The Southern Cross - 130213 by The Southern Cross

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February 13 to February 19, 2013

Mosquito net to the internet

Homegrown priest for the Cape

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Seeing confession anew: Part 1

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SA can boost Palestinians BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

‘B

ECAUSE South Africa has come through a similar situation, we can offer support to the people of Palestine. We can offer encouragement.” For the third year running, Fr Peter-John Pearson, director of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO), has been a member of a Church delegation that visits, observes, and highlights the plight of Christians in Palestine and Palestinians at large. The annual visit is designed to show support for the churches in the region, and the focus this year was on the suffering and vulnerable people in the Holy Land. “The group works in advocacy around issues relating to Palestine. It is part of an initiative that came about from the pope’s visit to the United Kingdom. The pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury wanted to highlight the plight of Christians in Palestine, but due to the rapid decline in numbers, the initiative has become one that highlights the plight of all in Palestine,” he said. “The so called ‘apartheid wall’ continues to be built by the Israelis, who call it a wall of safety. It makes the lives of Palestinians very difficult.” Fr Pearson said the wall was scheduled to be built through a Salesian vineyard, separating the nuns and priests, children and their schools, making Christian worship difficult for anyone cut off by the wall. Fr Pearson said one pillar of hope was the University of Bethlehem, a Church-run facility. The Church leaders met with Bethlehem University students who spoke of their desire to stay in their country but also of the difficulties they face finding work once they graduate. These realities and hardships are not well known. Fr Pearson said the delegation was also made aware of the delicate situation in Jordan, one of the region’s “shining lights”. “There has been a great influx of Syrian refugees to Jordan, which

has a population of 6 million.” Jordan has reported nearly 600 000 Syrian refugees which has put pressure on the land and on the little water the country has. “Many people see Jordan as a place of stability. It’s a good meeting point for different religions—anything that pressures the one ‘oasis of peace’ in the region is reason for worry. The refugee situation will put the entire region into jeopardy.” Fr Pearson said the South African presence was important as there was a “real belief that South Africa has come through a difficult situation similar to Palestine’s trouble. You find pictures of Nelson Mandela hanging in many homes. South Africa is symbolic of hope.” However, Fr Pearson said, there was a feeling of despair, with little progress being made. “On one level, Palestine has achieved observer status at the United Nations, and it is supported by a number of European Union members. On another level, there has been a mass exodus of Christians from the region.” The population of Christians in Palestine has dropped from 15% to around 2% in recent years. Faith communities are trying to provide humanitarian support and advocacy. Fr Pearson noted that the pope’s visit to the Middle East last year and the fact that this year’s Stations of the Cross that the pope will read in Rome have been written by representatives from the region, are affirmations that the people of Palestine are very much on the pope’s mind. The delegation of Church leaders highlighted the importance of choosing Palestinian tour guides, who give a good understanding of what is happening in the region— this not only acts as a source of encouragement for the locals, but also allows visiting pilgrims to gain a greater understanding of the Palestinians’ plight. The Church has an important role to play in the Holy Land and is the “bearer of hope”, said Fr Pearson.

More than 200 people gathered for the annual ‘Blessing of the Vines’ in Stellenbosch at a St Vincent’s Day celebration. A special Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town in the chapel of St Anthony’s on the wine farm Nagenoeg Landgoed. The chapel was built to give thanks by Schalk Visser (pictured) in 1999 and features an altar made of two wine vats. Mr Visser said blessing the vines was appropriate as Jesus’ first miracle was to turn water into wine. The stained glass windows of the chapel depict history, expressions of thanks and farming activity, with a special window dedicated to staff on the farm. The Mass was followed by a procession of tractors and trailers, trucks, bakkies and even ordinary cars through the vineyards where the actual blessing took place. It was a fun-filled day where families and friends could enjoy a picnic in a safe and friendly environment. The picnic was officially started with the opening of a bottle of Cap Classique with a panga (the African way) by Mr Visser.

Zubin Mehta conducts for pope

Pope Benedict greets conductor Zubin Mehta after a concert by the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Paul VI hall at the Vatican. (Photo: L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters, CNS)

HE conductor Zubin Mehta performed with an Italian orchestra at the Vatican in a concert honouring Pope Benedict and Italian President Giorgio Napolitano. The concert, which marked the 84th anniversary of the Lateran Pacts recognising the sovereignty of Vatican City State, was organised by the Italian embassy to the Holy See and held in the Vatican audience hall. Mr Mehta and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino played for about an hour, performing works by Verdi and Beethoven. Pope Benedict commented on

each of the compositions in his remarks after the concert. Verdi’s overture to “La Forza del Destino”, the pope said, portrays the “drama of human existence marked by a tragic destiny and by yearning for God, for his mercy and love, which offer light, meaning and hope even in the darkness”. Speaking of the funeral march in Beethoven’s Third Symphony, Pope Benedict noted that the “thought of death invites one to reflect on the hereafter, on the infinite. The search for meaning that may lead to solid hope for the future is part of humanity’s path,” the pope said. President Napolitano, who has

regularly marked the anniversary of the Lateran Pacts by offering a concert to the pope, noted in his remarks that this would be their last such meeting, since his seven-year term of office expires in May. His voice faltering with emotion, the president, 87, expressed appreciation for his years of dialogue with the pope and for what he described as growing cooperation between Church and state. “We will continue, Your Holiness, as Italians, whatever our position, to pay attention to your messages,” President Napolitano said, “and draw from them grounds for reflection and faith”.—CNS

The Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2013

LOCAL

Homegrown priest for Cape BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

Newly ordained Fr Lindela Betya. (Photo: Graham Wilson)

HE archdiocese of Cape Town has welcomed the ordination of “homegrown” Fr Lindela Betya, who hails from the township of Mfuleni. While he was born in Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape, the young Lindela made his way to Cape Town where he joined family. It was here that a family member encouraged him to go to church. He was not a Catholic at the time, but after visiting St Matthias in Mfuleni he felt “a sense that this was home” thanks to the vibrant youth and the welcome of the parish priest. This would become home in more than one way, as soon young Lindela started to feel a call to the Church. “I was inspired by Fr Desmond Curran, by the way he

lived.” Fr Curran worked in Cape Town’s townships for more than 30 years and was a driving force behind the establishment of many of the churches in the area. “I was inspired when he went around visiting the sick. He had a very simple way of living. I thought ‘This is how I want my life to be’,” said Fr Betya. Fr Kizito Gugah, parish priest at Mfuleni, said he was excited to see a priest ordained during his time at the parish. He said the new priest was always active in the church choir and in parish life and has been a great example for future vocations in the community. “I am proud of him and that this is very important for the African part of the Cape Town Church to have a second indigenous priest ordained.” The first, Fr Nkululeko Qokolo, is

parish priest at Kraaifontein. “We hope his ordination will help to attract more young people wishing to offer themselves to serve the Lord as priests or sisters,” said Fr Gugah. “I hope my vocation will help trigger something in the people of this community and help promote vocations,” said Fr Betya, adding that sometimes people are hesitant to try until they see someone else do it. “These people have seen me. They know me,” said Fr Betya. “Hopefully this will help them see that they can also do it.” When asked what he might bring to the priesthood, Fr Betya said apart from his training and faith, he was simply going to bring himself. “I’m going to bring some of ‘me’, some of ‘Lindela’.” The newly ordained priest said

he believed that he had something unique to give the people of the achdiocese from within. While his ordination was significant to the archdiocese, Fr Betya said his service was not to a particular group of people. “I am not Xhosa, or Sotho, or Zulu, I am an African and that African spirituality inside of me will keep me going wherever I am.” Fr Betya was ordained by Archbishop Stephen Brislin at Our Lady Help of Christians in Lansdowne. “We were able to mobilise many from the townships to see their son ordained. Another highlight was the choir from our five churches performing,” said Fr Gugah. Fr Betya has been appointed assistant parish priest at St Nicholas’ parish in Stellenbosch.

Papal Bene Merenti medals for couples T WO couples from Durban have been awarded Bene Merenti medals for their service in Catholic Engaged Encounter in KwaZulu-Natal. The medals were awarded during a special service held at St Anne’s parish in Sydenham, Durban to Anne and Ian Bowes-Taylor and Pauline and Morrell Rosseau for “selfless service to Engaged Encounter”. “Both couples have given immensely to this ministry,” said Larine Napier, regional coordinator for the ministry along with her husband, Sean. The ministry for engaged couples has been in the country for 32 years. “Engaged Encounter retreats are a live-in experience where couples planning to marry spend time together to concentrate on each other

and their future marriage, free from the tensions, pressures and interruptions of daily life,” said Mr Napier. Mr and Mrs Bowes-Taylor have been long-standing parishioners at Our Lady of Fatima in Durban North, where they have been supported by Fr Desmond Nair. Married for 31 years, the couple have been serving the ministry for 22 years, presenting over 40 weekends in this time. Mr and Mrs Rosseau celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary this year, half of which they have dedicated to Engaged Encounter. They continue to serve the marriage preparation ministry in the parish of St Anne’s in Durban. Bene Merenti medals are awarded by the pope in recognition of service to the Church.

