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September 11 to September 17, 2013

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FLASHBACK: Pope’s forced landing in SA

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White family’s month in a shack taught lessons BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

PRETORIA family left their home in a leafy suburb to experience the life of an average South African family. Julian and Ena Hewitt and their two daughters left their leafy suburb, cars and house for a month to move to Mamelodi, one of Pretoria’s biggest townships. The Hewitts called their project “Mamelodi for a Month”, in which the comfortable white family would live as an average South African black family does. “We wanted our family to have a direct experience into a daily South African existence so that we can create a broader conversation of the role that empathy plays in underpinning a healthy democracy,” said Mr Hewitt. The family moved into a one-room shack measuring 9m2, living off the national monthly average budget of R3 000. The idea of living as the other (more than) half do was forged many years ago during Mr Hewitt’s Catholic schooling at Trinity High school in Port Elizabeth, now known as St Dominic’s Priory. “Trinity High School was particularly edgy at a unique time in South Africa's history. It bordered on inner city Port Elizabeth and its multi-racialism meant that at times we had bomb threats, and not fire drills, to contend with,” Mr Hewitt recalled. “It was not the greatest school in terms of academic or sporting prowess. However, the educators and the environment gave myself and my matric class a safe space to discover our passions.” Mr Hewitt noted that his high school friends have found social callings all around the world. “The demographic diversity of my schooling gave me the confidence and social skills to feel completely comfortable in crossing cultural barriers,” he said. But those social barriers and perceptions were still very much in play when the family announced their one-month-long move. Family and friends of the Hewitts shared strong reservations about the risk involved in the venture—especially in regard to the fact that their little daughters—Julia, 4, and twoyear-old Jessica—would join them. The couple were called “reckless and irresponsible” parents. However, the Mamelodi experience helped the girls gain independence. “They had to make new friends from scratch, cope in a very different environment, learn the ins and outs of a new world, amuse themselves without toys while dealing admirably with all the additional attention,” said a proud Mr Hewitt. A second criticism suggested the family were making a “mockery of poverty and essentially had no right to live in a township”. “The significant media interest we received definitely added fuel to this fire. Why should a white family living in a shack for a month warrant so much attention when this is daily

Left: A view from the shack in Mamelodi, Pretoria, which the Hewitt family occupied for a month while living on a budget of R3 000 in order to understand how South Africa’s urban poor live. Right: Their daughter Julia, 4, quickly made friends with her neighbours. The Hewitts acknowledged that their experiment could be seen as making a “mockery of poverty”, but found that their temporary neighbours welcomed them with “much love and open arms”.

life for millions of black South African families? “Ena and I would agree with this assertion,” said Mr Hewitt.

ut instead of seeing it as a mockery, the Hewitts’ Mamelodi neighbours were “incredible”. “They welcomed us with so much love and open arms that it was really humbling. Before we even moved in, they had painted our shack, polished the floors and fixed a door on the longdrop. Walking the streets in the late afternoon was a daily highlight to say ‘hi’ to the community who were equally welcoming.

It was a transcendent experience.” Mr Hewitt said that life in Mamelodi was not easy. Like many in Mamelodi, he woke at 3:40am to walk 4km to the train station which was followed by transfers and more walking just to get to the office. On average, the trains were 40 minutes late; often with no standby in place. “There is a fine social balance that we found ourselves part of—being the outside-insiders for the month who had money, but just not in [that] August, and who lived within metres of drug dealers,” said Mr Hewitt. The family experienced a very different life not only in regard to their environment but

also their budget. “We set ourselves a household budget of R100 per day for the month and we came in just under this, at about R98 per day, after practising huge discipline.” The family followed a predominantly vegan diet as dairy was too expensive and they were able to afford fresh meat only once. The family had no money for snacks or sweets. “In fact, both my wife and I lost 5kg each over the course of the month as an indicator of the toughness of our regime.” Mr Hewitt said while the budgeting was a challenge, any unforeseen expenses like a family funeral, school uniform or fees, clothing or medical fees would have been “devastating”, a fact that gave him a new insight into the lives of many South Africans. The family budget was hardest hit by transport which accounted for 47% of the month’s expenditure—“which is hugely out of proportion to our normal monthly bills”. Mr Hewitt did not travel to his office daily as he simply could not afford it. Private employers should understand what their workers, domestics or gardeners “pay in transport to and from your home, and pay this as a separate amount to his or her salary”, Mr Hewitt said. “Taxi fares have increased by 33% over the last year and prices for staples such as maize and chicken are also way above the inflation rate. Also, ask yourself the question of whether your wage is meant to merely support survival or something beyond this.” The Hewitts considered their experience extreme and said it should not be taken on a whim. However, they added, white South Africans must make a greater effort to understand how the poor live. “We all have people whose lives we intersect with on a daily basis like helpers, gardeners, cleaners and work colleagues. Take small risks in getting to know these people and their contexts better. Whole new worlds lie in wait if you have an open heart and open mind.”

Worst-kept secret: Popes’ canonisation on April 27

HE date of the canonisation of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II will be announced on September 30, but privately Pope Francis is making no secret that it will take place on April 27, 2014. A reliably informed source close to the Vatican asked Pope Francis about the date recently, to which the pope replied with a laugh: “I can tell you now if you like. It will be April 27,” reported the US-based Catholic National Register. “I was surprised by his frankness, but he took a step back, laughed and then told me the date,” the source said. “He was sur-

rounded by top officials who didn’t seem to mind.” Among the officials was Archbishop Georg Gänswein, prefect of the pontifical household, who will be partly responsible for organising the canonisation ceremony. April 27 will be the second Sunday of Easter next year, and thus the feast of the Divine Mercy, which Bl John Paul II instituted in 2001. Pope Francis had already hinted at April 27 as a possible date in late July, when he spoke with reporters on his flight home from World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro.

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LOCAL

Call for Catholic school past-pupils BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

ORMER Catholic school learners all over Southern Africa have been called to join the International Organisation of Past-pupils of Catholic Education (OMAEC). The call has been made through the local branch which recently appointed Polydor Lokombe Sungu as OMAEC correspondent in South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana. OMAEC falls under the direction of the Holy See through the Pontifical Council for the Laity. “Our foundation, our backbone, is that we assist the clergy to evangelise and witness to the Gospel through actions,” said Mr Sungu. The organisation’s work focuses on the word of God in general and in particular the Lord’s Prayer. Mr Sungu said it promotes holistic, social and economic development in society through past pupils of Catholic schools. OMAEC collaborates with education movements as well as mobilising and regrouping pastpupils to be at the service of the Church. Mr Sungu added that the organisation would publicise the activities of Catholic institutions in the fields of education, culture, apostolic action and justice. “There are about 150 million pupils who have passed through 240 000 or so Catholic schools worldwide, 353 of which are situated in South Africa,” Mr Sungu told The Southern Cross. “For us this is indeed a huge potential and opportunity in the sense that if these past-pupils, Catholic and non-Catholic, united themselves, gathered together to accomplish something greater, they could achieve wonderful things.” Mr Sungu himself is a former Salesian student and today calls the cathedral of Christ the King in Johannesburg his home parish. “I have worked extensively in evangelisation, pastoral and charity activities for the past ten

Polydor Lokombe Sungu has been appointed the regional representative in Southern Africa of the International Organisation of Past-pupils of Catholic Education. or more years of my life,” he said. Mr Sungu has also been involved in the French-speaking community for many years and is now involved in charismatic renewal. With his wealth of lay involvement, he is excited to take charge of OMAEC in the region. “There are a number of projects and programmes the local branch would like to undertake as soon as possible,” he said. “This appointment means that after nearly 50 years of the existence of OMAEC, now there is a light for our continent, and specifically our region in Southern Africa. “There is a light in the sense that now our colleagues from overseas have recognised that they cannot continue to be rep-

resenting past-pupils worldwide without making an effort to incorporate the African people in an extensive way.” Mr Sungu has been forging the relationship and helping pave the way for the region’s inclusion in OMAEC for the past ten years. He said while he was excited to finally have official status and documentation, he was more encouraged that work can now formally begin. “It’s a great opportunity to evangelise more and more!” Mr Sungu said it also means that Catholic past-pupils have the chance to unite, to be a huge power that can lift mountains of social problems. n For more information contact info.omaec@gmail.com, 011 882 5614 or 084 550 8481.

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Mariannhill Missionaries Father Lawrence Mota, seen here with his guitar, believes that young people “need to learn to cultivate their talents and realise that by using these talents for the common good, the name of God is glorified”. Youths, he said, must be “encouraged to self-actualise”, and Christian families provide a very good foundation for that. “Our families need to educate our youths with love and compassion, discussing that rights go together with a big responsibility to cultivate and maintain human and Christian values.” (Photo: Mauricio Langa)

The Southern Cross, September 11 to September 17, 2013

LOCAL

Mariannhill Mission Press relaunches BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

also contributing to the evangelisation effort in the country. “The success of the Mission Press is largely ascribed to the diligent management work of the Mariannhill Brothers whose commitment to the ideals of Abbot Francis and Benedictine maxim of Ora et Labora has been consistent and unwavering,” said Mr Riedlinger. Today, Mariannhill Mission Press comprises a team of 40 including six professional graphic designers with photography, illustration and strategic marketing skills. “Recently we have reinvested massively in our press and it brings us up to first world standards and is in line with the top printing companies in the country,” he said. The director said by running an independent press, “we hope to help missionaries in Southern Africa to become self-sustainable by

T was established in 1882 by the same man who founded the Congregation of Mariannhill Missionaries, Abbot Francis Pfanner, and while acknowledging its rich history, the Catholic printing press is forging forward with new technologies and services. Now, 131 years later, the press is the largest and longest-serving Catholic press in South Africa and is still owned by the Congregation of Mariannhill Missionaries. Rob Riedlinger, managing director of the press, said Abbot Pfanner brought a handpress with him on his missionary expedition to Africa and used it to inform people in Europe about mission work in Africa. Since then, the press has grown, continuing to print important Catholic documents and books, but

participating in the local market”. “Running as a for-profit business but completely owned by missionaries, we hope to be not only successful but also an inspiration for others,” Mr Riedlinger added. The press has been responsible for the design and operation of many Catholic websites in the country, including the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference website (www.sacbc.org.za). The company was also responsible for the publishing of A Story Worth Telling, a book dedicated to Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban. “We really love what we do. There is no such thing as Monday blues in our office,” said Mr Riedlinger. He said the press was “proud of its history and excited for its future; continuing to make a difference in the Catholic world”.

