151007

The

S outhern C ross

October 7 to October 13, 2015

reg No. 1920/002058/06

No 4945

www.scross.co.za

Archbishop Hurley, writer of hymns

Page 9

r7,00 (incl Vat rSa)

Why some marriages just aren’t marriages

Saints of Italy pilgrimage in pictures

Page 7

Page 10

SA priest to Vatican Radio as synod expert

By StUart GraHaM & DylaN aPPolIS

A

SOUTH African priest is currently working for Vatican Radio in Rome to cover the Synod of Bishops on the Family.

Fr Russell Pollitt SJ, director of the Johannesburg-based Jesuit Institute South Africa, is working with the Vatican Radio English Service to help with the coverage and analysis of what is being discussed at the synod.

The Jesuit, a regular on Radio Veritas who frequently appears on TV as an expert on the Catholic Church, said the chance to work for Vatican Radio came about while he was attending a workshop with the station.

“They said, ‘Come across some time and let’s do something together’. I love radio work and so when the synod came up it was the perfect chance for me to go,” Fr Pollitt told The Southern Cross. “I’m a little anxious about it. They just said, come and we’ll start work when you get here.”

Fr Pollitt said the voice of the African Church had not been loud enough at previous synods. He would like to use his time at Vatican Radio to interview African cardinals and bishops and highlight the family issues that affect the continent.

“The dominant topics at the synod are divorce, remarried divorcees and homosexuality, but in Africa, families are often hurt by despots and forced migration,” he said.

“I will raise issues like how the politics of Africa has led to massive migration and the impact this has had on family life.”

He added that “there is also the African culture and belief around family units. In the West we believe in the nuclear family with parents and children. In Africa the concept of family is far bigger than that.”

Fr Pollitt said his wish list of interviewees at the synod includes Cardinal Walter Kasper, who has promoted a proposal to allow some divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion, Cardinal Wilfrid Napier and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila.

The greatest scoop of all would be an interview with Pope Francis, who is due to visit Uganda, Kenya and the Central African Republic in November.

“Pope Francis is a busy man, but if I could

get an interview with him, there would be many things—especially on Africa—to talk about,” Fr Pollitt said.

Fr Pollitt will write about the synod for the web news site Daily Maverick, for which he writes regularly, and provide podFr russell Pollitt SJ, casts for Radio Veritas while he is working who is working at for Vatican Radio.

Vatican radio for Vatican Radio is the the duration of the official broadcasting Synod of Bishops service of the Vatican. on the Family.

Its programmes are offered in 47 languages in 61 countries.

Its English Service is headed by Cape Town-born Sean Patrick Lovett. He told The Southern Cross that Fr Pollitt’s appointment is a sign of the respect the South African Church has in the Vatican.

Speaking about Pope Francis and his concern for family life, Fr Pollitt said that the pontiff has since the beginning of his pontificate expressed his concern that family life is being eroded.

“He has called the bishops of the world together to speak frankly about the state of family life today and to study threats to this basic unit of society.”

The pope, Fr Pollitt said, “has made it clear that he wants the Church to try and understand the pressures that modern families face and find ways of being more welcoming to families”.

Fr Pollitt said the synod will have “farreaching implications for the Church in the world today, for the pastoral practice of the Church, and for enriching and deepening understanding of family”.

“It's going to be an extraordinary moment in the life of the Church, it's going to help us, hopefully, become a Church that understands the multi-dimensional complexity of family life today so that we can help people find God where they are.”

a delegate to the 2015 World Meeting of Families signs a poster drawing of Pope Francis by artist Mark Gaines in Philadelphia. See page 4 for our review of the pope’s visit to the United States. (Photo: Mark Makela, reuters/CNS)

New CDs: Vatican choir debut; pope rocks

By Carol Glatz

O

NE of the oldest choirs in the world recorded a CD of their repertoire of sacred music surrounded by the famed frescoes of Michelangelo, Perugino, Pinturicchio and Botticelli.

Marking the first professional studio recording to take place in the Sistine Chapel, the pope’s Sistine Chapel Choir features on a new CD titled, Cantate Domino.

Produced by Deutsche Grammophon and Universal Music Italia, the proceeds of the new 16-track CD are earmarked for the poor through the pope’s charitable efforts.

The 20 men and 30 boys of the Sistine Chapel Choir sing music that had been written specifically for papal celebrations in the Sistine Chapel and for the papal choir during the Renaissance.

The pieces include Gregorian chant and works by Renaissance masters Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Orlande de Lassus and Felice Anerio. It also features a world premiere recording of Gregorio Allegri’s original composition of “Miserere”—found archived in a codex from 1661 in the Vatican Library.

Mgr Massimo Palombella, director of the Sistine Chapel Choir, said in a press release: “It is my hope that these masterworks will touch millions of listeners worldwide, and connect them to the historical culture and deep spirituality of the Catholic Church.”

He told Vatican Radio that the pontifical choir, which traces back to the 1470s, is dedicated today to making its music known beyond the walls of Vatican City and to helping people experience “the Lord, salvation, evangelisation” through sacred music.

Meanwhile, San Paolo Multimedia will be releasing sometime in November a rock album featuring Pope Francis’ words and prayers. It will be titled Wake Up!.

Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi SJ said that San Paolo had permission to use the voice of the pope for the album, which is being distributed by the label Believe Digital, and will be made available on iTunes.

Layered over original scores of pop and prog-rock music are original Vatican Radio recordings of Pope Francis as he delivered important talks or prayers in four languages.

For example, “Wake Up!”, the title song of the album, uses a clip of the pope from his homily during Mass with young people in South Korea in August 2014. Speaking in English, the pope says: “I don’t like to see young people who are sleeping. No! Wake up! Go! Go forward! Dear young people, ‘God, our God, has blessed us.’”—CNS

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the Southern Cross, october 7 to october 13, 2015

LOCAL

Church wants action on corruption

By StUart GraHaM

T

HE Catholic Church backed the countrywide anti-corruption march on September 30, saying it questions the government’s seriousness in curbing graft.

The government is “dragging its feet” in fighting corruption and uses political rhetoric that is not accompanied by decisive action, said Bishop Abel Gabuza, chairman of the Justice and Peace Commission (J&P) of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

“We believe the government is not doing enough to demonstrate it is serious in its efforts to prevent and combat corruption,” he said.

J&P is particularly concerned about the lack of decisive action in implementing the decision of the Constitutional Court calling for effective measures to enhance the in-

dependence of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations, also known as the Hawks.

In 2012 the court found that the Hawks were not adequately independent from political interference and ordered rectifying legislation.

“The government has dragged its feet when it comes to the restructuring of the Hawks as directed by the Constitutional Court,” J&P noted in a statement by Bishop Gabuza.

“We have always maintained that our country will succeed in combating corruption only when anti-corruption institutions are adequately protected from executive and political interference; when competent people are appointed to head these institutions; and when the high-level politicians and those politically connected are held to account for corruption,” the state-

ment said.

In May, police minister Nkosinathi Nhleko appointed a task team to oversee the process of strengthening the independence of the Hawks. The task team has been given April 2016 as a target for completion of institutional reform of the directorate.

The minister promised that the reform will include establishment of the Hawks as an independent budget programme to ensure that there are no malicious budget cuts when the institution is investigating powerful political officials.

J&P believes that the mandate of the task team should also include advising the police minister on the institutional location of the Hawks that is best suited for its independence and effectiveness as an anticorruption institution.

Questions have also been raised about its location in the South African Police Service, which allows the National Commissioner considerable influence over members.

“We need to revive the national conversation around the best institutional location of the Hawks,” Bishop Gabuza said.

“We also call for greater involvement of parliament in the appointment of the head of the Hawks.

Concentration of the appointment powers in the police minister, without some form of parliamentary oversight, does not sit well with the independence of the Hawks.”

J&P also issued a prayer against corruption in South Africa, thanking God for blessing our country with rich human and natural resources to be used for the common good of all South Africans.

Fr Chris Chatteris SJ of St Francis Xavier orientation Seminary in Cape town with his placard after the anti-corruption march.

Knysna: Marriage awareness launch

T

WO communities from the greater Knysna parish in Oudtshoorn diocese, St Theresa and St Boniface, responded to the call of the SACBC Family Life Desk to launch the annual Marriage Awareness Campaign 2015.

“Preparations for the launch included the design of a set of questions around eight areas of the pastoral plan of the parish,” parish priest Fr Brian Williams explained.

“Based on the responses, themes for each week of the campaign were selected for faith, reflection and action. The See-Judge-Act methodology

was used to facilitate the weekly meetings,” he said.

“Additionally, short eight-minute audio-visual clips were streamed from the Internet, serving as discussion starters. The final session focused on the way forward towards the formation of a parish-based marriage ministry as part of the overall family life ministry of the parish communities,” Fr Williams said.

Participants promised to commit themselves “to serve in a holistic parish marriage ministry”, the details of which will be developed as a Year of Mercy activity in 2016, he said.

Catholic students from universities in Kwazulu-Natal celebrated Mass with Bishop Stanislaw Dziuba of Umzimkulu by expressing their diverse cultures. Bishop Dziuba thanked the organisers and participants for the “great celebration” of faith and diversity of cultures united in worship of Jesus Christ.