(From left) Morrell Rosseau, Pauline Rosseau, Fr Peter Foley, Anne Bowes-Taylor and Ian Bowes-Taylor are pictured with Cardinal Wilfrid Napier.

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.

CORPUS CHRISTI CATHOLIC CHURCH, WYNBERG

WELCOMES PRILGRIMs

 Divine Mercy Healing Adoration which includes “Talk on Year of Faith” 3rd Sat of each month at 3pm  Lenten Pilgrimage: To all the Pilgrim Churches of our Diocese on 2nd March. Group Pilgrims: Benediction, Talk and Confession for pilgrims Eucharistic Procession: Candle Light Procession on 1st June at 6.30pm For more Information Office Tel: 021 761 3337 Fax: 021 761 3388 Email:CorpusChristiWynberg@gmail.com

Parish donates to schools BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

ARISHIONERS of St Bernard’s in Newlands, Cape Town, decided to get involved in assisting underprivileged schoolgoers through donations of stationery which would make their education a little easier. “I approached the parish priest, Fr Christopher Clohessy, and asked if it was possible to assist with this Grade R wish-list campaign. Fr Chris was more

than willing to help out, and so were the parishioners,” said Samantha de Oliveira, who works for Projects Abroad, a nonprofit organisation that places international volunteers in organisations in and around Cape Town. One of the organisations, True North, was running the campaign to ensure children of Overcome and Vrygond townships, close to Muizenberg, could attend school well prepared with

all the tools needed. Parishioners were invited to donate any of the items on the wish list. Ms de Oliveira said the parish was keen to get involved in the project and the response was encouraging. She said that St Bernard’s was “constantly involved in outreach work”. The parish is currently working to update a school library in Steenberg with books donated and collected from parishioners.

ST. KIZITO CHILDREN’S PROGRAMME St. Kizito Children’s Programme (SKCP) is a community-based response to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children, established through the Good Hope Development Fund in 2004 in response to the Church’s call to reach out to those in need. Operating as a movement within the Archdiocese of Cape Town, SKCP empowers volunteers from the target communities to respond to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) living in their areas. The SKCP volunteers belong to Parish Groups that are established at Parishes in target communities. Through the St. Kizito Movement, the physical, intellectual, emotional and psycho-social needs of OVCs are met in an holistic way. Parish Groups provide children and families with a variety of essential services, while the SKCP office provides the groups with comprehensive training and on-going support. In order to continue its work, SKCP requires on-going support from generous donors. Funds are needed to cover costs such as volunteer training and support, emergency relief, school uniforms and children’s excursions. Grants and donations of any size are always appreciated. We are also grateful to receive donations of toys, clothes and blankets that can be distributed to needy children and families.

If you would like to find out more about St. Kizito Children’s Programme, or if you would like to make a donation, please contact Shirley Dunn on (021) 782 2792 Email info@stkizito.org.za. Donations can also be deposited into our bank account: ABSA Branch: Claremont, 632005; Account Name: Good Hope Development Fund; Account Number: 4059820320 This advertisement has been kindly sponsored

The Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2013

LOCAL

Education for Life challenges BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

(From left) Catherine Marshal (one of six grandchildren), Barbara Houghton, Margaret Licata, and Mary Peilow are seen with Agnes Houghton on her 90th birthday.

CWL Sea Point stalwart turns 90 BY STAFF REPORTER

EA POINT parishioner and well-known Catholic Women’s League member Agnes Houghton has celebrated her 90th birthday. “Agnes, the seventh child of nine born to Margaret (nee Kelly) and Herbert Janvrin-Vincent, grew up in ‘Little Catholic Ireland’, a nickname synonymous with Green Point in those days,” said Barbara Houghton. As a parishioner of Sacred Heart church, the young Agnes sang with her father and siblings in the choir. She went to school at Loreto Convent, Sea Point, where her four daughters were also taught by some of the same nuns, including Sr Imelda

O’Brien IBVM. “In 1944, in the middle of World War II, Agnes married Bill Houghton, who was later the chairman of The Southern Cross Newspaper and Publishing Company,” said Ms Houghton. Nine years later, the couple had their first child, Mary, and within four years and nine months, three more daughters, Margaret, Bridget and Barbara were born! “Bill and Agnes were active in parish life, at Sacred Heart, St Mary’s, St Theresa’s in Camps Bay and for most of their years as parishioners of Our Lady of Good Hope, Sea Point where they served in the choir, on the parish council, as catechists and most importantly, Agnes played a significant

role in the Catholic Women’s League as branch president, diocesan news correspondent, national secretary three times and national news correspondent.” Both Mr and Mrs Houghton received the Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice honour and medals from Pope John Paul II for their work for the Church in Cape Town. Mrs Houghton’s birthday celebrations included a Mass offered for her intentions by Monsignor Clifford Stokes. He also opened the luncheon celebration with grace. Mrs Houghton was joined by friends and family, who flew from Johannesburg, Holland, the United Kingdom and Australia for the occasion.

HE Youth Office of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference has seen growth, outreach and increase in the support for Education for Life, the bishops’ official youth programme, but along its 10-year journey, it has also been faced with many challenges. The programme’s national coordinator, Sr Victoria Sibisi FCSCJ, said the office has worked hard to uplift the youth in the country’s rural dioceses— “some rising from the ashes of war, some struggling to survive”. “But with one voice we have moved and were encouraged by Bishop Zithulele Mvemve.” The bishop told the office that in working with the youth, “forward we are going, backwards we are not”. Sr Sibisi said she has been encouraged and seen the impact of heart centered leadership and how it ripples into the nation through the youth. “I have witnessed the workshops that were taking place all over the country, making a difference in the Church, communities, schools and even in prison.” Sr Sibisi said that Education for Life was not only a programme that takes place in the Church. “We have many others around the country and they are giving each and every one strength to trust God.” She said the office was working hard to inspire coordinators, assist them to be socially conscious, and help them to realise the spiritual gifts in each other.

“We have an uplifted spirit of ubuntu and we are counting our blessings. We give others the chance to see the love of God, how to serve without reward in this world, only trusting him, and how to grow into full maturity.” But there were many challenges too both in the Youth Office and in communities around the country. Sr Sibisi said there were many programmes collapsing. “Let us build them together again. To work with the youth is not a time of travelling or a time of socialising; it is a time to build humanity and make it be a reality.” This year, Education for Life celebrates its tenth anniversary and Sr Sibisi said it is vital that the office has a positive outlook. “Education for Life needs some wings to fly. Let us welcome everyone in faith: spreading the good news and trusting God that we will change our mindset this year of 2013.” n To donate R10, SMS “Education for Life” and your name to 32310.

Nadal correction

HE incorrect bank details on sponsoring Monsignor Nadal in his walking the Camino to Santiago de Compostela to help fund the Denis Hurley Centre at Emmanuel cathedral in Durban were published in the January 16 edition. The correct details are below. First National Bank (FNB), account number 6220 4261 002, Denis Hurley

‘These are your priests and brothers,’ says Bishop Giuseppe Sandri of Witbank, introducing newly ordained Comboni Missionaries. They are Joshua Sienge-Khoza and Bongani Manzini. They studied at St Augustine’s Seminary in Lesotho and at St John Vianney Seminary. (Photo: Mathibela Sebothoma)

Sr Victoria Sibisi is national coordinater of the Youth Office.

Centre Fund, branch code: 221426. Please indicate your name and phone number clearly, as well as an indication that it is for “NADAL CAMINO”, so that we can accurately record and acknowledge your contribution. n For further details, contact: denishurl eycentre@gmail.com. Phone: (031) 201 3832 or 072 806 4417.

CHIARA LUBICH MEMORIAL LECTURE

HUMANITY AT THE CROSSROADS THE CHALLENGE OF UNITY IN THE THIRD MILLENNIUM

Delivered by ARCHBISHOP BUTI TLHAGALE OMI

(Please leave your contact details in case of donations)

March 9, 2013 2-5pm THE SENATE HALL The Muckleneuk Ridge Conference Centre Preller St, UNISA – PRETORIA RSVP: jhbczf@mweb.co.za www.focolare.org/en

The Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

Former Anglicans praised for their Catholic zeal BY JIM TOWNSEND

HE prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith called for a “culture of communion” and the continued path toward reunification. “Christ’s prayer ‘that they all might be one’ underscores the imperative of seeking full visible unity among Christians,” Archbishop Gerhard Muller told a symposium marking the first anniversary of the Church’s US ordinariate for former Anglicans. The Houston-based Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter, headed by Mgr Jeffrey Steenson, sponsored the symposium with the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Sessions, which were held in Houston at the archdiocese’s St Mary Seminary, explored the ecclesiology, evangelising and liturgical missions of personal ordinariates created by the Vatican for former Anglican groups and clergy seeking to become Catholic. While fully Catholic, the groups in an ordinariate retain aspects of their Anglican heritage and traditions. Similar to dioceses, though national in scope, ordinariates were authorised by Pope Benedict in a

