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September 18 to September 24, 2013

Future pope’s underground saved lives

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Daswa cause now on the faster track

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Sisters celebrate 150 years in SA BY SYDNEY DUVAL

HE Cabra Dominicans, with pupils and friends, relived their 150 years of service and ministry in South Africa with a spirited and moving celebration of drama, dance and music at Cape Town City Hall . The celebration recalled the Cabra’s long journey on the road going back in time to the arrival of Mother Dympna Kinsella OP and her pioneers from Ireland. They had disembarked from the mail steamer Saxon in Cape Town in September 1863, bringing with them the Dominican call to preach the good news of Jesus Christ—a good news of compassion, forgiveness and joy. The pupils took to the stage to dramatise, with musical backing from fellow Dominican learners, their “own unique interpretation of the richness, risks, gifts, struggles, pain, laughter and diversity of the following 150 years”. Guiding them was a masterful script that integrated action and narration in telling the story of growth, development and diversity— of the sisters founding many mission schools and working where they were greatly needed. Between 1920 and 1940 the sisters were establishing mission schools among the black communities at a time when the politics of the country was becoming increasingly oppressive. The dramatisation reached a compelling point in the Cabra journey—apartheid and its implementation of draconian laws to enforce segregation in society and in the schools. The sisters organised their resistance to the system that was against conscience, justice, faith and the Gospel. “We don’t teach black children or white

Learners from Dominican schools recreate the story of the Cabra Dominican Sisters at a celebration in Cape Town’s packed City Hall. The Cabra Dominicans celebrated the 150th anniversary in South Africa of their pioneer sisters from Ireland. (Photo: Sydney Duval) children or coloured children. We teach children,” the sisters proclaimed. What followed in the 1970s was momentous for education in South Africa, the years when the classroom became a site of struggle against apartheid. The Dominicans led the way in opening

their schools to all races. The sisters and those cooperating with them had shown what can be achieved when people stand up and speak with one voice. The gathering, which was sold out, was attended by Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town, president of the Southern African

Catholic Bishops’ Conference, and retired Archbishop Lawrence Henry. The programme ended with two short addresses. Stephen Meehan, deputy of Springfield Junior School, spoke of the celebration as a tremendous experience of Dominican spirit. Sr Francis Krige OP, region prioress, shared these thoughts on the value of the celebration: “Life is certainly a journey and we are all pilgrims on that journey. It is not just aimless wandering. It is a journey with a purpose, and that purpose is to preach God’s word. “We have just experienced in music, dance and drama the journey of the Cabra Dominican Sisters in South Africa. Their story showed the intrepid courage of those women at various times on their journey to preach and honour God. It was a deep faith and trust in God’s love for them and their compassion for others that kept them on God’s path,” she said. “May we never forget the impetus for pilgrimage: ‘Passion for Christ and Compassion for Humanity’. As we reflect on our own life’s journey, may we find ourselves transformed in compassion and love for other people, for the earth itself, and for God,” Sr Krige said. She thanked the learners for “such an excellent job in helping us to relive and reflect on the 150 years of the Dominican Sisters’ journey”, and the teachers who helped to put the scenes together “so wonderfully and took time to rehearse them”. She had special thanks for those who coordinated and supported the production. Sr Krige closed with this message: “Thank you to all here present and may you carry Dominic’s torch of Truth and Love with you to wherever your journey may lead you.”

Sodality backs Radio Veritas by giving R10 per member STAFF REPORTER

O cover operating costs, Radio Veritas is short of more than R100 000 every month, so to try and help meet that shortfall, the station asked the more than 5 000-strong Sodality of the Sacred Heart to make a contribution of R5 per member. The members disagreed with that figure, said station director Fr Emil Blaser OP, and decided that the contribution should be R10. Representatives of the Sodality of the Sacred Heart presented Fr Blaser with a cheque for R50 000 at Radio Veritas’ studios in Edenvale, Johannesburg. “Furthermore, they decided that a contribution of at least R50 000 be contributed each year to this worthy cause,” said Fr Blaser. “God bless them for their generosity. They shine like a bright star in the night.” The Dominican priest said that Radio Veritas raises funds on the principle that “if

everyone gave just a little, there would be no problem”. He acknowledged that the principle is often seen as unworkable, “but the Sacred Heart sodality has shown that it can be done”, and Johannesburg financed its new archdiocesan chancery through many micro donations. Fr Blaser pointed out that the St Anne Sodality has on two occasions contributed up to R20 000 to Radio Veritas. “The Knights of da Gama have supported us magnificently while at the same time building several homes for the aged. The Lenten Appeal and the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference have come to our assistance as has the Italian Bishops’ Conference, without whom we would not have a transmitter,” Fr Blaser said. “Without these and our monthly donors, there would be no Catholic radio in South

Africa. All these donors have helped, but we have still not reached break-even point,” he said. At present there are almost 800 donors giving R100 a month. Fr Blaser said Radio Veritas is aiming to raise that number to 2 000 donors. “Radio Veritas is our Catholic radio station. We can do better and shine like a jewel in our South African Church, if each gave just a little. With more than 4 million Catholics in the country we can make a difference.” In presenting its contribution to Radio Veritas, the Sodality of the Sacred Heart challenged every sodality, diocese, parish, school or Catholic institution to equal or better their donation. n Radio Veritas’ account details are: Bank: Nedbank, Cresta Branch (Code 191305), Account: Radio Veritas 1913296067. Give your name or phone number as a reference

Fr Emil Blaser (left) receives a contribution of R50 000 from representatives of the Sodality of the Sacred Heart at the Radio Veritas studios in Johannesburg. The sodality challenged other Catholic bodies to match their support for South African Church’s only radio station.

SOUTHERN CROSS HOLY LAND YOUTH PILGRIMAGE 5 - 14 July 2014 Led by Fr SAMMY MABUSELA (SA national youth chaplain) Accompanied by Claire Mathieson of The Southern Cross

A TIME OF FAITH, FELLOWSHIP, FRIENDSHIP AND FUN!

For itinerary or to book contact Gail at 076 352 3809 info@fowlertours.co.za www.fowlertours.co.za

The Southern Cross, September 18 to September 24, 2013

LOCAL

New Polokwane bishop: togetherness BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

HE diocese of Polokwane officially welcomed its new shepherd in September as Bishop Jeremiah Masela was ordained at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium. The new bishop is homegrown, having previously worked in the diocese as vicar-general under Bishop Mogale Paul Nkhumishe, who resigned in 2011 due to ill health and died on June 29, 2012. At that time, the vicar-general was appointed apostolic administrator. Many of the country’s bishops travelled to the diocese to attend the ordination which was conferred by Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg, with Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria and Bishop João Rodrigues of Tzaneen as co-consecrators. In his address, the new bishop

promised to be welcoming to strangers, an attribute he hopes to see across the diocese where Catholics welcome others and all the gifts they bring. He said this would be a sign of hope for refugees, even future refugees, to know there are reliable brothers and sisters in times of need. The ordination serves the purpose of not only introducing the new bishop to the diocese but also provides the other bishops from around the country a time to meet. “It has become a kind of tradition though it is not an official one,” said Bishop José Luís Ponce de Léon of Ingwavuma. “The day before a bishop is ordained, those bishops who arrive the evening before join the bishopelect for evening prayer.” The bishop said the distance many have to travel to the ordina-

tion means it is not possible to do the trip in just one day, so it is not uncommon to have a group of bishops gather in the diocese the day before the ordination. Bishop Ponce de Léon said Bishops Michael Wüstenberg of Aliwal North and Barry Wood, auxiliary bishop of Durban were the first to arrive in Polokwane. “We spend a few hours with bishop-elect Jeremiah sharing his feelings as the time of the celebration was getting closer.” By 17:00, the group had grown to include Bishops Xolelo Teddy Kumalo of Eshowe, Stanislaw Dziuba of Umzimkulu, Valentine Seane of Gabarone and the recently installed bishop of Kokstad, Zolile Mpambane, who was ordained in August. Bishop Ponce de Léon said the bishops are able to bond and pray together. “We prayed together Ves-

Bishop Jeremiah Masela speaks to the crowd at his ordination in Polokwane. pers and entrusted the bishop-elect to the one who called him.” It seemed appropriate that the welcoming theme the bishops gave the new bishop would continue in

his ordination speech. At the end Bishop Kumalo blessed the ring, mitre pectoral cross and pastoral staff of the new bishop of the diocese.

North West Acts looks to roots The Grade 6 and 7 catechism class of St John the Apostle parish in Florida, Johannesburg archdiocese, united in response to Pope Francis’ plea for a day of fasting and prayer for Syria. They each lit a candle and said a prayer for Syria and world peace, closing in a group prayer.

BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

HE North West branch of the Association of Catholic Tertiary Students (Acts) has held its own provincial conference for the first time—a very proud moment for the region. National media and publicity officer Sphe Phungula said the event will be remembered in years to come. The conference also took place as the association is celebrating 20 years of existence. The event was hosted by the Potchefstroom branch at St Michael’s church. Mr Phungula said the conference was packed full of events and included a range of speakers talking on a variety of topics including a youth representative

from Education for Life—the country’s official youth programme—as well as a presentation by Fr Donaat Bohé OMI who was Klerksdorp’s vicar-general under Bishop Zithulele Patrick Mvemve, who resigned in April this year. “Activities and games were planned in between the sessions where everyone got to socialise; this was aimed at building and strengthening a community of friends in Jesus Christ as Acts advocates,” Mr Phungula told The Southern Cross. A new council was elected at the conference comprising Felicity Bopape of Potchefstroom as chair, Amogelang Bohloa of Mafikeng as secretary, Buwang Mokwena as treasurer and Ntsoaki Kotela as projects officer.

“After the elections the new PEC was then prayed for and blessed by Fr Donaat. The day went on with a social braai until bedtime. On the last day of the camp it was breakfast and closing Mass at St Michael’s with the congregation.” Newly elected chair Ms Bopape said the new committee has envisaged the 2013/2014 term of office under the theme “Going back to our roots”. “Many people mistake Acts with other forms of entertainment. As North West we are going to focus more on sharing the word of God, helping each other and worshipping, instead of just looking forward to the social part of the conference and singing for fun.”

