The Southern Cross - 121205

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December 5 to December 11, 2012

CIE director leaves to head Catholic school

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R6,00 (incl VAT RSA)

Reg No. 1920/002058/06

No 4803

Blind Catholic makes a big difference

Imagine that: Pope’s vision trumps Lennon’s

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Church movement to set up a new seminary in SA

BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

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The shrine basilica of Our Lady of Dolours in Thrissur, India, is decorated in colourful lights for the annual feast marking the consecration of the church. The Syro-Malabar minor basilica is located in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Christianity is believed to have come to Kerala in 52 AD with the arrival of St Thomas the Apostle. Today, Christianity is the state’s third-largest religion, with a share of 19% of the population. (Photo: Anto Akkara, CNS)

China: New leaders won’t change old problems with the Church

BY ED WILKINSON

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HIGH-RANKING Vatican official from China says he doesn’t expect much to change in Church-state relations with the new Chinese government.

“I don’t think there will be a big change in the immediate future for the religious policy in China. It’s not one of the immediate priorities of the new government. They have many other things to take care of,” said Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

China unveiled its new Communist Party leadership in mid-November. The top ruling body, known as the Politburo Standing Com-

mittee, is composed of seven members who will take charge in March.

Xi Jinping, the new president, repeatedly called for a “great renewal” in his acceptance speech. Mr Xi, who was vice-president, also was promoted to chairman of the Central Military Commission at a time when the country aspires to become a maritime power.

Archbishop Hon explained that since the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution in China, people have been able to freely worship. The problem is with “the structure and development of the Church—especially for the hierarchy—the control is too much”.

The Chinese government demands the power of approval before a bishop can be appointed by the Vatican.—CNS

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DIOCESAN seminary for the Neocatechumenal Way is being set up in the archdiocese of Cape Town.

The Redemptoris Mater International Missionary Seminary, a seminary for priests who want to live their vocation through the Neocatechumenal Way, will be erected in the archdiocese of Cape Town by the end of this year.

Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town, along with vicar-general Fr Peter-John Pearson, signed the decree authorising the new Cape Town seminary in the Vatican at the St Peter’s basilica altar of the Lithuanian chapel, below the effigy of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn.

The Neocatechumenal Way movement focuses on the formation of Christian adults.

Archbishop Brislin said the decision to erect a seminary in the archdiocese was a practical response to the call by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict for the New Evangelisation which “seeks not only to bring Christ to those who do not know him, but also to evangelise lapsed Catholics and those who have become indifferent to their faith— not to mention evangelising a secularised culture”.

The Redemptoris Mater seminaries are based on the experience of the Neocatechumenal Way. Since the Neocatechumenal Way is not a religious order, all Redemptoris Mater seminaries are fully diocesan.

Its seminarians “have arrived at their vocation as a result of their Neocatechumenal path and the rediscovery of their baptism as lived through small Neocatechumenal communities”, explained Dino Furgione, an Italian missionary for the Neocatechumenal Way in South Africa.

Only candidates who have been part of the Neocatechumenate and have been through the catechesis are accepted.

The priests from the Redemptoris Mater seminary minister in their diocese—such as Cape Town—or in other parts of the world.

However, diocesan priests not affiliated to the Neocatechumenal Way will be trained, as before, by the bishops’ seminary system.

“Those who attend St Francis Xavier Seminary—and we hope there will be many from Cape Town in the coming years—will be diocesan priests who are called specifically for ministry in the parishes of the archdiocese and various other ministries,” Archbishop Brislin said.

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he new seminary will initially be housed in archdiocesan property.

“More than one property has been identified as a possible site and discussions are taking place to decide on the most suitable of the properties. In due course, a more permanent arrangement will be made,” said Archbishop Brislin.

He added that in some cases Redemptoris Mater seminaries do not begin with an institution but instead the seminarians live with families of “The Way” and meet for lectures and formation.

Today, there are 95 seminaries around the world and the Neocatechumenal Way is present in 105 countries, in more than 20 000 communities. The first Redemptoris Mater seminary was set up in Rome in 1987 at the wish of Pope John Paul II.

(From left) Dino Furgione, Fr Peter-John Pearson, Archbishop Stephen Brislin and canon lawyer Adelchi Chinaglia hold the decree authorising the establishment of a seminary for the Neocatechumenal Way in Cape Town after a Mass in the Lithuanian chapel in St Peter’s basilica in the Vatican.

Mr Furgione said the seminaries are called “missionary” as their seminarians come from all parts of the world. The Redemptoris Mater priests, once formed and ordained in the diocese and having served for some years in their diocese, are ready to travel to other dioceses, to serve the Church wherever necessary.

Mr Furgione said the trip to Rome was considered a pilgrimage. The archbishop and his companions prayed at the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul, and the tombs of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II. “In this 50th anniversary year of Vatican Council II, praying at the tombs of these two popes signifies a desire to honour the inheritance of the council and continue its direction of renewal in the Church. And it was precisely in honour of this spirit that the archbishop wanted to erect this new Redemptoris Mater, to give his diocese a seminary, which is, at once, diocesan, missionary, and international,” Mr Furgione said.

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rchbishop Brislin said he envisaged the new seminary to act as a response to the New Evangelisation. “It will form presbyters who will be prepared for the challenges of a secularised society, and which will know how to offer people of this generation a serious path of Christian initiation,” he said.

“Christ is not a theory to be discussed, but a person to encounter,” the archbishop said.

Archbishop Brislin said the movement was a natural growth of the seeds sown more than 25 years ago when the Neocatechumenate begun its work in the archdiocese.

He said it would also allow Cape Town to “become part of an international missionary effort and to make a real contribution to the growth of God’s Kingdom in other parts of the world. Hopefully, this will also lead us to become more and more missionary in our attitudes and Christian life.”

Three priests have already arrived in Cape Town—two Italians and one Zambian.

Another three are expected once the necessary documentation has been finalised.

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The Southern Cross, December 5 to December 11, 2012

LOCAL

Leaving a mark on education

BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

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HE director of the Catholic Institute of Education (CIE), Mark Potterton, is leaving after serving in the post for five years and with a total of 17 years of service to the organisation.

Mr Potterton’s time at the CIE has not been consecutive. He worked with the organisation for many years before leaving to work with Umalusi, the quality assurance body, after which he returned to the CIE as director.

“Mark is leaving to fulfil his dream of leading a school that offers quality education, and one that develops young people into ethical citizens who will serve the greater good in South Africa,” said CIE’s deputy director, Anne Baker.

Mr Potterton will be principal of Holy Family College, Parktown, “so he will still be vitally involved in Catholic education”, said Ms Baker.

“Mark has helped, through both periods of service at CIE, to build it up into the dynamic organisation it is today. As far back as 1994 Mark was involved in developing a position paper that was presented to the then-minister of education, Sibusiso Bhengu. He has developed numerous courses, and has written many of the books which continue to be used as resources.”

Mr Potterton is the author of a number of books on education;

Bishop Kevin Dowling of Rustenburg at the farewell Mass of Mark Potterton (left) who steps down as director of CIE. and has been involved in quality assurance debates in the country.

He has also collaborated with other authors and has produced bestselling books in the field of education.

“Mark’s knowledge of quality schools has made him one of South Africa’s foremost experts in the field,” said his colleague.

“Because of this expertise, he was seconded by the national minister of basic education to help establish the National Education Evaluation and Development Unit, and worked there for two days a week,” said Ms Baker.

The outgoing CIE director was described as being passionate

about the needs of children with disabilities and learning problems.

In addressing this, he developed a programme and book called All Children Can Learn. From working closely with the bishops’ conference to working with government, Mr Potterton has striven to help elevate education in the country.

“Mark is a vice-president of the International Office for Catholic Education and secretary-general of its Africa branch, and is well known throughout South Africa and internationally for his immense work in Catholic education. He led CIE’s interventions in Lesotho over a number of years, and so Lesotho hold a special place

in his heart,” said Ms Baker.

A farewell Mass was held in Mr Potterton’s honour, during which Paul Faller, the CIE’s national Religious Education coordinator, was awarded the Bene Merenti papal medal.

“Bishop Kevin Dowling of Rustenburg spoke of the Church’s call to walk with the people and of how both Mark and Paul were servant leaders, models of ethical and moral leadership. He spoke about how they had used their talents to serve others and how they had in their different ways been part of the formation of the development of holistic people,” said Ms Baker.

Mr Potterton said he was grateful for the support given to him by the CIE board and to Bishop Dowling in particular.

“The CIE staff have also been terrific and together they have been able to achieve great things.

There has been a collaborative culture which has meant that over the past six years we have been able to raise over R170 million to strengthen our Catholic school network and to support vulnerable children,” he said.

“I feel privileged to have worked with committed teachers and leaders across the region. My work has taken me to small Malawi village schools to carry out evaluations, to doing wheelchair dancing in Lesotho, to working with district directors in Mt Frere and to doing classroom evalua-

tions in Port Nolloth.”

Mr Potterton said he feels grateful for what Catholic education represents in the country—“children still come first in most of our schools and teachers do go the extra mile. There is still a strong culture of respect, and almost all of the parents and guardians trust us to keep our promises,” he said, adding that he hoped the future of Catholic education would see greater collaboration and a unified voice amongst role players.