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People in the consecrated life in the archdiocese of Cape town came together to enjoy a “bring and brain” event at the Christian Brothers’ Centre in Stellenbosch, which was attended by archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape town. the aim of the event was to enjoy a day of togetherness and friendship, sharing in simplicity and spontaneity, said Salesian Sister ana Maria Mainero.

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ON TAPE

A group of readers is preparing audio tapes of excerpts from The Southern Cross for interested people who are blind, sight-impaired, unable to hold a newspaper or illiterate.

Anyone wanting to receive tapes as part of this service, available for an annual subscription fee of only R50, may contact Mr Len Pothier, 8 The Spinney Retirement Village, Main Rd, Hout Bay, 7806 or phone 021-790 1317.

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

By DylaN aPPolIS

T

HE Year of Mercy has been launched by the diocese of Oudtshoorn at St Saviour’s cathedral—and it looks like parishes will go “crazy with mercy” during the special Holy Year.

The jubilee Year of Mercy, called

by Pope Francis, will officially start on December 8 and end on November 20, 2016.

The spiritual leaders of other churches, including the Dutch Reformed, Methodist and Anglican churches, took part in the Oudtshoorn launch.

“These leaders offered messages of support and solidarity to the local Catholic bishop, Francisco de Gouveia, and his faithful,” said Fr Enrico Parry at the chancery of the diocese.

The pope is calling on all Catholics and their institutions “to spend a whole year practising mercy and compassion”.

Bishop de Gouveia, parish delegates and their priests were officially commissioned to “go forth and be merciful”.

They declared their intentions to implement the pope’s wishes set forth in the bull Misericordiae Vultus (The Face of Mercy), issued in April to promulgate the Year of Mercy.

As part of the Holy Year, every home in Bridgton and Bongolethu in Oudtshoorn will be given a chance to celebrate a family reconciliation service, Fr Parry said.

“In George they will reach out to Catholics who stopped going to church following endless red tape.

And in Knysna they will welcome immigrants and refugees,” he said.

“Judging by the lists some parishes have already sent to the bishop— who published some of these in his news update on the diocesan website ( w w w. b i s d o m o u d t s h o o r n . o r g ) — Catholics plan to go crazy with mercy during the holy year,” Fr Parry said.

The last jubilee year in the Catholic Church was declared in 2000 by St John Paul II, who wanted to start the new millennium on a firm foundation of faith. n For further information, contact Fr Enrico Parry on 044 279 1715 or kanse lier@bisdomoudtshoorn.org

the Southern Cross, october 7 to october 13, 2015

LOCAL

3

Cycling for climate awareness

By DylaN aPPolIS

T

HE Justice & Peace Commission (J&P) of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference is a co-organiser for the November “We Have Faith Campaign” bike ride to raise climate change awareness and collect signatures for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (or COP21) in Paris in December.

The bike ride will cover 6 500km, starting from Maputo, Mozambique, and ending in Nairobi, Kenya. It will pass through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda before finishing in Kenya.

“We want to raise awareness of COP21 and environmental justice, especially in small communities, because climate change is affecting everyone in the country,” said J&P’s Shaka Dzebu.

Cyclist Sibusiso Mavimbela who comes from Schoemansdal, Mpumalanga, said: “I am doing this for my family and because the environment is so damaged.”

Monageng Lebakeng from Tshwane has cycled professionally for nine years. He said: “When I was asked by the City of Tshwane to participate, I did not

know anything about climate change. This has opened my mind and I am very pleased to join this climate event.”

Christopher Ndaba from Vereeniging, Gauteng, not only cycles but also runs and walks long-distance. “I love being part of movements advocating for change. Climate affects all of us.”

Matema Thosago from Polokwane, Limpopo, has been cycling since 2011, when she participated in a cycling caravan from Musina to Durban in the lead-up to COP17. Ms Thosago is an ecoschools coordinator with the Wildlife Environmental Society of South Africa.

“I joined because I believe we can make a change. It doesn’t matter how many people participate, it’s about how much faith we have,” said Ms Thosago.

J

&P coordinator Fr Stan Muyebe OP said that on their way from Maputo to Nairobi, the cyclists “will expect to raise one million signatures aimed at putting pressure on global leaders to come up with a binding agreement to lessen the effects of climate change”.

The bike ride will also have advocacy activities, he said, “in-

cluding engagement of leaders of local government and community members to do their bit to mitigate climate change”.

“The idea of the bike ride is to show people that they can be a part of the solution with climate change. For example, stopping littering is one of the most basic places to start. It is important that we become ecologically converted in response to the call by Pope Francis in [his recent encyclical] Laudato Si’,” Fr Muyebe said.

He said that the involvement of the bishops’ conference through J&P provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the message in Laudato Si’.

“Through the bike ride from Nelspruit to Rustenburg, we will be able to interact with a lot of government officials in the municipalities and share the message of Laudato Si’ with them.

Copies of the encyclical will be distributed to government officials, inspired by the message from the pope and our passion for environmental justice,” Fr Muyebe said.

He added that “a few municipalities have invited us to partner with them in designing and implementing activities in their environment programmes”.

Fishing fleets to be blessed again

By DylaN aPPolIS

T

HE annual Blessing of the Fishing Fleet will take place at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on October 10 and 11.

The Blessing of the Fleet is a traditional annual Portuguese festival to pray for fishing communities to have a safe and successful fishing season.

The festival marks the start of the fishing season.

Events range from the blessing ceremony and Mass, celebrated on Sunday by Portuguese chaplain Fr Roman Viveros, to parades, folk dancing, Portuguese food, live music and contests.

“Fishermen gather at the venue and, with the rest of the Portuguese community, take part in Holy Mass and blessing of the fishing vessels, followed by a cel-

ebration of entertainment,” said newly crowned Queen of the Sea Ananda De Abreu.

This year’s festival will use Jetty number 2, opposite the Table Bay Hotel. It will kick off with a Harley Davidson procession as participants pray the rosary.

“The Sunday will consist of the traditional Holy Mass ceremony followed by the boat procession, and continue with the celebration, which has entertainment such as live bands and traditional Portuguese folk dancing, as well as various food stalls,” said Ms De Abreu.

“All proceeds made from the Blessing of the Fleet will go to the Portuguese Welfare Centre, an NPO, which assists in caring and helping the less fortunate in the community,” Ms de Abreu said.

the Portuguese community will celebrate the annual Blessing of the Fishing Fleet at the Waterfront in Cape town.

SVP All-Africa assembly in SA

By StaFF rePorter

T

HE Society of St Vincent De Paul (SVP) is meeting at the Good Shepherd Retreat Centre in Hartebeespoort, Gauteng, for an “all-Africa assembly”.

The last meeting of this kind was held 20 years ago, said Joseph Makwinja, the SVP’s international territorial vice-president.

The theme of the meeting is “Being a Principled Vincentian”.

“This is a time for introspection on how effective we have been in assisting those whom we have been called to serve, and to rededicate ourselves to this calling,” Mr Makwinja said.

“We need to look at ways in which the relationship with our international office and other avenues of the society can be enhanced,” he said.

Funds from donor countries and twinning partners have had

a significant impact on the ability to help the needy in various communities, he said.

“It is important that funds are used efficiently in projects aimed at bettering the lives of the poor,” Mr Makwinja said.

The all-Africa assembly gives the society an opportunity to build up camaraderie among Vincentians from all over the continent and with visitors from overseas, he said.

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Bishop Valentine Seane of Gaborone, fellow clerics and about 3 000 members of the diocese prayed together at Gaborone Dam for an end to drought.

Gaborone unites in prayer for rain

By Sr PHatSIMo raMoKGWeBaNa SC & StUart GraHaM

T

HE bishop of Gaborone and members of his diocese gathered at Gaborone Dam to pray for an end to ongoing drought in Botswana.

More than 3 000 people attended the prayers, many bringing umbrellas as a sign of hope, Bishop Valentine Seane told The Southern Cross.

“The prayers took place at Gaborone Dam, where an altar that was built by German Oblates in 1928 has been covered by water since the 1970s,” the bishop said.

“The level of water in the dam is very low. The altar emerged because there hasn’t been enough rain,” the bishop said.

Bishop Seane emphasised the need to ask God to cleanse the area with the Spirit of God and the blood of Jesus so that all the evil spirits leave the environment.

The service started with the exorcism of the dam led by the bishop.

More than 30 priests were scattered over the area sprinkling holy water,

while people prayed and sang songs of praise led by the Catholic Charismatic Renewal team.

The exorcism was followed by Mass, during which Bishop Seane said that when people are committed to justice they are able to perform miracles.

After Mass, Bishop Emeritus Boniface Setlalekgosi shared his memories about the agricultural school in the area.

He said the whole of Botswana used to bank on the school to supply them with oranges for they had big orchards in the area, with an ample supply of water.

The dam area was the second place to which the Catholic Church was brought to the country, by German Fathers Rudolf and Ballman, who introduced formal education to the people of Botswana, mainly in the area of agriculture.

Around 1974, negotiations took place between the government and the late Bishop Urban Murphy to turn the place into a dam.

The low water levels of the drought have revealed the 1928 altar to be undamaged.

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4

the Southern Cross, october 7 to october 13, 2015

INTERNATIONAL

Pope Francis showed US who he really is

By CINDy WooDeN

P

OPE Francis speaks often about memory and motion, the importance of remembering where you came from and setting off without fear to share the Gospel.