LOCAL

The Southern Cross, September 18 to September 24, 2013

Cause for SA’s first saint fast-tracked BY CLAIRE MATHIESON

ESPITE a queue of thousands of causes for sainthood, the cause of the servant of God Benedict Daswa is moving quickly forward—even Pope Francis has been made aware of the cause, something which is “incredibly encouraging”. Retired Bishop Hugh Slattery of Tzaneen and Fr Andre Bohas MSC travelled to Rome in July where they presented the pope with a DVD on the life of Benedict and a novena prayer booklet. Bishop Slattery handed the documents over after concelebrating Mass with the Holy Father in the chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae. Promoter for the cause Sr Claudette Hiosan said while the cause is one among thousands, it is being “viewed very positively in Rome and is being fast-tracked”. There are currently more than 2 200 causes being investigated by the Congregration for the Causes of Saints. Most of these have not yet reached examination by the theologian consultors. “The decree by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on the validity of the diocesan inquiry on Benedict Daswa was issued on November 5, 2010 and the copies of the actual Positio book for examination by the theologian consultors was handed in on April 3 this year,” she said. It is expected the South African cause will be examined in October 2014. Sr Hiosan said this was an “unusually short wait for a cause such as ours”. Unlike the globally recognised public figures of the Catholic Church such as Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II, for whom public calls of subito santo were made with the backing of all the important Vatican officials, Benedict Daswa was unknown by most of

On July 4 retired Bishop Hugh Slattery and Fr Andre Bohas celebrated Mass with Pope Francis at Domus Sanctae Marthae in the Vatican. Afterwards they greeted the pope and gave him a copy of the novena and DVD on Benedict Daswa whose cause of martyrdom will be examined by the theologian consultors of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in October next year. the world and was killed in a relatively obscure, poor village in the north of Limpopo province. Sr Hiosan said it was very encouraging that such a relatively “obscure cause has caught the attention of the prefect of the congregation and that even Pope Francis is now aware of it!” She said the Tzaneen diocese hoped to make known the story of Benedict–potentially South Africa’s first saint. “Furthermore we need more people of goodwill to pray for the success of the cause by seeking the special intercession of this servant of God. We are hoping that the novena for the cause will be prayed by more and more groups in all the dioceses of the SACBC region.” The promoter added that president of the bishops’ conference, Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town, who will travel to Rome as part of the SACBC bishops’ ad limina visit, will speak to Pope Francis about the importance of this cause and the people of South Africa.

Currently in the diocese of Tzaneen, private devotion to the servant of God continues to grow and contributions from the faithful to help the cause progress continue to come in, but more funding is very much needed for the development of a pilgrimagecentre and special shrine. Sr Hiosan said the cause for the martyred teacher from Tzaneen was very strong. “He is indeed a martyr and prophetic figure of faith for Africa. I believe this is the reason why his cause has reached this critical stage and can now spread in a concerted prayer campaign throughout the SACBC region. God does not only choose the well-known or famous people for sainthood but usually chooses the lowly and unknown of this world to reveal God’s glory.” n For more information contact 015 307 5244 or bendaswa@mweb.co.za. Any donations can be made to: Diocese of Tzaneen, Benedict Daswa Cause, account 330911538, Standard Bank, branch 052749.

HOLY SITES TRAVEL

Holy Land Pilgrimage

Emmaus Encounter

with Reverend Fr Victor Ngwenya June 2014 Contact Elna, Tel: 082 975 0034 E-mail: elna@holysites.co.za

Holy Rosary High School in Edenvale, Johannesburg, raised almost R1,06 million with its Debutantes Ball for their Grade 10 girls, held at Birchwood Hotel. The 2013 Debs Queen, Andrea Arnold, raised R156 577. The funds were raised through market days, selling school magazine adverts, private and group functions, and selling raffle tickets. One third of the funds raised will go towards various charities, including the Holy Rosary Sisters, CHOC, Love of Christ, St Anne’s Old Age Home, Holy Rosary’s outreach programme, and Little Eden. The remainder of the funds will go to upgrading the high school’s consumer studies kitchen, and towards the Bishop Shanahan Hall and Conference Centre which will be officially opened at the end of October. FOR THE RECORD: In our issue of September 11 we reported on a private initiative by Godfrey Epnaar of Johannesburg to help restore a derelict chapel at Klawer on the West Coast. Bishop Edward Risi of Keimoes-Upington has informed us that the chapel is not a property of the Catholic Church, as the report implied. In order to protect the chapel from the Group Areas Act, the diocese of Keimoes-Upington had assumed ownership of the chapel until it could be returned to the community after apartheid ended. Bishop Risi pointed out that Klawer “has a perfectly well functioning church, hall and other amenities”. We apologise for any confusion our report might have created.

PO BOX 379 8000 Cape Town Tel: 021 +465 5904 Fax 021 +461 0785 custserv.cbs@mweb.co.za

ON HEAVEN AND EARTH: Pope Francis on Faith, Family and the Church in the 21st Century Jorge Mario Bergoglio & Abraham Skorka An open and expansive dialogue between Cardinal Bergoglio and Rabbi Skorka, in which they share their thoughts on religion, reason and the challenges the world faces in this century. For years they were promoters of interreligious dialogues on faith and reason. They both sought to build bridges between Catholicism, Judaism and the world at large. This book is a series of these dialogues where both talk about various theological and world issues including God, fundamentalism, religious leaders, the disciples, prayer, guilt, the elderly, death, politics and power, capitalism and communism, atheism, abortion, euthanasia, and globalisation 2013 hc 236pp Special Price:R180.00 MY BROTHER, THE POPE Georg Ratzinger Georg writes about the close friendship that has united these two brothers for more than 80 years. The book is a unique window on an extraordinary family that lived through the difficult period of National Socialism in Germany and the admirable character and inspiring example of the parents throughout their lives. Msgr Georg Ratzinger’s reminiscences are detailed, intimate, and warm. And while they begin with the earliest years of the Ratzinger family, they continue right up to the present 2011 hc 270pp R247.00

‘We believe that each person is special in God’s plan and has a mission nobody else can fulﬁll.’

THE POPE AND I: How the lifelong friendship between a Polish Jew and Pope John Paul II advanced the cause of JewishChristian relations Jerzy Kluger with Gianfranco Di Simone. Jerzy Kluger tells the story of his lifelong friendship with Karol Wojtyla. His story begins with their friendship in grade school in Poland, then describes Kluger’s extraordinary survival of the war (while much of his family perished), followed by his astonishing reunion with then-Archbishop Wojtyla in Rome during the early days of the Second Vatican Council. After his friend’s election as pope, their relationship unfolded against the background of extraordinary advances in Jewish-Christian relations. Including the first papal visit to the synagogue of Rome, pilgrimages to Jerusalem and Auschwitz, and the Vatican recognition of Israel. A fascinating personal tale, told with much charm 2012 hc 250pp R240.00

THE GOOD POPE: JOHN XXII & VATICAN II: The Making of a saint and the Remaking of the Church Greg Tobin On November 23, 1958 Cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, son of peasant Italian farmers, became Pope John XXIII. He surprised the world by convoking an ambitious ecumenical council - the first such council in more than a century. Tobin recounts a remarkable story, from impoverished childhood in Bergamo, successful tenure as a papal ambassador in war-torn Europe to the surprise ascendancy to the throne of St Peter. In the process he traces John XXIII’s legacy as the spiritual father of the modern Church 2012 hc 267pp R290.00

The Southern Cross, September 18 to September 24, 2013

INTERNATIONAL

Pope’s letter to atheists W BY FRANCIS X ROCCA

RITING in one of Italy’s major secular newspapers, Pope Francis called for a “sincere and rigorous dialogue” between the Church and non-believers as an “intimate and indispensable expression” of Christian love. The pope’s words appeared in a 2 600-word letter published in the Rome daily La Repubblica, in reply to recent articles by Eugenio Scalfari, a co-founder and former editor-inchief of the newspaper. An “open and unprejudiced dialogue” between Christians and those of no religious faith is “rightful and precious” today for at least two reasons, Pope Francis wrote. Such a dialogue could “open doors for a serious and fertile encounter” between secular culture and Christian culture, which have lost the ability to communicate due largely to modern views of faith as the “darkness of superstition op-

posed to the light of reason”. In fact, the pope wrote, the impulse towards communication springs out of the very nature of Christian faith. “Since it is born of love,” he wrote, quoting his encyclical Lumen Fidei, “faith is not intransigent, but grows in respectful coexistence with others [...] Far from making us inflexible, the security of faith sets us on a journey; it enables witness and dialogue with all.” This loving quality of faith offers a path of dialogue with sceptics, despite modern ideas of truth as “relative and subjective”. “I would not speak, not even for a believer, of ‘absolute’ truth, in the sense of absolute as disconnected, lacking any relationship,” the pope wrote. “Truth, according to Christian faith, is the love of God for us in Jesus Christ. Therefore truth is a relationship. “This does not mean that truth is

variable and subjective—on the contrary,” he wrote. “But it means that truth is given to us always and only as a path and a life.” Discussing whether the Church condemns those who lack and do not seek religious faith, the pope replied that the “mercy of God is unlimited if directed to someone with a sincere and contrite heart”. “The question for someone who does not believe in God lies in obeying one’s own conscience,” he wrote. “Sin exists, even for one who does not have faith, when one goes against conscience. To listen to and obey it means, in fact, to choose between what one perceives as good or as bad. And on this choice is staked the good or evil of our action.” It is extremely rare for a pope to contribute to a secular newspaper. In December 2012, Britain’s Financial Times published an article on the meaning of Christmas by Pope Benedict XVI.—CNS

A priest blesses a barrel of beer as members of the Belgian Knighthood of the Brewers’ Mash staff take part in celebrations at the cathedral in Brussels. The celebration takes place during the annual September beer weekend. (Photo: François Lenoir, Reuters/CNS)

Why Cardinal Bertone quit early Future pope saved suspected dissidents BY ANDREA GAGLIARDUCCI