2009 apostolic constitution, Anglicanorum coetibus. “The Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter serves this vision of unity by making it possible for groups of Anglicans to enter into communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony,” Archbishop Muller said in his keynote address. “It can certainly be said that, in creating this new structure, the Holy Father was responding to a movement of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that draws the disciples of the Lord together, fashioning them into the ecclesial body of Christ,” he added. Archbishop Muller’s attendance marked his first official visit to the United States since his appointment as prefect in July 2012. His message hit on Vatican themes of Christian unity and the new evangelisation. The first ordinariate was established in England and Wales in 2011, then in the United States and Canada in January 2012, and in Australia last June. “Last year, Cardinal William Levada, my predecessor as prefect ... told the clergy of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham (in England)

that Anglicanorum coetibus was very much ‘the pope’s project,’“ the archbishop said. “I have come to understand how true that is. You are very much in his thoughts and prayers.” In attendance were dozens of parishioners from Houston’s Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church, located a few minutes’ drive from St Mary Seminary. The parish is the seat of the ordinariate; it was established in 1984 as an Anglican-use parish under a pastoral provision of the Blessed John Paul II. Archbishop Muller noted that the ordinariate leadership has a “delicate but all-important task to both preserve the integrity of your parish communities and, at the same time, help your people integrate into the larger Catholic community.” This he said, creates a culture of communion —“communion with the bishops of the Church, communion with the local diocese and parishes, communion with the Catholic faithful, and bonds of charity and friendship with those still separated from the Church.” The Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter includes 30 priests—all former Anglicans who have completed an approved formation programme— and about 1 600 people in 36 com-

munities across the United States and Canada, most of whom became Catholic within the past year. Archbishop Muller acknowledged that for some, the path to full communion with the Catholic Church has not been easy. “I am well aware that many of you have experienced conflict and division in the years leading up to your decision to seek full communion with the Catholic Church,” he said. “We must be reflective about these experiences, discerning carefully that they do not overly influence our attitudes toward ecclesiastical authority or Church life. “It takes a great deal of courage to be Catholic and so I say to you: Be courageous,” he continued. “Be courageous in maintaining the vibrancy and orthodoxy of your faith in the Catholic Church. Your loyalty to the Holy Father and your commitment to seeking the truth has brought you this far and will sustain you, and will also serve as a powerful encouragement to those ‘born’ into the Catholic Church to rediscover her beauty and the consistency of her teaching. Your ‘youthful enthusiasm’ is a great gift.” “The distinctiveness of your tradi-

Archbishop Gerhard Muller said the vibrancy of the faith of Anglicans joining the Catholic Church will encourage “cradle Catholics” to rediscover the beauty of Church. (Photo: Paul Haring, CNS) tions and manner of prayer and worship are no obstacle to true unity in the Church,” he said. “But courage in maintaining these traditions also recognises that, for them to be a true enrichment to Catholic life, you will need to win the trust and confidence of the local Catholic community,” the archbishop said.—CNS

Church recognises baptisms in other denominations

Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk, newly elected patriarch of the Iraq-based Chaldean Catholic Church, left, accepts a document from Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, during a liturgy at the Vatican. The liturgy was for the confirmation of Archbishop Sako’s ecclesial communion with the pope. (Photo: Paul Haring, CNS)

EPRESENTATIVES of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and four Protestant denominations in the Reformed tradition have publicly signed an agreement that recognises the validity of each other’s baptisms. The four Protestant bodies are the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Christian Reformed Church in North America, the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ. The signing took place at St Mary’s Cathedral in Austin, Texas, during a prayer service at the opening of the annual meeting of the ecumenical association Christian Churches Together, which includes over 40 Christian denominations and groups. It marked the first time the Catholic Church in the United States has ever signed on to such an agreement, although Catholic bishops’ conferences elsewhere in the world

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have done so. The USCCB in Washington announced the signing and released the text of the agreement. The signing was an outgrowth of a common agreement on mutual recognition of baptism approved by the bishops in November 2010 during their general fall assembly in Baltimore. The Presbyterian Church had already ratified the agreement, and the three other bodies OK’d the

agreement at their respective national meetings in 2011. The common agreement was the result of six years of study and consultation by Catholic and Reformed scholars during the seventh round of the Catholic-Reformed dialogue in the United States. The first round of that dialogue began in 1965. The key provision in the common agreement is that only those baptisms which are performed “with flowing water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” will be considered valid by the signatories. Proof of baptism is to be accomplished by the use of common wording on baptismal certificates for baptisms performed after the effective date of the agreement. “We are overjoyed at this historic recognition of one another’s baptism and are committed to move forward in a new round exploring a common vision of the church,” said Auxiliary Bishop Denis Madden of Baltimore.

High hopes for new Guadalupe documentary BY MARK PATTISON

EFORE making his documentary on Our Lady of Guadalupe, The Blood & the Rose, director and co-writer Tim Watkins said, “I knew very little about Our Lady of Guadalupe.” Now, with his film out and available on DVD, he wants the world to know about her. “I reinvigorated my faith about three years before I started making the film,” Watkins said before a screening of the movie at a downtown Washington theatre as a fundraiser for Catholic Charities of Washington. “Most people say ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe’ and they think, ‘Oh, it’s a Mexican story,’“ Watkins added, but it’s much more than that. “Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of life,” he said. The Blood & the Rose, narrated by actor Eduardo Verastegui of Bella and For Greater Glory fame, has two main parts. One is the blood part. And while there are stylised representations, some of them in blackand-white, there is a lot of blood. That has to do with the human sacrifices by the Aztecs who inhabited parts of Mexico 500 years ago. That’s followed by violent battles between the Aztecs and the Spaniards, who ultimately conquered the Aztecs. The other is the rose part. That would have to do with St Juan Diego, who saw Our Lady of Guadalupe at the top of a hill. Eventually, to convince the bishop of what he witnessed, he brought out-of-season roses to the local bishop in the middle of December, wrapped in his tilma, a kind of outer cloak worn by indigenous people of that time, as the sign the bishop demanded. Left on the cloth was the image of a dark-skinned Mary. Watkins’ documentary also gives a detailed demonstration of the image of Mary found on the tilma: how it has remained virtually unsoiled for

A woman lays her hand on a travelling missionary image of Our Lady of Guadalupe The digital image is a reproduction of the image left on the tilma of St Juan Diego in present-day Mexico City in 1531. (Photo: Mike Crupi, Catholic Courier, CNS)

nearly 500 years despite the accidental spilling of acid in one corner of the tilma; the image of Mary that appears on the tilma and how a scientific examination of some of its fibres determined that the materials found in the image cannot be found in the periodic table of elements; and how a separate examination of the tilma discovered the images of 13 distinct people in both Our Lady of Guadalupe’s eyes. The Blood & the Rose also takes note of the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, even among non-Catholics. “We are not all Catholics,” comments one figure in the documentary, “but we are all Guadalupans”.—CNS

INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2013

Britain closer to same-sex marriage BY SIMON CALDWELL

EMBERS of Britain’s House of Commons voted, 400175, to allow same-sex marriage, pushing a controversial piece of legislation closer to becoming law. The vote followed six hours of debate and represented the first time lawmakers were able to vote on the redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples. The bill will now be scrutinised in committee before having a third reading in the House of Commons and must also pass through the House of Lords before it would become law later this year. The Catholic Church has campaigned against the bill, which is also strongly opposed by the Church of England, the mainstream Protestant denominations and by Jewish, Muslim and Sikh leaders. The Catholic bishops have directly warned lawmakers that the proposals will destabilise marriage, harm the well-being of children, jeopardise religious liberty and undermine the ability of the Church to function effectively in civil society. But introducing the second reading debate, Culture Secretary Maria Miller promised Parliament that the bill would not pose a threat to religious freedom. “It would be deeply divisive if, in righting a wrong for some, we created a wrong for others,” she said. “No teacher will be required to

promote or endorse views that go against their beliefs,” she said. “No hospital chaplain or worker will have to believe in a new definition of marriage. No religious organisation will have to conduct same-sex weddings. “It is about fairness and it’s about giving those who want to get married the opportunity to do so while protecting those who don’t agree with same-sex marriage,” she said. Prime Minister David Cameron depended on the support of the opposition Labour Party as a majority of his Conservative Party members —139—voted against the bill, while 132 voted in favour. Yvette Cooper, Labour Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, praised the bill and told the House of Commons that no religious group “owns marriage”. “Religious organisations shouldn’t be required to hold same-sex marriage but nor, in the spirit of freedom of religion, should they prevent other religious organisations or the state from doing so,” she said. Cooper also argued that Britain should legalise same-sex marriage “because other countries are doing it.” “Their churches and their societies haven’t fallen apart,” she said. “Catholic Spain has had same-sex marriage since 2004. Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Argentina, South Africa celebrate same-sex marriage. “France just last week passed the first vote on the way to same-sex

marriage, and the president of the United States of America is in favour of equal marriage,” she said. However, some politicians criticised the legislation, claiming the government was incapable of guaranteeing freedom of conscience for people who disagreed with the redefinition of marriage. “The government cannot possibly guarantee protection for churches or individuals with a traditional view because it cannot control or predict what will happen in the courts,” said Jim Dobbin, a Labour politician from Manchester and a Catholic. He said the closure or secularisation of Catholic adoption agencies that could not assess same-sex couples under equality laws introduced in 2007 “was a good example” of how Parliament was not able to control the interpretation of laws it introduced. “Changing the definition of an institution that has served society well is hasty and destructive,” he said. Edward Leigh, a Conservative politician and also a Catholic, told the debate that heterosexual marriage has been considered important throughout history because it is the best environment in which to raise children. He said that the procreative potential of heterosexual marriage was the characteristic that gave it a recognised status in law—and this could not apply to homosexual couples.