That’s what he did in the United States. He circled the Statue of Liberty in a helicopter and flew over Ellis Island not preparing to condemn the world’s great superpower, but to reflect on its history and promise as a land that welcomes people, makes them part of the family and allows them to thrive.

Over the course of six days in the United States, Pope Francis let the US public see who he really is with touching blessings, strong speeches, prayerful liturgies and an unplugged proclamation of the beauty of family life, even when it includes flying saucers.

With constant television coverage and a saturated social media presence, Pope Francis was no longer just the subject of screaming headlines about the evils of unbridled capitalism and a “who-am-I-to judge” attitude towards behaviours the Catholic Church describes as sinful.

Instead, he repeatedly admitted his own failures and reminded people they, too, have fallen short. He urged them to trust in God’s mercy and get a move on proclaiming that to the world—first with gestures and maybe with words.

Sin is sin even for Pope Francis.

Human life is sacred at every stage of its development, and that includes the lives of convicted murderers, he said during the visit. People are blessed and at their best when they are part of a family composed of a mother, a father, children and grandparents.

The wellbeing of a nation is served by businesses and enterprises that make money, but that do not make money their god.

The pope’s proclamation of the Gospel in Washington, New York and Philadelphia focused on reinvigorating people’s faith, hope, trust

and commitment to loving God, serving others and living up to the founding ideals of the United States: equality, opportunity for all, religious liberty and the sacred dignity of every creature—human especially, but also the earth.

Pope Francis had never been in the US before landing in Washington. He was welcomed to the White House and became the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress.

He joined leaders of other religions in honouring the dead and comforting their surviving family members at ground zero in New York. He addressed the United Nations. And, in Philadelphia, using a lectern once used by Abraham Lincoln, he called for respect for religious freedom and for ethnic and cultural differences.

At home and abroad, Pope Francis scrutinises people and identifies something good and beautiful in them. He affirms their core concerns, and he challenges them to grow.

For the Catholic Church—in the United States as elsewhere—the key challenge is “not about building walls, but about breaking them down”, as he told the bishops, clergy and religious of Pennsylvania.

F

rom the beginning of his trip in Havana, the pope made it clear that with all the important meetings he would have, his primary purpose was to join the celebration of the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

And he insisted it be a celebration, not a funeral or simply a session for rallying the obedient, loyal troops before they set out to battle.

The big challenge, he told more than 100 bishops who came to the meeting from around the world, is to recognise just how many beautiful families God has blessed the Church with.

“For the Church, the family is not first and foremost a cause for concern, but rather the joyous confirmation of God’s blessing upon the masterpiece of creation,” he told the bishops. “Every day, all over the

Pope Francis tosses up a soccer ball during his meeting with immigrant families at our lady Queen of angels School in east Harlem, New york. (Photo:CNS)

world, the Church can rejoice in the Lord’s gift of so many families who, even amid difficult trials, remain faithful to their promises and keep the faith!”

Tossing aside the text he had prepared for the night time festival of families, Pope Francis had tens of thousands of people watching him with awe or with laughter or with tears as he described the blessing of real-life families.

“Some of you might say, ‘Of course, Father, you speak like that because you’re not married,’” he admitted. But he proved he knew what he was talking about. “Families have difficulties. Families—we quarrel, sometimes plates can fly, and children bring headaches. I won’t speak about mothers-in-law,” he quipped.

But mothers-in-law deserve a break and understanding, if one applies the pope’s words to the bishops the next morning and to hundreds of thousands of people gathered for the event’s closing Mass.

Trust the Holy Spirit, he told the crowds. Recognise that God is at work in the world. Treasure the little daily gestures that show love within a family. Affirm all those who do good, whether or not they are “part of our group”.

Pope Francis ended his trip with a call for Catholics to keep the enthusiasm of the visit, while continuing to welcome newcomers and care for creation.

“Do not let your enthusiasm for Jesus, his Church, our families, and the broader family of society run dry,” Pope Francis said at Philadelphia International Airport, prior to flying back to Rome.

“I pray that our days of prayer and reflection on the importance of the family for a healthy society will inspire families to continue to strive for holiness and to see the Church as their constant companion, whatever the challenges they may face.”—CNS n See our coverage of the papal trip to the US at www.scross.co.za/popefrancis-1

Priests stand behind the altar as Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Madison Square Garden in New york (Photo: Michael appleton via CNS)

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(above) Pilgrims wave cardboard cutouts of Pope Francis as they gather outside the cathedral basilica of Ss Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. (Photo: Mark Makela, reuters/CNS)

(right) Doug Bauman waits for the arrival of Pope Francis for the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.(Photo: lisa Johnston/CNS)

(Below left) Pope Francis gestures as Cardinal timothy Dolan speaks during an evening prayer service in St Patrick’s cathedral in New york.

(Photo: Mike Crupi/CNS)

(Below right) religious sisters make their way to the venue of Festival of Families in Philadelphia.

(Photo: Bob roller/CNS)

Pope Francis greets Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington in a meeting with US bishops at the cathedral of St Matthew the apostle in Washington. (Photo: Paul Haring/CNS)

After canonisation statue of controversial saint vandalised

S

OON after St Junipero Serra was canonised by Pope Francis in Washington, a statue of the 18th-century Franciscan missionary and other property at the Carmel Mission in California where the saint is buried, were defaced.

Vandals damaged statues, gravesites and signs and poured green and white paint on doors, Carmel Police Sgt Luke Powell told the Salinas Californian daily newspaper. “Saint of Genocide” was written on a headstone, green paint was splashed on a toppled Serra statue and headstones were splattered with dark red paint.

A police report noted that the paint splattered on gravesites was on graves of Europeans, not Native Americans.

The vandalism occurred the night before a Mass was celebrated at the Carmel Mission ho-

Fr Miguel rodriguez sets a relic on the tomb of Junipero Serra during Mass in Carmel, California, the day the Spanish missionary was canonised. (Photo: Michael Fiala, reuters/CNS) nouring the saint.

Some had objected to the canonisation of the Spanish missionary, who founded nine California missions, because of questions about how he treated the native peoples of California and about the impact of Spanish

colonisation on native peoples throughout the Americas.

The Carmel Mission put out a call for volunteers to help clean up stressing that “the way to healing is peace and service. And as St Serra said, ‘Always look forward, never back’.”—CNS

INTERNATIONAL

the Southern Cross, october 7 to october 13, 2015

5

Vatican astronomer: Discoveries on Mars may reveal God’s personality

By NICole PellICaNo

A Muralist Cesar Viveros (left) stands by as Pope Francis affixes his signature to the final piece of a mural that would break a world record for the largest number of contributors during the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. (Photo: Paul Haring/CNS)

World Meeting of Families breaks Guinness record

By GeorGe MatySeK Jr

A

S confetti rained down and cheers filled the air on the final day of the World Meeting of Families, a family from Argentina applied brushstrokes to a mural depicting Pope Francis—pushing the number of contributors to the paintby-numbers mural past 2 263 and into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Catire Walker and Noel Zemborain and their four children who had travelled 2 000km through 13 countries to attend the World Meeting of Families, joined hundreds of people at the gathering in helping to paint the mural that will eventually be permanently displayed at the future home of St Malachy School in Philadelphia.

Carlos Martinez, director of records for Guinness World Records, certified the accomplishment.

Cesar Viveros, the Philadelphia muralist who designed the artwork, said that he was overwhelmed and surprised to see so many people contribute.

“Since this is the city of murals, it made total sense to make a mural as a monument for this special moment in history marking the pope’s visit,” he said. “It’s very rewarding to know that people really care about building things together.”

The art was commissioned by the World Meeting of Families and the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. “The Sacred Now: Faith and

Family in the 21st Century” was crafted from 153 panels measuring 1,5m by 1,5m.

Jane Golden, executive director of the Mural Arts Program, said the project achieved its goal of including people from many cultural backgrounds across the city, throughout the region and around the world.

“When this mural goes up in North Philadelphia, globally people can point to this and say, ‘I helped create that’,” she said.

Working on the design, which features Pope Francis and diverse images of children, had a spiritual impact on the artist.

“It really revived me because at some point I was feeling a little bit down because I wasn’t doing any more exciting projects,” he said, “and to have the chance to participate, I was very excited when I was called”.

According to the Mural Arts Program, 1 250 litres of mural paint will be used on the final project and 565 shades of colour hand-mixed by the artist. The final mural will have more than 1,6 million brushstrokes applied.

During the Festival of Families in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pope Francis signed the last piece of the mural—writing “Francis” in “nice big letters”.

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, announced that the 2018 World Meeting of Families will be held in Dublin, Ireland—CNS

Pope: Mercy and dialogue will bear good fruits

F

OR World Communications Day 2016, Pope Francis has chosen the theme “Communication and Mercy: A fruitful encounter”.

As the Church celebrates the extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy, which begins on December 8, the pope also wanted to invite deeper reflection on the link between communication and mercy, said a statement from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

“The theme highlights the capacity of good communication to open up a space for dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation, thereby allowing fruitful human encounters to flourish,” the statement said.

“At a time when our attention is often drawn to the polarised and judgmental nature of much commentary on social networks, the theme invokes the power of words and gestures to overcome misunderstandings, to heal memories and to build peace and harmony.”