UTGOING Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone chose to step down in advance of his anticipated replacement date after going undefended against accusations of corruption, according to an official in the state secretariat. The announcement of his retirement was expected no earlier than mid-September or even after the October 1-3 meeting of the commission of eight cardinals Pope Francis has called on for counsel. But on August 15, Pope Francis, Cardinal Bertone and the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, had a discussion while dining at the same table. Cardinal Bertone brought up that no one defended him months earlier against accusations of corruption made against him by Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, one of the newly-appointed members of the commission to oversee the Vatican administration. The 30-year-old public relations professional tweeted the line

“Bertone is corrupt” on her Twitter account. Ms Chaoqui’s Twitter account was closed as soon as the news of her tweets, which were full of accusations against the Vatican establishment led by Cardinal Bertone, became public. “The Chaouqui storm will pass,” Pope Francis is reported to have said. No one from inside the Vatican or from the Catholic media spoke up in defence of Cardinal Bertone. So, during the August 15 lunch, the cardinal let it be known that he had taken note of this silence, and notified the pope of his wishes to leave as soon as possible. Pope Francis’ decision to announce the confirmation of all other Secretariat of State’s top officials at the same time as the appointment of the new secretary of state was “a slap in Bertone’s face”, the source said. He says that “the confirmation of Bertone’s deputy, his minister and vice minister for foreign affairs and his assessor” can be misinterpreted, because “in this way Bertone appears to be the only bad one in the state secretariat.”—CNA

BY CAROL GLATz

HILE a military-backed dictatorship in Argentina was conducting a clandestine war on suspected dissidents, then-Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the future pope, masterminded a secret strategy to save those being targeted, according to a new book. Titled Bergoglio’s List: Those Saved by Pope Francis; Stories Never Told, also includes the transcript of the then-cardinal’s testimony during a nearly four-hour court interrogation in 2010. A panel of judges was investigating suspected human rights violations committed during the 1976-83 dictatorship. The future pope was head of the Jesuit province in the country from 1973-79, the height of the clandestine war, which saw as many as 30 000 Argentines kidnapped, tortured, murdered or disappeared. The book, currently only in Italian, is to be released October 1. According to the various testimonies gathered in the volume,

The future Pope Francis is pictured cooking. As Fr Jorge Bergoglio he ran a clandestine network in the 1970s to help opponents of Argentina’s military regime (Photo courtesy of Maria Elena Bergoglio) the future pope made sure no one knew who was part of a clandestine network that sheltered or shuttled to safety dissidents,

unionists, priests, students, intellectuals, Catholics and others. By never letting anyone know he was part of a larger, coordinated effort, Fr Bergoglio could keep “the risk minimal and let information circulate as little as possible”. In the book, Argentine Jesuit Father Juan Manuel Scannone said the future pope never let on to anyone what he was doing, and no one even realised what they had been part of until years later. Priests and seminarians thought the frequent visitors they hosted were on spiritual retreat or getting help with their studies as Fr Bergoglio had suggested, he said. Instead they were priests, seminarians or students “who had ended up in the crosshairs of the dictatorship” and, in the provincial college or other residences, could find safety from being kidnapped by police. “It took us years to realise the complete truth about Fr Jorge’s rescue efforts,” said the priest, who is the director of the institute of philosophy at the Jesuit university and seminary in San Miguel.—CNS

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ATHOLIC clergy in England and Wales say more people are going to confession, and many credit both Pope Francis’ election and Benedict XVI’s 2010 papal visit for inspiring the trend. “This summer there has been a marked difference in demand compared to last summer...We don’t usually offer confessions in August but have done this year,” one priest said in response to a telephone survey conducted by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales’ Home Mission Desk.

The informal survey of 22 Catholic cathedrals in England and Wales sought reports from cathedral deans, priests-in-residence or designated staff members. One respondent said there is “definitely” an increase in lapsed Catholics seeking to return to religious practice. Another credited a “papal bounce” and the “great sense of hope and enthusiasm” prompted by Francis’ election. About 65% of respondents to the survey said confessions had increased either because of the

impact of Pope Benedict’s September 2010 visit or the election of Pope Francis, or both. Another 35% reported no increase, but said the number of confessions was steady. Respondents also credited other factors in the increase in confession, such as priests speaking and preaching more about confession, self-examination among the penitents, and changing the time confession was offered. The survey found increased attendance at some weekday and Sunday Masses.—CNA

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INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, September 18 to September 24, 2013

Pope took 1984 model car given to him by a priest for a spin A N Italian pastor donated a used Renault 4 with 300 000km on the clock to Pope Francis—and the pope promptly took it for a spin. Fr Renzo Zocca, 69, of Pescantina in Verona wrote to the Holy Father offering to donate his car. Fr Zocca said he wrote to the pope with the request to meet him, donate his car, and tell him about his ministry: living and working for 25 years in a run-down, workingclass neighbourhood in Verona. The priest has had to face off violent drug pushers who were destroying young people’s lives and leaving the priest death threats. Not even getting stabbed would stop the priest, who said, “I wanted to embody the [Second Vatican] Council in that parish in the outskirts, which has been the centre of my life.” Then on August 10 at 10:19am Fr Zocca got a call on his cellphone from the pope. They spent half an hour talking about the priest’s work “in the peripheries”, as the pope has repeatedly called today’s priests to go. Fr Zocca reiterated his offer of

the car, saying that he had this Renault in the garage. The pope was unsure, the priest said, and suggested the priest give it to the poor. “I answered that this car had already given much to the poor and now it had to go to the pope.” The priest said he wanted to give the pope something that was a testimony to his experience and ministry of going into the outskirts—“and what better gift than my Renault 4?” When Pope Francis was sure Fr Zocca had another car to use he pulled out his appointment book, leafed through the pages and started listing the days and times he would be free. The car, a 1984 model, was delivered to the pope at Domus Sanctae Marthae residence, where he lives. Fr Zocca told the pope that he felt bad that half of his group was stuck outside the gates because of security concerns, so the pope told him: “Let’s go!” They hopped into the car with the priest behind the wheel and the

pope in the passenger side while the mechanic and the priest’s assistant got in the back. “I didn’t have to explain anything to the pope [about the car] because he told me that he had also used a Renault 4 in Argentina and that it had never left him stranded,” Fr Zocca said. During the brief encounter with the group from Verona, a young man gave Pope Francis a T-shirt. Fr Zocca explained that “normally we sell the shirts for five euros to raise money for parish activities, but we gave it to him for free”. However, the pope said he would pay for it. “He took out his wallet and gave us ten euros and asked for change. Luckily I had five euros in my pocket. Incredible,” Fr Zocca said. Before saying goodbye, the pope told Fr Zocca: “‘Write to me again.’ Then I gave him the keys and he got behind the wheel,” the priest said. “I watched him drive off in that car as if it were the most normal thing in the world,” he said.— CNS/CNA

Pope Francis walks to accept a gift of a 1984 Renault at the Vatican. The silver-white four-door vehicle with 300 000km on the clock was donated by a priest from Verona. Meeting with the priest’s parishioners, the pope paid for a T-shirt, asking for his change. (Photo: L’Osservatore Romano via Catholic Press Photo/CNS)

Vatican plans for peace BY CAROL GLATz

HE Vatican’s new secretary of state plans to put the Church’s vast global diplomatic network into high gear as champions for peace. Archbishop Pietro Parolin (pictured) said Pope Francis has already injected a new impetus into the Vatican’s Secretariat of State structure and given a new push for Church-led diplomacy. The archbishop, who is currently the papal nuncio to Venezuela, will start his new role on October 15. In an interview with the Venezuelan Catholic newspaper Diario Catolico Archbishop Parolin said: “The pope’s initiatives have given the secretary of state an impetus and have also created a new diplomatic momentum.” When asked if he would be spearheading a new diplomatic offensive for peace, he noted that it was a complicated question but said: “Yes, I hope that we can recoup” that drive. “We have this great advantage in respect to other churches, to other religions: We can count on an international institutional presence through diplomacy.” Archbishop Parolin said the Vatican has to take advantage of its vast network of papal nuncios around the world and all the contacts it has with international organisations. He emphasised that the Vatican’s efforts are not always publi-

cised, but often happen quietly behind the scenes. “I wouldn’t like a diplomacy that is on the front pages, but a diplomacy that is more effective.” The archbishop said the whole reason for the existence of the Vatican’s diplomatic organisation “is the quest for peace”. Archbishop Parolin, who has nearly 30 years’ diplomatic experience, said today’s geopolitical landscape has gone from a world in which nations were clearly aligned into a few cohesive “blocs” to a world of widely divergent powers, some of which have no real national identity. Instead of an era of greater unity and cohesiveness after the fall of the Berlin Wall, “the whole problem of terrorism was unleashed”, he said. Now the new “wall to knock down is understanding how to bring all these different powers to an agreement and work together

for the wellbeing of everyone,” he said, where differences are turned into a source of collaboration, not division. He said the role of the Vatican’s secretary of state is to be a focal point of objectivity and universal values in a sea of relativistic self-interests. “If there is no objective truth in which we all recognise ourselves it will be much more difficult to find things in common,” he said. “This common ground is the dignity of the human person in all his dimensions,” including the transcendent, the spiritual, social and political, and that all people are created in the likeness and image of God. Nowhere is this more important right now than in the Middle East, he said in an interview with his hometown Catholic newspaper, La Voce dei Berici. “The stability of the world is at stake, [as well as] the present and future coexistence of various religions and major ethnic groups,” he said. “Either we head towards a world where we will know how to integrate our differences and turn them into an opportunity for growth or we will head toward total war.” “It’s not true that the world belongs to the violent; the world is, for the most part, built by good people, and we need to give them a voice” so that dialogue, peace and harmony can reign, he said.—CNS

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The Southern Cross, September 18 to September 24, 2013