Christian activists Jonathan Longstaff and Jenny Rose, both from London, protest outside Parliament. (Photo: Chris Helgren, Reuters, CNS) “The reason why marriage is underpinned by laws and customs is because children usually result from it,” Leigh said. “They need protecting from the tendency of adults to break their ties and cast off their responsibilities.” Earlier, Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth, who had written to the prime minister in December asking him to drop the bill, posted a statement on his diocesan website, warning of “catastrophic consequences” for family life in Britain if the bill became law. “In future the Catholic view of

matrimony will differ markedly from what society calls marriage,” he said, adding that the Church may eventually “be forced to withdraw from the civil registration of marriages”. He also suggested that Catholics “who work in the medical profession and in social services are going to find themselves under intolerable moral pressures”. “These pressures will also arguably be felt throughout our Catholic schools, by teachers, staff and parents,” Bishop Egan said.— CNS

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People watch as a new statue of the Virgin of the Socavon is inaugurated on Santa Barbara hill outside of Oruro, Bolivia. The statue of Mary and the Christ Child measures 45 metres in height and pays homage to the local patroness invoked in the protection of mine workers. (Photo: David Mercado, Reuters, CNS)

Ireland’s religious welcome report on state role in Magdalen laundries

HE body that represents Ireland’s religious congregations has said that the issue of the Magdalen laundries must not be “presented as a matter only for religious”. A report released found “significant” state involvement in the religious-run institutions where young women, many placed by the state, worked in laundries without pay. Many former residents reported feeling stigmatised as a result of spending time in the institutions. The Conference of Religious of Ireland welcomed the publication of the report, expressing the hope that it can “lead to reconciliation and healing for all involved in this very complex matter. It is important that we, as religious, acknowledge the part we played in the entire issue, and it is also important that a system which had the support of many sectors of our society is not now presented as a matter only for religious—if the necessary healing and reconciliation is to be found,” the conference said in a statement. Martin McAleese, the report’s main author, said the laundries were “by today’s standards, a harsh and physically demanding work environment”.

“The Magdalen Sisters”, a docudrama on incidents that took place at Magdalen laundries, homes run by Catholic nuns for ‘wayward’ girls in Ireland in the mid-1900s. (CNS photo from Miramax Films) The report said about 10 000 women and girls entered Magdalen laundries since 1922, with more than a quarter of referrals made or facilitated by the state. The report also shows that significant numbers were placed there by their families. Just more than 60% of women spent one year or less in the laundries.—CNS

The Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2013

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Guest editor: Michael Shackleton

A voice to be heard

S a result of the reforms of Vatican II, conferences of bishops were established throughout the Church in order to provide for unified action by our pastors in all matters of regional and local importance. The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), which comprises the bishops of Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland, was given the mandate by the Holy See to provide leadership and guidance to the Church in these regions. As a collegial body, its mandate is to work towards matters of common interest in consultation and cooperation with the other hierarchies in the world. Already well established, the SACBC has shown itself efficient in its active departments such as those of catechetics, liturgy, lay apostolate, parliamentary liaison, ecumenism, justice and peace and social welfare. The voice of the SACBC has often been subdued in terms of public awareness. The mainstream media seldom report what the bishops have said. The teachings of Christ and the morality of living a Christian life are at variance with the spirit of the times, as if that is something surprising. At last month’s plenary session of the bishops’ conference, the hierarchy was well aware of this. At the opening Mass, Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria compared the man with the withered hand (Mark 3:1-6) to the many who are losing touch with the Church and with the joy of knowing Jesus Christ. He said such people were of great concern to the Church. These sentiments display an immediate pastoral consciousness of the way in which so many once-loyal Catholics find their experience of the warmth of Christian living among the People of God to have become cold or tepid, and their experience of the liturgy to be one of a hollow ritual. To this end, the bishops iden-

tified two key areas needing immediate attention: the voice of the bishops must no longer be subdued but must be heard as a challenge and a guide to all, Catholics and others; the social teaching of the Church must be put forward as a benchmark for South Africans to live from. How the bishops will raise their voices and their message is a matter they will decide. Theirs is not a voice crying in the wilderness but a voice crying against the raucous shouting within the marketplace and its distractions. However, they have clear objectives. Because the Church is weakened by the few priests labouring in the Lord’s vineyard, the bishops will focus on the formation of new priests and the fostering of care and encouragement of established priests. Lay people are the co-workers with their clergy in bringing their parishes and communities alive with the faith, hope and love of those who are close to the living Christ. Therefore, the bishops will also continue with the ongoing formation of lay people to ensure they are well equipped to take responsibility for their own spiritual and pastoral needs. Family life and family ministry are consequently of importance. A heartening aspect is that the SACBC is now determined to underline that it is not principally our administrative leaders intent on facts, figures and office reports. Its members want to be known as men of prayer, committed pastors, concerned for the spiritual as well as the material needs of their people. It is to be hoped that the future will show everyday Catholics that the Church and its presence in society is not the preserve of the bishops’ conference, telling us what or what not to do. The Church is all of us together with our bishops nurturing our faith and good works as we confidently plod on together towards the Kingdom.

Browse the editorial archive online at www.scross.co.za/ category/editorials/

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.

Format of Mass loses followers FTER a somewhat heated discus- devise. Is that what we have? sion with older members of my A We have a dour, unimaginative, family, I would like to offer this for boring service of rote and ancient consideration. In many parishes the Sunday benches are filled with my age group. We have effectively lost an entire generation and are equally effectively intent on losing the next one. The blame may be laid at many doors, but it is my opinion that the liturgists both in the Vatican and those locally will one day have much to answer for. The Mass is the only spiritual support most churchgoers receive. The Mass therefore needs to be the vehicle from which young parishioners draw their spiritual food. Thus the Mass needs to be the most effective, nourishing and exciting service our liturgists, and we, can

Liturgy changes

IGHT from the start we have seen so many changes in the past 40 years or so, in the “ordinary” liturgy, not only in the wording but also in the physical actions. The correct strictures are often not followed or make no logical sense. Holy Mass is said facing the laity, but Benediction faces the sanctuary wall at the back. The “sign of peace” is offered at different times or not at all, dependent on the celebrant. One parish in the Eastern Cape had an entrance procession hymn to the tune of “When the Saints Come Marching In”. If the secretary of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, Fr Sommerville, who was on the translation commission with Archbishop Denis Hurley at that time, decided himself in later years to return to the traditional discipline, this must say something! John Reilman, Ramsgate

Comments closed

N your edition for the week of January 23, the editor stated that the comments section of The Southern Cross website had been closed because of the intemperate language of some of the contributors. The letter written by Lucy Rubin in the same edition attacking John Lee and evangelical Christians contains comments that are misleading, offensive and in bad taste. I actually listen every day to TWR and Radio Pulpit, radio stations sponsored by evangelicals, and I find most of their programmes uplifting and inspirational. While a very few of the TV evangelists have been involved in scandals this is certainly much less than the scandal in the Catholic Church caused worldwide by hundreds if not

symbolism built around the most magnificent mystery our faith has. Mass has become a service of spectators sitting in rows, rather than a meal of participants sitting at a table. Can liturgists not design a more participative process? In the past few decades mankind has made enormous strides in many directions. The unquestioning young person of yore has become a highly intelligent, questioning, critical and challenging individual. Chasubles, boring rote, observation from a distant pew, and centuries-old symbolism just don’t cut it any longer. And please don't hide behind “Rome has spoken”. What is more important, the savthousands of paedophile priests. Heather Withers, also in the January 23 edition, is right in saying that as Christians we should not always be gloomy (particularly about the state of the Church). I think The Southern Cross tries hard to show what is positive and encouraging. To be a Christian is to live in a state of joy, knowing that Christ has overcome all evil and has started a process that is transforming the world into a much better place. But we need to remember that the Bible itself has books in it that are filled with expressions of God’s sadness and anger because his people have abandoned him. What Mr Lee is really saying is that the Church as good shepherd must evangelise, go after the many who have abandoned religious practice or who are leading lives that are only nominally Christian, and convert them. We must ensure that the graces we have in the Church are effectively passed on to those living in spiritual darkness. Frank Bompas, Johannesburg

Thirst quenched

E of Christ the King cathedral, Johannesburg, were recently introduced at Sunday Mass to our new administrator of the cathedral, Fr Thabo Motshegwa. What a joy it was. A smile from the Lord! 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. Letters can be sent to PO Box 2372, Cape Town 8000 or editor@scross.co.za or faxed to 021 465-3850