In spite of the current economic climate that all non-governmental organisations have faced over the past few years, CIE has carried out numerous creative projects that have enabled Catholic schools to continue their good work.

“Mark’s particular strength is his ability to develop the people with whom he works,” said Ms Baker. “For the CIE, this means that he leaves a team of very capable and enthusiastic people who are well equipped to continue institute’s mission.”

Asked about his vision for Holy Family College, Mr Potterton said the school has a significant history and has played an important role in the landscape of South Africa.

“I would like to build on this history. We have to ensure that our children get the best foundation for life that they can possibly get. Isn’t that at the heart of Catholic education?”

CRS pays tribute to inspirational stalwart

BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

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ATHOLIC Relief Services (CRS) has paid special tribute to Imelda Davidson, the late social justice stalwart who passed away in November following a battle with cancer.

Ms Davidson worked predominantly on Aids relief projects around Southern Africa and was considered by her colleagues a “gift to the world”.

“In 2004, when Catholic Relief Services and the SACBC Aids office secured funding to provide HIV care and treatment, I pre-

vailed on Imelda to help us provide these services,” said Ruth Stark, senior technical adviser of CRS. “She graciously agreed and moved from her beloved city of Cape Town to take up her position in Johannesburg, where the CRS office is based.

“As expected, she was an outstanding project manager and over the years was promoted to increasingly responsible positions within CRS” Swaziland programme manager Peter Clark said Ms Davidson wanted to make a real difference for the beneficiaries of CRS.

Similarly, Ms Stark said Ms Davidson’s work was more than a job, it was a ministry. “Though they may not know her, many people in our communities— orphans, people living with HIV, migrants —now have the opportunity for a better life because of her work.”

The staff at CRS called Ms Davidson an “inspiration’’.

Juliet Mureriwa said her late colleague lived a selfless life dedicated to serving others. “Our hearts bleed [for her loss], our only consolation is the knowledge that she is a true-born soldier gone home.”

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LOCAL

The Southern Cross, December 5 to December 11, 2012

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Catholic speaks out on national voting system

BY CLAIRE MATHIESON St John’s parish in Northriding, Johannesburg, has launched its new health ministry.

New health ministry

BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

T

HE parish of St John in Northriding, Johannesburg, now serves the community through its recently established health ministry.

“The health ministry is a dedicated forum that educates and advises members of the congregation on common public health concerns such as diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, cataracts, as well as mental health care such as depression and anxiety,” said parishioner Deirdre Tholet.

According to Ms Tholet, the initial idea was to set up an HIV help desk to support members in need.

“However, following a survey, it was established that the access to information on health issues by the congregation extended to

include other health concerns such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer among others,” she said. “It was instead decided to launch a general health ministry.’’

The ministry was launched with a special health day. Stalls were set up in the church hall and the congregation was allowed to move through the exhibition area to ask questions and inquire about common health concerns.

The parish members were also offered the chance to have screening done on their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Ms Tholet said the ministry is made up of medical experts from the parish who have volunteered their services.

“Going forward, the parish plans to host quarterly exhibition days,” she said.

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CATHOLIC activist has called on the public to not only use their votes but also to question the voting system to ensure that the “power is ours”.

In a presentation at the University of Cape Town TEDx discussion, Gregory Solik, office and research coordinator at NGO Ndifuna Ukwazi, said that the slogan “Amandla Ngawethu”—meaning “power to us”—is a cry for democratic freedom in South Africa and is still chanted at political rallies.

However, there remains deep inequality and the power is not with the people.

The Rondebosch parishioner said the country’s legal and voting system is part of the problem and one of the reasons why the imbalance of power is maintained.

The problem, said Mr Solik, is that we “have no say in who the top candidates are. The party chooses. In other words, currently, we vote for a party, the party chooses its leaders, the IEC tallies up the votes and allocates seats in the National Assembly according to the percentage of votes won.”

“The flaw is the total lack of accountability. We see it every

day,” he said. “We must be able and willing to adapt to new challenges that face all South Africans.

Challenges such as the continued failure of our basic education system or the unacceptable levels of crime in informal settlements. Or the working conditions of our farm workers and workers in South Africa’s mines. Or the state of corruption in South Africa and a seemingly inability to hold politicians to account.”

Mr Solik said the country’s politics must drive its citizens to deal with such issues effectively. “And hold them responsible when they fail. There is not only a growing gap between poor and rich but between elected representatives and who they represent.”

Mr Solik said a campaign like My Vote Counts is aimed at redesigning the electoral system in order to connect people to democracy again by empowering citizens.

“We want a representative parliament chosen by the people, not by political parties; that is, a new electoral system with mixed constituency and proportional representation that allows voters to choose their own MPs and allows independent candidates to contest elections.”

He added that the campaign is also in favour of comprehensive reform of the funding of political parties to make them 100% open and transparent, responsive, proportionally and neutrally funded to exclude any influence from special interests.

“The current party funding system is a hotbed for corruption,” he said at the TEDx talks, which aim to spark deep discussion in society.

“If we believe in power to the people, in equality, then we must believe in limiting those with too much power. It is politics, not anything else, that has shaped the market, and shaped it in ways that advantage the top at the expense of the rest.”

Mr Solik said it is time to act now and ensure the country adopts an electoral system that “influences the shape and the depth of inclusivity, responsiveness and accountability by which that country’s political system is characterised”.

“Amandla means power,” said Mr Solik. “And power by its definition is marked by an ability to act.

And this is a moment where a big step is imperative.” n For more information visit www.myvotecounts.org.za

Give handouts to the right people

BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

A

PRETORIA priest has warned against giving cash handouts to people asking for money, regardless of how sincere the requests seem.

Fr Chris Townsend of St Columba’s parish in Capital Park said churches were seen as soft targets for scam artists.

While there are genuine calls for help, Fr Townsend said there were channels available through which the legitimate destitute can

be helped.

“I’m always happy to give food,” said Fr Townsend, who is known for handing out apples to the visiting hungry.

“But never give money for transport or a story that seems dramatic.

“The money could be used for alcohol or is part of a larger scam,” the priest warned.

Instead, Fr Townsend advised giving vouchers for nearby shops or shelters or making donations directly to organisations, thereby

still adhering to a Christian act.

“Trust your instincts. If the story sounds too dramatic, it probably is. Rather learn who your community organisations are.

“Give food, but not cash—in addition to possibly being a scam, it is also a security risk,” the priest said.

Government agencies have also started to promote responsible giving whereby donations are given exclusively to shelters and NGOs which can then distribute the aid appropriately and fairly.

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The Southern Cross, December 5 to December 11, 2012

INTERNATIONAL

Emotions as pope raised six new cardinals

BY FRANCIS X ROCCA

R

ECALLING that Christ’s mission transcends “all ethnic, national and religious particularities,” Pope Benedict created six new cardinals from four different continents, representing the Latin rite of the Catholic Church as well as two Eastern Catholic Churches.

The churchmen who joined the College of Cardinals were Nigerian Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, 68, of Abuja; Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, 72; Indian Archbishop Baselio Cleemis Thottunkal, 53, head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church; Colombian Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez, 70, of Bogota; Philippine Archbishop Luis Tagle, 55, of Manila; and US Archbishop James Harvey, 63, former prefect of the papal household.

“I want to highlight in particular the fact that the Church is the church of all peoples, so she speaks in the various cultures of the different continents,” the pope said

during the hour-long service in St Peter’s basilica.

“Amid the polyphony of the various voices, she raises a single harmonious song to the living God,” the pope said.

The six new cardinals later stepped up to the pope, who was seated before the basilica’s main altar, to receive symbols of their office: a ring, the zucchetto skull cap and the three-cornered hat called a biretta. The headwear is coloured scarlet, like the cardinals’ robes, to symbolise the blood they risk shedding in service to the Church.

The new Eastern Catholic cardinals received modified versions of the biretta, consistent with the distinctive clerical garb of their churches. Cardinal Rai received the turban-like Maronite tabieh, and Cardinal Cleemis a head covering in a shape reminiscent of an onion dome.

Pope Benedict also assigned each of the new cardinals a “titular church” in Rome, making them full members of the Rome clergy and closer collaborators of the

Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria, with pilgrims from his country during a reception for the six new cardinals in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. (Photo: Paul Haring, CNS) pope in governing the universal Church.

The ceremony was a much quieter affair than the last consistory in February, when Pope Benedict created 22 cardinals. This time, there was no overflow crowd in St

Peter’s Square, and only 99 of the 211 members of the College of Cardinals were in attendance.

Yet the congregation was spirited, with pilgrims applauding enthusiastically as the new cardinals’ names were called. Cardinal

Tagle seemed especially moved as he knelt before the pope, and afterwards was seen wiping a tear from his eye.

At the end of the ceremony, the College of Cardinals had 211 members, 120 of whom were under the age of 80 and thus eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope.

The new consistory raises the percentage of Asian electors from 7% to 9%. Catholics in Asia account for just over 10% of the worldwide Catholic population.

Africa now has also 11 elector cardinals, and therefore a 9% representation.

The United States and Canada now have 14 elector cardinals, and Latin America 21.