Hope to rebuild church BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

The chapel at Klawer that Godfrey Epnaar is seeking to rebuild. miscreants to consume alcohol and drugs. He said drugs had also been found hidden in the church. “When someone passes away, the town still rings the church bell. It saddens me,” Mr Epnaar told The Southern Cross. “The building should be fixed and declared a national treasure, because this is one of the oldest

Catholic churches in our country.” Mr Epnaar has decided to try to restore the building, mostly built of clay. “I want to help restore it to how it looked before.” n Anyone interested in helping to restore the old Klawer chapel is asked to contact Godfrey Epnaar on 073 681 6620 or godfrey@godfreye.co.za

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Nyanga to celebrate 25 years BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

NCE a charming chapel that served a small community, today the chapel at Klawer in the diocese of Keimoes-Upington has become derelict and a haven for crime, but one former town resident hopes to rebuild the small church to its former glory. According to Godfrey Epnaar, who grew up in Klawer, the church was one of the oldest in the region. “My grandmother used to take me to the church– the family as well as other kids in the community–on a daily basis for Mass, Bible studies or prayer services.” Mr Epnaar’s grandmother was well known in the community as Aunty Meisie Epnaar. Mr Epnaar, who now lives in the archdiocese of Johannesburg and attends Mass at Immaculate Conception in Rosebank, was sent recent pictures by a friend who drove past the Klawer church, situated between Clanwilliam and Vredendal. “It made my heart sore because that’s the same building I grew up in, the same building my grandma use to fix with her bare hands using clay.” “Is this the way we as Catholics look after our property?” he asked. Mr Epnaar said the building, while still a place for Mass and prayers, is more often used by

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Fr Damian Webber, Superior-General of the Mariannhill Missionaries, cuts the ribbon on the Mariannhill Mission Press’ new press.

AINT Mary’s parish in Nyanga, a township of Cape Town, will this year celebrate its silver jubilee, and will over the course of 2014 and 2015 raise funds to renovate the ageing building to accommodate the expanding parish. The church was blessed and opened in 1988 by Archbishop Stephen Naidoo. “We are grateful to God for people like the Robarts family who generously contributed to the building of our beloved church,” said parish priest Fr Terry Mutesha SJ. “We are indeed grateful to the many priests, sisters and lay men and women who contributed their time and resources to the community of Christians in Nyanga parish.” The Jesuit-run parish is now aiming to raise R300 000 to replace the church roof and to build a new church hall. The project will run under the theme “Our church is a place of active faith.” “Now it is our time to contribute actively towards the wellbeing of our church,” said Fr Mutesha. He said the silver jubilee campaign will enable St Mary’s Catholic church to foster the parishioners’ ownership of

their church but also will allow Nyanga to seek local, national and international solidarity. The church is calling on parishioners and friends of the parish to make a donation in cash or in kind— building materials are welcomed. Fr Mutesha said the parishioners of St Mary’s wanted to “create a sacred space for people to reflect on their lived experience of faith”. The silver jubilee celebration will take place on October 13 at 9:30, with Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town as the main celebrant. St Mary’s will also be producing a magazine on the community’s past 25 years. Fr Mutesha has appealed to friends and founders to submit their old photographs and stories for publication. The magazine will help to raise the necessary funds for the building project and will be selling advertising space starting at R300 for a quarterpage advert. “Our magazine will be of high-quality standard A4, full colour, gloss paper and high-resolution pictures,” the priest said. n For more information, contact Fr Terry Mutesha on 073 385 3643.

The Southern Cross, September 11 to September 17, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

Syrian Catholics fear fall-out of intervention C

HURCH leaders in the Middle East have issued warnings against military intervention in Syria by the United States and other Western powers. Among Catholic leaders who have spoken out against attacks on Syria are Syrian-born Melkite Catholic Patriarch Gregoire III Laham, Chaldean Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo in Syria, and Archbishop Fouad Twal, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem. “Contrary to the calls to arms, attacks and military interventions,” Patriarch Gregoire said, “we enjoy listening to appeals from around the world aimed at creating an atmosphere of reconciliation, dialogue, humanitarian solidarity, hope, forgiveness and finally peace.” Melkite Catholics, he said, “join in the calls for prayer that have been launched around the world for peace in Syria, as that is the real movement for solidarity with Syria.” Opposition has also come from the Church in the West. A committee of US bishops has called for a political solution, and Catholic leaders in Europe have warned military intervention could lead to an escalation of hostilities. The committee reiterated its long-standing position that “the Syrian people urgently need a political solution that ends the fighting and creates a future...that respects religious rights and religious freedom.” In a column in Austria’s Heute

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daily, Vienna Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said that “taking up arms can only be a last resort.” “Were previous weapons programmes successful in this region, and did the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan bring peace? What good can bombs do in a country already bleeding from a thousand wounds?” he asked. The German bishops’ conference also criticised plans for the strikes and said the UN-backed International Criminal Court should be allowed to investigate the August 21 chemical weapons attack in Damascus, Syria. The head of the German bishops’ commission for international church affairs, Archbishop Ludwig Schick of Bamberg, told the Catholic news agency KNA that an armed intervention could not be justified in Catholic teaching, which required “total certainty of the confirmed damage,” as well as “serious chance of success” and a capacity to avoid “worse damage than that to be eliminated”.

eanwhile Catholics around the world followed Pope Francis’ appeal to pray and fast for peace in Syria on September 7. In Bethlehem, West Bank, parishioners at St Catherine church offered special prayers of peace during all eight Masses over the weekend. Fr Marwan Di’ides said the biggest concern for the people of Bethlehem was how the situation would affect them economically,

since any talk of war in the area immediately reduced tourism, which the city’s economy largely depends on. In Egypt, Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak told his community to fast and dedicate an hour to prayer for peace in Syria during Catholic Masses nationwide. In Turkey, which borders Syria, Bishop Louis Pelatre of Istanbul said that “the Church has no other way than that of peace.” Bishop Pelatre said he worried that any strikes on Syria would add to the desperate refugee situation the Syrian war had already created. “We can’t even cope with the amount of refugees here already,” he said of Catholic and other humanitarian efforts to help Syrians who have fled into neighbouring countries, including Turkey. This month, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees announced the war in Syria had produced more than 2 million refugees. About half a million of them currently reside in Turkey. In Lebanon, which is hosting more than 600 000 refugees, the country’s Maronite Catholic bishops praised Pope Francis’ call for prayer, fasting and repentance for peace in Syria and his direct appeal to the international community for dialogue and negotiation for peace. They also warned that foreign intervention in Syria posed “grave, grave dangers and repercussions of severe consequences for the countries of the region”.—CNS

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A Syrian Muslim girl stands at the top of Mount Qassioun, which overlooks Damascus. Christian leaders have stated their strong opposition to unilateral military intervention in Syria. (Photo: Khaled al-Hariri, Reuters/CNS)

Cardinal: Mid East peace possible BY ESTEFANIA AGuIRRE

HE cardinal who heads the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue said that religious differences in the Middle East do not necessitate violence. “This is the place where the three monotheistic religions meet, and they have the possibility to build up society,” Cardinal JeanLouis Tauran said. “The problem is when religion becomes politics.” Cardinal Tauran was secretary of the Vatican’s nunciature to

Lebanon from 1979-83 and participated in special missions in Beirut and Damascus in 1986. Religion itself is not the source of the crisis in the Middle East, he said. “When religion remains a spiritual option, then it is alright, but when you mix politics and religion, then the problems start,” he stated. He stressed the need to “teach the young generation” how to live together peacefully despite their religious differences, in respect, dialogue and peace.—CNA

Zambian cardinal dies at 81 BY CINDY WOODEN

AMBIAN Cardinal Medardo Mazombwe, retired archbishop of Lusaka and a long-time campaigner for foreign-debt reduction, died on August 29. He was 81. In a telegram to the people of the Archdiocese of Lusaka, Pope Francis praised the late cardinal’s “unfailing commitment to the spread of the Gospel in Africa and his tireless efforts on behalf of the poor.” A statement from the archdiocese said: “Cardinal Mazombwe’s optimism and courage in the face of cancer inspired many that visited him in the last 12 months. Even as he grew weak, Cardinal Mazombwe never gave up his passion for the affairs of the Church and the nation.” Pope Benedict XVI had named him to the College of Cardinals in 2010, four years after the archbishop retired as head of the archdiocese. The Zambian prelate rose to

Cardinal Medardo Mazmobwe international prominence in the late 1990s as a vocal advocate for the world’s poor countries, particularly those unable to provide for their citizens because they were making massive payments on debt to First World banks. By 2005, a year before the

archbishop’s retirement, the Jubilee Zambia Campaign succeeded, and the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and the Paris Club cancelled all but $500,000 of Zambia’s $7 billion debt. In a span of more than three decades, the cardinal served three terms as president of the Zambian bishops’ conference. From 1979-86 he was head of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa. Born in Chundamira, he was ordained to the priesthood in 1960. Pope Paul VI named him bishop of Chipata in 1970, and Pope John Paul II named him archbishop of Lusaka in 1996. His funeral was at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus, a church whose construction he spearheaded. His death leaves the College of Cardinals with 201 members, 112 of whom are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave.—CNS

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INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, September 11 to September 17, 2013