The pope is reminding people,

that “good communication is never merely the product of the latest or most developed technology, but is realised within the context of a deep interpersonal relationship” and people’s desire to be more welcoming and forgiving.

Pope Francis pointed to the connection between mercy and communication in his document officially proclaiming the 20152016 extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy.

The way the Church communicates—her language and her gestures “must transmit mercy, so as to touch the hearts of all people and inspire them once more to find the road that leads to the Father”, the pope wrote in Misericordiae Vultus, (“The Face of Mercy”) which called for the Holy Year.

In most countries, the Catholic Church celebrates World Communications Day on the Sunday before Pentecost; in 2016 the communications day will be celebrated on May 8. The South African Church will celebrate it in 2016 on September 18.—CNS

VATICAN astronomer has described the latest discovery of flowing liquid water on the surface of Mars as exciting.

“You can see the traces of the rivers changing over the course of a Martian year. So we are not talking about water that was there a long time ago or water that is frozen under the surface, but actual liquid water on the surface,” Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, director of the Vatican Observatory, told Vatican Radio.

NASA scientists confirmed that liquid water flows, at least during the summer months, on the surface of Mars.

The latest discovery adds to the debate of whether life ever existed, or could exist, beyond the planet Earth.

“We have no idea whether life is so rare that it never occurs anywhere, or so common that it occurs everywhere, and that’s why we have to look at places life could be to see just how rare or how common it actually is,” he said.

Br Consolmagno said discovering if there was or was not life found beyond Earth would reveal

Mars’ dusty red surface. (Photo: NaSa/Viking 1)

Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno.

(Photo: tyler orsburn/CNS)

something about God’s personality.

“If God chose to make a universe where we are the only creatures, that is interesting, that tells us something about God and us,” he said.

“If God creates a universe where life is everywhere, that gives us a different picture of God, but either way, we learn more about who the Creator is,” he said.

Br Consolmagno said the fact

that the water on Mars may be made of salty, wet soil means that “the kind of interactions and the kind of chemistry that goes on to make brine is not inconsistent with the possibility of some sort of microbial life underneath the surface”.

While there is still no concrete proof of life, the discovery is “certainly a step in the right direction”, he said.—CNS

Christian schools re-open in Israel after month-long strike

By JUDItH SUDIloVSKy

C

HRISTIAN schools opened in Israel after an almost monthlong strike demanding equality in budgeting.

School officials and the Ministry of Education reached an agreement just before the Jewish Sukkot holiday.

“We see this as a wonderful achievement as we not only got a one-time sum, but [also] a committee [dealing] with the change of the legal status of the schools will be established, and that will bring a long-term solution,” the Secretariat of Christian Schools in Israel said in a statement.

According to the agreement, the Israeli treasury will allocate a onetime sum of $12,7 million to the Christian schools in the current school year. Christian school teachers also will be included in the different professional development

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programs of the Ministry of Education—they had been excluded— and students will be included in the additional strengthening hours provided by the Ministry of Education for different subjects.

The Ministry of Education will continue to pay the monthly payments for the Christian schools as usual—thereby allowing the schools to reduce tuition by 25% for their primary students—and the schools will compensate the students for the days lost during the strike.

There are 47 Christian schools in Israel with a total of 33 000 students, who are almost all Palestinian.

An official commission with equal representatives from the ministry and the secretariat will present recommendations to the ministry by the end of March regarding the legal status of the Christian schools in Israel; the ministry’s final deter-

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mination will have an impact on funding for the schools.

Another joint commission will be charged with discussing matters of importance to both parties.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who had been following the negotiations and had held meetings with both parties, said he believed the agreement was reached by “establishing trust between the two sides”.

“I hope it will lead to the strengthening of relations [and] moving forward,” he said. “I wish the students and teachers much success for a productive and enjoyable year.”

In its statement, the secretariat noted the current and future importance of the support it received from members of the Israeli government and parliament, as well as from people abroad, and the exposure their case received in the international and local media.—CNS

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the Southern Cross, october 7 to october 13, 2015

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Time for Denis Hurley sainthood?

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

T

Our call to dialogue

A

KEYWORD which underpins the dominant theme of Pope Francis’s pontificate— that of mercy—is revealing itself: dialogue.

The pope has referred to the virtue of genuine dialogue many times before, notably in his encyclical Laudato Si’. But in recent weeks he has amplified the importance he attaches to dialogue as a means of communication in all our endeavours.

Dialogue, understood as the mutually respectful interaction between people, is central to the practice of mercy as it seeks to comprehend the position of the other. It fosters empathy and therefore counters hatred, and even enables compassion. It facilitates understanding, which can bring about solutions to problems and peace among people.

Communication rooted in genuine dialogue is more likely to produce positive results than communication that resorts to decree, belligerence or coercion.

So it is significant that the pope has chosen as his theme for World Communications Day 2016 “Communication and Mercy: A Fruitful Encounter”.

Introducing the theme, the Vatican said that it “highlights the capacity of good communication to open up a space for dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation, thereby allowing fruitful human encounters to flourish”.

This applies to the highest echelons of Church, society and politics as well as to relationships within families and other personal interactions.

P

ope Francis has often spoken about the importance of dialogue within families. When he identified the words “please”, “thank you” and “sorry” as the elementary terms for good family life, he conveyed that speaking to one another with respect, consideration, compassion and love is the key to happy relationships.

Addressing the bishops of the United States, Pope Francis suggested that the rhetoric that places the Church within a cultural war against secular values is out of line with his vision.

The pope told the US bishops: “There is always the temptation to give in to fear, to lick one’s wounds, to think back on bygone times and to devise harsh responses to fierce opposition.”

But that should not be the Church’s way. “We are promoters

of the culture of encounter. We are living sacraments of the embrace between God’s riches and our poverty,” Pope Francis said, encouraging the bishops to dialogue among themselves, with their priests, with the laity and with society.

“I cannot ever tire of encouraging you to dialogue fearlessly,” the pope stressed.

It is better, therefore, to engage with Catholic politicians who hold views that run contrary to the teachings of the Church in dialogue—which requires no compromise on the Church’s teachings— than to issue public threats of sanction, such as to withhold Communion from them.

This goes for all Catholics: there is no mercy in seeing those with whom we differ as the enemy, with our goodwill towards them governed by their submission to our point of view.

M

ercy does not require of us to moderate our principles, but it calls on us to act towards others in a manner that reflects the love of God, who loves all human beings.

That is a tall order, of course. It is not easy to extend compassion to those with whom we differ radically, less so when our compassion is not reciprocated. It is so much easier to communicate with the tools of decree (because I say so), belligerence (conquer my enemy) or coercion (if you don’t do as I say).

We must resist that temptation. As Pope Francis counselled the US Congress: “We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the enemy within.”

Dialogue, he said, is the only way to handle the pressure and fulfil the call to serve the common good, promoting a culture of “hope and healing, of peace and justice”.

This is true for politics—secular and within the Church—and for dialogue between people of different faiths or none. It is also true for interpersonal relationships.

Dialogue, Pope Francis told the US bishops, “is our method, not as a shrewd strategy but out of fidelity to the One who never wearies of visiting the marketplace, even at the eleventh hour, to propose his offer of love” (Mt 20:1-16).

Communication and action rooted in love—mercy— is what it means to truly witness Our Lord Jesus.

MEDJUGORJE Rome • Assisi Loreto • Paris

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.

HE beatification of Benedict Daswa on September 13 must go down as a historic day in the life of the Catholic Church in South Africa.

In promoting the cause of Bl Benedict, Bishop Hugh Slattery showed great vision and foresight.

His successor, Bishop João Rodrigues, clearly continued the process, which culminated in the moving beatification Mass in a field at Tshitanini.

The diocese of Tzaneen is a small rural diocese in a remote part of South Africa, yet through the prayers and active support of both clergy and laity it was able to bring the cause of Benedict Daswa to the Vatican and to achieve beatification within a short time.

While we rejoice in the events of September 13, let us take note that there are other candidates who are deserving of being considered for sainthood.

One such outstanding person is

Pray to Mary in month of October

W

EDNESDAY October 7 is the day when we especially honour Our Lady of the Rosary, as it was on that date in 1571 that the forces of Islam invading Europe were repulsed at Lepanto, aided by widespread recitation of the rosary.

The Rosary Crusade of South Africa (an initiative of SA Needs Our Lady—Family Action SA) has asked for groups to pray the rosary publicly on October 10 (Southern Cross, September 16) and a recent “chain” message asked everyone to pray on September 15 (Our Lady of Sorrows).

Catholics were similarly requested to attend the Mass of Our Lady Mother of Africa on April 30 and/or say the rosary (or even just a decade or single Hail Mary) followed by: “Loving Father, bless us, the people of Africa and the world, and help us to live in justice, peace and love. Mary Mother of Africa and the World, pray for us” (Southern Cross, April 15).

In 1984, our bishops issued prayer cards for a year-long campaign of prayer for Southern Africa, using an adapted form of the beautiful St Francis Peace Prayer, with the last line reading: “In forgetting ourselves that we shall find unending peace with others.” (St Francis’ feast day was on October 4.)

Could we not all “forget ourselves” and pray, not just for South Africa, but for Africa, and the world, and not just for our problems, but to help us all “love one another” as Jesus came to teach us.