At the same time, the percentage of European electors—62, of whom 28 are Italians—dropped slightly, to just over 51%. But the continent remains statistically overrepresented, since the Vatican reports that fewer than 24% of the world’s Catholics live in Europe.— CNS

Pope sends message of solidarity to Holy Land Christians

BY FRANCIS X ROCCA

O

N his first trip to the Holy Land as grand master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, Cardinal Edwin O’Brien, said he hoped to encourage the region’s Christian minority with a message of solidarity from Pope Benedict and other Catholics in the West.

“The Church in the Holy Land has been under unfriendly domination throughout the centuries, and the fact that we still exist there is almost a miracle,” Cardinal O’Brien said. “We have to do everything we can as a Catholic people to encourage them and to let them know that we are one with them in their struggle.”

The cardinal, a former archbishop of Baltimore whom Pope Benedict named to lead the chivalric order in August 2011, visited Jerusalem; Bethlehem, West Bank;

and Amman, Jordan, and met with Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, who serves as the order’s grand prior, and other Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim leaders.

The cardinal also visited a few of the more than 100 institutions that the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre support in the region, including parishes, schools and Bethlehem University.

Cardinal O’Brien noted that the Church’s charitable and educational activities in the Holy Land often serve a greater number of Muslims than Christians, which he said helped the cause of peace.

He particularly noted the contribution of Christian Brothers-run Bethlehem University, in the West Bank, to interreligious harmony.

“More than half the students over the years have not been Christian,” the cardinal said.

“And they graduate to leading positions in the Holy Land. Their

gratitude to the Church and their influence in building bridges between Islam and Christianity, we just can’t measure the worth of that,” he added.

“We don’t do it so that we can get credit,” he said. “We do it so that the dignity of every human being will be developed to its highest potential. Bethlehem University, Madaba University [in Jordan], our high schools—all the good work that our people far away are doing to support these institutions is going to pay great dividends in the decades ahead.”

Cardinal O’Brien did not visit the Gaza Strip, but noted that Patriarch Twal has been on the “front lines” in aiding victims of the violence there.

The South African prior of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre is Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town.—CNS

A South African pilgrim group visits the Qasr el Yahud baptismal site on the Israeli side of the river Jordan, looking over to the Jordanian side, in November. The site used to be in military territory. The grand master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, Cardinal Edwin O’Brien, visited the Holy Land in late November and early December. (Photo courtesy of Val Tangney)

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Vatican will ‘press’ for religious freedom

BY FRANCIS X ROCCA & CHRISTOPHER ALTIERI

T

HE Vatican has addressed concerns about its participation in a new Saudi-backed interfaith centre, insisting that it would use the forum to press for the religious liberty of Christians in Muslim lands.

A Vatican delegation joined UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other dignitaries in Vienna for the inauguration of the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre, which is named after and financed by the king of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia forbids the practice of any religion except Islam, even in private. Groups of liberal Muslims and members of the Austrian Green Party protested against the centre in the days leading up to its inauguration.

The Vatican is officially a “founding observer” of the centre.

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, told the opening ceremony: “This centre presents another opportunity for open dialogue on many issues, including those related to fundamental human rights, in particular religious freedom in all its aspects, for everybody, for every community, everywhere.

“In this regard, you will understand that the Holy See is particularly attentive to the fate of Christian communities in countries where such a freedom is not adequately guaranteed. Information, new initiatives, aspirations, and perhaps also failures will be brought to our [the centre’s] attention,” he said.

The Vatican will use its role in the centre to call for the “effective respect of the fundamental rights of Christians who live in countries with a Muslim majority, in order to promote authentic and integral religious liberty”, said Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi SJ in a statement.—CNS/Vatican Radio

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The Southern Cross, December 5 to December 11, 2012

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The Southern Cross, December 5 to December 11, 2012

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

Prepare for Christmas

A

S in every Advent season, Christians will again sound the reminder: “Put Christ back into Christmas”.

This call, of course, presumes that there was a recent time when Christmas was free of the secular and commercial dimensions that countermand the reverence that ought to be accorded to the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.

The reality is that Christmas has been both a commercial and religious proposition for more than a century.

And before that, in many cultures Christmas was an occasion for raucous and unedifying behaviour.

In the Middle ages, the Puritan-dominated British parliament even outlawed Christmas partly because of immorality associated with its celebration (another reason was antiCatholicism, as the Puritans considered Christmas “a popish festival with no biblical justification”).

In the temporal environment, Christmas no longer belongs to the followers of Christ, but to everybody. Christmas is a time when many inactive Catholics attend Mass, even if only for the sake of sentimental tradition.

We must welcome them warmly and truly live out the season of goodwill—and perhaps even attract some back into the Church.

Nevertheless, for many people, Frosty the Snowman and the infant Jesus now have a measure of cultural equivalence. Christians are therefore right to insist that the reason for the celebration of Christmas, which is incorporated in the feast’s name, not be ignored.

Efforts made by Catholic and other Christian activists to encourage shopping malls to display Nativity scenes, for example, must be commended and supported, as must the Knights of da Gama’s long-running “Put Christ Back Into Christmas” campaign.

We must not accept the exclusion of Jesus from his own birthday feast.

At the same time, the appeal to put Christ back into Christmas should be in particular directed at Catholics as a reminder to include Christ in our Christian lives especially at this hectic time.

This does not mean that we must renounce the worldly dimensions of Christmas. The spirit of generosity, the accent on family and friends, and the sense of goodwill that mark the season are entirely harmonious with Christianity.

As Catholics, we are called to a dual Christmas: the often frenzied time that leads up to our celebrations on December 25, and the liturgical Christmas season which begins with the feast of the Nativity and concludes with the feast of the Epiphany on December 6 (this is the period which the famous song refers to in “The Twelve Days Of Christmas”).

The first period, which might be called “the secular Christmas”, is what Christians call Advent. These are the four Sundays during which we anticipate the Saviour’s birth in Bethlehem—and into our lives.

It is a time that calls for quiet reflection and atonement in the midst of the frantic preparations for Christmas and holidays. Our challenge is to reconcile both elements while keeping our eyes firmly on Christ.

We can do so even as we shop for Christmas presents. Are there appropriate gifts that also communicate the Christian faith? Do we make a detour to the local Catholic bookshop or repository on our way to the malls?

Do we have in our homes an Advent wreath and light the candles, one by one on every Sunday of Advent?

When we write Christmas cards (or post our greetings on Facebook or Twitter) or convey our greetings in person once the feast of the Nativity has arrived, do we do so with a suitably Christian spirit? In our wellwishes, do we say “Happy Christmas” or do we dilute the celebration’s roots in Christ with banal phrases such as “Happy Holidays” or the hideous “Compliments of the Season”?

Addressing pilgrims at his general audience on the last Wednesday before Christmas last year, Pope Benedict reminded us: “Let us make sure that even in today’s society our Christmas greetings do not lose their profound religious meaning and the celebration is not absorbed by exterior aspects.”

As we prepare for the birth of Christ, let the pope’s words resonate with us.

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.

Searching for true Christianity The strict Catholic practices of T is a real pleasure to find in Ireviews your weekly newspaper letters, the past have surrendered to ecumenism, thousands of ordained and debates.

Many of your readers present very strong views and it is very clearly exposed that the Church is far from perfect.

Maybe we need to emphasise our being Christian (Christ-like) more than boldly claiming to be “staunch Catholics”!

I experience far more social Christianity in the other Christian churches than I encounter among Catholics.

Divorce limbo

W

HAT a wonderful balancing act your editor performed in his editorial of November 7 on the highly contentious subject of divorce, especially with regard to the innocent party.

It defies belief that in this 21st century the synod of bishops could not have applied their minds, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to come up with a more compassionate conclusion to their debate on divorce and remarriage.

The greatest belessing of being a Catholic is to freely receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Not being able to receive it is akin to belonging to a drinking club and prevented from going to the bar!

I have always believed that all the sacraments are equal and binding.

I have never understood why a priest can lay aside his personal vow to the Lord in the sacrament of Holy Orders whereas the Catholic in a marriage that fails through no fault of one of the parties and remarries is left in a state of limbo, and in effect demoted to being a second-rate Catholic, if he or she wishes to remain within the dubious framework of a Church bereft of compassion, empathy and love when it is needed most.

In the Bible Jesus tells the Church that “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”. So where is the problem?

I have never believed that every word that Jesus is reported to have said is cast in stone, so why is it that the bishops are acting like a bunch of Pharisees?

In his well thought-out letter of November 7, Franko Sokolic states that the divorced Catholic often leaves the Church.

I would go further and state that most divorcees not only leave the Church but more often than not take their children, relatives

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and friends with them. No wonder we are seeing more empty pews at our weekend services.

The designated rulers of the Catholic Church need look no further than their present dogmatic attitude on many moral and ethical issues facing the Church today that are driving not only divorced Catholics to other churches where they are treated with love, charity, empathy and true Christian fellowship.

RG Pitchford, Middelburg

Communion bar

T

HANK you for your compassionate editorial “Barred from Communion” (November 7).

I pray that the synod fathers will be touched by articles like yours when they read the scriptures in their private devotions and pour out their heartfelt prayers for the people they have chosen to nurture and serve.

Our Lord Jesus spoke most vehemently against the scribes and Pharisees who sit on Moses’ seat of authority, as it were.

“They tie up heavy loads, hard to bear, and place them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger to help bear them’” (Mt 23:4).

“But woe to you...for you shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces” (Mt 23:13).