Martyr who died in jail beatified Appointment of Vatican’s new No 2 A a return to tradition A BY VICTOR GAETAN

BY CINDY WOODEN

LTHOUGH Pope Francis has not hesitated to break with convention during his brief pontificate, in appointing a seasoned member of the diplomatic corps as the top Vatican official, he resumed a long-standing tradition. On October 15, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, 58, a long-time official in the Vatican secretariat of state and nuncio to Venezuela since 2009, will succeed Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, 78, as the Vatican’s secretary of state. Cardinal Bertone came to the post in 2006 after serving as archbishop of Genoa, Italy, and before that was an official in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The secretary of state is the pope’s highest-ranking collaborator, coordinating the work of the entire Roman curia, overseeing the operation of the Vatican press office and newspaper, coordinating the preparation and publication of papal documents, and supervising the work of Vatican nuncios, in their relations with Catholic communities in individual countries and with national governments. For years, Archbishop Parolin led annual Vatican delegations to Vietnam to discuss Church-state issues with the country’s communist government, a process that eventually led Vietnam to accept a non-resident papal representative to the country. The move was widely seen as a step towards establishing full diplomatic relations. While at the Vatican, Archbishop Parolin also represented the Vatican at a variety of international conferences on climate change, on human trafficking and on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He led the Vatican delegation to the 2007 Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland.

t a news conference in 2006, Archbishop Parolin said Vatican nuncios and papal representatives play an important role “in defending the human being” and in strengthening local churches, especially in regions where Christians face poverty, discrimination or other hardships. The Vatican’s presence around the world through its nuncios shows people that the Church and the pope are always near, that Christians—no matter how small their numbers—are not alone in the world, he said. In the current Vatican organisational framework, the secretary of state is responsible for ensuring that

Italian Archbishop Pietro Parolin, 58, the Vatican’s next secretary of state when Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone retires on October 15. (Photo: L’Osservatore Romano via Catholic Press Photo) the pope’s policies and priorities take concrete form in the work of Vatican offices. The secretary typically has been very close to the pope and meets with him often. Many observers have suggested that the secretary’s role could change as part of a wider reform and reorganisation of the curia. Because the office’s responsibilities are so broad—covering the internal workings of the Vatican, international church affairs and foreign relations—Cardinal Bertone was often blamed by critics when things went wrong during Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate.

ollowing the announcement of his replacement, Cardinal Bertone defended his record, telling journalists that “I see these seven years as positive on balance”, but also acknowledging “many problems, especially in the last two years”. In an apparent reference to the “VatiLeaks” of confidential documents that pointed to corruption and mismanagement inside the Holy See, Cardinal Bertone blamed a “tangle of crows and vipers” for “throwing accusations at me”. Archbishop Parolin was born on January 17, 1955, in Schiavon, Italy, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1980. He studied at the Vatican diplomatic academy while earning a degree in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University. In 1986, he began working at Vatican embassies, serving in Nigeria and in Mexico before moving to the offices of the Vatican Secretariat of State. He was named undersecretary for foreign relations in 2002.— CNS

Pope: Humility and love fight off evil BY CAROL GLATz

HRIST does not need an army to fight evil in the world; he uses the victorious weapons of love and humility, Pope Francis said in his homily at a morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where he resides. And Christians, likewise, should be known for bringing forth the light of Christ, not darkness, to fight the world’s demons, he said. Pope Francis reflected on St Paul’s words to the Thessalonians when the apostle said, “For all of you are children of the light” and not children “of the night or of darkness”. But, there is a false light that shines in the world, too, the pope said. Many people think scientific discoveries or human ingenuity can provide the light needed to save the world, he said. This man-made light is bright, but it is blinding and artificial “like a firecracker or camera flash”. If the light in people’s lives causes them to become proud, scornful and “look down on others,” then it’s “the light of the devil disguised as Jesus” guiding them, he said. However, if the light makes people meek, humble and loving, and gives them courage before the cross, then it’s the light of Jesus shining in their lives.—CNS

PAVILION designed for trade fairs became Eastern Europe’s biggest church when more than 10 000 people participated in the beatification of Mgr Vladimir Ghika, tortured to death at age 80 in 1954. The ceremony, broadcast live on Romanian TV, brought together the country’s two major Catholic rites, Latin and Byzantine, whose members use an Orthodox-style liturgy. Bl Ghika had the unusual authority, approved by Pope Pius XI, to celebrate liturgies in both rites. As believers from across the country flowed into the massive, round hall, volunteers greeted each with a scarf to wear, printed with the martyr’s serene face and signature white beard. Hundreds of priests and bishops processed towards an altar emblazoned in Vatican colours, yellow and white, offset by a large red cross, the colour of martyrdom, as a brass ensemble conveyed the solemnity of an event marking a face-off between holiness and brutality. “He was treated worse than a dog in jail, this beautiful elderly priest,” said Hermina Idomir, an 80-year-old Romanian Catholic professor from Brasov. “Everyone knew of his goodness—he started the first free clinic in Bucharest, the first ambulance service. He was a prince but preferred the poor. And the communists arrested him for writing a letter to the pope,” said Prof Idomir, shaking her head. Bl Ghika is the third Romanian priest killed by the anti-Christian dictatorship to be beatified since 2010.

In the homily, Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, said Bl Ghika promoted the unity of Christians long before it was fashionable. Baptised as an Orthodox Christian, he converted at age 29 in Paris, where he was ordained at age 50.

n the words of Pope Pius XI, Bl Ghika was a “major apostolic vagabond” who, wherever he travelled, converted souls impressed by his godliness. He suffered and died at the hands of “the pitiless Stalinist regime” as calm and devout as he had lived, Cardinal Amato said. Resisting torture, he recited the rosary, reassuring his fellow prisoners. Warned to leave the country

when the communists took power in 1948, he refused to abandon those in need. Thirty direct witnesses testified to Bl Ghika’s holiness in the face of torture. The priest was beaten so badly that he lost his sight and hearing, and his captors set up mock firing squads to break his will. “He found the presence of God everywhere, in all things,” said Archbishop Ioan Robu of Bucharest. “Nothing crushed him. His limitless charity is a model for the Year of Faith.” “I don’t think I will see an event this beautiful again in my life,” said Orthodox participant Radu Ciuceanu, who was incarcerated by the communists for 17 years.—CNS

Rapper puts God into hip-hop BY ANGELA CAVE

20-YEAR-OLD Catholic is making a name for himself in the hip-hop and contemporary Christian music scenes in the US—but he doesn’t care about his Facebook followers or fan mail. In fact, being idolised is “the worst feeling,” said Cory Larmour (pictured), whose stage name is Cory Matthews. But the attention “lets me know there are more people out there hearing God,” he said. “I don’t care if it’s through me. It’s all about love.” Inspired by a DJing father and a rapping cousin, the theology and catechetics student from New York state has been recording, mixing and playing music since school and even had local success in rock and punk bands in his teens. Unafraid, his first hip-hop album, was set for release in September. The songs all have a Christian perspec-

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tive, but he shies away from calling himself a “Christian hip-hop artist”. “A lot of people try to label music,” he said. But “you don’t really separate other music based on content.” Cory hopes the album will shatter the stigma associated with hiphop music. “It’s true to a very good degree [that] all hip-hop is about gangs, violence, demeaning to women, pleasure-seeking,” Cory said. “But that’s not hip-hop; that’s artists. Hip-hop was originally intended to

The

be a voice.” His songs criticise promiscuity, tell women they don’t have to be perfect and men to treat women well and inspire hope in hard times. In his younger days, Cory’s songs were positive, but not religious. Though he grew up Catholic, he says his Mass attendance was “robotic” and “no different than going to a basketball game”, and he only joined the youth group “for pretty girls” and social time. He started taking his faith seriously during his freshman year of college. After a friend died in a stabbing one night, Cory decided to return to Mass. Kids today, he believes, “give up and sacrifice a lot for everything but God”. They’re open to hearing that God loves them, but stop short of picking up the cross and following Jesus, he said. But “all the stuff that he’s asked of us, he’s already fulfilled”.—CNS

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The Southern Cross, September 11 to September 17, 2013

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: Günther Simmermacher Guest editorial by Fr Peter-John Pearson

Intervention in Syria

HE South African government has reiterated its condemnation of the use of chemical warfare and other weapons of mass destruction, saying that “no cause could ever justify the use of such weapons”. It also condemned the escalating violence in the two-year conflict in Syria, warning against the use of “dangerous rhetoric”. It pointed to the possibility of a military intervention, but stopped short of naming the United States and France. Meanwhile, the British parliament has voted narrowly against participation in military intervention in Syria. Germany and Italy have adopted similar positions. The South African statement reflected a growing international consensus around four key issues. Firstly, it held the line that no intervention would be justified, at least until the United Nations weapons inspectors had completed their investigations and had reported their findings. Secondly, it endorsed the position that only the UN Security Council could mandate the use of military force in trying to bring about a solution to the conflict, and that any attack on Syria without such authorisation would be a grave violation of international law “that would severely undermine international order”. Thirdly, and linked to this, the government maintained that any military action, especially bombing, would render the lives of Syrians more vulnerable and would further destroy the already crumbling infrastructure which would in the long run make any sustainable recovery even more difficult. Instead, the statement urged that there be increased pressure on all parties to find a political solution to the conflict, and that there should be an urgent, all-inclusive national dialogue, free of any interference or insistence on regime change, to satisfy the legitimate democratic aspirations of all the Syrian people. Fourthly, it underlined the urgent need for an immediate end to the multiple human rights abuses in the conflict, especially against the most vulnerable, such as various minorities, women and children. It challenged all parties to take responsibility for the protection of human rights. In addition to these sentiments echoing an international consensus, they also reflect the

direction taken by Pope Francis. In a visit by King Abdullah II of Jordan, the pope asked that the “clash of weapons…be silenced. It is not conflict that offers prospects of hope for solving problems, but rather the capacity for encounter and dialogue.” Various bishops’ conferences have also raised points similar to those raised in the South African statement. The German Catholic Bishops’ Conference noted that, in terms of the Church’s position, the punitive action contemplated by some countries evoked “considerable concerns” and that at present greater clarity is still required to show that the chemical attacks were definitely the responsibility of President Bashar al-Assad. The conference also queried whether all non-military options had been explored in the quest for peace and for holding the perpetrators of the attacks to account. With many others, it pointed to the responsibility of the UN Security Council to authorise any military intervention and noted that the council “has not been able as yet to formulate a common international policy on Syria”. It pondered whether “punitive action would bring Syria closer to peace or move Syria even further away from peace”. It also raised the question as to whether punitive acts would thrust neighbouring countries into further involvement in the conflict. The US bishops, in a letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry, commented: “The long-standing position of our Conference of Bishops is that the Syrian people urgently need a political solution that ends the fighting and creates a future for all Syrians, one that respects human rights and religious freedom. “We ask the United States to work with other governments to obtain a ceasefire, initiate serious negotiations, provide impartial and neutral humanitarian assistance, and encourage building an inclusive society in Syria that protects the rights of all its citizens, including Christians and other minorities.” It thus appears that the position adopted by our government seems to be, broadly speaking, in line with the dominant position in the international community’s discourse, and one echoed in the faith community’s discernment. On those grounds it should be given serious consideration.