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the late Archbishop Denis Hurley OMI, who led the Durban archdiocese for 45 years from 1947-92.

During these momentous years he was an outspoken opponent of apartheid and consistently championed human rights and the dignity of the individual.

He played a leading role in the deliberations of Vatican II and was an outstanding chancellor of the University of Natal.

During his term as archbishop, he faced many challenges and never shirked from making a decision. As a Church leader, he was always seen as a humble servant of God, loved and respected by all.

On November 9 we will mark the centenary of the birth of this outstanding servant of the Lord. That day will see the blessing and formal opening of the Denis Hurley Centre

by Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, the successor of Hurley as archbishop of Durban.

Would it not be appropriate if on

and postal address to 083 544 8449.

St Daniel Comboni (missionary bishop whose feast day is October 10) dedicated Africa to Mary Queen of Africa at El Obeid in Sudan. In Catholic Link (February 15 and May 24), jeweller Adam Bremner offered a beautiful rosary with beads of semi-precious stones or ebony wood, and a medallion with an outline of Our Lady Queen of Africa.

The accompanying Redemptorist booklet stated that it was “inspired by the recent upheavals and longstanding atrocities and suffering in Africa”.

Let us pray for Our Lady’s intercession.

Athaly Jenkinson, East London

Questions on host

I

N my Catholic Pilgrim I read “At seven o’clock in the evening on August 18, 1996, Fr Alejandro Pezet was saying Holy Mass at a Catholic church in the commercial centre of Buenos Aires. As he was finishing distributing Holy Communion, a woman came up to tell him that she had found a discarded host on a candleholder at the back of the church. On going to the spot indicated, Fr Alejandro saw the defiled 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

that day His Eminence brought joy to the many thousands of Durbanites by announcing the start of the process to promote the cause to canonise his illustrious predecessor?

This would indeed be a blessed conclusion to the events surrounding the opening of the centre.

To help promote the cause there are numerous people still living (both Christian and members of other faiths) who can give firsthand testimony on the life of Archbishop Hurley. Further, the detailed archives of the archdiocese would also be a source of reference as will the excellent published works on the life of His Grace.

Surely if a small diocese such as Tzaneen with limited resources can achieve the beatification of Benedict Daswa, the Durban archdiocese, with the many resources as outlined above, should be able to promote the cause of Denis Hurley to canonised sainthood.

I call on the clergy and laity of Durban to support this call.

Mervyn Pollitt, Waterfall, KZN

host. Since he was unable to consume it, he placed it in a container of water and put it away in the tabernacle of the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.”

Subsequently, this particular host began showing signs of bleeding, and when tests were done it was found to be flesh, evidently from a region near the heart. These tests were done by medical men with impeccable credentials. There are obviously people who regard this incident as a miracle.

I’m curious to know what the official Church response is.

Why do Church clerics feel the necessity to convince us that the host only becomes the body and blood of Jesus at the consecration?

Surely the transformation that takes place includes the presence of Jesus in his entirety, in all that he manifests? The late Fr Edward Schillebeeckx’s views on the Eucharist are interesting to read.

Patrick Dacey, Johannesburg

A cultural clue

C

ARMEN Smith’s comments on the Shroud of Turin (September 2) bring to mind a story I was told some time ago.

The Jewish master of the house would sit down to dine and when finished he would throw the napkin onto the table, signalling to his servant that the table may be cleared.

If he was interrupted he would roll the napkin up and place it neatly on the table to indicate that he would be back. The significance of the rolled-up face-covering was not lost on the Apostles.

Adrian Kettle, Cape Town

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the Southern Cross, october 7 to october 13, 2015

7

Some marriages just aren’t marriages Sarah-Leah S Pimentel OME people just are not meant to be married to each other. Some unions were not a marriage to begin with and it is disrespectful to everything that marriage represents to call it such.

When I say things like this, I think of a particular relationship that deeply marked my passage into adulthood.

A friend of mine fell pregnant as a teenager and her family gave her two options: marry or abort the unborn child.

She chose to save her child and married someone who soon after the wedding began to physically abuse her. She later divorced him in court.

I don’t know whether she ever applied to have that marriage annulled by the Church. One thing I am certain of: she did not freely choose to enter into that marriage.

What is more, it cannot rightfully be called a marriage where the two become one flesh with Christ, nor is it the model of marriage that St Peter proposes when he instructs spouses to respect each other “as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (1 Peter 3:7).

It also does not correspond with the Church’s teaching on marriage, which is premised on a love that “requires the inviolable fidelity of the spouses” and where the couple “help one another to attain holiness in their married life” (CCC 1641, 1646).

Often marriages do not live up to the ideals proposed by the Church. There are many circumstances where trust is broken or the marriage vows appear to have been forgotten. As Church, we want to protect marriage and find ways to help couples to heal what is broken, and to strengthen what has become weakened.

This, however, requires that both partners be willing to put in the work to restore the marriage.

I believe that many marriages could be saved if parishes would provide access to marriage counsellors, who themselves understand the sanctity of marriage in the Catholic sense.

A friend recently told me that she and her husband had been experiencing numerous stumbling blocks in their marriage. Fortunately they have both committed to working with a counsellor who also accompanies them with prayer.

She said that it is as if the two of them are truly discovering each other for the first time and from the brink of divorce.

They feel that their marriage now stands a chance.

Unfortunately, there are other cases where the differences are so irreconcilable that it is just not possible to salvage the marriage. This is where the Church provides an opportunity for annulment.

The good news is that Pope Francis has eliminated a lot of the red tape around this process. Hopefully this will no longer make people feel that they are forced to live outside the teachings of the Church.

Before Pope Francis last month announced these reforms to the annulment process, it was a costly, protracted and invasive exercise to determine that the marriage was not valid to begin with.

But I hope that this is just the beginning of the reforms that the Synod on Family Life will introduce this month— beginning with a deeper appreciation for the challenges within relationships.

Many marriages start off soundly, but through the years human brokenness may render these marriages unbearable, such as abuse, addiction or betrayal.

This brings tremendous suffering. Suffering which the Church can help to ease by being increasingly understanding and merciful.

I have family members whose spouses divorced them and moved on to new relationships. The remaining spouse never

Nuptials are celebrated and wedding photos are taken, but some marriages don’t deserve the name, Sarah-leah Pimentel argues. (Photo: Günther Simmermacher)

the Mustard Seeds

entered into a new relationship, choosing to honour their original marriage vows. I find this beautiful and a real example of fidelity.

Yet it makes me feel angry that they still feel as if they are to blame for the dissolution of their marriage and they refuse to go up for Communion at Mass. When I asked why, the response was that the “priest knows my situation and frowns if I take Communion”. We should be supporting those who are able to remain faithful in this way, instead of judging them for their failed marriage. In any case, divorcees who are not remarried are eligible to receive Communion.

Many people struggle with loneliness after the dissolution of their marriage. As a friend said to me: “He has moved on.

How do I move on? Will I never again be able to hold someone’s hand and watch a sunset, be loved and give love? Am I condemned to being alone for the rest of my life just because I’m a Catholic and the Church says that if I enter into a new relationship, I am committing adultery?”

These are not easy questions and I truly hope that the bishops will find ways to offer pastoral support for those who are divorced or live in unions that are not currently sanctioned by the Church.

This does not mean a redefinition of marriage, but it does call for a pastoral response that is more merciful and more inclusive of all who, through their relationships, genuinely seek to become models of Christ’s love.

I also pray that the synod may adopt a new language to speak about human relationships, taking into account the frailty and brokenness wrought by the journey through life.

Instead of condemning words such as “living in sin”, “adultery” and “disordered”, let us hope that this month’s dialogue in the Vatican will produce a language of forgiveness which seeks to uphold what is good in loving relationships, while also continually encouraging couples to strive towards the highest ideals of love and a greater communion within the teachings of the Church.

God’s gift comes with obligations Emmanuel Ngara I N last month’s column I briefly discussed the beauty of God’s creation and the need for us to see the Creator in this beautiful creation—the need to see God in all things.

An important point the article made is that we can see the presence of God in his creation—even before we refer to the Scriptures to confirm the Creator’s presence in his creation. In other words, we should go beyond nature and the universe to see the author of nature and the universe, to see the hand and mind that made creation possible.

The article suggested that we should also see the beauty of the Creator’s creation.

The biblical creation narrative not only confirms that everything that exists was created by God, but further that everything that was created was good and beautiful in God’s eyes.

Furthermore, there was also order, with everything having its proper place in the universe.

According to that narrative, God took six days to create everything in the universe, whether visible or invisible.

These six days were not necessarily equivalent to half a dozen periods of 24 hours per day. They could have been millions and trillions of years. As Peter says: “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8). So the six days can be referred to as “cycles of creation”.

God was not only satisfied that he had brought something into being; he marvelled at his own creation. Whenever he completed a cycle of creation, he looked at what he had created and saw that it was good.

It is significant that in the first cycle God created light: “And God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light. God

Christian leadership

“adam and eve Driven From Paradise”, painting by James Jacques Joseph tissot (1836-1902) saw that the light was good…”

Light is associated with good things, with bad things being done in darkness.

God went on to create everything else: the sky, the seas, land, vegetation, the sun, the moon, stars, birds, sea creatures, animals and so on. When he created all these things, he saw that they were good.

At the very end of all this creation God decided to create the best of all created things.