“You ignore justice and the love of God, the more important things...You place oppressive burdens on the people, hard to bear, crushing the people” (Lk 11:42, 46).

Heather Withers, Johannesburg Opinions expressed in The Southern Cross, especially in Letters to the Editor, do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or staff of the newspaper, or of the Catholic hierarchy. The letters page in particular is a forum in which readers may exchange opinions on matters of debate.

Letters must not be understood to necessarily reflect the teachings, disciplines or policies of the Church accurately.

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I

COMMEND Michael Shackleton (November 14) for his erudite answer to the question, “Can Catholics vote for pro-abortion politicians?”

He quoted a statement in 2002 from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, that “Catholics who disapprove of abortion but who do not support politicians who do, may be justified in voting for such candidates for reasons other than their support for abortion’’.

The following submissions are made regarding this quotation.

1. Abortion is the moral (although in South Africa not the legal) equivalent of the crime of murder, in every respect.

2. If, in this quotation, the word “murder” was substituted for that of “abortion”, this would make it untenable.

One is thus compelled to conclude that Catholics should never vote for pro-abortion politicians under any circumstances.

Damian McLeish, Johannesburg

Get Latin right

T

HE two Latin words on the front page article on the establishment of the Pontifical Academy of Latin (November 21) were followed by a wrong translation.

“Latinam loquemur” means “we will talk about Latin”. If you want to say, “let us speak Latin”, you say “loquamur Latine”.

Moreover, good luck is “bonam fortunam”, not “bonus Fortuna”, as Raymond Perrier rendered it in his article on Hope&Joy. Memento nos in coelo Latine locuturos.

JH Goossens, Dundee n Many thanks, Mr Goossens. This shows just how necessary Pope Benedict’s establishment of an academy for the promotion and study of Latin is.—Editor

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St Angela Merici founded the Ursulines in the 16th century, naming them after St Ursula, leader of a company of 4th century virgin martyrs.

“Let Jesus Christ be your one and only treasure – For there also will be love!”

(St Angela – 5th Counsel)

priests have left the ministry, vocations in many areas are down to almost zero, there are more divorces among Catholics than ever before.

Our preaching is shocking in many parishes; our people justifiably search for nourishment in other Christian bodies.

Even the wonderful holy sacrifice of the Mass is not “celebrated” with full participation.

And there are thousands of nuns

who have dropped their “witness robes” and have returned to the world. We have empty convents and schools are forced to close.

So, again, we face the irritating question: what is going wrong in the Church of Peter?

And granted that the Holy Father is the head of the Church, he must listen to his many bishops with their vast experience.

Finally, is one not justified in searching for that body of Christians founded by Christ where one finds humble obedience, compassion, justice, love and poverty truly alive and zealously practised?

Irene Durler, Cape Town

The Prior Benedictine Abbey Subiaco PO Box 2189 Pietersburg, 0700

(Redemptorist speaker and author)

5 - 19 October 2013

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PERSPECTIVES

Imagine: Pope trumps Lennon

A

FTER his violent death at the hands of Mark Chapman on December 8, 1980, society virtually canonised John Lennon as a pop music martyr.

To this day, his widow Yoko Ono perpetuates the elevated status of the exBeatle as a sage, with no public appearance going without a quote of supposed wisdom, typically prefaced with the words: “John would say…”

The city of Liverpool toadied up to the image by naming its international airport after Lennon, even though Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the surviving Beatles, have done much more for the Fab Four’s home city than Lennon ever did.

Lennon probably would be rather embarrassed by all of this. He had a profound suspicion of celebrity and hero worship. He made as much clear in interviews and in song lyrics. In his 1970 song “God”, he sang, “I don’t believe in Beatles”, or anything else except in his relationship with Yoko.

The sanctification of Lennon, a complex man of many contradictions, is soundtracked by his iconic, melodic and utterly overused song “Imagine”. It has been covered by many singers who profess to be Christians even as secularists embrace it as the “atheists’ anthem”.

The opening line would suggest as much. “Imagine there’s no heaven…”, Lennon sings, and later, “and no religion, too”. So atheists were quite put out in January when R&B singer Cee Lo Green changed the lyric to “… and all religion’s true” (Catholics might also object to that, though for different reasons).

“Imagine” isn’t quite an atheist hymn, though. In an interview with Playboy a few weeks before his death, Lennon explained that the lyrical concept of “Imagine” was inspired by a Yoko Ono poem and a Christian prayer book he had been given by the comedian and social activist Dick Gregory.

“The concept of positive prayer... If you can imagine a world at peace, with no denominations of religion—not with-

out religion but without this ‘my God-isbigger-than-your-God thing’—then it can be true,” he said.

Lennon was a seeker of religion, though his concept of God resided in fuzzy New Age notions. His beef was with organised religion—and, it seems, the idea of salvation, as his rejection of heaven and hell indicates.

So the opening line should set off the alarm bells that “Imagine”, for all its idealism, is not a song that is wholly compatible with Christian thought. If we do not believe that there is heaven, we deny salvation. And if we deny salvation, we deny Christ.

T

he verse about materialism, however, could have been written by Pope Benedict: “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can. No need for greed or hunger; a brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people sharing all the world.”

Of course, the alert secularist might jump at the thought, pointing to the old chestnut of the Vatican’s wealth. And some Catholics of more conservative stripe might protest that the pope is not “a communist”.

Both factions would miss the point, though. Lennon knew, as does the pope, that the denunciation of the pursuit for material possessions is impossible for

How believers must treat others

I

N the previous column we discussed the destructiveness of human selfishness. In this article we shall examine briefly how religion has attempted to draw our attention away from the self.

In this regard it is necessary to understand that religion is at the centre of human culture in that it teaches people about three very important relationships: the relationship between humanity and the Creator; the relationship between a person and fellow human beings; and the relationship between humanity and the rest of creation.

In terms of the relationship between a human being and the Creator, religion teaches that there is a higher being than ourselves—the Omnipotent One who created human beings and all things.

Our main concern here is with the relationship between a human being and fellow human beings. In every society there are norms about how an individual should relate to other people and their possessions. I may not just appropriate someone else’s house, cattle, tools or field. In most societies one may not have sexual relations with one’s sibling, mother or father; and may not kill another person. At the same time, no one is entitled to insult me or treat me with disdain.

In respect of the discussion above, we can say that in addition to other laws, religion gives human beings three very basic laws.

First, I am recognised as an individual who is distinct from everybody else, and

who should be respected as such. As a sign of this recognition of my distinctiveness, I am given a name that identifies me.

Second, I am taught that there is a being higher than myself whom I must respect and worship.

Third, there are restrictions and obligations in my relationship with fellow human beings. I must not harm them, but must do that which pleases them— respect them, respect their possessions, do good to them and behave well towards them.

The function of religion is universal—it does not apply to only one religion such as Christianity or Islam or Hinduism.

While there are significant differences between these religions, this particular function is common to most if not all of them—religion plays a critically important role in the development of our worldview: It makes us aware of the Supreme Being; and it places restrictions and obligations in our relationship with others. It gives us freedom to relate to others and to own things, but not to trample on others. It teaches us that others have the same freedoms as we have. In this way freedom is not unlimited—it is socially restricted for the good of everyone.

There are three very important lessons to learn from the argument I have advanced so far.

First, the argument that all religions teach people about the relationship between the individual and the Creator and between the individual and others leads to the conclusion that through reli-

BLIND READERS OF

A group of readers is preparing audio tapes of excerpts from The Southern Cross, including editorials, selected articles, and regular features, as well current affairs in the Church. Anyone wanting to receive tapes as part of this service, available for an annual subscription fee of only R50, is invited to contact Mr Len Pothier, 8 The Spinney Retirement village, Main Rd, Hout Bay, 7806 or phone 021-790 1317.

The Post Office will deliver and return tapes without charge. Should you know of any interested blind person, please inform them of this service.

Günther Simmermacher

Point of Debate

most—even and in particular for a Rolls Royce-driving, land-owning pop star.

That is why in later years Lennon would change the lyrics to “I wonder if we can”.

The sort of people who actually have succeeded in realising the vision of surrendering possession and sharing with others in the spirit of brotherhood are those who have taken a vow of poverty in religious life. So in absence of religion, who else would put into practice what Lennon is urging us to imagine?

It is a bit rich for Lennon, or most people who croon “Imagine”, to agitate for some kind of idealism-driven revolution before they have done their bit in getting rid of their possessions and working for the poor. If you really want all the world to act like Mother Teresa, then don’t sing about your dreams but lead by example.

And that’s the big problem with “Imagine”. By imagining themselves to subscribe to the Lennon doctrine, listeners can persuade themselves that they have done their bit, much as one might by clicking the “Like” button on a Facebook page for a good cause. “Imagine” is a placebo, not a vehicle for the cure.

The song is not offering a programme for concrete change: it speaks of idealistic daydreams which can be translated into reality only if enough people join in. But since we can be certain that these numbers will never reach critical mass, it is entirely safe to sing of a revolution that will never come. In this way, “Imagine” is a call to procrastination.

If we really want to get to the meat of what ails the world, the answers can be found in religion. And Pope Benedict’s encyclical Deus Caritas Est—a call to action, not dreams—is a good place to start.

I suspect that even John Lennon would appreciate that.