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

To be alone with God

UR need and duty to pray to God, and our endeavours to do his will faithfully, have had many expressions in the history of the Church. Indeed, it began when the earliest Christians met to praise our Lord and to break bread together. In time, certain patterns of prayer were established conventionally, such as liturgical worship, acts of penance, pilgrimages, particular devotions to the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart, the Rosary, to the saints and many more. All of these have one focus: to experience intimacy with Jesus Christ who is the source and fulfilment of our lives, and to cleanse our souls of their unworthiness in the divine presence. The great monastic movements of the early centuries witnessed the saintliness of intensely prayerful men and women such as Benedict of Nursia, Bernard of Clairvaux, John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila and their followers. Then came the movements led by Ignatius of Loyola and Francis de Sales, all of which had a strong impact on the spiritual lives of everyday men and women. Today, spiritual retreats, centering prayer, Bible study groups, pilgrimages and so on provide us with the opportunity to deepen our consciousness and love of the ever-present God. Pope Benedict repeatedly urged us to encounter God in silence. Retreats in particular create ways of silence which, if we allow it, for most of us are impossible to attain in our daily lives. Even our attempts at relaxing are often disturbed by cellphones, social media, television and so on—or by our concern about what we might be missing when we do not answer the cellphone, check our Facebook or switch on the TV. We might also be disturbed by worries about work, family or bills. Amid the din of modern life, many of us find it difficult to hear God. It is good to get away from these distractions, if we can, to refuel the spiritual tank by making space and time for God. Being alone with God, a time to talk to him and listen to him, can bring us great inner peace and drive us to greater holiness. And personal holiness attracts others. Indeed, successive popes

have called on Catholics to be public models of holiness, addressing especially the youth. This is underpinned by our prayer life. Even Christian critics of our faith may find little amiss in the great example of prayer given by modern saints such as Padre Pio and Mother Teresa. Over many centuries, the Church has amassed an immense volume of literature on prayer and its necessity. But ignorance of this spiritual treasury prompts people to find novel ways to meet their need to express the longing of their souls for God, such as in the New Age movement, in curiosity about the customary rituals of the East, and the assortment of Evangelical and Pentecostal churches. Today this newspaper publishes some practical ways to rediscover the richness of prayer-life in the Church through retreats—private, guided, silent, even on-line—and spiritual direction. Obtaining the “power tools” of spirituality may require investments, in time and funds, that are beyond the reach of many Catholics. However, parish missions (when they are available), parish prayer groups and involvement in devotional or prayer movements require no investment other than time. The act of praying has no price-tag and its rewards are immense. Traditionally, growth in prayer has been called growth towards perfection, and it has three stages, known as the purgative way for beginners, the illuminative way for the devout, and the unitive way for those well advanced in contemplation. Those on the purgative way strive to rid themselves of the obstacles to perfection by training the mind and will to struggle against sin and temptation. Those on the illuminative way train their mind and will in persistent prayer and the practice of the virtues. The unitive way is the path of the contemplative who lives in habitual and trusting union with God. Not all may reach the heights of perfection, but none should fail in our Christian call to take the first proactive step along the path, and leave the rest to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

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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.

Youth need gospel framework HE youth need to understand what is right and what is wrong, beT that faith is powerful, it is not an tween good and evil. Everything abstraction, our faith rests in a per- goes. There are no objective criteria. son—the person of Jesus Christ. It is not wishful thinking but a conviction that with God all things are possible; it is not contrary to reason, it is the means by which our human reason is elevated so that we can know how the world is. Where do people, you and me, fit into this complicated web? Young people are crucial in our society. They are social actors of change and they are, as the saying goes, not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today. It is important to strive towards the involvement of young people as active citizens. Youth today are not all that different from youth in the past, besides having wants associated with the current fads, such as cellphones, laptops, tablets and so on. They also feel the impact of moral relativism. “How I feel” has become the major criterion in deciding what is right and wrong. Pleasure is frequently considered an absolute value. There is no distinction between

Goretti patron of rape victims

HE request from the bishops to hold up St Maria Goretti as a cynosure for chastity, which Günther Simmermacher in his review of the book God: Love, Life and Sex (August 28) describes as “archaic” and as sending an “appalling, even if unintended, message that a rape victim has somehow failed in her call to chastity by being subjected to sexual assault”. It is not archaic and gives no abominable message to the sexually abused. The Church’s practice of venerating saints and angels is an inherent part of our doctrine and an evergreen source of inspiration. An alternative to the reviewer’s view is that Pope Pius XII courageously highlighted the horror of the use of sexual violence against the vulnerable. In canonising Maria Goretti in 1950 he gave a practical example of the devastation that this form of attack causes to both victims and their families. He highlighted an assault in which the victim not only bore the violence and lost her life but went to God after praying for the conversion of the perpetrator who later repented. At three in the afternoon on the feast of the Precious Blood of Jesus—July 6, 1902—the illiterate Maria Goretti, 11, died in Nettuno, Italy, from wounds incurred while defending herself against an attack

Many young people lack a frame of reference to give direction to their lives. In this way, young people today constitute the most difficult mission facing the Church. Among today’s youth, the Gospel message must be presented as an answer to all dimensions of young people’s lives. Many young people have difficulty being alone, and so coming into contact with the deeper self. This is a serious problem. A healthy solitude is the beginning of a process of taking control of one’s own life and building a personality that allows one to escape from dependence on the opinions of the peer group. This is something that those who work with youth need to pay attention to, so that young people may have a personal faith in Jesus Christ and discover their Christian vocation in life. Having youth groups in parishes, I believe, can help the youth to grow into responsible individuals by Alessandro Serenelli, 19, a family lodger. Leaving her mother to look after his cart in the field, he had run over to their house and dragged Maria inside, away from her little sister Teresa. He repeated the immoral demand she had denied before when he had threatened to kill her if she told her mother or his father. Maria told him no, it was a sin, forbidden by God and punishable by hellfire. Her assailant stabbed her 14 times with a shoemaker’s awl, purchased for the purpose. Before her death, Maria told a priest that she forgave Alessandro and wished him to join her in heaven. In our suffering country where people cry out for moral leadership, our bishops have no need to apologise for choosing the doctrinally sound Catholic way of praying to a martyred saint to intercede for us against the evils of sexual attack and abuse. Rather than deride their initiative, let us applaud and support their initiative in this and every other aspect of their just fight. 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

I have compiled a 16-page fictionalised version of Maria Goretti’s story. For a copy, please send an envelope to PO Box 1872, Kroonstad 9500. Luky Whittle, Kroonstad

Abortion prayer

BORTION is, in the eyes of Almighty God, the murder of unborn infants, and murder is the most extreme violence that human beings can perpetrate on each other. We are presently praying for peace in Syria. Peace is, however, a divine gift, which by its very nature cannot survive anywhere in the world, side by side with any other immoral form of violence, especially that of worldwide murder by abortion. If peace is to survive in the modern world, it must embrace every aspect of daily life, including the daily life of unborn infants. If our prayers for peace in Syria are sincere, and heeded by Almighty God, they must include our prayers for the end of all abortions. Prayers by us for “qualified” peace, or only for peace in Syria, while the worldwide murder of unborn infants is ignored by us, are probably prayers which Almighty God cannot heed—as by virtue of his infinites goodness, he cannot cooperate or come to terms with the forces of evil. Any form of world violence generates more violence and, as Mother Teresa said, “there cannot be peace in the world while there is violence in the womb”. Damian McLeish, Johannesburg

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and meet their own personal needs as well as those of others. Sometimes young people lack compassion due to difficulties they find at home or among their friends. They find it difficult to focus on anything else. But if they are treated with kindness, they will return the kindness shown to them. It is said that “if a person is in his twenties and not an idealist, he has no heart. If he is in his fifties and is still an idealist, he has no head”. Young people are full of vibrant ideas. When properly motivated and sufficiently guided, they can be agents of change. By giving them the opportunities to plan, to decide and to work we can prepare them to face the realities of life, including the harsher ones. Youth is like a fire, it creeps forward. A spark at first, growing into a flame, and then brightening into a blaze. Our life should be a sign which directs others to follow; we should have attitudes of the good vines which bear fruit (John 15:1ff). We must be able to use our ideas well and implement them into the realities of our lives and be examples for the coming generation. Br Patrick Mrosso, Dundee

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PERSPECTIVES

The Southern Cross, September 18 to September 24, 2013

Xhosa chaplain led troops to a dignified death

HE following lines from Joseph Addison’s play Cato, A Tragedy are among my favourite: “’Tis not to mortals to command success; But we’ll do more, Sempronius, we’ll deserve it.” I find these lines from the play a fitting introduction to the remarkable Xhosa life in the 19th century of the Rev Isaac William Wauchope. Rev Wauchope was the eldest son of Dyobha, known as William Wauchope. His grandfather was Citashe, a member of Cethe people of the Chizama clan. In terms of royal allegiance he was a Ngqika from Maqoma’s royal tribe yamaJingqi. Born in 1852, below the Vuba mountains at a place today known as Qhagqiwa, Tinarha, or Uitenhage, he was one of the core of early Xhosa intellectuals. It sounds strange today that some of these Xhosa men would be known by English surnames. They were born in a missionary era when, as SK E Mqhayi reminds us, it was believed “a Xhosa name could not sanctify an individual before God”. Most of them were named after their missionary patrons or in accordance with their wishes, hence Wauchope. Rev Wauchope was of very light complexion because his great grandmother had married one of her Khoi attendants. It is a common thing to find Xhosas with Khoi blood since the two nations intermarried all the time. As a teacher at a school in Uitenhage he taught the likes of Charlotte Manyhi, later to become Mrs Maxeke and a founding member of what became the African National Congress Women’s League. He went back to Lovedale to train in ministry and married Naniwe. Living with their children he became the right-hand man of Dr Steward, aka Somgxada, the founding father of Lovedale. He also supported the editor of the Imvo zaba Ntsundu newspaper, J T Jabavu, much to the chagrin of Nzululwazi, the editor of Ilizwi, which had a conspicuous Christian bent as opposed to the more secular Imvo. Rev Wauchope was active in education, local and national politics, especially organising against the social segregation of black people. He was firmly opinionated and intolerant of the messy ambiguity of colonialists preachers who, though regarding Xhosas as brothers in Christ, acted as if Xhosa preachers were younger siblings. Wauchope was also instrumental in the fight for the establishment—against massed opposition from both black and white communities—of a college for black people, which eventually would become known as Fort Hare. The group from Ilizwi favoured the foundation of bursaries for black people to study abroad instead.