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground” (Gen 1:26).

H

uman beings were the pinnacle of all that God had created. They were not only good in the sense that all the other created things were good and beautiful.

Human beings were made to resemble God, to have some of the attributes of God such, perhaps, as possessing a soul, intelligence, the quality of moral goodness, and the capacity to create as evidenced by the ability to build

civilisations and to invent technology.

Not only this, God also gave human beings the power to manage all the other creatures on his behalf. This implies that human beings were to maintain order on earth.

But with all these privileges came responsibilities: Adam and Eve were to obey God’s command—not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. By disobeying God and eating from this tree, our first parents upset the perfect order that the Creator had established. They brought sin into the world, and with sin came suffering, illness and death.

There are perhaps many lessons for aspiring Christian leaders in this story, but I would like to focus on this aspect: The leader is called upon to strive to reflect the goodness and values of God. Our first parents were given authority to rule over non-humans; but today’s leaders are given authority to rule other people as well. They therefore have a correspondingly heavier responsibility.

When the leader does something that gravely contradicts the values of God and the welfare of the people under them, the consequences are so grave they negatively affect the health and welfare of the whole organisation, church or country.

Whatever leaders do, whether in church or state, their decisions and actions affect the image, character, life and welfare of the people they lead.

All leaders are therefore accountable to both God and their followers.

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the Southern Cross, october 7 to october 13, 2015

Hurley the hymn writer The late Archbishop Denis Hurley had many claims to fame; one of these was as the writer of hymn texts.

PaDDy KearNey looks at this lesser known of the archbishop’s pursuits.

W

E are currently in the centenary year of Archbishop Denis Hurley’s birth, recalling his birth on November 9, 1915 in Woodstock, Cape Town—at a time when his father was a lighthouse keeper at Cape Point.

On November 9 this year, the Denis Hurley Centre at Emmanuel cathedral in Durban will be officially blessed and opened by Cardinal Wilfrid Napier. The evening will include a “World Religions in Concert” at 19:00 in the Cathedral Mall.

This centenary is a good opportunity to reflect on the hymns that Archbishop Hurley wrote, one of his many contributions to the life of the Church in Southern Africa that is not so well known.

In the early 1960s, once it became clear at the Second Vatican Council that the liturgy would be in the vernacular, the archbishop became very aware of the need for hymns in English suitable for the Catholic Mass.

He began to work closely with a well-known musician, Moira Birks, in selecting suitable hymns from Catholic and ecumenical sources.

The selected hymns would be compiled in a special diocesan hymnal, The People’s Hymn Book.

Part of the task was to adapt hymns so that they would be more liturgical and more in keeping with the spirit of Vatican II, and the archbishop soon realised that he would need to add to the stock of such hymns by himself composing some.

So, over 40 years he wrote more than 30 hymns, many of which had a special emphasis on the need for justice and reconciliation in the South African context.

Ms Birks helped by identifying well-known hymn tunes for which Archbishop Hurley could provide new words. When asked how he found the time to do this, Ms Birks said: “I think he regarded it as a hobby.”

However, his own requirement that such hymns be theologically sound, scripturally based and aligned with the teachings of Vatican II, meant that this had to be a rather serious hobby, much like another favourite Hurley pursuit: drafting constitutions during lengthy overseas flights.

Archbishop Hurley was not afraid to make drastic changes to wellloved hymns, perhaps most notably “God of Mercy and Compassion”.

He replaced the verse which speaks of deserving “death and endless misery, hell with all its pains and torments, and for all eternity”, with these much more positive words:

In a similar vein is his paraphrasing of Romans 8: 31-39: If God is our defender Who will th’accuser be?

His only Son he spared not But gave him graciously.

When God himself grants pardon Who ventures to condemn?

Will Jesus Christ the Saviour Who died and rose for all?”

Another Hurley hymn steeped in Scripture is his version of “God Bless Our Pope”. Instead of melodramatic references to “pilgrims’ lips that kiss the ground” and the “noble roof and marble walls, the Vatican’s majestic halls”, he composed a hymn about the appointment of Peter as recounted in Matthew 16: 16-19. I have little doubt that Pope Francis would prefer to hear these words, having no great love for the “Vatican’s majestic halls”.

The threefold pledge that Peter gave Moved you to bestow the shepherd’s stave; Sustain the hand that now must hold Firm guidance of your cherished fold.

Of course, the archbishop did not change the rousing chorus: “God bless our pope, the great, the good.”

Some Hurley hymns were written for special occasions, such as his best-known, “God Our Maker, Mighty Father”, composed for Moira Birk’s daughter’s wedding and set to Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. As in

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archbishop Denis Hurley is seen after Mass. Centenary celebrations will be held at the Denis Hurley Centre in Durban from November 6-9. several of his other hymns there is an emphasis on the wonders of creation: Sun and stars in all their splendour Moon in ev’ry changing phase, Earth with all its trees and grasses, Sparkling rivers, ocean blue All unite to pay you homage, Singing joyously to you.

Receive dear God and Father Our gifts of bread and wine With all the deep enrichment Of wheat-field and of vine:

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The air, the rain, the sunshine, The wonder of the soil The share in your creation Involved in human toil.

But never far from his mind were the grave injustices and inequalities of South African society and the huge need for reconciliation:

Another well-loved Hurley hymn, “You Gave Us, Lord, By Word And Deed”, a paraphrase of the beatitudes, was written for the tenth anniversary of the Diakonia Council of Churches, the ecumenical social justice organisation he founded in 1976.

A few years after this anniversary he was delighted to learn that this hymn had been chosen by the Baptist Union of Great Britain for their new Baptist Praise and Worship, which had selected it little knowing that it had been composed by a Catholic archbishop. They duly requested the author’s permission once they had tracked him down.

But returning to the theme of creation in Archbishop Hurley’s hymns: it comes across strongly in several hymns he wrote for the Offertory of the Mass, for example:

NOAH OLD AGE HOMES

Forgive us, Lord, all we have done To you and one another So often we have gone our way Forgetful of our neighbour.

Forgetful of the cross they bear Of hunger, want, oppression Grant, Lord, that we may make amends Who humbly make confession.

In another hymn, he draws on the story of the Good Samaritan: We ask forgiveness, since we have neglected To recognise him, suff’ring and rejected Along the roadside, wounded, unattended And unbefriended.

And Christ’s instruction about bringing gifts to the altar (Mt 5:2324) seemed to have a special challenge for South Africa: Grant, dear Lord, in love we may not falter, Keep us in forgiveness undefiled.

We should leave our gifts before the altar, If we cannot come here reconciled.

As bread and wine now offered His flesh and blood become So all must be transfigured In Christ who is your son.

We join his new creation In answer to your call That by this transformation You may be all in all.

That emphasis on unity is most wonderfully captured in what I regard as Archbishop Hurley’s finest hymn, “Lord For the Sacrifice We Come” (to the well-known tune “Lord For Tomorrow and Its Needs”) which sets out in utter simplicity and clarity, and with great poetic skill, the significance of the Offertory—once again, with repeated use of the word “all”: Father we offer with these gifts Ourselves to you: All that we think and feel and say, All that we do.

Grant that our life, our work, our world, In Christ your Son, All may be raised and sanctified, All may be one.

Where appropriate, the wording of a few words have been amended to use inclusive language. The hymns were mostly written more than 50 years ago, and Archbishop Hurley later became aware of the importance of using inclusive language.

The full text of Archbishop Hurley’s hymns are at www.denishur leycentre.org n Paddy Kearney is the author of the biography Guardian of the Light: Denis Hurley, Renewing the Church, Opposing Apartheid (2009). Next week he will discuss Archbishop Hurley’s delight in debate and dialogue.

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Reconciled through mercy for the suff’ring Through a deep concern for the oppressed, May our hearts accompany our offering, As our gifts become your Eucharist.

This hymn shows Hurley’s profound understanding of the Offertory of the Mass which led him to write several other hymns for that part of the Mass.

He is captivated by the wonderful miracle through which bread and wine, the gifts of God’s creation and the fruits of human labour, become the body and blood of Christ and we too become part of the body of Christ—his thinking much influenced by Teilhard de Chardin’s emphasis on the unity of all creation in Christ. Note the emphasis on “all” in the hymn “Receive Dear God and Father”:

By my sins I have offended One whose mercy knows no bounds, Mercy that to thy great glory Ever lovingly redounds.

To which, surely, Pope Francis would say “Amen”.

9

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10

the Southern Cross, october 7 to october 13, 2015

MEDIA

the group before Mass in the basilica of St rita in Cascia, in Italy’s Umbria region. St rita (1381-1457) is the patron of mothers, abused women, marital problems, and impossible causes. the group in front of the magnificent Duomo in Milan, where St ambrose baptised St augustine and which holds the tomb of St Chares Borromeo. the pilgrimage concluded with Mass inside the Duomo. radio Veritas’ Fr emil Blaser is third from right at the back, Southern Cross editor Günther Simmermacher at far left, and Italian tour director rosanna Peressin front left.

the Portuguese connection: Jessie Ferreira, Celeste de abreu, Charmaine Ferreira and rita Galatis in front of a banner of lisbon-born St anthony on the basilica containing his tomb in Padua, northern Italy.

Chronicle of a pilgrimage Due to flooding, the group had to take a makeshift route into St Mark’s basilica in Venice.