Emmanuel Ngara

Christian Leadership

gion God has put the Ten Commandments in the hearts of all people, including the people we regard as pagans.

Second, God has revealed himself in a very special way through those religions that regard Abraham as their Father in faith—Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

We Christians believe that God revealed himself most fully through his Son, Jesus Christ.

The third lesson is that, disappointingly, religion—including Christianity—has not fully succeeded in drawing people away from the destructiveness of human selfishness.

There are several reasons for this, but I will briefly mention two: First, we do not always understand our faith fully. For instance, when Protestants and Catholics kill one another in the name of religion, they are ignoring the fact that Christianity is based on the law of love. When Christians and Muslims have in the past used force to convert people, they have turned their own religion into an object of worship.

Our religion becomes so important to us that it, rather than God, begins to define our values. God does not need us to fight for him. It is our own sense of self importance that leads us to use religion to oppress others and to cheat ourselves into thinking that we are fighting for God!

The Southern Cross, December 5 to December 11, 2012

7

Evans Chama M.Afr

Point of Reflection

What we can learn from Book of Ruth

T

HE story of Ruth is one of those beautiful, popular stories in the Bible, familiar even to children.

However, this rich story is impoverished when we enjoy its beauty without allowing its message to inspire us in the way we relate to others, especially those who are different from us.

Immigration and living among people who are different from us is an inevitable experience of globalisation. While this fusion of backgrounds can be a source for mutual enrichment and the consolidation of human fraternity, for many the experience is a source of pain and humiliation.

Perhaps reading the beautiful story of Ruth again may give rise to new and better attitudes.

The people of Israel, especially after their return from exile, struggled to resettle and reconstruct their lives on their own land. Conscious of their relationship with God as chosen people, the Isrsaelites’ organisation was inspired by certain convictions, some of which they held quite rigidly. That impacted negatively on their relations with people outside their race.

Happily, such rigidity was counterbalanced by rebels who were progressive and more accommodating in their views. They saw the possibility of Israel opening up to others while remaining faithful to their Israelite identity.

The author of the story of Job is one such rebel.

Not only does he question the belief in retribution—that the good are blessed as a reward and suffering is punishment for sins—he even lauds a pagan, Job, as a remarkably just man.

In the attempt to keep the race pure, Israel at certain times tightened laws regarding marrying foreign women, but doesn’t Ruth, another pagan, overturn the tables?

T

he story of Jonah also criticises Israel’s view of pagans as sinners who are beyond redemption.

The depiction of sinful Nineveh converting and being spared from destruction is an insult which the Israelites, in the name of Jonah, just cannot stomach.

Israel progressively matured and purified her faith. This is true for any society. Transformation lies in the courageous people who pose questions, shaking society from the slumber of the status quo.

Similarly, the stringent immigration laws we witness today feed on certain prejudices. However, not even the severest of laws will stop migration.

The best option is to facilitate legal migration.

What we have today is an immigration boom of the “little people”, so let us have policies that provide for such little people.

We should begin by tackling first our own attitudes towards immigrants as well as the fears we have in encountering those who are different.

One prejudice links immigrants with crime.

This may derive from some statistics or personal experience. But why is there crime among immigrants? Do they take all the trouble to emigrate to another country just to become criminals?

Perhaps some do. However, my contact with immigrants has given me a different perspective.

During my pastoral experience in Gao, Mali, one of the main routes of migration, I was in contact with immigrants. Who are they?

Most of them are qualified professionals, mainly as teachers or nurses in their countries of origin, who leave in search of better life. Imagine the sacrifice involved in taking such a risk: they use their life savings for transport, they travel under severe conditions, they leave their families and the modest dignity they enjoyed as teachers or nurses.

They are ready to start from zero, in humbler jobs like gardeners, domestic servants, cleaners, even as car guards in your local parking lot—but usually with the determination to study in order to have their profession recognised.

Often it is when such determined young people are denied the possibility to realise their dream that they resort to clandestine activities, including crime. This is not to endorse crime but simply an attempt to understand what is behind what we experience.

Anywhere in the world crime is most prevalent among those who are disadvantaged, poor and discriminated against. Often these three conditions affect migrants.

Here is a testimony that gives us another image of those immigrants. When a confrere of mine is on leave in Europe, he often hitches a free ride simply by stopping a passing car. In all cases, it is the immigrants from Africa who stopped to give him a lift.

He remarked: “When they expel immigrants, I do not know who will give me a lift.”

Are there not many beautiful stories of modern Ruths which, alas, are veiled in prejudice?

8

The Southern Cross, December 5 to December 11, 2012

COMMUNITY

Youth at Kwa-Chief in Howick West, KwaZulu-Natal, received their First Holy Communion. Br Harison Banda and Fr Philippe Docq of the Missionaries of Africa prepared the children to receive the sacrament.

Maria Rossouw, known as “Auntie” by her church community of St John’s in Fish Hoek, Cape Town, celebrated her 104th birthday with a thanksgiving Mass. The tea ladies and Catholic Women’s League combined their efforts to produce a tea with cake and other treats shared in the parish centre after Mass.

Nine learners from St Patrick's Christian Brothers College Kimberley made their first confession at St Mary's cathedral in Kimberley.

(Front fom left) Karla Espinaco Marrero, Refiloe Riet, Botho Lekwene, Karabo Molape, Nomathemba Nyaqela and Mantone Morule. Second row: Kgalalelo Mekgwe, Duwane Rex and Veron Bok. Back: Fr Sipho Moatlhodi.

The Sacred Heart Sodality of the Pretoria archdiocese celebrated their annual concert at Kwagga Community Hall, Mpumalanga. The event was hosted by St Oliver’s parish in Mkobola, Mpumalanga and holy Mass was celebrated by Fr Karabo Baloyi, spiritual advisor of the Chiro movement in the Pretoria archdiocese. Pictured are parishioners from St Oliver performing at the concert.

A branch of the Association of Catholic Tertiary students was officially launched with a Holy Mass at St Michael’s church in Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp diocese. Students from the University of the North West in Potchefstroom and surrounding areas gathered for a celebration with spiritual director Fr Don Bohé.

Youth from St Patrick’s parish in Mowbray, Cape Town received their First Holy Communion from parish priest Fr Brian Gallant.

HOT POT PAINT AND HARDWARE PTY LTD A gathering of the Special Religious Development (SPRED) group for their annual Mass of thanksgiving held at St John’s church in Maitland, Cape Town and celebrated by Fr Mark Foster. SPRED is catechetics for the disabled.

ALL AT THE VERY BEST PRICES! St Anthony’s parishioners in Durban received certificates after completing their year-long course “The Beatitudes” with Lionel Samuel at the Glenmore Pastoral Centre. (From left) Carmel Samuel, Ancilla Andrews, Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, Charmaine Samuel, Christine Samuel and Derek John.

FOCUS

The Southern Cross, December 5 to December 11, 2012

9

New ways of seeing for convert Blind convert Morné van der Merwe is doing sterling work for the blind Catholic community in South Africa.

CLAIRE MATHIESON reports

W

ORCESTER in the Western Cape is known for brandy cellars, its vineyards, David Kramer, grapes and olives—and, one day soon, Worcester will be known for the work one blind man is doing for the blind Catholic community in South Africa.

When it was discovered that he was blind from birth, Morné van der Merwe and his family packed their bags and moved from Welkom to Worcester, the home of the Institute for the Blind, which includes the Pioneer School —a specialised education facility for blind and partially sighted learners.

It was here that the young Morné would spend his school years, following exactly the same curriculum as traditional sighted schools, “but where others learnt to write, I learnt braille”. The Pioneer School was set up by the Dutch Reformed Church in 1881 to attend to the needs of blind learners.

“Instead of drawing with crayons, we moulded with clay; instead of writing with pens and reading books, we used braille,” said Mr van der Merwe.

After completing his matric at the school, he attended Stellenbosch University, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Afrikaans, Dutch and German, as well as a furthering his studies in music— specifically the pipe organ and violin.

Mr van der Merwe is a man who loves to communicate through any medium possible— from connecting with friends around the world on Internet forums for blind and partially sighted people (thanks to the use of technology), to playing music, and transcribing documents and books into braille.

It makes sense that his occupation is at Pioneer Printers where he works as a proofreader. He works closely with a sighted person and together they ensure that documents produced in braille are accurate.

At Pioneer Printers, printed books are typed into braille and handed to one of five teams of proofreaders made up of one blind and one sighted person. “I read the braille aloud, and the sighted person follows in their printed book,” he said “The moment there is a mistake, it is noted and sent for correction. The corrected version will be sent to a second team of proofreaders to do the final checks,” said Mr van der Merwe, adding that when he proofreads, he includes the punctuation.

Pioneer Printers specialises in producing textbooks, specifically maths, science and music, and transcribing exam papers into braille. The company also produces books for partially sighted people, using large fonts, as well as producing CDs for documents that are too big for braille books.

The Protestant Bible in braille, for example, takes up 39 books.

The company works in all 11 languages.

Through his studies in music, which he can also proofread, Mr van der Merwe started thinking about religion. “You can’t help but come across people like Martin Luther when you are studying music history in the church,” he said.

Mr van der Merwe, who was brought up in the Dutch Reformed Church, said his studies led him to analyse and compare the different denominations of the church.