was relaxing, with shipboard amusements, songs, gift-giving, prayer groups, and so on. On February 20, 1917, the Mendi set sail from England to cross the English Channel to France. Everyone thought they had passed all enemy threats when at 5am on a pitch-black night—ship lights were not effective in the sea fog—the Mendi was rammed by the massive SS Darro, near the Isle of Wight. Both ships could not see the other and the Mendi was “pierced on the side” (note Mqhayi’s use of Christian religious imagery). Most on board awoke befuddled without knowing which direction to head for safety. The fast-travelling SS Darro survived the accident but all hopes of saving the fastsinking Mendi soon vanished. There were also too few life boats on board to rescue everyone. The frantic thrashing of drowning people, most of whom could not swim, disappearing on the cold black sea, we are told, was a horrific sight to see. More than 600 black South African volunteers drowned. The crew of the Darro did not help—the captain was later suspended for a year—though the captain of the destroyer HMS Brisk, which had accompanied the Mendi, tried his best in difficult conditions.

n the midst of that confusion one man rose to the occasion. That was Rev Wauchope. As a chaplain he had the opportunity to board the first life boats and save his life, but he refused, choosing to wait for the last rescue that never came. On board of the sinking vessel he appealed to the leaderless soldiers, urging them to keep calm. When he realised their case was lost he urged them to lock arms and die like real heroes. “Be quiet and calm, my countrymen. What is happening now is what you came to do...you are going to die, but that is

Mphuthumi Ntabeni

Pushing the Boundaries

what you came to do,” he proclaimed. “Brothers, we are drilling the death drill. I, a Xhosa, say you are my brothers—Swazis, Pondos, Basotho—so let us die like brothers. We are the sons of Africa. Raise your war-cries, brothers, for though they made us leave our assegais in the kraal, our voices are left with our bodies.” Hard-edged and lyrical, courageous and incandescent with faith, yearning for the green fields of home and feverish with dreams of the new transcendent life, they held fast to each on the sinking vessel. When they were about to be delivered to their death, Rev Wauchope, with knitted brow and eyes lifted up in prayer, burst into a song composed by Tiyo Soga: “Lizalis’ idinga lakho” (Fulfil your promise God, host of truth). The song, since the tragedy of Nognqawuse, which it was composed for, became more of a black people’s anthem, sung almost in all gatherings, including political ones, before “Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika”. Lizalis’ idinga lakho (Fulfil your promise), Thixo, Nkosi yenyaniso (God, host of Truth). Zonk’ intlanga, zonk’ izizwe (All the nations, all the countries), Mazizuze usindiso (Let them receive salvation).

hen a need arose for South African volunteers to fight in France in World War I, Wauchope enlisted for the South African Labour Corps as army chaplain. After spending a lot of time in Cape Town, helping the white government with interpreting and training of the new recruits, he was eventually allowed to cross to Europe with a contingent of about 800 men on the SS Mendi. It is reported that the voyage to England

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Point of Faith

Prisoners of hope

EN years ago I was placed under house arrest for illicit diamond buying and in July 2006 was sentenced to an eight-year jail sentence. I lost everything, including my family, and my world collapsed. I started my jail sentence in July 2010, two months after the 2010 Men’s Weekend in the Cape. After serving only two and half years at Pollsmoor I was set free, by the same judge who sentenced me—not even on parole, I was completely free. I believed that God was going to perform a miracle. I surrounded myself with a new circle of friends. These friends I met through my parish, through an Alpha course and through cellgroups, as well as on the Men’s Weekend. I also must give credit to my sisters and parents. But, most of all, the glory goes to God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, for everything in him is possible. During this very tough time, the friends I made at the Catholic Men’s Weekend prayed and encouraged me to stay strong and to maintain my faith. Their constant prayer, dedication and faithfulness was seen by God, and he answered their prayers. These men are just normal people. They chose a life with Christ and fellow believers, learnt to respect one another and to understand that we all need life challenges to grow closer to God. If you are a man, ask yourself the following questions: Am I being challenged in my work and home environment? Are things around me falling apart? Do I have the urge or the hunger to grow? Am I crying out and feel that God is not listening to me? Do I need to increase my faith? If you have answered “yes” to any of the abovementioned questions, then the solution may well be in a Catholic men’s ministry, such as the Catholic Men’s Weekend which has done so much for me. They are an opportunity to meet men who have conquered difficult circumstances, men whose faith has grown and who maintain that faith. The weekends provide Catholic men with the tools to become better persons and to awaken the greatness of God in them, the God of I AM. God told St Paul: “My grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). This is an example of the men God wants us to be—to know the fullness of his love and grace. During my incarceration of two and half years, God spoke to me through his Holy Word and I have become a prisoner of hope for him. He said to me: “As for you also, because of the Blood of My Covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope, today I declare that I will restore to you double” (Zechariah 9:11-12). This promise is for us all who might be a “prisoner” of our circumstances. But we can be set free by becoming Prisoners of Hope.

n A Men’s Weekend will be held at Bergkroon in Wellington from November 15-17 at the cost of R400, which includes accommodation and all meals. Contact Wayne de Villiers on 079 940 1853 or e-mail info@catholicmen.co.za The ill-fated SS Mendi, on which more than 600 African soldiers lost their lives in one of the worst maritime disasters in the English Channel in the early morning hours of February 21, 1917. As the ship went down, the chaplain, Rev William Dyobha Wauchope (inset), led the doomed troops in prayer and gave them the courage to die with dignity.

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The Southern Cross, September 18 to September 24, 2013

RETREATS

A basic guide to retreats

We all know retreats are good for you. We all know one should go on retreat. But do we really know everything there is to know about retreats? CLAIRE MATHIESON learns the basics. Where did the idea come from? Retreats as we know them today were popularised by the Society of Jesus whose founder, St Ignatius of Loyola, began directing others in spiritual exercises in the 1520s. He was a layman at the time. The exercises were intended to help people live closer to God in their daily lives. St Ignatius Loyola was made the patron saint of spiritual retreats by Pope Pius XI in 1922. While the Ignatian spiritual exercises remain a popular choice for retreats, there are many other retreat formats available, offered by many different religious communities.

Are retreats biblical? The concept of taking time out from one’s daily life is found in the Bible. Before he began his public ministry, Jesus spent 40 days in the desert praying and fasting as a way to prepare for the important work ahead. Those were days of retreat. Other examples in the Bible where retreats were encouraged include Jesus inviting his disciples to “come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mk 6:31).

Do I really need to leave home? Our lives and our homes are surrounded by distractions. Even if you were able to guarantee time alone at home, ringing phones, buzzing computers and knocks on the door could interfere with your intentions. Should you be able to switch everything off, distractions in the form of unpaid bills, untidied rooms or even that DIY you’ve been needing to get to could interrupt your time with God.

A retreat centre removes these distractions. Usually, one is surrounded by nature or beautiful gardens— bringing one closer to God’s work. Retreat centres are quiet, simple and comfortable to allow you a seamless conversation with God. They can also provide spiritual guidance should you become stuck. Retreats are not only a means to get away from one’s busy life—filled with distractions and noise—but they are also a time to engage in conversation with God and to grow one’s friendship in Christ. Friendship takes time and is strengthened by conversation. An annual retreat is a way to make time exclusively with God, where one can reconnect in an environment conducive to spiritual opportunity.

Who goes on retreats? The Church encourages retreats and your parish priest might organise or make you aware of periodic retreats or missions. These can take the form of a women’s weekend, an altar server’s retreat, a men’s society retreat, and also annual retreats for priests and religious. Retreats are also organised by the dioceses for married couples.

How long does a retreat last? A retreat can last anything from two days to 40 days, but even a few minutes a day can be beneficial (see Page 10).

Are all retreats directed? Not all retreats are directed. Should you wish to embark on a retreat by yourself, there is no rule stopping you. Some retreats are large and book out entire centres, another retreat might be an individual visiting a monastery for a few days. But for many, guidance is helpful. Going on retreat for the first time could seem overwhelming or even boring. A spiritual director will be able to guide you through silence, the Eucharist, confession, spiritual readings and prayers.

What happens after the retreat? A retreat is also an opportunity to make resolutions. The time spent contemplating, praying and think-

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In her article, Claire Mathieson explains how a retreat is a way to make time exclusively for God and to renew spirituality. (Photo: Pete Sheehan/CNS) ing should assist you in making resolutions to improve in prayer, service and sacrifice. Once you’ve returned home, try enact these resolutions. If you fail, try again. With God’s grace, you will make progress.

Types of retreats A weekend retreat is the most common form of retreat. Typically, you would arrive on the Friday evening and stay until Sunday afternoon. The retreat centre will have housing available for all of the retreat participants to stay in if the retreat is more than a day long. A silent retreat is exactly what it suggests: no talking, even when seated for dinner. Silent retreats can be preached or directed but they always leave time for prayer and conversation with God. The silent retreat aims to provide space for participants to hear nothing but God. These retreats can last anything from a weekend, to a week or even 30 days. They are recommended for people becoming overwhelmed by daily life as they are an opportunity to relax, be calm, and find God again. In South Africa, retreats for just men or just women are becoming popular. These retreats are recommended for busy parents to get away for rejuvenation

and prayer without the pressure of family and married life. Similarly, the retreats are good for those that are single and who would benefit from sororal or fraternal time with others of the same faith. Family retreats are another option. These are for families to get away from work and social pressures in order to spend some time together in a quiet environment. As family time is increasingly rare and life increasingly noisy, retreats are a great option for families wanting to grow closer to each other and God.

How to make a good retreat While not all retreats are silent, silence is still key to all retreats. Time alone without noise fosters an opportunity to listen to the Holy Spirit

and to get to know Jesus while getting to know yourself. Being silent means the possibility of giving all your attention to God. Attend Mass and receive Communion. This might seem obvious but spending extra time in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament during the retreat can enhance one’s experience. Confess your sins, reflect on your life and examine your conscience in confession. A retreat will give you the opportunity to make a deeper examination of conscience. Here you will be able to take your time and make a deep confession; not worried about rushing and concerned about the time. Read the Bible slowly and in silence. Spend some time with Our Lady. During your retreat, take time to pray the rosary daily and meditate deeply upon each mystery. As you reflect on the example of the Blessed Mother, you will draw closer to Our Lord.