Florence guide Silvia with Daphne lubbe, Medium Sani and Judy Singh outside the Medici palace in Florence, where Mass was in the basilica of Santa Croce.

Pilgrims relax in the Umbrian town of Norcia, birthplace of St Benedict, founder of the Benedictine order, and his twin St Scholastica. among them are Maria arons (far right), a Southern Cross pilgrim in 2010, Sheryll Pillay (fourth from right), a Southern Cross pilgrim last year.

I

N September a group of 30 Southern Cross/Radio Veritas pilgrims, led by Fr Emil Blaser OP, travelled through Italy in the footsteps of many great saints.

The Saints of Italy pilgrimage took the group to Rome, Assisi, Cascia, Norcia, Siena, Florence, Padua, Venice, Sotto il Monte and Milan, as well as to Paris. They saw great churches and historical sites, had Mass and prayed at places and tombs of great saints, and also had some fun, such as a cruise on the river Seine in Paris with a delicious three-course meal.

The photos on this page provide just some of the memorable scenes from this remarkable, prayerful and holy pilgrimage, on which there will be more in The Southern Cross over the coming weeks. All photos except the group picture are by Günther Simmermacher.

More photos at www.bit.ly/1YLAtcg

Fr emil Blaser oP says Mass in the chapel at rome’s basilica of Santa Sabina where St Dominic and St Francis met. For the Dominican priest it was a highlight to say Mass with a pilgrim group in a chapel that is normally out of bounds for visitors.

576AM MONK?

Pilgrims sing the closing hymn at Mass at the tomb of St Francis in assisi, in the crypt of St Francis basilica. they also visited places such as St Clare basilica, St Mary of the angels with the Porziuncola, the hermitage of Carceri, and the monastery of San Damiano, with the spot on which St Clare died.

Pilgrim Phaladi Moche wears the colours of the oca (Goose) contrade which takes part in the Palio horse race in Siena’s main square, an event dedicated to our lady. In Siena the group visited specifically St Catherine, Fr emil Blaser’s fellow Dominican.

Marilyn Cobb, who took part in The Southern Cross’ 2010 pilgrimage to the Holy land and Germany, kisses a relic of St John XXIII in the late pope’s home village of Sotto il Monte, near Bergamo. the group saw the saint’s birthplace, residence and church of his baptism.

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Pilgrims pray at the tomb of St Vincent de Paul in the church at 95 rue de Sèvre in Paris. earlier the group had Mass in the Miraculous Medal chapel, in front of the tombs of St Catherine labouré and St louise de Marillac.

CLASSIFIEDS

Fr Bernard Brown

F

ATHER Bernard Brown, anticipating the celebration of his golden jubilee of priesthood in January 2016, died peacefully on September 2, aged 83, in Nazareth House in Cape Town.

Fr Brown was born on January 20, 1933, and shortly afterwards baptised Prentice Robert Brown in St Patrick’s parish in Benoni.

He was educated at the Christian Brothers’ College in Boksburg and, after leaving school, he worked in the insurance industry for a few years.

When called to the religious life and priesthood, he entered the Dominican novitiate in January 1959 in the then Transvaal and made his final vows in February 1964.

He took the name of Bernard, and was ordained a priest in Springs on January 1, 1966. He

served as a Dominican priest in Springs, Brakpan and Stellenbosch, and preached retreats to religious communities over a wide area.

He arrived in Cape Town as a Dominican priest in August 1980, and requested that he be permitted to be incardinated in the archdiocese of Cape Town.

In 1983 he was dispensed from his religious vows and incardinated into the archdiocese of Cape Town.

Fr Bernard was appointed to serve in the parishes of Durbanville (1980-1990), Bothasig (1990-1997), and finally in Brackenfell/Northpine (19972009). He retired early in 2009 and took up residence in the Lawrence Henry Priests’ Retirement Centre in Vredehoek.

With failing health, he was transferred to the care of the Sis-

Southern CrossWord solutions SOLUTIONS TO 675. ACROSS: 4 Beatify, 8 Uniate, 9 Red robe, 10 Titian, 11 Trojan, 12 Rings off, 18 Galilean, 20 Joshua, 21 Idumea, 22 Classic, 23 Penned, 24 Assents. DOWN: 1 Mustard, 2 Distant, 3 Steals, 5 Eventful, 6 Terror, 7 Fabian, 13 Organist, 14 Seeming, 15 Onwards, 16 Worlds, 17 Chaste, 19 Indeed.

Liturgical Calendar Year B – Weekdays Cycle Year 1 Sunday October 11 Wisdom 7:7-11, Psalms 90:12-17, Hebrews 4:1213, Mark 10:17-30 Monday October 12, St Seraphin of Montegranaro Romans 1:1-7, Psalms 98:1-4, Luke 11:29-32 Tuesday October 13 Romans 1:16-25, Psalms 19:2-5, Luke 11:37-41 Wednesday October 14 Romans 2:1-11, Psalms 62:2-3, 6-7, 9, Luke 11:42-46 Thursday October 15, St Teresa of Jesus Romans 3:21-30, Psalms 130:1-6, Luke 11:47-54 Friday October 16, St Margaret Mary Alacoque Romans 4:1-8, Psalms 32:1-2, 5, 11, Luke 12:1-7 Saturday October 17, St Ignatius of Antioch Romans 4:13, 16-18, Psalms 105:6-9, 42-43, Luke 12:8-12 Sunday October 18 Isaiah 53:10-11, Psalms 33:4-5, 18-20, 22, Hebrews 4:14-16, Mark 10:35-45

H

CLASSIFIEDS

11

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 (R1,50 a word) with small advertisements for promptest publication.

IN MEMORIAM

ters of Nazareth.

Fr Bernard is fondly remembered for his gentle, humble and kindly devotion and dedication to his flock, and also for his devotion to the Holy Eucharist. Although he suffered much for many years, he was always patient and available to anybody, anywhere, anytime.

Fr Ralph de Hahn

Our bishops’ anniversaries This week we congratulate: October 13: Bishop Mlungisi Pius Dlungwane of Mariannhill on his 69th birthday.

October 14: Bishop Edward Risi of Keimoes-Upington on the 15th anniversary of his episcopal ordination.

Community Calendar To place your event, call Mary Leveson at 021 465 5007 or e-mail m.leveson@scross.co.za (publication subject to space)

CAPE TOWN: Mass for Souls in Purgatory, celebrated by Mgr Clifford Stokes. all Souls’ Day, Monday, November 2. all Souls Chapel, at Woltemade Cemetery, Maitland, Gate 1. Contact Dorothy Paarman at 021 551 1747 or dpaarman @mweb.co.za

Helpers of God’s Precious Infants. Mass on last Saturday of every month at 9:30 at Sacred Heart church in Somerset road, Cape town. Followed by vigil at Marie Stopes abor-

Sr Mary Agnes Burggraaff HC OLY Cross Sister Mary Agnes Burggraaff died peacefully at the age of 94 in the Provincial House in Modderdam Road, Cape Town, on September 7 as the Sisters gathered around her bedside for evening prayer.

Sr Mary Agnes was born into an Anglican family on October 3, 1920 in Diep River, Cape Town. At the age of five, her chance meeting with Fr John Lawrence, a local Catholic priest, was a turning point in her life, when he transferred her and her brother to the Catholic school where they were taught by Holy Cross Sisters.

She trained as a teacher at St Augustine’s in Parow, entered religious life in 1940 and was professed in 1943.

Sr Mary Agnes taught and affected thousands of lives as a teacher and later as principal in Welcome Estate for 25 years. Too young for retirement at 69, she was transferred to Mossel Bay and then Lambert’s Bay as principal in the nursery schools there.

A memorial service was held on September 15 at St Theresa’s in Welcome Estate, followed the next day by

the Southern Cross, october 7 to october 13, 2015

a Requiem Mass in Parow concelebrated by Archbishop Stephen Brislin with 22 priests and four deacons in attendance.

Capuchin Father Sean Cahill in his homily at the Requiem Mass said: “Sr Mary Agnes was an exceptional and gifted human being with a wonderful gift of humanity for she was compassionate, generous, a person of peace and with a love for people. She lived her life with inexhaustible energy as an outstanding educator and a good communicator who drew forth the best in others, proving her immense patience and love. She always had her students’ best interest at heart.

“Sr Mary Agnes was first and foremost a Holy Cross sister who loved and cherished her vocation with its motto, In Cruce Salus.”

Fr Cahill concluded his homily by referring to Pope Francis’ message in this year dedicated to the consecrated life: “Religious should always have Jesus as their first and only love, as when they first entered”, adding that Sr Mary Agnes “truly lived this”.

Sr Marion Hendricks HC

MATTHEE—Merlyn.

Passed away on 5/10/2010. our loving mother and grandmother always missed and loved.

Five years has passed by so quickly, but you are always near and close to us. love you always, Greg, Ursh and Family.

MATTHEE—Merlyn.

Passed away on 5/10/2010. It’s been five years since your death; we still miss you so much. Forever in our thoughts. lovingly remembered by Desiree, Bryane and Family.

TuCK—Maureen. In loving memory of my wife/our mother who died october 13, 2009. Fondly remembered by John (husband) and children John, Mary, Bernard and Margaret. May she rest in peace.

PRAYERS

tion clinic in Bree Street.