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.

Answering evangelical Christians LLOW me to comment on Fr Christ as Lord and Saviour and has A Ron Rolheiser’s column “Have been baptised (2 Cor 5:17). you been saved?” (September 4). 2. I am being saved and am still Evangelical Christians often ask Catholics “Have you been saved?”, leaving most of us unprepared to give an adequate response from Scripture, which is what they are looking for. A Catholic answer would be threefold. 1. I have been saved. It is an objective fact that Jesus Christ has died and been raised to save me from my sins. Salvation has already begun to take effect in this life of everyone who has accepted Jesus

Book authorities

ANICE Thaysen’s letter (August 21) refers. What is so unbelievable about the following blurb describing what Dr Joe S McIlhaney has to say in his book Hooked in answer to the question: “Why isn’t anyone telling our kids about the other dangers of casual sex?” “Breakthroughs in the burgeoning field of neuroscience explain the impact having sex has on the developing brains of adolescents and young adults. Through the mounds of scientific data this book simply demonstrates that sexual activity releases chemicals in the brain, creating emotional bonds between partners. “Breaking these bonds can cause depression and make it harder to bond with someone else in the future. Chemicals released in the brain during sex can become addictive. “The human brain is not fully developed until a person reaches their mid-20s. Until then, it is harder to make wise relationship decisions. “Parents and others who care about young people now have the facts to steer them away from making life-changing mistakes, and lead them toward reaching their full potential.” Dr McIlhaney is an obstetriciangynecologist and the founder/chairman of the Medical Institute for Sexual Health. Previously he practised medicine in Austin, Texas, and served on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/Aids and on the Advisory Committee to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He lives in Austin with his wife of 47 years. Dr Freda McKissic Bush has been a board-certified ob-gyn in Jackson, Mississippi, for over 21 years. Currently, she is in private practice and also serves on the clinical faculty at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in the departments of ob-gyn and family practice. Dr Bush serves on the board of the Medical Institute and is on the Presidential

THE HOLY LAND TREK

running the race—and we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor 3:18). Salvation for Catholics is not a “one-off” act. 3. I hope to be saved. I hope that I may arise at the resurrection from the dead. I am racing to grasp the prize, if possible, since I have been grasped by Jesus Christ (Phil 3:1113). Justification is not a mere legal Advisory Council on HIV/Aids. She is the mother of four children and the grandmother of seven. They don’t sound to me like obscure individuals. Both are married and have children, so the charge of not consulting the laity is somewhat misplaced, isn’t it? Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, Durban

Engaged laity

HAVE noticed in recent months that we seem to be moving from a “priest-bashing” to a “bishopbashing” in the letters to The Southern Cross. Who would want to be a bishop in such times? I am in favour of a more active laity, as called for by Pope Francis, but does this mean that he is wanting more lay input to the decisions made by the pope and the episcopal college? If so, then how can that be achieved? The laity is defined as all those baptised in Christ who are not in holy orders, so how does one obtain a consensus view from such a vast and disparate group? I am sure that We Are All Church SA is well intentioned, but does it represent the consensus view to which I referred above? I do not know on what authority it bases its legitimacy to speak on behalf of the worldwide, or even national, laity. I sympathise with the bishops wary of such organisations. Maybe WAACSA is the way forward but I would want reassurance that it has a structure based on parish level with representatives of those parishes elected through a process that is open to all the members of that parish. Otherwise, one 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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act declaring the sinner to be meriting heaven, as Protestants believe, even though the sin remains and is but a covering or non-imputation; only an external application of God’s justice, due to Martin Luther’s unfortunate erroneous reading of the Bible. “Are you saved?” asks the fundamentalist. “I am redeemed,” answers the Catholic, “and like the apostle Paul, I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12)— “with a firm hope but not with a false assurance, and I do all this as the Church has taught, unchanged, from the time of Christ.” John Lee, Johannesburg could get the impression that it might comprise a self-selected group with, as in any such structure, a number of individuals with their own “hidden” agendas. Yes, let the laity be more engaged but let the bishops decide on the best way for them to obtain the views of the laity without being pressured by groups that may well not represent the views of all the laity. Paddy Ross, Cape Town

Good leadership

HAVE just read an excellent paper issued by the SACBC Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office. It is entitled “Leadership of Service”. The paper describes leadership of all kinds: political, educational, religious. The following sentence caught my eye: “Thus, the servant leader is someone who focuses primarily on people and their needs, rather than on the promotion of a political, religious or economic ideology or dogma.” How can this affect me as a teacher? Sometimes a teacher may react impulsively to perceived unacceptable behaviour of a pupil and ask the pupil to leave the classroom. Tempers may momentarily flare. A good teacher, with the child’s best interest in mind, will after a few minutes of reflection go out and chat quietly with the pupil, often discovering that some misunderstanding has occurred. That is servant leadership. The teacher, in his/her pastoral role, humbly reaches out to the child’s needs, and welcomes the child back into the flock. Pope Francis has emphasised our need for humility. In the light of this, would it not be a welcoming gesture if Stephen, our archbishop of Cape Town, would join our We Are All Church group of fellow Catholics for tea at the Methodist church hall in Rosebank, Cape Town. I think he would be pleasantly surprised. In the end it is not about dogma, but people. Brian Jacoby, Cape Town

PERSPECTIVES

The Southern Cross, September 11 to September 17, 2013

A place where everything works T HIS is an allegory about Africania, a country whose citizens are more spiritually advanced than we are. The people are as aware that they are mere mortals as they are conscious of the fact that they were made in the image of God. Like the citizens of any other country they have to abide by the law and are punished when they break the law. I first had the experience of the behaviour of the citizens of Africania when I landed at Africania International Airport and was met by my host. Africania City is about 50km from the airport. I noticed that the maximum speed limit was marked at every point: 60, 80, 100 and 120km/h. There was a certain uniformity about the flow of traffic on the highway that I was curious why this was so. Then I noticed why: not only my host, but every other driver appeared to be driving at the speed limit indicated for each zone; and yet there was not a single policeman in sight. Then we came to a major intersection where the traffic lights were not working. At the time we arrived, there was not a single policeman in sight, but there was no traffic jam and the flow of traffic was hardly interrupted. “How come everybody seems to know when they are supposed to move in the absence of traffic lights and without a policeman to control the traffic?” I asked. “Human beings are expected to use their intelligence,” my host responded, “but we are aware that machines, clever though they may be, can get completely confused when they malfunction, and so all citizens are trained to use their intelligence and obey certain rules when gadgets malfunction. “For example, in this case it is the drivers from the quarter to twelve position who cross first, followed by the twelve o’clock position, followed by the quarter past twelve. We are at the half past twelve position, and we should be the last to cross.”

“What do you mean by all these terms—quarter to twelve position?” I asked. “In simple terms, vehicles move in a clockwise direction from left to right,” my host responded, and he immediately said: “There comes a traffic services officer now. These traffic lights have only just malfunctioned; that’s why there was no officer when we arrived.” I then learned that the words “police” and “policeman” are not used in Africania. They are said to have a negative connotation. What we call a policeman, for example, is called a Citizens’ Security Services Officer.

he duties of citizens’ security services officers include accompanying children to school, guiding traffic when there is a problem, writing affidavits, and generally helping people who do not know what to do and where to go. “Citizens’ security services officers are very popular in this country,” my host explained. “They are trained to regard themselves as the people’s friends. If anybody is in any kind of trouble, he or she will look for a citizens’ security services office.”

Christian Leadership

“Are there any jails?” I enquired. “Yes, there are, but mostly for petty crimes. Generally the citizens are well behaved—but no country is an island. Some people bring certain types of behaviour from their countries of origin.” “What about the level of accidents?” I asked as we got out of the car at the hotel. “We are concerned. Last festive season 20 people died in a population of 20 million. That’s one person per every million in one season. The president immediately ordered an investigation into the behaviour of drivers, the state of our roads and the quality of our road machinery.” As I got into my hotel room, I could not help thinking that there was something all countries could learn from Africania. I was curious to know how the citizens of this country learned to behave so differently from the rest of humanity. Join me in my next journey of exploration.

