don’t want to do this! I’m completely inadequate! I haven’t any strength left! I’m full of anger! I’m bitter at so many things! I hate some of the places where my Christian morality has led me! I’m jealous of others who don’t have my moral inhibitions! I’m tempted in ways that I’m ashamed to speak of! I need more support than you’ve been giving me! Send me someone or send me something! If you want me to continue on this road you've got to give me more help! I need this now!” And then we need to wait, in patience, in advent. Perhaps no Peter Maurin will appear on our doorstep that night, but, with desert-helplessness having done its work, an angel will come to strengthen us.

Herod’s response is quite different: he, and the whole of Jerusalem, are “disturbed”; we notice, however, that he believes in what the Magi have discovered, although we are well aware that when he claims that he too wishes to “worship the dear little child”, he has rather a different agenda in view. Anyway, he has the relevant expertise to find out where the Messiah is to be born, and sends the Magi off to Bethlehem with an encouragement for them to return at the completion of their mission. Off they go, joyfully enough, shining light into this terrible darkness at Herod’s court, and find the child in Bethlehem. Then they give him their iconic presents, indicating that Jesus is to be king (gold), and priest (frankincense), and (with the myrrh) that the shadow of the cross hangs over him. God remains in charge, however, and so it is that the Magi do not, after all, blow the whole operation, but “returned by another route into their own country”. The light will come into our darkness also if we will only listen out for the Lord’s guidance, this Christmas season, and follow wherever he takes us.

Southern Crossword #477

ACROSS 3. Clan Hades contains ancient people (9) 8. Does it obstruct the Dutch priest’s gait? (4) 9. It shows a petty understanding (5,4) 10. He’s against St George (6) 11. One of the boys in uniform (5) 14. Some can’t stomach old tough guy (5) 15. Son of Noah (Gn 9) (4) 16. Istaelites ate it off the ground (5) 18. African country with lake (4) 20. This newspaper is an example of them (5) 21. German city with old odd diet (5) 24. Order to be still. Make it so (6) 25. Minor song for a minor prelate (9) 26. Scorch this brook (4) 27. Drew your attention (9)

DOWN 1. They could be doctors of theology (9) 2. Claim a sow under scriptural legislation (6,3) 4. Sounds as if that man has sacred song (4) 5. Tree with blossoms (5) 6. Jesus appeared on road to here (Lk 24) (6) 7. They are in order (4) 9. Lot settled in this town (Gn 19) (5) 11. Goes down to the basins (5) 12. One of Christ’s chosen (Mt 10) (9) 13. Undertaker’s sort of fluid (9) 17. Resin for traffic light (5) 19. Will he find the sacred spring? (6) 22. Kind of entertainment tricks (5) 23. Become a Christian here (4) 24. ...and flesh (Gn 2) (4) Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

LITTLE boy was listening to a long and excessively boring sermon in church. Suddenly the red sanctuary lamp caught his eye. Tugging his father’s sleeve, he said: “Daddy, when the light turns green can we go?” Send us your favourite Catholic joke, preferably clean and brief, to The Southern Cross, Church Chuckle, PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000.