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February 22 to February 28, 2012
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Does Zuma know where he is going? BY CLAIRE MATHIESON
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The parish of St Daniel Comboni in Mahube Valley, Mamelodi East, Pretoria, celebrated the fifth anniversary of the opening of the parish with a Mass presided over by the parish priest Fr James Calvera MCCJ with Fr Evans Kotoku MCCJ, assistant priest, and Deacon Sam Molebale. Over five years the parish has grown in both Christian and social activities, with eight Small Christian Communities, four sodalities, a youth group, the Coral “Izwi Lethemba”, a large group of altar servers and social projects such as a supporting group for Aids patients, and “Ithuteng”, an after-school child care project. In 2010 the parish was joined by a group of Comboni Missionary Sisters. To celebrate the anniversary, many parishioners wore shirts with a large number 5 and the words “Following Jesus together” as a testimony of the Christian experience that this community wants to live by: proclaiming Christ in the neighbourhoods of Lusaka, Mahube Valley and Mamelodi East.
The Stations of the Cross on your cellphone or PC STAFF REPORTER
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OPE&JOY, through the work of the Jesuit Institute and with the blessing of Bishop Dabula of Queenstown, has moved into the world of smartphone apps by offering a replica of the Stations of the Cross that can be received on a Blackberry, iPhone or an Android handset. “In Lent, many Catholics return to the Stations of the Cross as a way of meditating on Christ’s death and Resurrection. But now instead of having to do that in a church or with a book, we are giving them a beautiful and prayerful way of meditating using their phone,” said Jesuit Father Russell Pollitt. The “Stations App” features the vibrant, challenging paintings by Johannesburg artist Joseph Capelle that were commissioned by Fr Pollitt last year for the Braamfontein church near Wits University in Johannesburg. Raymond Perrier, director of the Jesuit Institute, said: “Alongside the images, we have added words by the artist and by Fr Russell, and music sung by the University of Johannesburg choir drawing on traditional Zulu and Xhosa hymns and modern South African settings of ancient texts. In fact the whole project is proudly South African— apart from the technology which was developed by a brilliant young Zambian, Chanda Sampa.” Five versions are available, ranging in length from seven to 30 minutes, with music, with reflections or with prayers. With options designed for every kind of phone, the Way of the Cross is available to download from www.hopeandjoy.org.za either straight to your smartphone or via a computer. Although they are free to download,
RESIDENT Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address this month “failed to set out a perfect road map, but it offered at least a couple of pointers”, according to a leading Catholic analyst. President Zuma admitted that while progress has been made on the employment, education and crime fighting fronts, these are not enough to be content with, said Mike Pothier, research coordinator of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO), a body of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference. In last year’s State of the Nation address Mr Zuma announced three major interventions against unemployment: R20 billion in tax incentives for manufacturing investment: R9 billion (over three years) for jobcreation initiatives; and R10 billion through the Industrial Development Corporation for high job-creation investments over five years. Results after a year show progress in that funds have been committed and plans made and approved, but not a large portion of spending and actual creation as of yet. “These things do take time,” Mr Pothier said. However, the CPLO commentator added, while achievements were made, these “fail to reflect the sense of urgency that should be evoked by an unemployment rate of almost a quarter of the population”. Mr Pothier said there was little to “really stir the nation’s emotions and galvanise us into unified action” in the president’s speech. “It was far from inspiring; there was no particular vision for the future, and no sense that Mr Zuma or his party has much idea of how to lead us into that future; or even that it is necessary to do so.” Mr Pothier said the fact that Grade R enrolment has doubled since 2003 is an
excellent basis for a long-term improvement in education, but more could have been said about the upgrading of education infrastructure. “Poor facilities, decrepit buildings, and a lack of textbooks and teaching aids combine to undermine the achievement of getting more children into the schools,” he said. Also of concern is the question of land redistribution. Only 8% of the country’s land has been redistributed, with a target of 30% by 2014. “The land question has been mishandled by one incompetent minister after another since 1994,” said Mr Pothier. Large-scale infrastructure plans took up more of the president’s speech which will have great benefits for both employment and the development of transport systems and other infrastructure. “Of course, as the leader of the opposition noted, infrastructure development is especially vulnerable to corruption, cronyism, maladministration and other structural weaknesses that the government has failed to tackle with the necessary vigour,” said Mr Pothier. “In this respect it would have been good to hear a greater emphasis on anti-corruption and accountability at the highest levels.” Mr Pothier also made mention of the next year marking 100 years of the Union Buildings and plans are underway to celebrate this. Work is also being done on various graves, heritage sites and historically notable houses. While this may seem unimportant, Mr Pothier said, these developments speak of “our nation’s history and heritage, and perhaps of a growing sense of ease with where we have come from”. However, he added, we still have “yet to achieve a similar sense about where we are going”.
Pope: Vocations an act of love BY FRANCIS X ROCCA
L The Stations of the Cross, as presented by Fr Russell Pollitt SJ and painter Joseph Cappelle, can now be received on smartphones and via the Internet. (Photo courtesy of Jesuit Institute SA) there is an invitation to make a contribution online to help cover the costs of development. Alternatively, the full set can be ordered on a CD-Rom at a cost of R30 (incl p&p) by e-mailing lent@hopeandjoy.org.za. Around 4 000 people, including members of parliament, will be receiving daily e-mail reflections during Lent that tie the Mass readings to our everyday lives. These can be received for free by sending an e-mail to library@hopeandjoy.org.za. Since May 2011 more than 370 000 text messages have been sent out with inspirational quotes from Vatican II documents and this will continue with Lenten themes. The daily SMS service can be subscribed to by sending an SMS with the word JOY to 31222 at a cost of R3,50 per week.
OVE of God nurtures love of neighbour, especially in people with vocations to the priesthood or religious life, Pope Benedict said in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The papal message for the 49th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which will be observed on April 29, was released at the Vatican. “The profound truth of our existence is thus contained in this surprising mystery: Every creature, and in particular every human person, is the fruit of God’s thought and an act of his love, a love that is boundless, faithful and everlasting,” Pope Benedict wrote. “It is in this soil of self-offering and openness to the love of God, and as the fruit of that love, that all vocations are born and grow. By drawing from this wellspring through prayer, constant recourse to God’s word and to the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, it becomes possible to live a life of love for our neighbours, in whom we come to perceive the face of Christ the Lord,” the pope wrote. Pope Benedict wrote that love of both God and other people “must be lived with a particular intensity and purity of heart by those who have decided to set out on the path of vocation discernment towards the
In his message for Vocations Sunday, Pope Benedict says all vocations are the fruit of love of God. ministerial priesthood and the consecrated life”. Calling on the Church to “create the conditions that will permit many young people to say ‘yes’ in generous response to God’s loving call,” the pope recommended “Scripture, prayer and the Eucharist” as the most valuable means “enabling us to grasp the beauty of a life spent fully in service of the kingdom.” Quoting his predecessor, Bl John Paul II, Pope Benedict called families the “primary and most excellent seedbed of vocations to a life of consecration to the kingdom of God.—CNS