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EGARDING the letter from Heather Withers (January 23), I have never given much thought to sad-faced pictures of Our Lord or anyone else before. But last year I saw such a lovely happy picture. For anyone whose parish uses The Catholic Link (a Redemptorist publication) for the Sunday bulletin, on the 4th Sunday of Advent 2012 was the happiest of pictures, the visitation, with a smiling Elizabeth holding the hand of Mary on her stomach, and Mary with her head thrown back laughing—I could almost hear her. What a picture of happiness. Thank you for an excellent weekly read. Betty Williams, Durban

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I know that we Catholics are like thirsty people in a dry land when it comes to really gifted and anointed preachers. After all, Our Lord did send out the disciples with two main ministries in spreading the Good News: to preach and to heal. The homily at Mass was like being present at one of those “old fashioned” Redemptorist missions! Fr Thabo is not a Redemptorist, but I’m sure he won’t mind the comparison. The entire cathedral congregation was on fire with enthusiasm over his sermon; it was palpable. At the end we all stood up and applauded, with amens and alleluias flying in all directions. It was like being present at a pentecostal rally. Thank you Lord, for the gift to us of this fine, warm, approachable priest, your anointed servant. It seems too good to be true that we of the cathedral of Christ the King parish, Johannesburg, will be showered with grace like this every Sunday. I add my own alleluia for good measure. John Lee, Johannesburg

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ing of millions, or grovelling to a few old liturgists in the Vatican who have lost touch with the real world? Liturgists, get with it! Ask yourselves, if Jesus came to Mass on Sunday and was asked, “Lord, is this what you envisaged when you said, ‘Do this in remembrance of me’,” would his answer be, “I am so pleased, this is exactly what I intended!” Or if St Peter came to church on Sunday and was asked to say Mass, don the vestments and go through the rote service, might he not say, “For Pete’s sake”—pardon the pun—“what is all this? I’ll do my own thing, thank you very much.” Holy Spirit, please give wisdom, and courage, to see the status quo honestly and fearlessly, and to change what needs change before we also lose a third generation. Fritz Rijkenberg, Howick

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PERSPECTIVES

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‘Y

OUR Eminence, Your Beatitude, Your Grace, your Excellencies, Your Paternity, Monsignor, Reverend Fathers, Reverend Brothers, Esteemed Professors, Ladies and Gentlemen.” Thus began virtually every speech at an event I recently attended. I was in Bangalore in India at a major international conference talking about Vatican II and there were ecclesiastical dignitaries from all over the world attending. Most of the talks were looking at the past— what happened at Vatican II or in its aftermath. By contrast, I was there to talk about the present. I was explaining what we have been doing—and by “we” I mean the Jesuit Institute, The Southern Cross, dozens of other organisations and you the reader— with Hope&Joy, our successful attempt to share among ordinary Catholics the importance today of Vatican II. It is strange that the conference was so backward-looking since India is a country which is certainly not. It is powering forwards and if the country is in 4th gear, Bangalore is on turbo in 5th. Shed your images of picturesque sleepy villages with cows flicking away the flies and a woman sitting cross-legged making chapattis. The mosquito net has been replaced by the internet. And the chapattis now come frozen ready to be zapped in the microwave while the high-tech young professional is surfing multiple channels on a Wi-Fi enabled Indian-imitation iPad. Bangalore is a city of slick shopping malls, well-groomed young people on snappy scooters and luxurious high-rise apartment blocks. While our economy struggles to break through to 2% growth per year, India is motoring at 7% and Bangalore is the sparkplug in the motor (literally—have a look at where your Bosch sparkplugs were made and it was probably not Germany). Of course, the rising tide of India is not carrying all ships with it and there is still immense poverty sitting side-by-side with increasing visible wealth. That will all sound too familiar to South Africans. But in India even the poor seem to be taken up with the momentum of economic growth. What is intriguing in this mix is the role of religion. It used to be assumed by Europeans, reflecting on their own emptying churches that, as countries modernised

and became more prosperous, the importance of religion would decrease. But in India (as in many other countries) this is not the case. Hinduism is undergoing a major religious and political resurgence. And even the Catholic Church here is looking healthy and vibrant. There are young people at Mass and joining sodalities, Catholic schools are full to bursting, and the seminaries are overflowing with talented, intelligent young men. One future priest I met had joined his order only after getting a Masters degree in computer science—he chose the CMI over IBM. A pair of Economist journalists in a book called God is Back tried to explain this unexpected return of religion. Their thesis is that when religions actually have to fight in a competitive marketplace they become more attuned to what their potential followers want and so gain more followers as a result. I suspect it is more complex than this consumer-driven religion-on-demand, but the Catholic Church in India clearly knows that it is not the only game in town and has to fight for attention. One of the ways in which it does that is through education. The campus where we were is one of five major Catholic universities in the city, each with a magnificent campus and thousands of students—this despite the fact that Catholics make up only 1% of the population. The Church knows that in a country where it would otherwise be squashed, edu-

Raymond Perrier

cation is its historical strength. By investing in it the Church not only reinforces its own relevance but also benefits wider Indian society. There is much inequality in the country and yet, as seen in Slumdog Millionaire, a belief that people can rise from the slums and make a success of their lives. And education is the key to unlocking that. Socially it is still, however, a deeply hierarchical society—and Church. Hence the rollcall of titles at the beginning. I am pleased to say that the hot air was finally punctured by none other than the former archbishop of Bangalore who is the only Indian man still alive who actually attended Vatican II as a bishop. When he stood up to make his speech he pointed out that Vatican II had sought to do away with triumphalism and clericalism. So he would simply greet everyone as “brothers and sisters”. n Attending the conference from South Africa were Fr Michael van Heerden from St Augustine's, Fr Philippe Denis OP from the Univeristy of Kwazulu-Natal and Raymond Perrier from the Jesuit Institute.

An Indian prayer dance opens the international conference on Vatican II held in Bangalore.

So, the challenge is to apply the vision, principles and guidelines of the New Evangelisation to the way we prepare, celebrate and follow up after confirmation. Given that the New Evangelisation is first and foremost getting to know, love and serve Jesus by means of a truly personal encounter with him, there is much to do to ensure confirmation classes/lessons/workshops become real “Come and see” as well as “Come, follow me” experiences, rather than simply sessions for passing on information. The synod on New Evangelisation did not come up with anything totally new. What it did was accurately discern that the New Evangelisation is needed not just in Europe and North America where there has been wholesale falling away from the faith, but also in Africa, Asia and Latin America, where practice is still strong. What is new is the understanding of what it means to be evangelised. One would say it has two directions, “ad intra” and “ad extra”. Ad intra is what needs to happen to us within as happened to Andrew and his companion. They heard about Jesus from John the Baptist, decided to find out more for themselves; began to follow him; only to be challenged by his question: “What do you want?” In answer

Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM

Talking Frankly

to their query “Where are you staying?” Jesus issues his call to personal encounter with him: “Come and see!” What follows explains even more clearly what the New Evangelisation is about. “They stayed the rest of the day with him.” The ad extra happened after they left Jesus. That’s when Andrew sought out his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus, saying: "We have found the Messiah. He is Jesus of Nazareth.” To do effective evangelisation we will need three things (says the synod) (a) new ardour, enthusiasm, energy and intensity, (b) new methods, in particular personal experience and witness and (c) new expressions or ways of actually living out the fruits of our encounter with Jesus. Sounds like a homily, doesn’t it? Perhaps that’s exactly what our homilies should be—sharings about our personal experience of Jesus!

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Community of the faithful essential A Protestant friend quotes this text: “If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). This kind of faith, she says, saves us, not doctrine or ritual. So, when we are told to accept Christ as our personal Saviour, do we still need the Church? L Parker NDEED we do. St Paul’s words, as a kind of formula for salvation, cannot save anyone in isolation from membership of the Church. To be saved by Christ’s redemptive act of love, it is necessary to be baptised into the community of the faithful. When St Peter was asked what must be done for people to be saved, he replied: “Every one of you must be baptised” (Acts 2:37). Reading more of Acts 2, you will see that the early Christians went as a body to the Temple to pray and “that day the Lord added to their community”. As a little community of like-minded men and woman, the Christians were visible and recognisable as such, and the sacrament of baptism was acknowledged as the initiation rite into their membership. Eventually, the Church was seen as an established organisation of Christians, very much like any other organisation, having its own doctrine, discipline, officials and leaders, the bishops, priests and deacons, as well as other ministers to give it a sound community basis. Protestants do not have the same understanding as Catholics of what the Church is. Mostly, they see the Church as a community of true believers known only to God and therefore essentially invisible. Although their local congregations demonstrate their faith in Christ by upright behaviour, the preaching of the Gospel and the celebrating of the rites of baptism and the Lord's Supper, they do not feel the solidarity that Catholics experience in being one with the universal Church and its common leadership. It is not unusual for some to fall into the trap of living their faith privately and hoping that this will guarantee salvation without involvement or the support and prayers of the Church. This is not Catholic teaching. When we face our death and judgment, we do so as members of the visible Church in which each one has or has not suppported and prayed for the others, and so contributed to cementing the final union of all believers in and with Christ.

n Send your queries to Open Door, Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000; or e-mail: opendoor@scross.co.za; or fax (021) 465 3850. Anonymity can be preserved by arrangement, but questions must be signed, and may be edited for clarity. Only published questions will be answered.