How to prepare for a retreat Retreats are not necessarily easy— certainly at first, shutting out your concerns, busy schedule and desire to check your e-mail can be difficult. Leave your cellphone at home. Worrying about your house or animals can be distractions—prepare yourself for this by not leaving everything to the last minute to give yourself some degree of peace. Pray for wisdom and insight as you are on your way to the retreat. Pray the rosary the week leading up to the retreat to help you ease into the dedicated time of prayer. Bring yourself to God with love and openness and trust that he will give you all you need in the retreat. Regardless of what you hear or don’t hear, experience or don’t experience, keep your eyes on him.

CHRIST THE NEW MAN PASTORAL CENTRE

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THIS IS THE HQ OF THE CAPE CHARISMATIC RENEWAL

The Southern Cross, September 18 to September 24, 2013

RETREATS

Time out with a tutor for your soul Spiritual direction forms part of a good retreat. Some Catholics get great benefit from interacting with a spiritual director on an ongoing basis. MARGARET BLACKIE, herself a spiritual director, explains what to expect and to look out for.

PIRITUAL direction is one of the hidden ministries of the Church. It has been around since the time of the Desert Fathers and Mothers. But it is only in the last 20-30 years that this ministry has become both more widely known and more widely accessible. Spiritual direction usually takes place as a private conversation between two people—the spiritual director and the directee. In their 2012 book The Practice of Spiritual Direction, William Barry and William Connolly describe it as the “help given by one believer to another that helps the latter to pay attention to God’s personal communication to him or her, to respond to this personally communicating God, to grow in intimacy with this God, and to live out the consequences of the relationship”. The focus of the conversation then is paying attention to God’s personal communication. This includes the directee’s prayer life, but it is quite likely that aspects of life experience will also be discussed. The focus on prayer life is fairly obvious—our prayer is the place where we first learn to focus on God

and God’s communication. It is important to know that the conversation is confidential. The spiritual directors are expected to keep the contents of the conversation to themselves. It is usually better to have a spiritual director you don’t intersect with too much in other spheres of life. The principal gift and skill the spiritual director brings to the conversation is discernment—the capacity to distinguish between those things which lead one towards God and those things which lead one away from God. The purpose of spiritual direction is to aid the directee in their own discernment. This occurs not by telling the directee where God is, but rather by helping the person to notice the difference between those experiences which deepen relationship with God, or give access to a more authentic self, and those experiences which diminish relationship with God or the authentic self. What makes a good spiritual director? Spiritual directors are not advisors or mentors. Rather their purpose is to help you discover for yourself where God is trying to communicate with you and what God might be trying to communicate. Their skill is asking the right kinds of questions and encouraging you to put words to your experience. Most good spiritual directors will have had some life experience. They will have been through experiences which have made them question their faith; they may have had some experience of loss; they should be fairly mature in their spirituality. Spiritual direction provides a wonderful space in which one can

Catholics on a retreat speak with their spiritual director. The role of a spiritual director can be short-term, as on a retreat, or ongoing, as a “spiritual equivalent of having a personal tutor”, as Margaret Blackie writes in her article. grow spiritually. There are several aspects which are useful in this respect.

irstly, you normally meet a spiritual director about once a month. Knowing that you are going to have a conversation with your spiritual director makes you accountable for your own spiritual practice and helps to cement a prayer routine. Secondly, trying to put words on some of the thoughts and feelings you have around aspects of faith can help to crystallise what you actually think. In terms of an experience of God, sometimes in describing the experience to a spiritual director you discover new facets of the experience. Thirdly, opening your experiences and your thoughts up to the scrutiny of the spiritual director can be deeply affirming of things you

haven’t quite dared to own. Fourthly, as your spiritual journey deepens, it is inevitable you will find yourself facing parts of yourself that are not altogether pleasant. Being able to bring these aspects of yourself “into the light” in the safety of the confidential spiritual direction conversation can help with dealing with them in a healthy way. Finally, as previously mentioned, spiritual direction helps hone the gift of discernment. In talking things through you can separate the things which truly are good, from those which look good but are actually not life-giving. I believe spiritual direction is one of the most effective ways to develop and deepen your relationship with God. It is the spiritual equivalent of having a personal tutor. Seeing a spiritual director doesn’t substitute for attending Mass or par-

ticipating in the community. Spiritual directors aren’t your main source of information about faith. Rather they provide the space to discuss areas where you are making progress or where you are struggling. I have had a spiritual director most of my adult life and I know that I would not be who I am today without that help along the way. So how does one find a spiritual director? There are centres which provide this service. All directors who are recommended by these centres have been trained, are required to participate in some kind of on-going formation, and are under supervision. In Johannesburg one might contact the Jesuit Institute, and in Cape Town the Centre for Christian Spirituality. Beyond this, some clergy and religious offer spiritual direction, but I would always ask if the person has been trained in spiritual direction and if they are under supervision. If the answer is no to either of these questions, I would steer clear. How do you know that this spiritual director is a good fit? Most directors will suggest a “trial period” of three sessions. You are looking for someone with whom you feel safe both physically and emotionally; someone who is humble (avoid the “guru” types) and has a sense of humour—there is a difference between taking life seriously and being sombre. You have to find the right fit for you—it’s your journey—don’t worry about offending the director. Ideally you want someone with confidence in God, but sufficiently aware of their own limitations.

Glenmore Conference Centre The ideal venue for accommodation, conferences and retreats Tel: 031 2056271 Fax: 031 2054877 www.glenmorecentre.co.za

Set in a quiet, restful atmosphere overlooking the Bay and 10 minutes’ drive from the Beach & City centre, Glenmore Conference Centre is the place for Accommodation, Conferences & Retreats and is open to all denominations. Quality Accommodation is available, up to 100 guests sharing. All rooms are fully furnished & come with a cleaning service. Bedding is provided. Bathrooms are communal. The Centre also has fully equipped Conference Facilities: The HURLEY Conference Room seats up to 120 people. The NAPIER Conference Room seats up to 80 people. The NXUMALO Conference Room seats up to 30 people. The BARRY WOOD Conference Room seats up to 40 people The centre has Wi-Fi Hotspots * POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 17048 CONGELLA 4013

STREET ADDRESS: 10 Donlene Crescent (off Queen Mary Avenue)

The Southern Cross, September 18 to September 24, 2013

RETREATS

Retreats you can do at home

While there is certainly no substitute for the real thing, if you can’t get away on retreat, CLAIRE MATHIESON finds the next best thing.

RETREAT means to withdraw from one’s typical daily patterns to a place where we can be more receptive to God’s voice. The Church encourages retreats—a time to get away from it all and get closer to God and become more connected to our faith. While half the idea is to disconnect ourselves from our busy lives and physically get away, it’s not always possible. But this doesn’t mean you can’t find some solace and quiet in your life. If you can’t get away from your computer, go on retreat on your computer. Since some people have online access both at home and at work, finding a few minutes to do something spiritual while online should not be too much of a challenge— but could be hugely beneficial. Typically, an online retreat offers suggestions for prayer throughout the week. The user is guided in short exercises often including scripture and a guiding question to contemplate. Loyola Press offers Internet users a three-minute retreat (www.loyolapress.com/about-3minuteretreats.htm). The idea is that even just a couple of minutes of spiritual time can result in many hours of

peace. 3-Minute Retreats invites you to take a short prayer break right at your computer. The website takes into consideration that not everybody prays at the same pace and while the site is built around the exercise taking just three minutes, you are in control if you need more time. These virtual retreats can also be experienced on your cellphone or tablet thanks to apps. This would appeal to those who commute using public transport. Users can be guided in prayers and scripture while on the bus or train to work. A simple search in your mobile app store will bring back multiple apps that one can use for guidance at home. An online retreat can also be seen as an introduction to retreats. If you’re not sure what to expect or unsure if retreats are for you, taking an online retreat means not having to leave your home. Once you are familiar with the idea of a retreat and have seen the benefits, you would be more confident in taking a physical retreat. An online retreat is not a substitute for the real thing, but when you can’t escape the city, escape momentarily your situation through an online retreat. The brains behind the online retreats acknowledge the importance of experiencing a relationship with God coming alive in the midst of everyday life. As our lives are increasingly digital, so too can some of our spiritual exercises. These can offer a sense of freedom and peace too often out of reach in the modern world.

Online retreats which can be followed on your computer or mobile device are popular with those who cannot attend traditional retreats. RCspirituality.org (inset) provides a list of retreats for different needs. (Photo:Lisa Johnston, St Louis Review/CNS) Another benefit of an online retreat is that you can begin any time of the day, any day of the week. While beginning with the start of the liturgical year or a season such as Lent or Advent is recommended, there is nothing stopping you from starting immediately.

nother retreat-like activity one can do at home is to pray for others on retreat. The likes of Catholic Engaged Encounter has married couples praying for each engaged couple on the weekend retreat. In addition, the retreat is di-

vided into hours, during which individuals, religious or prayer groups will pray a specific hour. This means that not only are those on retreat working to move closer to God, but those at home are also involved in helping the couples grow in their faith. Praymorenovenas.com invites members of the public to commit to praying the novenas sent to their email inboxes. The website sends out more than 56 600 e-mails to remind Catholics not only to pray a novena but also to get the global online community involved in praying to-

gether. Pope Francis’ call to pray and fast for peace was encouraged through the website. Praymorenovenas.com gives one a sense of community and combined spiritual effort. “This community prays for each other. If you join, we will all be praying for you and with you,” the website states. RCspirituality.org provides online spiritual retreat guides in various formats. These can be watched, listened to, or read. The website produces a new retreat guide each month which can be used by individuals, families or even as part of a small Christian community. OnlineRetreats.org is a website run by cloistered Benedictine nuns who decided to take their years of physical retreats online to help people get in touch with God “wherever they are”. “A virtual retreat is no substitute for spending a few days away in a monastic atmosphere, concentrating wholly on God; but our online retreats are meant for people who, for one reason or another, can’t do that. Making a retreat online still makes demands on the individual. We can provide the material, but it is you, and the Holy Spirit, who must make the retreat.” The website also includes a live chat facility, allowing users to get direct guidance from the nuns. Our busy, digital lives are no longer an excuse to not spend time with God. He can be easily found on our computers. And once you’ve met him online, hopefully, you’ll look forward to meeting him on a physical retreat.