Cars battle with traffic congestion. In Emmanuel Ngara’s allegory, there are build-ups because all motorists are collaborating in obeying the traffic rules to ensure a smooth flow. (Photo: CNS)

A yawn might not just be a yawn

URING a recent trip in my profession as a journalist to cover the uprising in Egypt, I had a revelation at Mass in one of Cairo’s Catholic churches. Despite the pandemonium in Tahrir Square, my ritual of attending Mass taught me a lot in the predominantly Arab state of North Africa, where 10% of the population is Christian. It was at Mass when the question came to my mind: “Have you ever noticed an outbreak of coughing or yawning during Mass?” Usually yawning is attributed to tiredness after a late night, allergies, tedium, a too-early hour, or even the power of suggestion—seeing another person yawn or hearing a cough (you probably feel a faint urge to yawn right now). But here’s another point to ponder, and please bear with me: Can evil spirits leave through coughing, yawning and other such forms of expelling breath? Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church, have been asserting that in mild cases of deliverance, one sign that evil is being diminished or being expelled can come in the way of yawning or coughing, known as exsufflatio. In the ancient Church, this was part of the baptismal ritual. During a recent deacon training retreat which I attended at the Bertoni Centre in Pretoria, I noticed a small eruption of coughing and yawning from my colleagues as we were praying deliverance prayers. In spiritual deliverance, mild manifestation often involves coughing, loose phlegm, burping, deep yawning or

Emmanuel Ngara

sighing, shaking, pressure or pain in areas of a body. Demons generally leave without much fuss. They are air—breath or wind—and tend to leave through the mouth or eyes. If they leave through the mouth, they commonly do so through coughing, sighing or yawning. We see it in Scripture. The Lord casts out evil spirits into pigs or heals by rubbing a man’s ears and eyes. Remember the wind of the Holy Spirit blows where and how it may. Pentecost demonstrated one manifestation of the paraclete as a breeze. This leads me to the question: do opposing spirits share air-like characteristics? Every trial, every difficulty, every attack from the enemy, is not meant to destroy us. We are meant to overcome them. The more we pray, the stronger we become, and the more we see, the more faith will grow in us.

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Point of Faith

That is why there were many miracles in the early Church. Faith was fresh then. It is as fresh today, provided we take sufficient time to pray. My charismatic friends proclaim their prayers in tongues. Which brings me back to Cairo. At a Catholic church there, an ArabCatholic woman testified about her own deliverance. She had noticed that, in her yearning for evil spirits to leave her, every time she prayed it was in tongues. She noted that she had done an abnormal amount of yawning. It might have been due to tiredness: at times she was weary after staying up late during the uprising to remove President Mohammed Morsi. Yet she attested over and over: “If I wasn’t praying in tongues, I would not yawn. Also if I hadn’t been commanding them to leave, I would not yawn when praying in tongues.” The day after her deliverance, she prayed in tongues almost the whole day— and not once did she yawn. Praying in tongues is a special gift; not everyone has it. To me, it shows that God is taking care of us, even when we do not know it. God never leaves us to battle on our own. We must seek God, breathe in his breath. Next time you yawn or cough during Mass, or notice somebody else do it, think of it as a cleansing.

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Open Door

Saviour of the world? I have become more aware than ever of the millions of human beings that people the earth. So many are obviously not Christian. Perhaps they have never heard of Christ nor do they care about him. How then can he be called the Saviour of the world? B S Wunsch

AINT Paul wrote that God our Saviour desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:3-4). In the early centuries of Christianity, there was consensus among scholars, with a few minor exceptions, that God willed salvation for all. This is the position taught by the Catholic Church today. Yet Jesus said: “He who believes and is baptised will be saved but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mk 16:16). This implies that, if God wants all to find salvation, all must first believe in Jesus Christ as the universal Redeemer and be baptised into membership of the community which is the Church he founded. As you point out, there are millions of people who don’t know or care about this fundamental belief among Christians, so how can such unbelieving, unbaptised souls be saved? Some theological opinion has proposed that these souls cannot be saved. They are simply damned. The Catholic Church, by contrast, holding firmly that God wills the salvation of one and all, has clearly expressed its standpoint in Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. It declares that those who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, yet sincerely seek God and strive by their deeds to do his will through the dictates of conscience, can attain to everlasting salvation. Even if they have no clear concept of God through no fault of their own, they may be saved (16). Those who have some kind of god to worship and serve in accordance with the moral demands of their circumstances, and those who, with no such belief in a god yet act lovingly and compassionately towards their fellow humans, are thus not excluded from salvation. But we must not lose sight of the fact that baptism and faith in Christ are essential for salvation. The Catechism says: “Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity” (1260).

n Send your queries to Open Door, Box 2372, Cape Town,

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The Southern Cross, September 11 to September 17, 2013

COMMUNITY

Members of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Sodality of St Thérèse of Lisieux parish in Phiritona, Heilbron, diocese of Kroonstad. (From left) Gloria Fasiako, Theresia Rakgale, Ntate Goshi Motsamai, Anna Thabane, Theresia Ntong and Margaret Thinane (seated).

Spiritan Fathers Bernhard Wiederkehr and Gerhard Steffen celebrated their Golden Jubilees at Knechtsteden abbey in Dormagen, Germany, after a lifetime of service to the Church in South Africa.

St Anne’s mission in Mpophomeni, Lewton in Lions river and Darlee in Indabeni outstations of Durban archdiocese, celebrated Altar Servers Day.

The Oblate bishops of Southern Africa (South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia and zambia) held their bi-annual meeting in Durban. At the end of their meeting they celebrated Windhoek’s Archbishop Liborius Ndumbukuti Nashenda’s silver jubilee of ordination at St Anne’s parish in Sydenham, Durban. (From left) Fr Albert Danker, Archbishop Gerard Lerotholi of Maseru, Lesotho, Archbishop Jabulani Nxumalo of Bloemfontein, Fr Michael Foley, Bishop Edward Risi of Keimoes-upington, Bishop Joseph Mopeli Sephamola of Qacha’s Nek, Lesotho, Bishop Evans Chinyemba of Mongu, zambia, Bishop Philip Pöllitzer of Keetmanshoop, Namibia, Archbishop Nashenda, Bishop Augustinus Tumaole Bane of Leribe, Lesotho, Bishop Barry Wood, auxilliary of Durban, Fr Siyabonga Dube, Deacon Everard Simpson.

Two members of the Christian Life Community of Port Elizabeth, Rami Wayi and Kaye Henrick, offered prayers in Sepedi and Gaelic during the multilingual prayers of the faithful in St Augustine's cathedral. Prayers were offerred in 27 of the languages spoken by members of the congregation.

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Theresa Dladla (left) and Lidia Luvono (right) of St Anne’s mission, Mpophomeni, archdiocese of Durban, celebrated their 82nd and 75th birthdays. They are pictured with parish priest Fr Jude Fernando TOR. Mrs Dladla served as a catechism teacher and choir conductor for 20 years. She is a Eucharistic minister and a member of the parish pastoral council. Mrs Luvono served St Anne’s mission as a catechism teacher and Eucharistic minister for 16 years.

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A full accreditation certificate was awarded to Sr Bridget Cronin, principal of Holy Cross Primary School in Aliwal North and presented by Lindeka Mlanjana and Dr Mafu Rakometsi of umalusi, the council for quality assurance in general and further education.

Holy Rosary Primary School learners Jenna Laubser (above) and Morgan Jones (below) are currently excelling in tennis. Morgan recently played in the Champions Challenge tennis tournament, and she won the under-12 girls single category. Jenna was selected as part of the South African Primary Schools’ tennis team that will be participating in tournaments in Malaysia from November 26 to December 6. She is currently ranked number 32 in the South African under-12 age group.

The Southern Cross, September 11 to September 17, 2013

FOCUS

The life of Eygptian Christians Egypt’s Christians, known as Copts, consider themselves the “original Egyptians”. JAMES MARTONE writes from Cairo to explain how the followers of Christ live in the country.

HE Coptic Orthodox church of the Virgin Mary sits in a tiled courtyard a few kilometres outside Cairo, on the left bank of the Nile as the river bends south toward Upper Egypt. The structure’s front doors overlook the famed river, which Egyptian Christians who pray and worship here are convinced transported Mary, Joseph and their small boy, Jesus, to safety from persecution back home. “In those times, this was a dock area from where the boats took off for Upper Egypt. The Holy Family came here from Palestine and got on one,” explained one of the church’s five priests, from an office overlooking the water. Like the priest, many Copts—the name for Egypt’s indigenous Christians—trace their religion all the way back to Jesus who, according to the gospel of St Matthew, sought refuge in their country from the wrath of Herod the Great 2 000 years ago. Coptic tradition holds that Christ stayed in Egypt for three years and that later, around the year 42, St Mark the Evangelist also came to evangelise in the Egyptian port city

(Left) A priest blesses the congregation with holy water and (right) a priest baptises a child following Sunday liturgy at the Coptic Orthodox church of the Virgin Mary in the Maadi suburb of Cairo. Christians make up between 1015%of Egypt’s 82,5 million people, who are predominantly Sunni Muslim. (Photo: Dana Smillie/CNS). of Alexandria, before being martyred there. Christianity continued to spread among the locals called “Copts”, a derivative from the Greek word for Egypt, and by the third century, Christianity was the country’s dominant religion.