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New Evangelisation ardour needed ET me begin with warm greetings for a happy and peaceful New Year! Sounds strange to be saying that when so much time has already passed. That’s a sure sign of how busy it’s been so far. The one activity I want to focus on is the synod of bishops on the New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith. The first thing to note about the synod was its family spirit and very practical nature. Perhaps it had something to do with the presence of over 100 non-bishops, and the fact that there was not too much theologising and theorising. For example, during free discussion time two heavyweights crossed swords (verbal ones of course) on the best age for conferring the sacrament of confirmation. One argued strongly from the theological point of view, calling for confirmation to be given its proper theological place in the sequence of the sacraments of initiation. The other argued equally strongly for it to be delayed to 15-17 years of age for good pastoral reasons. The rest sat there wondering whether theology or pastoral care would win. It is gratifying to be able to say that the pastoral priority is in fact being observed in many more places than one would have thought.

The Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2013

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The Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2013

COMMUNITY

The diocese of Eshowe held an Education for Life programme. Pictured are (above) grade 6 and 7 learners and (left) learners from Empangeni.

A wedding celebration was conducted in the Amharic language by Fr Mengisto Ledo AJ, assisted by Fr Chileya Moba CSSp, between Abraham and Mirriam Lamancho at Bethal parish, Dundee diocese. Through their community coordinator in South Africa, Hailu Tumebo, hundreds of Ethiopians and Eritreans joyfully attended the wedding.

Send your photos to pics@ scross.co.za

The Prayer of Parents to St Joseph for the Children O Glorious St Joseph,

to you God committed the care of His only begotten Son amid the many dangers of this world.

The community of Sant’Egidio of St Martin de Pores in Sunnyside, Pretoria and Holy Trinity church in Braamfontein, Johannesburg hosted two lunches for 130 homeless people and 90 underprivileged children in Pretoria and for 250 poor and homeless adults and children in Johannesburg. The lunches were made possible by the generosity and kindness of people and businesses approached for donations of food. The Archbishop of Pretoria, William Slattery (pictured) attended the lunch in Pretoria, and conveyed his appreciation and joy for the beauty that the Community of Sant’Egidio brings to the lives of the poor.

We come to you and ask you to take under your special protection the children God has given us born and unborn.

Through holy baptism they become children of God and members of His Holy Church.

We consecrate them to you today, that through this consecration they may become your foster children.

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus in East London parishioner Febin Korula was the top achiever in the Eastern Cape for the matric results. Fr Varghese Kannanaikkal CMI is pictured congratulating Febin.

Guard them, guide their steps in life, form their hearts after the hearts of Jesus and Mary.

St Joseph, who felt the tribulation and worry of a parent when the

Child Jesus was lost, protect our dear children for time and eternity.

May you be their father and counsellor. Let them, like Jesus, grow in age as well as in wisdom and grace before God and men. Preserve them from the corruption of this world and give us the grace one day to be united with them in heaven forever.

Amen.

Sr Lidia Danyluk OP (from Argentina) celebrated her Silver Jubilee of religious life at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Riverview, Mtubatuba. The superior and other members of the Oakford Dominicans joined her for the celebration. Bishop José Luis Gerardo Ponce de León IMC (back centre) presided over the Mass.

The Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2013

FOCUS

What goes on at the SACBC BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

PART from heading up their individual dioceses, the bishops of Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland also make up the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), an organisation approved by the Holy See, which oversees the Church’s programmes across Southern Africa. While the name might suggest a business meeting, the bishops’ conference is very much a permanent organisation with its headquarters at Khanya House in Pretoria. Offices, departments and associated bodies are manned by religious and lay people. The bishops chair the various departments in the SACBC, but reside in their own dioceses where they conduct their own pastoral duties specific to the diocese. “It’s a pastoral meeting of bishops,” said Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria, the newly appointed spokesman for the SACBC. The concept was founded after Vatican II and bishops’ conferences are common around the world. “It’s not a parliamentary structure and it’s not about the interests of an individual bishop,” said Archbishop Slattery. In fact, an individual bishop may decide not to follow the plans of the bishops’ conference. As an example, some dioceses have their own evangelisation programmes such as Ecclesia in Cape Town or Renew Africa in Johannesburg, while others subscribe to the national programme. In contrast, there are also times when policy at the SACBC is national and falls under the laws of the Church, but these are less common. The bishops meet twice a year at the plenary sessions where they are able to share, consult with each other, and discuss the way forward for the Church. Every three years, the bishops elect the president and vice-presidents of the SACBC as well as the heads of the various departments in the bishops’ conference. These posts can be held for no longer than two terms, or six years. It is the job of SACBC secretary general, Sr Hermenegild Makoro CPS, to report back to the bishops during the plenary sessions on the work of the offices, departments and associate bodies. “She is like an executive of the SACBC,” said Archbishop Slattery. The plenary session in Janu-

ary saw not only the election of new heads of department, but also a plan to see the country’s seminaries grow, a greater focus on evangelisation, and for the bishops to become a louder voice on social issues in Southern Africa.

he bishops have committed themselves to promoting openness in addressing issues of protests, strikes and public violence and to collaborating with other faith communities, civil society groups and government to build a society where a sense of justice, honesty and dialogue prevail. “This is the only way to achieve what we all thirst for, social cohesion and peace,” said Archbishop Slattery. “A spirit of dialogue has to be vigorously promoted if protest actions are not to continually erupt into violence in South Africa.” This was the statement released by the SACBC on the strikes and violence that continue to erupt around the country. He said the bishops acknowledge that every person has a right to protest in a culture of democracy. “But they must at the same time respect the rights of others, the right to life, home, property, and the right to live in freedom and dignity.” The bishops highlighted their desire for Catholic social teaching to become central in the lives of political leaders—that political life be centred on the dignity of the human person. “In Southern Africa, drastic action needs to be taken to reduce the huge inequalities which prevail in our society and which allow a top executive to earn a thousand times more than the workers who work for him. “The bishops also challenge the Catholic Church and all churches in the land to accept some blame for what is happening at the moment. This violence implies that our preaching, our custodianship of morals and values, and even our example and leadership have been too tepid to make an impact on the perpetrators of the many wrongs, many of whom sit in our places of worship week after week.”

eanwhile, the bishops have announced plans to extend St John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria to provide adequate training facilities and an increase in priestly vocations. Fr Malewe Machingoane, the rector of St John Vianney, expects 175 students to study at his faculty this year, with 135 of

them being resident. Already this year the seminary has had to cater for the increase by leasing Santa Sophia, the neighbouring property of the Archdiocese of Pretoria. This year in Cape Town at St Francis Xavier Seminary, where candidates have their first year of studies, 35 new applicants will begin training with Fr David Rowan SJ and his staff. “We are really battling to find formators at the seminary to care for the spiritual growth of our students” said Fr Machingoane. “Priests who are spiritual formators are needed to assist the seminarians to integrate what they learn academically with the rest of their lives, the rector said.

s much as the formation of young priests is needed, so too is the great need for ongoing formation of the Catholic laity. “We need evangelisation, a real encounter with Christ!” This is the call of thousands of Catholics throughout South Africa who have participated in Phase II of the department of evangelisation’s programme during the past year, said Archbishop Slattery. During the past year, Monsignor Barney McAleer and the department of evangelisation of the bishops’ conference distributed almost 20 000 booklets to groups in 15 dioceses inviting them to share and understand their faith more deeply. “The report back has been extremely encouraging”, Mgr McAleer said. “It shows that there are many excellent Catholics out there who wish to know and share their faith. Bishops must have confidence in the South African Catholic laity.” One of the aims of this Phase II programme was to invoke in people a sense of participation in the life of the Church, for “the Church to which we belong is the space in which we make Christ present to the world”. “It is also the aim to involve all our people in the work of Christ in the world today. For this our people need theology and understanding. Phase III will continue this work in the new year,” said Archbishop Slattery, adding that the New Evangelisation will also be promoted in the family.

(Front row) Bishop Jan de Groef, Bishop Edward Risi, Bishop Abel Gabuza and Bishop Graham Rose. (Second row) Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, Archbishop Jabulani Nxumalo, Archbishop Stephen Brislin, Bishop Sithembele Sipuka, Bishop Dabula Mpako, Fr Grant Emmanuel, Sr Hermenegild Makoro and Sr Jordana Meyer.

(From left) Archbishop Jabulani Nxumalo vice-president), Archbishop Stephen Brislin (president) and Bishop Sithembele Sipuka (second vice-president) at the conference.

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The Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2013

FAITH

Celebrating the sacrament of confession Confession is a sacrament often misunderstood. Some dread it and procrastinate and don’t go often enough, others go too often. CLAIRE MATHIESON learns more about the sacrament that needs a better understanding and a great deal of joy.