Regina Pacis Retreat Centre

Nestled on the foot of a stunning mountain at Marseilles, not far from Ladybrand, the beauty and tranquillity surrounding the Centre are memorable. The Regina Pacis Centre can oﬀer accommodation for about 65 people in eight generous bungalows and two special houses, a lecture hall and a chapel are also available. The rates at the Centre are very reasonable. Regina Pacis Centre

P. O. Box 1106, 9745 Ladybrand/Freestate, Cell: 078 198 8564 Fax: 051 924 2278, Email: reginapaciscentre@gmail.com

PO Box 11095, Mariannhill 3624

FOR: • DIRECTED RETREATS • PREACHED RETREATS • CHURCH-RELATED CONFERENCES • CHRISTIAN WORKSHOPS • DAYS OF RECOLLECTION [mostly en-suite accommodation]

Personally guided retreats may be arranged at any time throughout the year to suit individual need. Reception: Fr Urs Fischer Fax

031 700 2155 031 700 2890 031 700 2738

For Bookings:

Cellphones: 083 9633848 083 5441504 082 7307180

Email: monretreat@saol.com

Fr urs Fischer Bro Crispin Mrs N Qupa

P.O. Box 3613, Freemanville 2573 086 653 9407

Our bishops’ anniversaries This week we congratulate: September 24: Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town on his 57th birthday

Southern CrossWord solutions SOLUTIONS TO 568. ACROSS: 4 Abjured, 8 One man, 9 Subsidy, 10 Anvils, 11 Errand, 12 Iscariot, 18 Onesimus, 20 Belial, 21 Tinkle, 22 Sabbath, 23 Glance, 24 Oratory. DOWN: 1 Cohabit, 2 Service, 3 Jailer, 5 Brunette, 6 Unsure, 7 Ending, 13 Idolater, 14 Smoking, 15 Essenes, 16 Repair, 17 Gibbet, 19 Skills.

Word of the Week

HACELDAMA: Field of blood. The name given to the Potter’s field purchased with the 30 pieces of silver that Judas received for betraying Christ. It was used as a burial place for strangers (Matthew 27:310). —Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr John Hardon SJ

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) day of the month except in CAPE TOWN: December, starting with Mimosa Shrine, Bellville Mass at 9:30 am at the Sa(Place of pilgrimage for the cred Heart church in SomerYear of Faith) Tel: 076 323 set Road, Cape Town. Mass 8043. September 26: is followed by a vigil and 7:30pm Rosary. October procession to Marie Stopes 10: 7:00pm Rosary, .7:30pm abortion clinic in Bree Holy Mass, October 12: Street. For information con9:00-10:00am Holy Hour tact Colette Thomas on 083 and Benediction, confes412 4836 or 021 593 9875 sions available, October or Br Daniel Manuel on 083 24: 7:30pm Rosary 544 3375. Padre Pio: Holy Hour 15:30 pm every 3rd Sunday of the month at Holy Redeemer parish in Bergvliet. Helpers of God’s Precious Infants meet the last Satur-

St Paul’s in Somerset West are holding a music and flower festival on September 29 at 14:00. Proceeds go to Archbishop’s building fund.

The Southern Cross, September 18 to September 24, 2013

Liturgical Calendar Year C Weekdays Cycle Year 1 Sunday, September 22, 25th Sunday Amos 8:4-7, Psalm 113:1-2, 4-8, 1 Timothy 2:1-8, Luke 16:1-13 Monday, September 23, St Pio of Pietrelcina Galatians 2:19-20, Psalm 16:1-2, 5-8, 11, Matthew 16:24-27 Tuesday, September 24 Ezra 6:7-8, 12, 14-20, Psalm 122:1-5, Luke 8:19-21 Wednesday, September 25 Ezra 9:5-9, Tobit 13:2-4, 7-8, Luke 9:1-6 Thursday, September 26 Haggai 1:1-8, Psalm 149:1-6, 9, Luke 9:7-9 Friday, September 27, St Vincent de Paul Haggai 2:1-9, Psalm 43:14, Luke 9:18-22 Saturday, September 28, Memorial of the BVM St Vincent de Paul Zechariah 2:5-9, 14-15, Jeremiah 31:10-13, Luke 9:43-45 Sunday, September 29, 26th Sunday Amos 6:1, 4-7, Psalm 146:7-10, 1 Timothy 6:1116, Luke 16:19-31

New banking rules

Subscribers, advertisers and other clients based in Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) countries are advised that The Southern Cross can no longer accept cheques and drafts from those countries, even if they are made out in rands, in according to new banking rules. This affects also residents of the Common Monetary Area: Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland. The changes came into effect as of July 22, according to the Payments Association of South Africa (PASA). Payments can be made by Internet transfers or by electronic transfers made by banks on behalf of their clients. For more information contact Ms Davids at admin@scross.co.za or 021 465 5007

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

IN MEMORIAM

DEEB—Alexander Joseph (Joe). To my darling husband, our father, grandfather and greatgrandfather; it has been two years since you left us and the pain doesn’t get any easier. We miss you terribly. You are in our hearts and prayers and are forever loved and remembered. You will never be forgotten. Love from your wife Thelma, your children Emily, Carol, Glenn and Anthony, your daughters-in-law, son-in-law, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. LETORD—In loving memory of Edna Madeline, who passed away eleven years ago on September 19, 2002. Will always be remembered and loved by her family Helen, Stephen, Matthew, Thérèse and Kieran, Janet, Dean, Michael and Kyle, Anne, Basil, Sarah, Warren and Jessica and her sister Joan Swanson. May her soul rest in peace.

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

NEW FOR 2014 13 to 26 Sep

PILGRIMAGE OF PEACE

Visiting the Vatican City, Rome, San Giovanni Rotondo (Tomb of Padre Pio), Loreto, and Medjugorje

Organisers Marlene Cillieris and Nomsa Malindisa. Accompanied by a Spiritual Director Cost from R24 300 Tel: (031) 266 7702 Fax: (031) 266 8982 Email: judyeichhorst@telkomsa.net

THE HOLY LAND TREK An itinerary of the great holy sites of the Holy land and Jordan by Günther Simmermacher.

R150 (plus R 15 p&p in SA) from books@scross.co.za or www.holylandtrek.com or call 021 465-5007

‘Simmermacher has captured the essence of the pilgrim’s Holy Land.’ – Pat McCarthy, NZ Catholic

‘Simmermacher marshalls a mass of material, presenting it simply and vividly. – Paddy Kearney, The Southern Cross

‘An interesting and funny look into the places of the Bible.’ – goodreads.com

SPECIAL: Buy The Holy Land Trek AND Owen Williams’ Any Given Sunday for only R215 and GET DELIVERY FREE (SA only)

To advertise in this section please contact Elizabeth Hutton on 021 465 5007or email advertising @scross.co.za

HAVE mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy

Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. Psalm 511 MY most loving Father,

You have promised, “I am the God who heals you” (Exodus 15:26) I place in your loving care my sick body, worried mind, my emotional wounds and sinful nature. I believe that only You have the power to heal me completely. Loving Father, I trust in Your love for me, Help me to love You more. Help me to increase my faith in You. I surrender to you (here mention your illness or emotional hurt) Cleanse me with the precious blood of Jesus, purify me and set me free from anger, resentment, hatred, unresolved hurts and greed. Help me to remember that the power of the Holy Trinity dwells within me and all power to forgive and overcome sin is in me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and Your peace. Amen. Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, please protect us. ALMIGHTY eternal God, source of all compassion,

the promise of your mercy and saving help fills our hearts with hope. Hear the cries of the people of Syria; bring healing to those suffering from the violence, and comfort to those mourning the dead. Empower and encourage Syria’s neighbours in their care and welcome for refugees. Convert the hearts of those who have taken up arms, and strengthen the resolve of those committed to peace. O God of hope and Father of mercy, your Holy Spirit inspires us to look beyond

Tony Wyllie & Co. Catholic Funeral Home

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ourselves and our own needs. Inspire leaders to choose peace over violence and to seek reconciliation with enemies. Inspire the Church around the world with compassion for the people of Syria, and fill us with hope for a future of peace built on justice for all. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace and Light of the World, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. Prayer courtesy of the USCCB.

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

LONDON, Protea House: Single R350, twin R560 per/night. Self-catering, busses and underground nearby. Phone Peter 021 851 5200. BALLITO: Up-market penthouse on beach, self-catering, 084 790 6562. CAPE TOWN: Fully equipped self-catering, 2 bedroom apartment with parking, in Strandfontein R400 or R480 (low/high season) (4 persons p/night) Paul 021 393 2503, 083 553 9856, vivilla@telkom.sa.net FISH HOEK: Self-catering accommodation, sleeps 4. Secure parking. Tel: 021 785 1247. KNYSNA: Self-catering accommodation for 2 in Old Belvidere with wonderful lagoon views. 044 387 1052. MARIANELLA: Guest House, Simon’s Town: “Come experience the peace and beauty of God with us”. Fully equipped with amazing sea views. Secure parking, ideal for rest and relaxation. Special rates for pensioners and clergy. Tel: Malcolm Salida 082 784 5675 or mjsalida@gmail.com SEDGEFIELD: Beautiful self-catering garden holiday flat, sleeps four, two bedrooms, open-plan lounge, kitchen, fully equipped. 5 min walk to lagoon. Out of season specials. Contact Les or Bernadette 044 343 3242, 082 900 6282. STRAND: Beachfront flat to let. Stunning views, fully equipped. One bedroom, sleeps 3. Seasonal rates. From R600 p/night for 2 people—low season. Garage. Ph Brenda 082 822 0607.