The “Floating Bible” is seen on a display inside the Coptic Orthodox church of the Virgin Mary in the Maadi suburb of Cairo. The Bible was found floating in the Nile River outside the church on March 12, 1976. Despite being waterlogged, it was open to the page of Isaiah 19:25, a passage that in part reads, “Blessed be Egypt my people”. (Photo: Dana Smillie/CNS)

MICASA TOURS

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By the time the newer religion of Islam arrived in Egypt in the middle of the seventh century, Egyptian Christianity had already provided the Church with some of the world’s major Christian saints and had introduced new forms of monastic life. “The history of the Coptic Church is both glorious and tragic,” wrote Otto FA Meinardus in his authoritative book on Egyptian Christianity, Christians in Egypt. “Glorious,” he wrote “in the number of her illustrious sons, such as Ss Athanasius, Cyril, Anthony, and Pachomius, to mention but a few; and tragic in the vast number of her children, who in the various persecutions suffered martyrdom for their adherence to the Christian faith.” Today, Egypt’s Christians represent the largest Christian minority group of the Middle East and North Africa, and they number anywhere from 10-15% of Egypt’s 82,5 million people, who are predominantly Sunni Muslim. The vast majority of Egypt’s Christians are Coptic Orthodox, but there are other local Christian groups, including Protestants and Catholics from various Eastern Catholic rites. Egypt’s Coptic Catholic Church is the largest of the Catholic rites in the country and accounts for as many as 300 000 faithful. Both Coptic Catholics as well as Coptic Orthodox refer to their re-

spective leaders as “patriarch of Alexandria” and see themselves as the “original” Egyptians because of their ancient ties to the land. “A Copt is an Egyptian par excellence. Add to this the fact that the Coptic Church...is essentially a national church, identified with Egypt,” said Catherine MayeurJaouen, who has written extensively on Egypt, Islam and the Coptic churches.

he Copts’ deep roots in Egypt are reinforced all the more so because until today, they have been as present in the Egyptian countryside as they are in cities, as opposed to other Christians of the Middle East who are mostly urban, said Prof MayeurJaouen, who teaches Middle Eastern History at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilisations in Paris. “We are the original inhabitants on Egyptian soil, because we were here before anyone, and before Islam,” said the priest from the Orthodox church on the Nile, Fr Tadros Youssef. Tension between Egypt’s Copts and Muslims has long been a problem, but recently it has dangerously spiked, first since President Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow by popular revolt in 2011, and even more so since the military’s July 3 ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. Mr Morsi is aligned with the Mus-

lim Brotherhood, whose members the Egyptian military is now pursuing. Violence has surged even further in August, when security forces raided two pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo, which killed hundreds of people, most of them protestors. Church leaders and independent human rights groups have recorded attacks on dozens of churches, schools, buildings, homes and other institutions belonging to Christians. Some non-Christian institutions have also come under attack in the violence, including government and security offices. Egypt’s military and interim government have condemned all the attacks, calling them the “work of terrorists”, and blaming them on the Muslim Brotherhood and other proMorsi groups. Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II and Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak have openly supported the military, which is part of the reason their communities are being attacked, observers note. Coptic Catholic Father Yuhanna Boulas—Arabic for John Paul—said that on the day the pro-Morsi camps were raided in Cairo, his parish in the town of Az-Zarabi in southern Egypt was threatened by an angry mob. “But we have great comprehension with our Muslim neighbours, and they came and said, ‘don’t worry, no one can harm you’, and they came and sat in front of the church, and prevented any harm,” Fr Boulas said. Still, he said many Copts had been trying to leave Egypt in a quest “for more security” abroad, especially since the 2012 election of Mr Morsi. “And we are witnessing church burnings,” Fr Boulas said, surmising that even more Copts would consequently be tempted to emigrate. Back at the church of the Virgin Mary, the Sunday liturgy was full and incense filled the air. Men in robes chanted in ancient Coptic, long since defunct as Egypt’s vernacular but still used for Coptic liturgy. Young families arrived with newborns to baptise. Off in a church annex, Samir Ebrahim, 65, prayed alone in front of a Bible, which was in a framed case on the wall, with an inscription above it. “This Bible was found floating on the water, opened on the page that reads ‘Blessed be Egypt my people’,” Mr Ebrahim told an inquisitive reporter. “I hope Egypt will get better and better,” he said, and resumed praying.—CNS

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The Southern Cross, September 11 to September 17, 2013

HISTORY

Pope in Southern Africa BY GÜNTHER

SIMMERMACHER

OPE John Paul’s visit to the frontline states in September 1988 was dominated by the one country he didn’t want to visit: South Africa. Inevitably, politics cast its ugly shadow over the whole visit—and the pope was acutely aware of the trip’s political nature. On the flight to Zimbabwe, his first stop, the pope told reporters that he could understand why South Africa’s oppressed might favour violence, though he couldn’t justify it. Addressing the bishops of South Africa in Harare, he encouraged the Church to pursue a negotiated settlement “through a dialogue sustained by prayer” as the only peaceful solution. In Gaborone, John Paul offered firm support for apartheid refugees in Botswana, a country he described as a “ray of hope” for Africa. He had similar words for Zimbabwe, eight years into independence. Praising the country’s reconciliation efforts, he said it should serve as a model for the rest of the continent. In time he’d change his mind. Fifteen years later he gave vent to his disillusionment with President Robert Mugabe’s rule in a scathing public dressing-down of Zimbabwe’s ambassador to the Vatican. Politics also dominated the run-up to the pope’s visit to Mozambique, where relations between the ruling Frelimo and the Catholic Church were chilly because the Church insisted that the 13-year-old civil war with the South Africa-backed Renamo should be ended by negotiations. John Paul adopted a conciliatory tone in public, but urged the country’s bishops to work for a negotiated peace. That peace would come in 1992, thanks to a settlement brokered by the Community of Sant’Egidio, a Catholic lay movement. In Swaziland, 20-year-old King Mswati III did all he could

South Africa’s foreign minister Pik Botha escorts Pope John Paul II through Jan Smuts Airport after the papal flight made an emergency stop in Johannesburg during the Holy Father’s visit to Southern Africa in September 1988.

Pope John Paul II’s very strange day A hostage drama, a precarious flight and an unexpected stop in Johannesburg turned September 14, 1988 into one of the strangest days of Pope John Paul II’s long pontificate. GÜNTHER SIMMERMACHER looks back at all the drama 25 years ago this week.

OPE John Paul II visited 129 countries in his 104 international journeys, but surely no day was as bizarre as the one when he was forced to land in Johannesburg en route to Maseru, 25 years ago this week. The pope’s visit to Southern Africa from September 10-19, 1988 was controversial long before it began. It included Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique—but not South Africa. For many South Africans the reason for that omission was obvious: the country was subject to international boycotts in the struggle against apartheid, and a papal visit might have been seen as legitimising the regime and encouraging the boycott busters. Other South Africans took the opposite view: the pope should come on a pastoral visit to his flock in South Africa, and, if he wanted to, take the opportunity to speak out against the injustice of apartheid. The debate was fierce, and in the months preceding the papal trip, the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) sought to calm tempers by ascribing the exclusion of South Africa from the papal itinerary to issues of scheduling. The pope’s purpose in coming to Southern Africa was at the invitation of the Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (Imbisa), to address the region’s bishops at their plenary in Harare, Zimbabwe. The wheels were already in motion for that when in June 1987 John Paul cleared the way for the beatification of Fr Joseph Gérard OMI, the apostle of Lesotho’s Catholic Church. With the beatification, the programme was indeed too full to include a visit to the Church in South Africa which would include the main centres. Far better to do oneday and half-day trips in bordering countries, especially as two, Botswana and Swaziland, were within the territory covered by the SACBC. What the bishops were not saying too loudly, probably to keep the controversy at bay, was that they in fact had not even extended an invitation to the pope. Feelers about a possible papal visit had been put out as early as 1982. As talks went on, the South

African government was asked if it would welcome the pope (it would), but nothing further came of it. Bishop Wilfrid Napier of Kokstad, today the cardinal archbishop of Durban, had actually explained the bishops’ position a year before the papal visit in Inter Nos, the bishops’ newsletter. He noted that it would be “incongruous and unacceptable in the present situation” to have the pope being protected by the same security forces that visited “terrible repression” upon the people. Bishop Napier saw political capital in a papal boycott: “The refusal of the pope to come to South Africa…is a much more devastating blow to PW Botha than if the pope had come to South Africa and denounced apartheid.” The bishops doubtless wanted to spare John Paul embarrassment when they told him in 1987 that a visit would be inadvisable. Reportedly a Vatican official had told Vatican Radio that Pope John Paul was “horrified at the prospect of being escorted and protected by [State President PW] Botha’s brutal police”. For the apartheid regime’s foreign minister, Pik Botha, only the bishops were to blame for the pope’s exclusion of South Africa. His statement on the visit betrayed hurt feelings—but his spirits were soon to be lifted.

aving visited Zimbabwe and Botswana, Pope John Paul, his aides and the pool of journalists covering the visit were departing Gaborone for Maseru in Lesotho in an Air Zimbabwe Boeing 707. Just after take-off, the weather turned bad, and later storms in Maseru knocked out the airport’s navigation beacons and radio signals. The pilot had already opened the aircraft’s flaps in preparation for descent when he decided against landing. The aircraft now had too little fuel to return to Botswana, so the flight was re-routed to Johannesburg —and with that Pik Botha got to meet the pope on South African soil after all. The foreign minister and a big entourage were already at what was then Jan Smuts Airport when the 707 landed. A beaming Mr Botha welcomed a visibly uncomfortable pope, who broke with custom by refraining from kissing the tarmac. The South African government was going to grab the opportunity to demonstrate its organisational mettle in the spotlight of the world’s media. Things swiftly moved into gear to get the pope and his fellow travellers safely to Maseru. A motorcade of 25 cars, led by the pope in a bullet-proof silver BMW, took off from Kempton Park towards Lesotho, escorted by ambulances, helicopters and the security whose notional

protectection had previously horrified the Holy Father. At the border, the pope and his party were placed into the care of Lesotho’s ruler, Major-General Justin Lekhanya, a friend of Pretoria. The caravan rolled safely into Maseru, having missed a major drama, one related to the pope’s visit, by just minutes. The previous day, members of the anti-Lekhanya Lesotho Liberation Army had hijacked a bus packed with pilgrims on their way from Qacha’s Nek to Maseru for the papal Mass, holding the 71 passengers hostage. Their demand was to meet the pope, in the mistaken expectation that he would help topple Lekhanya. The pope was, in fact, not even told about the hostage drama. After a 26-hour stand-off, a gun battle erupted on the pavement outside the British High Commission in Maseru between the rebels and a South African commando, called in by Lesotho’s military council. Eyewitness accounts differed on who shot first. When fire ceased, three hijackers and two hostages, one a girl of 16, were dead. Eleven men and nine women, including two nuns, were hurt and hospitalised. Mahanoe Makhetha, the 29-year-old organiser of the pilgrimage, lost both legs. The papal motorcade had passed the scene only half an hour earlier. When Pope John Paul heard of the tragedy he was dismayed. He asked to be taken to the Elizabeth II hospital, where the survivors were