“More and more I found myself coming back to the original Church—the Catholic Church.”

This year, Mr van der Merwe has been taking part in RCIA course at Christ the King parish in Worcester.

And before even becoming an official Catholic, Mr van der Merwe had already started working on documents for blind Catholics, spotting a need in the local

Morné van der Merwe, who is blind, is pivotal in producing documents in braille.

Church. In America, there is the Xavier Society for the Blind from which he receives the Mass readings and liturgical calendars. “But there is nothing in South Africa,” he said.

A

lready, he has worked with his parish priest, Norbertine Father Ashley Orgill, on producing the Order of the Mass in braille. He has also worked closely with the priest in collecting documents and information to produce a book on how to pray the rosary.

Mr van der Merwe said many of these documents may seem basic,

but the fact is that there is nothing available for blind South African Catholics—from the most basic of documents to the most advanced theology. Everything so far has been imported.

“We don’t know how many blind Catholics there are in the country because there has been nothing for them specifically in the Church. Therefore, they have remained silent,” he said. Mr van der Merwe is trying to change that.

“We are a minority in the Church, but these small documents mean a lot,” the convert said.

Because he doesn’t let his disability affect him, Mr van der Merwe and his guide dog, Pumba, are active in the community. If he is unable to walk to where he needs to go, he is able to call the taxi service which is familiar with the blind community in Worcester, or call upon fellow parishioners.

He will also play the organ in the church at Mass, something which has been missing from Christ the King for many years.

Mr van der Merwe also reads The Southern Cross. As a digital subscriber, he is able to follow news in the Catholic world thanks to his computer.

“If I can lay my hands on a document in the Church we will work towards producing it in braille,” he said, adding that he will continue to work closely with Fr Orgill.

Pioneer Printers is subject to copyright laws but all works transcribed are saved on the company’s catalogue, “so if there is a document you want, it’s easy to order.

If there’s something that hasn’t been transcribed yet, we can work towards it,” said Mr van der Merwe.

He is a passionate communicator and now that the Church has become a new passion in his life, he will continue to work towards communicating as much as possible with the skills he has.

“I try to live life to the fullest,” he said, “and I want to live my life to the fullest in the Church.” n For more information on Catholic documents available or to request a Catholic document in braille, contact Pioneer Printers on 023 342 6313 or info@pioneerprinters.org.za

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10

BOOK REVIEWS

The Southern Cross, December 5 to December 11, 2012

Book shows how the Holocaust could happen A SMALL TOWN NEAR AUSCHWITZ: Ordinary Nazis and the Holocaust, by Mary Fulbrook.

Oxford University Press, 2012.

448pp. ISBN: 978-0-19-960330-5 Reviewed by Günther Simmermacher FTER World War II, most German families had to come to terms with the role of their members in the Third Reich. For the sons and daughters of the Nazi bigwigs this obviously was a painful process. Some have written movingly about it.

Less known are the stories of the unexceptional, middle-ranking bureaucrats who did not plan the Holocaust but helped to facilitate it, perhaps unaware of the full magnitude of the crimes they were party to.

One such middle-manager was Udo Klausa (1910-98), a Catholic bureaucrat who served as Landrat (town administrator) in Bedzin, a Polish town near Auschwitz which was annexed by Germany after the invasion of 1939.

Mary Fulbrook’s book tells the story of this man, one who perceived himself as a decent person.

The twist is that the author is friendly with the Klausa family; Udo’s wife Alexandra was Fulbrook’s godmother.

This proximity has given Fulbrook, a historian, access to letters and other private documents which usually are not available to

A

the ordinary historian. This indisputable advantage also creates an ethical dilemma: the author might be tempted to diminish the responsibility of a man she knew and liked. Fulbrook discloses and discusses these ethical conflicts.

In the event, Fulbrook pulls no punches. She interrogates Klausa’s war-time record fairly but robustly, and demolishes many of his postwar justifications, which were recorded in a self-serving memoir.

The picture of Klausa that emerges can be applied to many other Germans, and it helps us acquire a sense of how the nation of Goethe, Bach and Gutenberg could have fallen for the thuggery of the Nazi Party.

faith from his ambitions of rising up the bureaucratic ranks.

He saw himself not as a convinced Nazi—even though he was a member of the Nazi’s paramilitary SA even before 1933—but as having “innocently become guilty” (this is the author’s translation; I would use the word “culpable”) through his role in Bedzin.

Fulbrook doesn’t buy Klausa’s pleas of ignorance: he must have known much of what was happening; his repeated and ultimately successful attempts to extricate himself from his position in Bedzin—by serving as a soldier on the Russian front—hint at an unease at what he was being part of.

F

ulbrook explains this by reference to seduction and threat. In the early years of their reign, the Nazis increased employment, returned order to the chaos of the Weimar Republic, brought a sense of economic justice and restored an affirming national consciousness.

The price for this collective buoyancy was the demise of democracy and the persecution of Jews and political opponents. The long-suffering German people put up with that as an expedient.

Broad acquiescence in the regime was further assured through the uncompromising intimidation by a mighty state that was prepared to exercise fear

K and reward loyalty.

A Small Town Near Auschwitz makes the obvious but often forgotten point that not all Nazis were the same, or even motivated by a common vision. There were the fanatical “true believers”, fellow travellers swept along by a movement, and those who tried to make “the best out of a bad situation”.

As a practising Catholic, Udo Klausa had many points of philosophical divergence with Nazism, but he found ways to separate his

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Agnostic author shows that Jesus did exist DID JESUS EXIST? THE HISTORICAL ARGUMENT FOR JESUS OF NAZARETH, by Bart D Ehrman. HarperOne. 361 pp.

ISBN: 978-0062204608 Reviewed by Brian Welter N Did Jesus Exist?, New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman successfully refutes the idea that Jesus never existed, pointing out the weaknesses and irrelevancy of points raised by the so-called mythicists, who fight belief in God partly by denying the historical person of Jesus of Nazareth.

Ehrman uses well-known writings to prove his point. The differing and independent traditions we have about Jesus, many of which are found in the New Testament, show that Jesus wasn’t simply made up by a group with an agenda.

These sources show that Jesus really lived. Ehrman points out how St Paul cites older Christian traditions in his writings, such as ancient hymns which acted as creeds.

Luke uses many ancient authorities in Acts of the Apostles, usually in the form of speeches. The Gospels, with much in common, also differ greatly in many areas, which indicates the variety of groups attesting to Jesus’ existence.

How could so many Christian and non-Christian sources exist independently about a man who had been made up? Such a diverse collection of stories shows that many had seen and heard Jesus, and talked about him to others. Mostly just common sense, this reflects the author’s point that the mythicists mislead people with faulty logic that hides their atheist agenda.

Ehrman takes things one step further, showing how religious history sheds light on Jesus’ existence: “The idea of a suffering Messiah ran so counter to Scripture and the righteous expectations of God’s people that it was completely unthink-

I St Joseph’s Theological Institute

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DEvELOPMENT STUDiES DEPARTMENT

The Development Studies Department through its two academic programmes: Higher Certificate in Human and Social Development and Advanced Certificate in Human and Social Development seeks to provide a service to the Church and Society in general through the formation and training of leaders guided by a Christian ethos.

The Two Academic Programmes aim at: (a) Providing students with the basic understanding of the main concepts and theories of human and social development, (b) Empowering students with the basic understanding of how societies develop and function, and (c) Providing the basic knowledge to enable students to continue with further studies in the areas of human and social development.

Two Key Areas of Focus (a) Formation: the Department helps train men and women capable of working in Religious and Priestly formation programmes, and (b) Leadership in Social development: the department provides training to men and women, religious and lay capable of working in organisations and agencies that deal with issues of social development and advocacy.

Admission Criteria (a) Students registering for the Higher Certificate in Human and Social Development must have a National Senior Certificate (NSC) or its equivalent, (b) Students registering for the Advanced Certificate in Human and Social Development must have a minimum of a Higher Certificate in Human and Social Development or its equivalent, (c) Both programmes require proficiency in English as this is the language of instruction at the Institute.

Registration Registration for the academic year 2013 is open from July to December 2012.

For more information contact: Academic Dean, e-mail: dean@sjti.ac.za

lausa’s tenure as Landrat helps to explain how it was possible to carry out the pogroms and random massacres, the systematic dispossession of Jews, the herding into ghettos, the forced labour, the summary executions, the deliberate starvation, and ultimately the industrial extermination—though nothing can possibly explain the arbitrary, gleeful inhumanity shown by many Germans in its execution.

Fulbrook sums it up well: “Not everybody was a perpetrator in the obvious sense of committing direct acts of physical violence or directly giving orders that

unleashed such violence. Yet the Holocaust was possible only because so many people acted in ways that, over a long period of time, created the preconditions for the ultimate acts of violence.”

Klausa, Fulbrook writes, lacked the capacity to “register the human consequences of policies carried out in service of a deeply racist state”. This is hardly a defence of the man, but an indictment. The philosopher Hannah Arendt’s famous quote about the “banality of evil” seems to apply to the likes of Klausa even more than it does to its original target, the war criminal Adolf Eichmann.

Fulbrook complements her research into Klausa by interviews with Jewish survivors of Bedzin and towns like it, including Arno Lustiger, a cousin of the late Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, who spoke to nobody about his experiences for 40 years. She also refers to war-time letters and documents from Bedzin’s Jews, thereby giving a voice to the victims of Udo Klausa’s actions.