TOWARDS Vatican 3? Google: Sine-glossa. blogspot.com

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The Southern Cross is published independently by the Catholic Newspaper & Publishing Company Ltd. Address: PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000. Tel: (021) 465 5007 Fax: (021) 465 3850 www.scross.co.za Editor: Günther Simmermacher (editor@scross.co.za), Business Manager: Pamela Davids (admin@scross.co.za), Advisory Editor: Michael Shackleton, News Editor: Claire Mathieson (c.mathieson@scross.co.za), Editorial: Claire Allen (c.allen@scross.co.za), Mary Leveson (m.leveson@scross.co.za) Advertising: Elizabeth Hutton (advertising@scross.co.za), Subscriptions: Avril Hanslo (subscriptions@scross.co.za), Dispatch: Joan King (dispatch@scross.co.za), Accounts: Desirée Chanquin (accounts@scross.co.za). Directors: C Moerdyk (Chairman), Archbishop S Brislin, P Davids*, S Duval, E Jackson, B Jordan, M Lack (UK), Sr H Makoro CPS, M Salida, G Simmermacher*, z Tom

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26th Sunday: September 29 Readings: Amos 6: 1, 4-7, Psalm 146: 7-10, 1 Timothy 6:11-16, Luke 16:19-31

HERE is a widespread assumption, which we shall do well to resist, that if you have pots of money, then you must have been good, and God has rewarded you. That is not the God of the Bible, as next Sunday’s readings make clear. Amos, a Southerner in the Northern Kingdom, will not have made himself popular with his invective against the affluent with their false sense of security: “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, those who sleep on beds of ivory” (that may not sound especially comfortable, but the point is that it is a luxury item), “and lounge about on their divans, and who eat lambs from the flock”. Nor is it just their diet and furniture that comes in for criticism, but also their musical tastes: “You who sing idle songs on the harp, like David improvise their accompaniment,” and their drinking habits: “You who drink wine by the bowl, and smear perfume all over yourselves.” A terrible fate awaits them: “Therefore you shall be first to go into exile—your feasting and lounging will end.” We shift uneasily as we listen. The psalm for next Sunday is from one of the great Alleluia songs with which the book of Psalms ends, and celebrates how very different our God is from the disedifying fat cats of

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Sunday Reflections

Samaria: “He who does justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry, the Lord who sets prisoners free...gives sight to the blind...raises up those who are bowed down...who looks after the immigrant, lifts up the orphan and the widow.” These are the people to whom God comes close, not those who are at the top of the heap. In the second reading, it is likewise clear that success has nothing to do with the selfishness that comes with wealth. The “man of God”, having in the verses immediately preceding, been warned of the dangers of affluence, “for the love of money is the root of all evils”, is told “flee from these things, instead chase after justice, piety, faith, love, endurance, and meekness of heart”. The point is to “fight the good fight”, not for greater profits, but for faith, to “take hold of eternal life, for which you were called”.

We have to see what really matters, and that is God: “I am instructing you in the presence of the God who gives life to all things, and in the presence of Christ Jesus who bore witness under Pontius Pilate...keep the commandment unstained.” For it is God, “the king of kings and lord of lords” who “alone has immortality, living in unapproachable light, whom no human being ever saw, nor can see”. That is the God of our Bible. So the rich man in next Sunday’s gospel is clearly off to a bad start. Wealth is a positive handicap, to start with; then, a further strike against him is that he “wore purple and linen, and held conspicuous parties every day”. Worse than that, “a destitute person called Lazarus” (the name means ‘God has helped’) “was flung at his gateway, with ulcers. “He longed to be sated by what fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, the dogs came and started licking his ulcers”. Things are not looking good for the rich man—he should be feeding and protecting Lazarus. The next thing that happens is that the rich man dies “and was buried” (he could afford that expensive luxury). The poor man, by contrast, was not buried (he could not afford it); and instead “was carried by angels into Abra-

The slow march of goodness G OD writes straight with crooked lines. That axiom sounds clever, but is there real truth or depth to it? Can good ever really arise out of evil? Do love, truth, and justice ever work out through hatred, lies, and injustice? Do crooked lines really straighten? The answer to those questions will invariably be negative when we look at the surface of things; but faith is never predicated on how things look on the surface. Faith, as the Christian writer Jim Wallis is fond of saying, doesn’t base itself upon the evidence. Rather faith looks at the word of God and then waits for the evidence to change. It also sees that deeper, under the surface, error is often at the service of truth. We see a poignant expression of this in a poem, “Meditation”, written by Raissa Maritain. The poem, powerful in itself, becomes more powerful as an expression of faith when we know its background. This wasn’t a simple expression of faith in some abstract dark time. The dark times were particularly real to the poet. Raissa, a convert to Catholicism from Judaism, had always retained a deep love for and connection to her Jewish roots. She described herself as a Christian with a Jewish heart. Now, in 1936 when she wrote this poem, she was witnessing the ascent of Adolf Hitler and Nazism in Europe, was hearing firsthand of the accounts of Jews, some of whom were personal friends, being killed in Europe, especially in Poland, and she felt herself, a Jew, threatened and was acquiring the necessary papers to flee France for the United States. Her world was crumbling, her friends

Conrad

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final Reflection

were dying, and she was scurrying for her personal safety. Evil was on the ascent and all the trusted political and social powers seemed to be either crushed by it or acquiescing to it. Within that crushing context, she wrote this poem: Darkness from below, darkness from the heights; Beneath the Archangel’s black wing The divine plan unfolds. Infinite paradox of the creation: Eternity is being built with time, And good-imperishable- with evil’s assistance. Mankind trudges along toward justice Through the lazy curves of iniquity, Today’s error is at the service Of truth to come; The bit of good, Seemingly powerless to vanquish. The misfortune of days, Keeps on being the seed Of Love’s everlasting tree. With more than 70 years of hindsight, we can see that her faith was well founded. In spite of evil, God does continue to work, God’s plan does continue to unfold, and our very misfortunes become part of the growth

of love, truth, and justice. But this is mostly not evident on the surface of things because, there, we are forever too focused on the big movements of power, politically, socially, economically, and religiously. We are forever looking at the big players and trying to read God’s movements there. However, as Maritain’s poem makes evident, God’s providence often, perhaps mostly, occurs outside of what’s happening visibly inside the seemingly important political, social, and ecclesial structures. That’s why often God’s providence is not very evident. It’s hidden because God often bypasses the places where we’re looking. When Maritain affirms that the divine plan unfolds in hidden places, she’s echoing how the evangelist Luke introduces John the Baptist in his gospel. He introduces John by first naming all the important political and religious figures of the time (Tiberius, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Philip, Lysanias, Annas and Caiaphas) and then telling us that the word of God bypassed them all and went instead to John, an obscure eccentric, in the desert. How shocking that is would become apparent to us if a religious writer today were to name all the important world leaders and all the important Church officials of our day, including the pope, and then point out that God’s word is bypassing them and going out instead to an unknown monk inside some obscure monastery. But we would find that hard to believe, do find that hard to believe, and that incredulity mostly blocks us from seeing where God’s providence is working at a deeper place. Our world, Teilhard de Chardin said, is an immense groping, an immense search that can only progress at the cost of many failures and much human suffering. But, in his view, our sufferings aren’t useless. In our suffering, he affirms, we help pay the price of universal progress and triumph. Our sufferings, whatever their nature, are noble. They help bring about progress in the very world that crushes and sacrifices them. The divine plan often unfolds under a dark wing; today’s error is at the service of tomorrow’s truth, and God’s providence often bypasses the structures of power. And so our faith needs to look deeper than what’s happening on the surface, our hope needs to ground itself on something beyond what’s on the daily news, and our charity needs to be less fearful and less paranoid. God is always alive and working underneath. Nothing will be lost of our efforts and sufferings, even of our failure and errors.

ham’s bosom”. Then, suddenly and shockingly, we discover the rich man “in Hell” and “in torments”, who finds himself looking up at Abraham and Lazarus (now comfortably installed in the patriarch’s bosom); and he feels that Lazarus should bestir himself at this point, and bring him a drop of water to cool his tongue, “because I’m in agony in this fire”. He doesn’t get it, as Abraham points out: “You had good things in your life, and Lazarus, correspondingly, had evil. Now he is here being comforted, and you’re in agony.” In addition, there is a “glass wall” between “up “ and “down there”. So the anonymous rich man wants Abraham to “send Lazarus to my [five] brothers, for him to give testimony to them”. But not even that is possible, and Abraham advises them to read the Old Testament. When the rich man persists with the claim that “if someone comes to them from the dead they’ll change their tune”. Abraham’s response is unyielding: “If they pay no attention to Moses and the prophets, they’re not going to be persuaded even if someone is raised from the dead”. Wealth is not a sign of having got things right; it may even be quite the opposite.

Southern Crossword #568

ACROSS 4. Renounced the oath (7) 8. Sin came into the world through ... (Rm 5) (3,3) 9. Grant that will help to support you (7) 10. Smith’s blocks (6) 11. British queen gets our currency for a short journey (6) 12. It’s Cairo where betrayer is found (8) 18. St Paul asked Philemon to take this man back as a brother (8) 20. The Devil is the Be-all I confused (6) 21. Sound as a little bell (6) 22 Holy day (7) 23. Take a quick look (6) 24. Roy at or around the chapel (7)

DOWN 1. Share bed and board in marriage, or not? (7) 2. Religious celebration at Wimbledon (7) 3. He has keys for the cells (6) 5. True bent of hair (8) 6. Not certain (6) 7. Conclusion that should be happy (6) 13. Heathen worshipper (8) 14. Puffing like Mount Etna (7) 15. Sect members found among the Dead Sea scrolls (7) 16. Fix and recouple (6) 17. Gallows (6) 19. Aptitudes (6)

Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

WO boys were walking home from Sunday Mass after hearing a strong sermon on the devil. One said to the other: “What do you think about all this Satan stuff?” The other boy replied: “Well, you know how Santa Claus turned out. It’s probably just your Dad.”

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