being treated. At the Mass the next day, the pope expressed his distress at the tragedy. “I have come to Southern Africa as a pilgrim of peace, carrying a message of reconciliation,” he said. “I am saddened to learn that others on their way to join me in this pilgrimage have been the victims of a hijack that caused such anguish and ended in bloodshed.”‘ Pope John Paul eventually made it to South Africa, on a one-day trip

to steal the show. He arrived 15 minutes late for the papal Mass— apparently a sign of respect— with two of his four wives. After the venal king had himself satisfactorily adored by the crowd of 10 000 in Manzini, it was the pope’s turn. He pointedly told the crowd that polygamy was wrong and called for the protection of civil rights for women. Pope John Paul celebrated eight Masses on his trip, delivering 34 talks and homilies, including one to youth in each centre he visited. A recurring theme was the rights and values of the family as the basis of social order. He also made a point of making ecumenical gestures in a region were Catholicism is a minority. In Bulawayo he led an ecumenical prayer service in the city’s Anglican cathedral. The Lesotho leg of the trip was overshadowed by the hostage crisis (see lead article) and by the terrible weather. Less than 10 000 people turned up for the papal Mass at which the pope beatified Fr Joseph Gérard, the Oblate of Mary Immaculate missionary to whom most of the country’s Catholics, 44% of the population, owe their faith. The pope attracted the biggest crowd in Gaborone, near the South African border. Some 50 000 attended the papal Mass in Botswana, including an estimated 10 000 from South Africa. Botswana also saw a delicate situation when security collapsed at the airport as spectators, dancers, journalists and an exuberant group of flag-waving Poles surged around the pope. Mostly, the crowd numbers were disappointing: only a small fraction of the expected hundreds of thousands of pilgrims turned up for the Maseru Mass. Explaining the small crowds, organisers said that the local Africans could ill afford to take time off work to see the pope, and had to contend with inefficient and unsafe transport which many could not afford anyway. in 1995. He never returned for a full visit. And while Pik Botha was a gracious host who at virtually no notice organised safe passage for the Holy Father, the regime didn’t like the Catholic Church any better. Almost a month to the day after the pope set foot on South African soil, on October 12, security agents of the apartheid government bombed Khanya House, the Pretoria headquarters of the SACBC.

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The Southern Cross, September 11 to September 17, 2013

Fr Rodney Boyd OMI

BLATE Father Rodney Leo Boyd died on June 21 at Nazareth House in Durban. He was born on June 25, 1941 and entered the Oblate Mazenod Novitiate in Germiston in 1961 and made his final vows in 1965. He was ordained on June 28, 1968. Fr Boyd was appointed principal of Inchanga High School in 1969, where he worked until 1973. He resumed his studies at university and was appointed assistant priest at St Mary’s in Pietermaritzburg. He served as parish priest of Mooi River from 1980-1990 and became deeply committed to the struggle of

the community in Bruntville a g a i n s t apartheid. From there he served as parish priest at Lamontville, M a t i k w e /Inanda, Inchanga and Chesterville. He served as chaplain of Addington hospital from 2001-10. After his health deteriorated, he retired to Nazareth House. In Fr Boyd’s younger days he loved the outdoors, spending much

Community Calendar

To place your event, call Claire Allen at 021 465 5007 or e-mail c.allen@scross.co.za (publication subject to space) 412 4836 or 021 593 9875 CAPE TOWN: or Br Daniel Manuel on 083 Mimosa Shrine, Bellville 544 3375. (Place of pilgrimage for the Year of Faith) Tel: 076 323 St Paul’s in Somerset West 8043. September 26: are holding a music and 7:30pm Rosary. October flower festival on Septem10: 7:00pm Rosary, .7:30pm ber 29 at 14:00. Proceeds Holy Mass, October 12: go to Archbishop’s building 9:00-10:00am Holy Hour fund. and Benediction, confesJohn Bosco family evening sions available, October will take place on Septem24: 7:30pm Rosary ber 20 at Westridge civic Padre Pio: Holy Hour 15:30 from 18:00-24:00 and will inpm every 3rd Sunday of the clude food stalls, karaoke, month at Holy Redeemer arts & crafts, jumping casparish in Bergvliet. tles, kiddies fun, face paintHelpers of God’s Precious ing, coffee bar and a beauty Infants meet the last Saturpageant day of the month except in DURBAN: December, starting with Couples For Christ invites Mass at 9:30 am at the Saall women to a “all for love” cred Heart church in Somerwomen’s conference 20-22 set Road, Cape Town. Mass September at Holy Family is followed by a vigil and College, Durban, R180 inprocession to Marie Stopes cludes a t-shirt and all abortion clinic in Bree meals, contact the mission Street. For information contact Colette Thomas on 083 office – 031 207 1843.

Word of the Week ACTUAL GRACE: Temporary supernatural intervention by God to enlighten the mind or strengthen the will to perform supernatural actions that lead to heaven. Actual grace is therefore a transient divine assistance to enable man to obtain, retain, or grow in supernatural grace and the life of God.—Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr John Hardon SJ HYPERDULIA—Honour and praise given only to the Blessed Virgin Mary. DULIA—“Veneration” The honour given to saints and angels. LATRIA—“Adoration” The praise and honour due to God (the Holy Trinity) alone.

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time on the trails of the Drakensburg. He also practised yoga and martial arts. Fr Boyd had great compassion for those who lived on the margins of society and he cared deeply for the weak and broken. He lived his life with intensity whether he was working, playing, praying, counselling, listening or relaxing. His funeral was held at Assumption parish in Durban on the 45th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. It was celebrated by Cardinal Wilfrid Napier with Bishop Barry Wood, auxilliary of Durban, Oblate superior general Fr Louis Lougen, provincial Fr Vusumuzi Francis Mazibuko and many priests.

Liturgical Calendar Year C Weekdays Cycle Year 1 Sunday, September 15, 24th Sunday Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14, Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Luke 15:1-32 or 15:1-10 Monday, September 16, St Cornelius 1 Timothy 2:1-8, Psalm 28:2, 7-9, Luke 7:1-10 Tuesday, September 17, Sacred Stigmata of St Francis of Assisi Galatians 6:14-18, Galatians 2:16, 20; Philippians 1:20-21, Luke 9:23-26 Wednesday, September 18, St Joseph of Cupertino 1 Corinthians 12:31; 13:1-10, 13, Psalm 25:15, 8-10, Matthew 11:2530 Thursday, September 19, St Francis Mary of Camporosso 1 Timothy 4:12-16, Psalm 111:7-10, Luke 7:36-50 Friday, September 20, Ss St Francis of Assisi Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and Companions 1 Timothy 6:2-12, Psalm 49:6-10, 17-20, Luke 8:13 Saturday, September 21, St Matthew Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13, Psalm 19:2-5, Matthew 9:9-13 Sunday, September 22, 25th Sunday Amos 8:4-7, Psalm 113:1-2, 4-8, 1 Timothy 2:1-8, Luke 16:1-13

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Southern CrossWord solutions SOLUTIONS TO 567. ACROSS: 1 Repose, 4 Snacks, 9 Grievous fault, 10 Trodden, 11 Uncle, 12 Moral, 14 Stews, 18 Ad hoc, 19 Assured, 21 Inclusiveness, 22 No less, 23 Prison. DOWN: 1 Rights, 2 Philosophical, 3 Saved, 5 No fruit, 6 Church-wardens, 7 Settee, 8 Burns, 13 Accrues, 15 Ration, 16 Basil, 17 Edison, 20 Swear.

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EMERALD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

WULFF—Ron and Cleone (née LintonWalls) married 13 September, 1958, by the late Fr George Clarke OMI at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Krugersdorp. Deo Gratia.

DEATH

FLETCHER—(nèe Honeywill) Phyllis passed away peacefully on August 6th. Phyllis, may the Lord bless you and keep you, may He show his face to you and be kind to you and forever keep you in his peace. Lovingly remembered by her family. LEUKES—Sandra. Our dear colleague suddenly passed away on Wednesday 4th September 2013. She will be fondly remembered by the staff of Catholic Welfare and Development where she rendered 14 years service to the community of Tafelsig. Our heartfelt condolences to the family. MYBURGH—Sr M Valerie (Schoenstatt), passed away September 2nd. Our dearest friend, a true friend of more than 50 years, fondly known as Aunty Val. Precious memories, Love Lorna Hutton and family.

IN MEMORIAM

NORTON—In loving memory of our darling father, John Robert Norton, who died in September 1986, now joined by his greatly beloved wife, Lilian Clara. We shall always love and remember them with immense pride as well as enduring gratitude for the wonderful parents that they were to us. Their loving daughters Lucy and Marianne.

PERSONAL

ABORTION is murder— Silence on this issue is not golden, it’s yellow! Avoid ‘Pro-abortion’ politicians. NOTHING is politically right if it is morally wrong. Abortion is evil. Value life!