Some historians argue that attempting to understand the Shoah is not only impossible but also dangerous, saying it should remain incomprehensible. Fulbrook’s book shows that it is possible to glean some understanding of the Shoah without stripping it of its inexplicability.

able, even blasphemous.” Jews at the time did indeed believe that the coming of the Messiah was at hand. Yet he would be a triu m p h a n t anointed one, a king ready to overturn the social order and install God’s chosen ruler.

The crucifixion of Jesus certainly happened, then, because it was such a terrible shock, something that people had no notion of ever happening. What would anyone gain from making up something so at odds with Jewish messianic expectations?

A big book, Did Jesus Exist? leaves no stones unturned.

Ehrman spends at least one chapter examining each of his major reasons for believing that Jesus existed. Much more than a narrow polemic against mythicists, Ehrman offers a general introduction to the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth, with a particular focus on the surrounding cultural milieu.

E

hrman argues forcefully that mythicists themselves often misunderstand this culture. In refuting Jesus and indeed Christianity, they have argued that Mediterranean peoples worshipped dying-rising gods, and that Christians had simply copied this.

James Frazer’s Golden Bough supposed this, as did mythologist Joseph Campbell. Campbell claimed that all religious belief originated in a few key, identical concepts, and that all religions shared the essentials.

Ehrman shows the uniqueness of basic Christian belief.

Frazer and others were simply

projecting Christian doctrine onto these other religions.

Their arguments have been strongly refuted by scholars. No precedent existed for the basic Christian belief in the Son of Man dying and then rising.

Ehrman, an agnostic himself, doesn’t aim to destroy anyone’s faith, though he avoids discussing the virgin birth, Jesus’ miracles and the resurrection as historical realities.

Readers are not forced to agree with his agnosticism on these points, so believers can still take a lot away from the book.

Based on the available scholarship, Ehrman provides a clear image of who he thinks Jesus was. A first-century apocalypticist, Jesus believed in the supernatural world of angels, demons and the devil, and that God would come within a very short time to overturn the social order. Jesus followed the Jewish law, but not as the Pharisees did.

He preached the heart of the law as loving God first, and then your neighbor as yourself.

He was concerned with the poor, yet without having an agenda of fixing society himself.

He left that in God’s hands.

Did Jesus Exist? offers a wideranging assessment of Jesus and the early Jesus movement. Those overly sensitive to challenges to their faith will find the book troublesome and unhelpful.

Readers with a greater thirst to be challenged and learn something will find it a satisfying read without having to compromise their deeper convictions.

The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS

Joseph Kotsane

Births • First Communion • Confirmation • Engagement/Marriage • Wedding anniversary • Ordination jubilee • Congratulations • Deaths • In memoriam • Thanks • Prayers • Accommodation • Holiday Accommodation • Personal • Services • Employment • Property • Others Please include payment (R1,25 a word) with small advertisements for promptest publication.

S

OLLY Joseph Kotsane, a radio journalist, teacher and former president and treasurer of the Council for the Laity, died on November 6 in Pretoria at the age of 80.

Born at Bantule location, west of Pretoria, on April 7, 1932, he went to St Teresa's school until Grade 8, and then proceeded to Pax Training College in Pietersburg, run by the Brothers of Charity, where he completed Grade 10.

In 1954 he received what was called the Native Higher Primary Teachers’ Diploma. He went on to earn a BA honours degree, specialising in Sepedi and phonetics. He was a co-author of a grammar series in Sepedi titled Mahube, which was prescribed for Grades 7-12 before 1994.

In 1957 he married Selina Mankone Morudu and was blessed with six daughters.

Mr Kotsane was committed to Catholic education. He taught at St Teresa’s in Bantule, St Anne’s in Atteridgeville, and at St Michael’s Minor Seminary in Rustenburg.

In 1962 Mr Kotsane became the first Setswana radio journalist in what was known as Radio Bantu—a station that took as its name a term that was used as a pejorative for black people—on which African languages were shared.

After leaving radio he became principal in several schools. He was one of the pioneers of African adult education in what was referred to as “night schools”.

His leadership in the Transvaal United African Teachers’ Assocation saw him representing African

Liturgical Calendar Year B Weekdays Year 2

Sunday, December 9, 2nd Sunday of Advent Baruch 5:1-9, Psalm 126:1-6, Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11, Luke 3:1-6 Monday, December 10, St Melchiades Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 85:9-14, Luke 5:17-26 Tuesday, December 11, St Damasus Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 96:1-3, 10-13, Matthew 18:12-14 Wednesday, December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe Zechariah 2:14-17 or Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10, Judith 13:18-19, Luke 1:26-38 or 1:39-47 Thursday, December 13, St Lucy Isaiah 41:13-20, Psalm 145:1, 9-13, Matthew 11:11-15 Friday, December 14, St John of the Cross Isaiah 48:17-19, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, Matthew 11:16-19 Saturday, December 15 Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11, Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19, Matthew 17:9, 10-13 Sunday, December 16, 3rd Sunday of Advent Zephaniah 3:14-18, Isaiah 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:10-18

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IN MEMORIAM

teachers at international conferences held in Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Botswana, Togo, Britain, France and the United States.

During the early years of the South African Catholic Bishops Conference, Mr Kotsane was president and treasurer of its Council for the Laity.

Mr Kotsane was buried by Fr Simon Boitumelo, a student of his at St Michael’s Minor Seminary.

Mathibela Sebothoma

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)

CAPE TOWN: Padre Pio: Holy hour 3.30 pm every 3rd Sunday of the month at Holy Redeemer parish in Bergvliet.

Helpers of God’s Precious Infants meet every last Saturday of the month except in December, starting with Mass at 9:30 am at the Salesians Institue Community Chapel in Somerset Road, Cape Town. Mass will be followed by a vigil and

BENEDICERE, LAUDARE, PRAEDICARE: “To bless, to praise, to preach.” One of the mottos of the Dominican Order.

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Reservations:

MAHER—In loving memory of Herbert (6-122002) and Cicely Myrtle (11-12-2006). Forever loved and remembered

by Joan, James and Sharon.

SACCO—Louise Francoise Marie André, eldest daughter of Rosheen Sacco and the late Léon Sacco, sister to Marc, Marie-Reine, Marguerite and Luke, passed to eternal life November 20th, 2011. Beloved Louise, you will ever live in our hearts and memories as a member of the secular order of Saint Francis of Assisi and in your loving concern for your sisters and brothers.

Your constant interest in your pupils was a source of great encouragement.

With determination you never lost hope in God’s goodness. In these you have won your eternal crown. Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord. May she rest in peace and light.

PERSONAL

ABORTION WARNING: ‘The Pill’ can abort, swiftly and undetected. It clinically makes the womb inhospitable, and rejects those early ‘accidental’ conceptions (new lives) which sometimes occur while using it. (Medical facts stated in its pamphlet) HOUSESITTER/AUPAIR: Based at Benoni Parish, will travel/with references. Ph Therèse 076 206 0627.

NOTHING is politically right if it is morally wrong.

Abortion is evil. Value life!

PRAYERS

HOLY ST JUDE, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor

SOLUTIONS TO 527. ACROSS: 1 Greasy, 4 Buffet, 9 Excommunicate, 10 Mourner, 11 Overt, 12 Farce, 14 Small, 18 Theta, 19 Habitat, 21 Theology books, 22 Entity, 23 Versus. DOWN: 1 Gleams, 2 Encouragement, 3 Simon, 5 Uniform, 6 Flagellations, 7 Treaty, 8 Curry, 13 Chaplet, 15 Statue, 16 Thugs, 17 Stasis, 20 Bible.

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procession to Marie Stopes abortion clinic in Bree Street. For further information contact Colette Thomas on 083 412 4836 or 021 593 9875 or Br Daniel Manuel on 083 544 3375 NELSPRUIT: Adoration of the blessed sacrament at St Peter’s parish. Every Tuesday from 8am to 4:45pm followed by Rosary Divine Mercy prayers, then a Mass/Communion service at 5:30pm.

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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. Ruth.

NOVENA to Obtain

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Graces Through the Intercession of St. Faustina. O Jesus, Who filled Your servant, St. Faustina, with profound veneration for Your boundless Mercy, deign, if it be Your holy will, to grant me, through her intercession, the grace for which I fervently pray.

My sins render me unworthy of Your Mercy, but be mindful of St. Faustina's spirit of sacrifice and self-denial, and reward her virtue by granting the petition which, with childlike confidence, I present to You through her intercession.

Amen. Ruth.

O MOST beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendour of Heaven, blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me where you are, Mother of God. Queen of heaven and earth I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me in my necessity. There is none who can withstand your power, O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands. Say this prayer for 3 consecutive days and then publish. Ruth.

HAIL, HOLY Queen, Mother of Mercy! our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley, of tears. Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

THANKS

Pray that AFRICA may draw closer to the HEART OF CHRIST 2 Chron 7:14 Matthew 7:7-12

CAPE TOWN: Cape Peninsula beautiful homes to buy or rent.

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FISH HOEK: Self-catering accommodation, sleeps 4.

Secure parking. Tel: 021 785 1247.