HE sacrament of confession has evolved over the centuries. People used to confess in public; everyone knew what you had done wrong. Later, confession became a private act, one which was infrequent. In the years that followed, Pope Pius X introduced attending confession frequently—a tradition many today still follow. Another tradition passed on was a sin-orientated confession. Today, however, confession has become a type of spiritual guidance and a time for reflection. “It is more about not what went wrong, but why maybe something didn’t go the way you’d like it to have gone,” said Fr Seán Wales CSsR. Fr Wales said going to confession does not mean rattling off a “laundry list” of all our imperfections. As it is a sacrament and a highlight, something which we should rejoice in, we should not worry about the small things in our lives, rather to use confession as a reflection on our lives and how we might improve them. The sacrament of confession includes the confessing of sins, contrition where we acknowledge that we are truly sorry for these acts, and conversion—where we change our ways. “Confession is only one element of the sacrament—far more important is contrition,” said Fr Wales. “Contrition is not just a feeling but it is also a decision to not do it again.” As such, our visit to the confessional should not be time spent speaking of minor infringements—

especially if one is likely to continue to do these acts. “Confession today should be less frequent but should be deeper. It should also be a celebration because of the grace we receive.” Christianity is a religion of signs and symbols, but these are manifested in objects—the bread, the wine, the oil—our religion is not just spiritual. Similarly, when we deal with sin, we do this in a physical manner. “While no one can limit the forgiveness of God, we fulfill this sacrament in a physical way. We don’t limit the spirit, but acting confession out in a physical form is a tradition we take from Jesus,” said Fr Wales CSsR. When we go to confession, the priest takes on the symbolic role to mediate God’s forgiveness. Because of the tradition, it is important that we give forgiveness to someone in person, said Fr Wales. Another tradition is going to confession during Lent and Advent—both of which lead to important celebrations in the Church. “This is a time to flesh out our sins, to do something physical, not just spiritual,” said Fr Wales. These physical acts include the wearing of purple vestments and the ashes on foreheads—these are ways to externalise our spirituality as we prepare to repent for a great feast which traditionally was the feast of Passover. Fr Wales said another reason for going to confession before Lent is the communal benefit. “An individual can go to confession anytime, but when the community confesses at the same time, there is a great spirit in the church. There is a great sense of spirit as the community prepares for Easter.” We should attend confession during Lent and Advent, but without significant sins, how often should we confess our sins to a priest? “Sometimes we miss the point of confession,” said Fr Wales. “Catholics seem to be guilt-ridden and they see confession as unpleasant, as a form of judgment. “Instead, if you look at the Gospels, encounters where Jesus forgives were joyful liberations

Confession is a grace-orientated sacrament that can enrich our lives and invigorate our spirit. Fr Sean Wales CSsR says of the sacrament of reconciliation: “Confession is only one element of the sacrament—far more important is contrition.” and were celebrated. We should do the same.” The Redemptorist priest said that confession need not be entirely sin-orientated, but should also be grace-orientated. “Too often people are not joyful about confession. We shouldn’t be nervous, fearful, and we shouldn’t procrastinate going to confession.” While there is a degree of judgment, it is simply the priest mediating and advising the will of God. The priest will also mediate God’s forgiveness—a grace which far outweighs any potential moments of discomfort. “Guilt can be good. It is healthy

and keeps us on the right track,” said Fr Wales. “But there’s also neurotic guilt.” Fr Wales said it was important to deal with guilt, but there are times when guilt is not necessary. “Go to confession but don’t obsess over the small things. “Going to Mass is a time when ‘ordinary sins’ are forgiven and when we are charitable, our sins are also forgiven. But attending confession with a priest is a highlight and should be dealt with more carefully.” Fr Wales said confession was a time for healing, a time to get guidance and receive grace. “Confession is an opportunity to con-

fess on our lives. This means confessing not only bad things. We should also confess the good things we have experienced. We should tell the priest of all the graces we have received since our last confession.” Confession for most is an opportunity to find peace of mind. For others, it’s a way to receive help and guidance. But for everyone, it is a way to connect with God and this should be celebrated. “It is not sin-orientated, but graceorientated. We should be joyful about this.” n Part 2 of our guide to confession follows next week.

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The Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2013

Fr Heinz Josef Kuckertz, CSSp

ATHER Heinz Josef Kuckertz, CSSp was born in 1939 in Germany. He joined the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost Fathers) and came to South Africa in 1967. He served in Vrede and Harrismith parishes, Bethlehem diocese. He worked at LUMKO Pastoral Institute and lectured at John Vianney Seminary, St Joseph Institute (Cedara) and Umthatha

University. The Spiritan family will remember Fr Kuckertz as a visionary, planner and resourceful; he established solid structures for the training of future missionaries in Southern Africa. His health failed in 2006 and he died on January 15, 2013. Submitted by Chileya Moba, CSSp

Weekdays Cycle Year 1

Word of the Week

NUNC DIMITTIS: Simeon’s song. A brief hymn sung by the aged Simeon, who had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. Simeon was at the Temple in Jerusalem when Mary and Joseph came to present the infant Jesus for the rite of purification according to Jewish law and custom. Simeon recognised the baby as the promised Saviour, took him in his arms, and sang: Now, master you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation... Luke 2:29-30

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Community Calendar

Liturgical Calendar Year C Sunday, February 17, First Sunday of Lent Deuteronomy 26:4-10, Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15, Romans 10:8-13, Luke 4:1-13 Monday, February 18 Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18, Psalm 19:8-10, 15, Matthew 25:31-46 Tuesday, February 19 Isaiah 55:10-11, Psalm 34:4-7, 16-19, Matthew 6:7-15 Wednesday, February 20 Jonah 3:1-10, Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19, Luke 11:29-32 Thursday, February 21 Esther C:12, 14-16, 2325, Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8, Matthew 7:7-12 Friday, February 22, The Chair of St Peter 1 Peter 5:1-4, Psalm 23:1-6, Matthew 16:13-19 Saturday, February 23, St Polycarp Deuteronomy 26:1619, Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8, Matthew 5:43-48 Sunday, February 24, 2nd Sunday of Lent Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18, Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14, Philippians 3:17 -- 4:1 or 3:20, 4:1, Luke 9:28-36

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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: Mimosa Shrine, Bellville (Place of pilgrimage for the Year of Faith): February 21: 7.30pm Rosary. March 7: 7pm Rosary, 7.30pm Holy Mass. March 9: 9.00am10am holy hour and Benediction, confession available during holy hour. March 21: 7.30pm Rosary. Tel: 076 323 8043 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 the last Saturday of the month except in December, start-

ing with Mass at 9:30 am at the Sacred Heart church in Somerset Road, Cape Town. Mass is followed by a vigil and procession to Marie Stopes abortion clinic in Bree Street. For 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.

Southern CrossWord solutions SOLUTIONS TO 537. ACROSS: 1 Girl, 3 Ashkelon, 9 Despair, 10 Eased, 11 Bottlewasher, 13 Uplift, 15 Israel, 17 In papal curia, 19 Guess, 21 Dies out, 22 Ringside, 23 Stop. DOWN: 1 Gadabout, 2 Resit, 4 Shrewd, 5 Keeps a secret, 6 Last era, 7 Nude, 8 Saul of Tarsus, 12 Altar-top, 14 Lantern, 16 Padded, 18 Roost, 19 Igor.

GOD BLESS AFRICA Guard our people, guide our leaders and give us peace. Luke 11:1-13

(Jimmy). Died peacefully on Saturday, 2 February 2013 at Lyttleton Frail Care Centre in George, aged 88—a gentleman to the end. Beloved husband of Doreen, loving father of Margaret, Mary, James, Patricia, Anthony, Teresa, father-in-law of Richard, Gavin, Sue, Jeff, Mark, grandfather of Liesl, Julia, Shaun, Timothy, Michael, Shane, Barry, Jason, Michelle, Tania, Kelly, Brendan, Jade, Matthew, Louise and great-grandfather of James, Emily, Gabriel and Elize. Our memories of you will be with us always.

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PRAYERS

HOLY St Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke you, special patron in time of need. To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you to come to my assistance. Help me now in my urgent need and grant my petitions. In return I promise to make your name known and publish this prayer. Amen. For prayers answered. Gilly and Nelly HEAR MY CRY, O God, listen to my prayer. From

IN MEMORIAM HUSKISSON—Claire. Passed away on February 9, 2009. Thank you Claire, for all the love and joy you always showered upon us. Forever you are remembered by your husband Des and all your children and grandchildren. "So Much Love" LIBERA—(Sister Lauda)

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On your 3rd Anniversary —8 Feb Sister Lauda, We thank God for the gift of your life of Integrity among us. We thank you, Lauda, for your simplicity of heart, deep faith, compassion, prayer-life and sense of humour. We remember with gratitude all the Holy Cross Sisters, your family, friends, precious past pupils and parents, staff and doctors who ministered to you, loved you and gave you joy. Rest in God’s peace and love, Lauda. Masses, thoughts and prayers. We miss you! Sisters Agatha, Eileen and Francis of the “felafour”

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OUR MOST beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, Fruit of the vine splendour of heaven. Blessed Mother of the Son of God. Immaculate Virgin assist me in my necessity. O star of the sea help and show me herein you are my mother, O holy Mary, mother, Queen of Heaven and earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me in my necessity. There are none that can withstand thy power, O show me where you are my mother. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3x). Thank you for your mercy towards me and mine. Amen. Say this prayer 3 days and then publish. Special thanks to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Ss Jude and Daniel for prayers answered. (Never known to fail) AO.