PRAYERS

HOLY SPIRIT beloved of my soul, you who solve all problems, who light all roads so that I can attain my goal. You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget all evil against me, and that in all instances of my life you are with me. I want in this short prayer to thank you for all things and confirm

once again that I never want to be separated from you ever, even in spite of material illusion. I wish to be with you in eternal glory. Thank you for your mercy towards me and mine. Say 3 Our Father’s, 3 Hail Mary’s and 3 Glory be’s for three consecutive days. Publication promised without mentioning the favour. Sandy. THE Flying Novena. O Jesus, Who have said: "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you:" through the intercession of Mary, Your most Holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask my prayer be granted. (State your request) O Jesus Who have said: "All that you ask of My Father in My Name He will grant you: " through the intercession of Mary, Your most Holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask Your Father in your Name that my prayer be granted. (Repeat your request) O Jesus, Who have said: "Heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass:" through the intercession of Mary, Your most Holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted. (Repeat your request) This Novena is to be said at the same time every hour for nine consecutive hours, in one day. Roy. PRAYER of Thanksgiving for graces received from the Infant Jesus. I prostrate myself before your holy image, O most gracious Infant Jesus, to offer you my most fervent thanks for the blessings you have bestowed on me. I shall incessantly praise your ineffable mercy and confess that you alone are my God, my helper and my protector. Henceforth my entire confidence shall be placed in you. Everywhere I will proclaim aloud Your Mercy and generosity, so that Your great love and the great deeds which You perform through this miraculous image may be acknowledged by all. May devotion to your holy Infancy extend more and more in the hearts of all Christians, and may all who experience Your assistance persevere with me in showing unceasing gratitude to Your most holy Infancy to which be praise and glory forever. Amen. Roy.

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25th Sunday: September 22 Readings: Amos 8:4-7, Psalm 113: 1-2, 4-8, 1Timothy 2:1-8, Luke 16:1-13

ONEY does funny things to us; without our noticing, it can become an alternative god, one who takes the central place in our lives where only the real God should be. Money is a good servant but a bad master, and we need to keep our eyes on the way in which money can pervert our judgment and throw our lives out of kilter. So the first reading for next Sunday starts, in an alarming vein: “Hear this, you who trample on the poor, and destroy the destitute of the land,” and we notice, more alarming yet, that these are ostensibly religious people, who are saying, “How long till the New Moon passes, and we can sell our corn? And the Sabbath, so that we can open up our wheat?” Not only that, but they are going to “downgrade the ephah and increase the shekel” (a modern equivalent might be speculating in currency fluctuations, to the detriment of the poor), “and adjust our weighing-machine to cheat people”. Not only that, but people have become something to traffic in: “To buy the powerless for cash and the destitute for a pair of trainers.” And they are even ready to “sell the offscourings of the wheat”. But God is on the watch: “By the Pride of Jacob I shall never forget all that they have done.” We shiver in our boots. The psalm is a bit more cheerful, but still

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Don’t put money before God Nicholas King SJ

Sunday Reflections

carries the important message that God prefers the poor. It starts, though, with exuberant encomia: “Praise Yah! Praise, you servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord, let the Lord’s name be blessed from now and forever.” And why? “Because the Lord is high above all the nations, his glory above all the heavens!” Then comes a bit of a surprise, though, for the reason that we are to indulge in all this celebration is that God is friends with the poor: “He raises the poor from the dust, and the destitute from their dunghill.” Not only that, but they are sent to the top of the social ladder: “To sit with princes, with the princes of his people!” If you think that this is inappropriate behaviour on God’s part, then Sunday’s readings are addressed to you. In the second reading, Paul is asking his readers, who were presumably at the bottom

end of the heap, to be generous in offering “supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings for people, for emperors and for all those in power, in order that we may live a serene life in all piety and reverence”. Why? Because “this is good and acceptable in the presence of our Saviour God”. In other words, we are not doing it for money or to gain social status—it is what God wants, and we are invited to remember the generosity of Jesus, “who gave himself as a ransom for all”. Here there is only the one God, and its name is not “Money”. The gospel offers us a quite astonishing parable, the story of the man who sacked his steward. It starts: “There was a rich man” (and in Luke’s gospel that means that there is a strike against you); and we learn that the steward “was slandered to him, on the grounds that he was dissipating his property.” The “slander” presumably means that it is not true, so we are meant to be on the steward’s side; and we notice that there is no proper enquiry into what has gone amiss, but the steward is simply dismissed, with the command “give an account of your stewardship”. Then we eavesdrop on this unfortunate exemployee, who is too old to dig for a living, and too proud to go begging.

Atheists are doing us a favour I

N his monumental study of atheism, Michael Buckley suggests that atheism is invariably a parasite that feeds off bad religion. It feeds off bad religion, picks on bad religion, and picks apart bad religion. If that’s true, then ultimately atheists do us a huge favour. They pick apart bad religion, showing us our blind spots, rationalisations, inconsistencies, double-standards, hypocrisies, moral selectivity, propensity for power, unhealthy fears, and hidden arrogance. Atheism shows us the log in our own eye. On our honest days, we admit that this is a needed challenge. Ideally, of course, we should be sufficiently self-aware and sufficiently self-critical to see all these things for ourselves or, barring that, be attentive enough to our own prophets to stay aware of where we’re falling short. But that’s rarely the case and, as a result, there’s invariably bad religion— and this has always helped spawn negativity towards religion and atheism. And we see this playing out at different levels. Philosophically, of course, its most powerful expression comes from the two most-famous atheists of the 19th century, Ludwig Feuerbach and Friedrich Nietzsche. Their real criticism of religion and of us, its practitioners, is not so much that belief in God is “the opium of the people” and that a focus on the next life helps keep us subjugated in this life, though they do affirm that. Rather their deeper criticism has to do with our religious actions, namely, that we use the idea of God and religion to rationalise our own desires.

Conrad

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Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final Reflection

For Feuerbach and Nietzsche, God did not make us in his image and likeness; but rather we’ve made God in our image and likeness. For them, God is a projection of the mind and we have perennially used that projection to morally justify and bless our own immaturity, our own will, our own fears, and our own rationalisations. As individuals and as churches, in that view, we simply use the idea of God to do whatever we want, and then call it God’s will. We are not, in the end, obedient to any power or a will beyond our own, except that religion makes it seem that we are. In our ordinary church lives, where few, if any, ever read Feuerbach and Nietzsche, we simply meet this criticism in a different language; bad religion still gets picked apart. Inside the culture, we have people like Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins who keep the knives of atheism sharp and operative. More painful for us though is the fact that bad religion gets picked upon and picked apart by many of those who are dear to us, not least our own children. More recently, a lot of that criticism has centred upon the sexual abuse crisis in the

Church; but, everywhere within our culture, religion and our churches are being picked apart because of our inconsistencies, blinds spots, and moral selectivity. Much as this criticism hurts and can seem unfair, at the end of the day, most of it is true. Moreover, our attempts to defend ourselves, our apologias, are often simply further rationalisations and further failures to admit our own shortcoming, giving our critics even more of a corpse to feed off. Defensiveness is not helpful here. Our response to atheism and to other critics who feed off our religious faults must begin with an acknowledgement of where they are correct, even if those criticisms emanate from voices that are unfair and are, themselves, rationalising. For example, an unfair media does not create any of our sins and shortcomings—we do. Our response to atheism and criticism of our faith and religion should be threefold. First, we should be grateful for the challenge. We’ve never been fully faithful and we’re better off openly hearing what’s being thought of us and said of us than not hearing it. Denial is not a friend. Second, we need to acknowledge, without undue defensiveness, what’s true and resist the temptation defend ourselves in ways that simply create more bad religion for our critics to feed upon. When we’re over-defensive before our critics, we not only cast ourselves and our churches in a bad light; worst of all, we cast God in a bad light. Finally, most important, the real response to bad religion is never secularism or atheism, but better religion! We need to be more consistent, both in private conscience and in Church practice. What is better religion? How do we recognise better religion? We recognise true religion in the same way as we recognise true beauty and goodness. They’re self-evident when they appear. Beauty and goodness are received more than discerned. Nobody need tell us what’s beautiful. Beauty is ultimately received. It declares itself. The same is true for good religion. But the reverse is also true. Bad religion also declares itself, and no amount of sincerity will ultimately hide that. Atheism is a parasite that feed off bad religion. So, when, like today, atheism takes on a particularly nasty aggression, perhaps we need to examine more closely what this mirrors inside of religion.

So he comes up with a lively solution: “I know what I’ll do, so that when I’m removed from my stewardship, people will receive me into their homes.” Then we watch as his bright idea works itself out; and I think that we are intended to laugh as he allows each of his master’s debtors to reduce their bills: “How much do you owe my lord?” “A hundred measures of oil” “Take your records, sit down, and quickly write fifty”. “A hundred kors of wheat?” “Take your records and write eighty.” Then we wait for what happens next; and we are startled to hear that “the Lord (or “his master”; the shock is equally great) praised the steward for his lack of equity, because he had acted intelligently. For the children of this age are more intelligent than the children of light with regard to their own generation. It is a thoroughly subversive story, until we hear how Jesus continues: “And I am telling you, make friends for yourselves from the Mammon of inequity.” “Mammon” is simply the Aramaic word for money; and the message is that we need to choose which is going to be our god: the fake, which can never console us, or the real one, the God who belongs at the centre of our lives.

Southern Crossword #567

ACROSS 1. The rest of the deceased (6) 4. Titbits at the parish bazaar (6) 9. Most admit at Mass it’s theirs (8,5) 10. How the grapes were pressed (7) 11. Relative (5) 12. Virtuous in Balmoral Castle (5) 14. One does it in one’s own juice (5) 18. For a special purpose among the Latins (2,3) 19. Made secure (7) 21. A condition that excludes no one, since sun veils indicate (13) 22. Not inferior, moreover (2,4) 23. St Paul wrote from here (6)

DOWN 1. They could be civil (6) 2. Calmly rational, like Socrates? (13) 3. Rescued economically (5) 5. Why Jesus cursed the tree (Mt 21) (2,5) 6. Parish officers (6-7) 7. A long seat (6) 8. Poet who got singed? (5) 13. Chartered accountant mixes cures and accumulates (7) 15. Limited portion (6) 16. Saint in the garden (5) 17. Thomas is found on side (6) 20. Testify rudely? (5)

Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for catechism. As she ran she prayed: “Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late! Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late!” While she was running and praying, she tripped and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running again! As she ran she once again began to pray: “Dear Lord, please don’t let me be late...But please don’t shove me either!” Send us your favourite Catholic joke, preferably clean and brief, to The Southern Cross, Church Chuckle, PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000.