GORDON’S BAY: Accommodation, sleeps two. R350 per day.

078 213 8407 KNYSNA: Self-catering accommodation for 2 in Old Belvidere with wonderful lagoon views. 044 387 1052.

LONDON, Protea House: Single per night R300, twin R480. Self-catering, busses and underground nearby. Phone Peter 0044 208 7484834.

MARIANELLA: Guest House, Simon’s Town: “Come experience the peace and beauty of God with us.” Fully equipped with amazing sea views.

Secure parking, ideal for rest and relaxation. Special rates for pensioners and clergy. Tel: Malcolm Salida 082 784 5675 or mjsalida@mweb.co.za SEDGEFIELD: Beautiful self-catering garden flat sleeps four, two bedrooms, open-plan lounge, kitchen, fully equipped.

5min walk to lagoon. Contact 082 900 6282 STRAND: Beachfront flat to let. Stunning views, fully equipped. Garage, one bedroom, sleeps 3-4.

R450 p/night for 2 peoplelow season. Phone Brenda 082 822 0607.

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3rd Sunday: December 16 Readings: Zephaniah 3:14-18, Isaiah 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:10-18

Preserve your mood of gratitude

N

Nicholas King SJ

EXT Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent, when traditionally you may relax the austerity of your fasting. To underline this point, the readings, until you get to the gospel, are all about rejoicing.

The first reading is from Zephaniah, though it was probably added a bit later than the time of that 7th century prophet, to encourage the Jewish exiles in Babylon to rejoice in the possibility that they would soon be coming home to Jerusalem, “Sing aloud, daughter of Zion, make a joyful noise, Jerusalem, rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem”.

And what is the reason for the rejoicing? It is that the Lord is at work; twice we are told that “the Lord [your God] is in your midst”, and we learn also what God is going to do: “He has taken away your sentence; he has turned away your enemies”, and so “he will rejoice over you with gladness”.

That is our source of joy, this Advent season, not the food and wine and expensive presents with which you have already loaded on to your credit card, but the fact that God is always with us as a Saviour.

The psalm is also a song about the end of the Exile, and the mood is once more that of

Sunday Reflections

thanksgiving. Once more the heart of the matter is the idea of God as Saviour: “Look!

The God of my salvation...he shall be my saviour”, and in a charming metaphor we read “you shall draw water joyfully from the wells of salvation”.

The only possible response is thanksgiving: “On that day you shall say: Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name.” Then, as in the first reading, we discover how close God is to us: “For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” Let us try to preserve this mood of gratitude all the way to Christmas, for it will make a difference.

The se c o n d re ad in g , written from a Roman prison, is likewise one of exuberant joy, despite this unpromising situation: “Rejoice all the time in the Lord; again I shall say to you, rejoice!”, and one of the reasons

for the joy is that “the Lord is near”.

We are instructed “not to worry about anything”, but instead, “in all your prayer and supplication with thanksgiving [that word again] make your requests known to God”.

We should perhaps hasten to add that Paul may not have in mind all those nice things that you would like to find in your Christmas stocking this year, as the final prayer makes clear: “The peace of God, which goes beyond all human intellect, will watch over your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.” That is what our Christmas is about.

The gospel has a slightly different tone to it, because the stage is held by John the Baptist, but the message is the same; because it is true about God and about Jesus, that is where our attention needs to be, as Christmas rushes towards us; there are ways to behave, and a person on whom to keep our eyes.

Various characters ask John how they are supposed to respond to his proclamation, and there are three answers. The “crowds” are told to have only one tunic, and share a spare with others, and likewise with their food.

That should give us a pause for thought in this society of ours where the gulf between

The dangers of working too hard T HERE are dangers in overwork, no matter how good the work and no matter how noble the motivation for doing it. Spiritual guides, beginning with Jesus, have always warned of the dangers of becoming too taken-up in our work.

Many are the spouses in a marriage, many are the children in a family, many are the friends, and many are churches, who wish that someone they love and need more attention from was less busy.

But it is hard not to be over-busy and consumed by work, particularly during our generative years when the duties of raising children, paying mortgages, and running our churches and civic organisations falls more squarely on our shoulders.

If you are a sensitive person you will wrestle constantly with the pressure to not surrender yourself to too many demands.

As Fr Henri Nouwen once described this, our lives often seem like overpacked suitcases with too much in them.

There is always one more task to do, one more phone call to make, one more person to see, one more bill to pay, one more thing to check on the Internet, one more leaky tap to tend to, one more demand from some church or social agency, and one more item that needs to be picked up from the shop.

The demands never end and we are always conscious of some task that we still need to do. Our days are too short

Classic Conrad

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final Reflection

for all that needs to be done.

And so we give ourselves over to our work. It begins in good will and innocence, but it invariably transmutes into something else. Initially we give ourselves over to all these demands because this is what is asked of us, but as time goes by that commitment becomes less and less altruistic and more self-serving.

First off, though we are generally blind to this, our work soon becomes an escape. We remain busy and preoccupied enough that we have an inbuilt excuse and rationalisation so as not to have to deal with relationships—be that within our own families, our churches, or with God. Being weighed-down constantly with work and duty is a burden, but it is also the ultimate protection. We do not get to smell the flowers, but we do not have to deal either with the deeper things that lurk under the surface of our lives. We can avoid the unresolved issues in our relationships and our psyches. We have the perfect excuse! We are too busy.

Generally too our society supports us in this escapism. With virtually every other addiction, we are eventually sent

off to a clinic; but if we are addicted to our work, we are generally admired for our disease and praised for our selflessness.

If I drink too much, or eat too much, or become dependent on a drug, I am frowned upon and pitied; but if I overwork to the point of neglecting huge and important imperatives in my life, they say this of me: “Isn’t he wonderful! He’s so dedicated!” Workaholism is the one addiction for which we get praised.

Beyond providing us with an unhealthy escape from some important issues with which we need to be dealing, overwork brings with it a second major danger: The more we over-invest in our work, the greater the danger of taking too much of our meaning from our work rather than from our relationships.

As we become more and more immersed in our work, to the detriment of our relationships, we will naturally also begin to draw more and more of our meaning and value from our work. As numerous spiritual writers have pointed out, the dangers in this are many; not least among these is the danger that we will eventually find it harder and harder to find meaning in anything outside of our work.

Old habits are hard to break. If we spend years drawing our identity from working hard and being loved for being anything from a professional athlete to a dedicated mum, it will not be easy to simply shift gears and draw our meaning from something else.

Classical spiritual writers are unanimous in warning about the danger of overwork and of becoming over-preoccupied with our work.

This is in fact what Jesus warns Martha about in the famous passage in scripture where she, consumed with the very necessary work of preparing a meal, complains to Jesus that her sister, Mary, is not carrying her share of the load.

In a rather surprising response, Jesus, instead of chastising Mary for her idleness and praising Martha for her dedication, tells Martha that Mary has chosen the better part, that, at this moment and in this circumstance, Mary’s idleness trumps Martha’s busyness.

Why? Because sometimes there are more important things in life than work, even the noble and necessary work of tending to hospitality and preparing a meal for others.

Idleness may well be the devil’s workshop, but busyness is not always a virtue.

rich and poor is vast and increasing.

Next, a group of tax-collectors ask for the recipe, and are told “don’t exact anything more than is commanded” (to which they might have responded: “Then how are we to live?”). The third group is soldiers, and they will have been appalled to be told “no extortion, no false accusation, be content with your wages”. Then we go back to the “people”, who represent what you might call “faithful Israel”, and they ask an intelligent question: “Could John be the Messiah?”

The response is (not surprisingly) very firm, as John the Baptist talks instead about “The One Coming after me...he will baptise you with water and with the Holy Spirit; his winnowing-fork is in his hand, to purify his threshing-floor.”

And the evangelist concludes with a mildly dispiriting comment: “He gave many other bits of advice, and gave the people good news.”

We may wonder what is so good about it, but if we keep our attention fixed on the One Coming, we shall be close to the meaning of Christmas, and then we shall indeed have cause to rejoice.

Southern Crossword #527

ACROSS

1. Like the priest’s hands after the anointings? (6) 4. A blow at the smorgasbord? (6) 9. Exclude from the sacraments (13) 10. He will attend the funeral (7) 11. Trove found in the open (5) 12. An absurd event on the stage (5) 14. Size of flame that sets forest on fire (James 3) (5) 18. Greek letter (5) 19. Religious robe at its natural home (7) 21. They are shelved in the seminary library (8,5) 22. Identity holds what exists independently (6) 23. Opposed on the sports field (6)

DOWN

1. Shines brightly (6) 2. Support to give you heart (13) 3. Peter before he was called the Rock (5) 5. Serviceman’s dress (7) 6. Floggings on illegal fast (13) 7. Tyre at pact arrangement (6) 8. Hot food for the Indian bishop? (5) 13. String of beads (7) 15. Representation of saint in the church (6) 16.Thus a note inside reveals ruffians (5) 17. Sits as period of inactivity (6) 20. Holy book of many books (5) Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

A

LITTLE boy was attending his first wedding.

After the service, his cousin asked him: “How many women can a man marry?”

“16,” the boy responded.

His cousin was amazed that he had an answer so quickly. “How do you know that?”

“Easy,” the little boy said. “All you have to do is add it up, like the priest said: 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer.”

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