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HAvE MERCY on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:112. FOR YOU created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139.

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2nd Sunday of Lent: February 24 Readings: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18, Psalm 27: 1, 7-9, 13-14, Philippians 3:17-4:1, Luke 9:28-36

Trust in the unfailing fidelity of God

Nicholas King SJ

N the second Sunday of Lent, the Church always reads the story of the Transfiguration to itself; the idea is presumably that doing so helps us on our Lenten journey, above all by recognising that God is in charge of the journey, and that we can utterly rely upon the fidelity of God. That is the lesson of the readings for the day. The first reading shows Abraham, worried about the feasibility of the promises about being the father of many nations that God has given him, in chapters 12 and 13 of the book of Genesis. Now we are in chapter 15, and there is still no sign of any offspring. So God takes him outside, and makes him try to count the stars (“if you can”), then says “that is how your offspring will be”; and finally Abraham responds to God’s fidelity with a faithfulness of his own, “he put his faith in the Lord—and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”. Then Abraham moves to another matter, that of possessing the land, which was also promised to him: “How shall I know that I am going to possess it?” God gives a slightly different answer this time, and Abraham is put to sleep, and “on that day the Lord

Sunday Reflections

made a covenant with Abraham: I am going to give your offspring this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River”. And the reader knows, without any further ado, that all will be well, because God is faithful. And do you recognise that in your own life, during your Lenten journey? The author of the psalm for next Sunday has no doubt at all about God’s fidelity: “The Lord is my light and my salvation”, he sings, “of whom shall I be afraid? The Lord is the refuge of my life.” Then he encourages himself “seek the Lord’s face; it is the Lord whom I shall seek”. Confidently he turns to God and pleads, “Don’t hide your face from me, don’t reject your servant in anger”, then, as his confidence goes deeper, he proclaims, “I am sure that I shall look upon the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living; wait for the Lord,

be strong.” This gift of standing firm comes from experiencing God’s fidelity, and it is of this that Paul speaks in the second reading. He is writing from prison, and does not know whether he will live or die, surrounded as he is with “enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly”. Then he plays with the language of the Roman imperial settlement and turns it upside down: “Our citizenship is in heaven, from where we are waiting for a Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ.” Here he is confidently attacking the Roman language of “citizenship” and the notion that the “Saviour” and “Lord” is the present Emperor: for Paul and his fellowChristians only Jesus can be given those titles. So it is in Jesus that his beloved Philippians are told to “stand firm”. That might be a useful Lenten message for us too. The gospel has Jesus taking his “inner cabinet” of Peter, John and James (with ourselves as privileged observers) up “into the mountain”, and characteristically Luke adds the detail that Jesus had gone there “to pray”. The praying, confident as Jesus is in

Prayer as Sanity and Balance O UR generative years are a marathon, not a sprint, and so it’s difficult to sustain graciousness, generosity, and patience through the tiredness, trials, and temptations that beset us through the years of our adult lives. All on our own, relying on willpower alone, we too often become fatigued, get worn down, and compromise both our maturity and our discipleship. We need help from beyond, from somewhere even beyond the human supports that help bolster us. We need God’s help, strength from something beyond what’s human. We need prayer. But too often we think of this in pious rather than realistic terms. Rarely do we grasp how much prayer is really a question of life and death for us. We need to pray not because God needs us to pray but because if we don’t pray we will never find any steadiness in our lives. Simply put, without prayer we will always be either too full of ourselves or too empty of energy, inflated or depressed. Why? What’s the anatomy of this? Prayer, as it is understood in all its best traditions, Christian and other, is meant to do two things for us, both at the same time: Prayer is meant to connect us to divine energy, even as it makes us aware that this energy is not our own, that it comes from elsewhere, and that we may never identify with it. Genuine prayer, in

Conrad

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final Reflection

effect, fills us with divine energy and tells us at the same time that this energy isn’t our own; that it works through us, but that it’s not of us. To be healthy, we need both: If we lose connection to divine energy we become drained of energy, get depressed, and feel empty. Conversely if we let divine energy flow into us but identify with it, somehow thinking that it is our own, we become grandiose, inflated with self-importance and arrogance, and become selfish and destructive. Robert Moore offers a very helpful image to illustrate this, that of a small fighter-plane having to fuel-up inflight. We have all seen video footage of a small fighter-jet fuelling-up while still in the air. Hovering above it is a mother-plane with a huge reserve of fuel. The little plane has to fly close enough to the mother-plane so that a nozzle from the mother-plane can connect with it so as to refill its fuel tank. If it doesn’t make this type of contact it runs out of fuel and soon crashes. Conversely, if it flies into the mother-

plane, identifies with it, it goes up in flames. Few images capture as astutely the importance of prayer in our lives. Without prayer, we will forever find ourselves vacillating between being too empty of energy or too full of ourselves. If we do not connect with divine energy we will run out of gas. If we do connect with divine energy but identify with it, we will destroy ourselves. Deep prayer is what energises us and grounds us, both at the same time. We see this, for example, in a person like Mother Teresa, who was bursting with creative energy but was always very clear that this energy did not come from her, but from God, and she was merely a humble human instrument. Lack of real prayer makes for two kinds of antithesis to Mother Teresa: On the one hand, it makes for a wonderfully talented and energetic man or woman who is full of creative energy, but is also full of grandiosity and ego; or, on the other hand, it makes for a man or woman who feels empty and flat and cannot radiate any positive energy. Without prayer we will forever be bouncing back and forth between grandiosity and depression. Thus, unless I have real prayer in my life, if I’m sensitive, I will more than likely live inside a certain habitual depression, afraid that really accessing my energies and acting on them would lead others to think I’m full of myself. Since my sensitivity won’t allow that, I entomb many of my best energies on the unconscious premise that it’s better to be depressed than be accused of being an egoist. But Jesus, himself, in his parable of the talents, warns us strongly about the price that’s to be paid for burying one’s talents, namely, emptiness, anger, and lack of delight in our lives. Often times, if we check beneath our angers and jealousies, we will find there a buried talent that’s bitter because it has been suppressed. Virtue at the cost of suppressing our energies leads to bitterness. Conversely, if I don’t care if people think me an egotist and I don’t have real prayer in my life, I will let the divine energies flow freely through me, but I will identify with them as if they were my own, my talents, my gifts, and I will end up full of ego and grandiosity, with those around me wishing I was depressed! Without prayer we will always be either too empty of energy or too full of ourselves.

God’s fidelity, has a remarkable effect: “The appearance of his face became different, and his clothing lightning-white.” Then “look!” Moses and Elijah “were speaking with him...appearing in glory, talking of his Exodus, which he was about to fulfil in Jerusalem”. We know what this means: it is Jesus’ death, but we notice the calmness, and the sense that, as with that other Exodus, from Egypt, God is in charge. Not that the “inner cabinet” can make much of it, as they all snore their heads off, and Peter wants to build a camping-site, as Luke charitably comments, “not knowing what he was saying”. Then God takes a hand and gives them grounds for confidence: “A cloud overshadowed them...and a voice came, speaking out of the cloud” (and we do not need to be told that this is the voice of the ever-faithful God): “This is my Son, the Chosen One—listen to him.” We are reassured, while the “inner cabinet” remain puzzled: “They were silent, and told no-one in those days of the things that they had seen.” We however listen to the story, with our confidence reinforced in the unfailing fidelity of God.

Southern Crossword #537

ACROSS 1. She’s not yet mature (4) 3. Where Samson killed thirty men (Jg 14) (8) 9. Aspired to give way to this depression (7) 10. Facilitated some of the diseased persons (5) 11. One who’s also the chief cook (12) 13. Will it raise your spirits in the skyscraper? (6) 15. Holy Land serial (6) 17. Find a Vatican cardinal here (2,5,5) 20. Estimate some of intrigue’s success (5) 21. Tapers off outside (4,3) 22. Front seat at the Roman Circus (8) 23. It’s full when the sentence is over (4)

DOWN 1. A bad gout for one who rushes around (8) 2. Write the exam again (5) 4. Mouse-like creature adds a note to be crafty (6) 5. Holds what’s given in confidence (5,1,6) 6. Final age (4,3) 7. Undraped sculpture (4) 8. Apostle of the Gentiles (4,2,6) 12. Surface of the eucharistic table (5-3) 14. Learn NT with the lamp (7) 16. Cell for a mad monk? (6) 18. Birds’ rest (5) 19. Find Russian in here, big or small (4) Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

‘A

s I understand it, Doctor, if I believe I’m well, I’ll be well. Is that the idea?” “It is.” “Then, if you believe you are paid, I suppose you’ll be paid.” “Not necessarily.” “But why shouldn’t faith work as well in one case as in the other?” “Why, you see, there is considerable difference between having faith in God and having faith in you.” Send us your favourite Catholic joke, preferably clean and brief, to The Southern Cross, Church Chuckle, PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000.