Contact Colette thomas on 083 412 4836 or 021 593 9875 or Br Daniel SCP on 078 739 2988.

KROONSTAD: Couples for Christ Men’s conference. october 23-25 at Centenary Hall, St Patrick's cathedral. registration fee r200 per person (includes conference kit, meals, teas and t-shirt).

Contact ernesto Maccario at 079 457 8951 or trevor Vetter at 082 568 6843 or at vetter@oaksauto.co.za

invoke you, special patron in time of need. to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you to come to my assistance. Help me now in my urgent need and grant my petitions. In return I promise to make your name known and publish this prayer. amen. Chris H. GOD, thank you for all the grace and favours which you have given me through the prayers of your apostle, Jude thaddeus. St Jude, I thank you for your intercession in response to my prayers. I will always be grateful to you and will spread devotion to you. Be with us always so we may face our problems with courage and serenity. alison.

THANK YOu Baby Infant Jesus of Prague for answering my prayers, forever grateful. anne.

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

O MOST Holy Virgin Mary, who chose to appear on the Sierra de aire, in the Cova de Iria, to three young shepherds to reveal the treasures of grace held in the recitation of the rosary, impress upon our souls a fervent love for this devotion. By meditating on the mysteries of our redemption, may we learn how to use the teachings which lie therein and obtain the graces we ask in this prayer. For the Glory of God and the redeeming of our souls. amen. Novena from 5th-13th each month.

For prayers/hymns write to: jjvcamara@gmail.com

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PERSONAL

ABORTION is murder. Silence on this issue is not pro-abortion politicians.

See www.hli.co.za ABORTION: Who broke the baby, God or man? read exodus 23:26.

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

LONDON, Protea House: Single ₤30(r540), twin ₤45(r810) per/night. Selfcatering, busses and underground nearby. Phone Peter 0044 208 7484834.

CAPE TOWN: looking for reasonably priced accommodation over the December/January holiday period, come to Kolbe House. Set in beautiful gardens in rondebosch. Self-catering, clean and peaceful. Safe parking. Close to all shops and public transport. Contact Pat 021 685 7370 or kolbe.house@telkomsa.net CAPE TOWN: Strandfontein. Fully equipped selfcatering two bedroom apartment, with parking, sleeps four. r500 per/night.

Paul 021 393 2503, 083 553 9856, vivilla@telkom sa.net KNYSNA: Self-catering accommodation for 2 in old Belvidere, with DStv and 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. Malcolm Salida 082 784 5675, mjsalida@ gmail.com PLETTENBERG BAY: holiday flat, sleeps four adults, two children, r650 per night. Phone 082 652 4362.

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Opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, staff or directors of The Southern Cross.

the

29th Sunday: October 18, Mission Sunday Readings: Isaiah 53:10-11, Psalm 33: 4-5, 18-20, 22, Hebrews 4:14-16, Mark 10:35-45

S outher n C ross

Your missionary task

I

T is not always God’s will that we should be successful or famous or rich or powerful, only that we should do what God invites us to do. That may help us to consider our job as missionaries, to which next Sunday is devoted.

What must a good missionary do? (That is you and I, dear reader.) Consider the first reading for next Sunday. To start, we must expect occasionally to be crushed, not have everyone lining up to applaud us, and to “give [our] life as a sin-offering”.

If he or she does that, then the missionary “will see their offspring in a long life, and God’s will shall be accomplished by their power”; and it will not be comfortable: “My servant shall certainly justify many—and he shall bear their guilt.”

The point for all would-be missionaries is that God is reliable, as the psalm for next Sunday is well aware: “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his works are trustwor-

thy. [God] loves justice and right.”

And it is not a matter of asking for “perks”, for: “Look! The eyes of the Lord are on those who revere him…to deliver their lives from death in famine.” Our missionary task depends entirely on God: “Let the love of the Lord be upon us; God is our help and our shield...let your love be upon us, O Lord, as we have hoped in you.”

According to the second reading, we missionaries have to keep our eyes on Jesus: “the great High Priest who has gone through the heavens”.

It may be, as we have seen in the previous readings, that we shall have to suffer, but this High Priest is not one “who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses; he has been tested in every way just like us—except for sin”. So we need to approach our missionary task with confidence, “that we may receive mercy and find grace, to help us at just the

right time”.

In the Gospel for next Sunday, would-be missionaries behave really quite badly. It starts with James and John, two of those first ones whom Jesus called to the missionary task, asking Jesus for a blank cheque whose cash value turns out to be “give us to sit one on your right and one on your left, in your glory”.

Not many chapters later in the Gospel, we discover who is going to sit on Jesus’ right and left, and they are a couple of criminals.

That is not what the mission is about; and the rest of the Twelve have also missed the point, because they start to get cross with James and John, not because they have got the mission wrong, but because they got in first with their bid for ecclesial glory.

So Jesus summons the lot of them and explains what the mission is like. It is not what you see of presidents and rulers in your daily

How to care for your soul W

the soul leaves the body.

You know the precise moment, not because you see something float away from the body, but rather because one minute you see a person, whatever her struggle and agony, with energy, fire, tension in her body—and a minute later that body is completely inert, devoid of all energy and life. Nothing animates it anymore. It becomes a corpse.

Also, however aged or diseased that body might be, until the second of death it is still one integrated organism.

But at the very second of death that body ceases to be one organism and becomes instead a series of chemicals which now begin to separate and go their own ways.

Once the soul is gone, so too are gone all life and integration. The body no longer contains any energy and it’s no longer glued together.

And since the soul is a double principle doing two things for us, there are two corresponding ways of losing our souls. We can have our vitality and energy go dead, or we can become unglued and fall apart— petrification or dissipation, in either case we lose our souls.

I

f that is true, then this very much nuances the question of how we should care for our souls. What is healthy food for our souls?

For instance, if I am watching television on a given night, what’s good for my soul?

A religious channel? A sports channel? A

Conrad

HAT does it profit you if you gain the whole world but suffer the loss of your own soul? (Mk 8:36) Jesus taught that and, I suspect, we generally don’t grasp the full range of its meaning. We tend to take Jesus’ words to mean this: What good is it if someone gains riches, fame, pleasure, and glory and then dies and goes to hell? What good is earthly glory or pleasure if we miss out on eternal life?

Well, Jesus’ teaching does mean that, no question, but there are other lessons in this teaching that have important things to teach us about health and happiness already here in this life.

How do we lose our souls? What does it mean “to lose your soul” already in this world? What is a soul and how can it be lost?

Since a soul is immaterial and spiritual, it cannot be pictured. We have to use abstract terms to try to understand it.

Philosophers, going right back to Aristotle, have tended to define the soul as a double principle inside every living being.

For them, the soul is both the principle of life and energy inside us as well as the principle of integration.

In essence, the soul is two things: It’s the fire inside us giving us life and energy and it’s the glue that holds us together.

While that sounds abstract, it’s anything but that, because we have first-hand experience of what this means.

If you have ever been at the bedside of a dying person, you know exactly when

For further info or to book contact Michael or Gail at 076 352 3809 or 021 551 3923 info@fowlertours.co.za www.fowlertours.co.za/ poland-2016/

Sunday reflections

newspaper, “they lord it over them and their great ones have authority over them”.

That is not the missionary model: “No—whoever wants to be Big among you is going to be your servant. And whoever wants to be Number One is going to be the slave of everybody.” This was perhaps not precisely what you and I had in mind when we agreed to be missionaries; but we have to keep our eyes on Jesus: “For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

There is not a hint here, you see, of the fame and wealth that in our more demented moments we put before ourselves; our missionary task is one of unselfish service, perhaps culminating in death.

Is that what you have in mind, this week?

Southern Crossword #675

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final reflection

mindless sitcom? The nature channel?

Some iconoclastic talk-show? What’s healthy for my soul?

This is a legitimate question, but also a trick one. We lose our souls in opposite ways and thus care of the soul is a refined alchemy that has to know when to heat things up and when to cool things down.

What’s healthy for my soul on a given night depends a lot upon what I’m struggling with more on that night.

Am I losing my soul because I’m losing vitality, energy, hope and graciousness in my life? Am I growing bitter, rigid, sterile, becoming a person who’s painful to be around?

Or, conversely, am I full of life and energy but so full of it that I am falling apart, dissipating, losing my sense of self?

Am I petrifying or dissipating? Both are a loss of soul.

In the former situation, the soul needs more fire, something to rekindle its energy.

In the latter case, the soul already has too much fire; it needs some cooling down and some glue.

This tension between the principle of energy and the principle of integration within the human soul is also one of the great archetypal tensions between liberals and conservatives.

In terms of an oversimplification, but a useful one, it’s true to say that liberals tend to protect and promote the energy-principle—the fire—while conservatives tend to protect and promote the integration-principle—the glue.

Both are right, both are needed, and both need to respect the other’s instinct because the soul is a double principle and both these principles need protection.

After we die we can go to heaven or hell. That’s one way of speaking about losing or saving our souls.

But Christian theology also teaches that heaven and hell start already now.

Already here in this life, we can weaken or destroy the God-given life inside us by either petrification or dissipation.

We can lose our souls by not having enough fire or we can lose them by not having enough glue.

St John Paul II Pilgrimage to Poland Southern Cross

Nicholas King SJ

ACROSS

4. Put on the way to sainthood (7) 8. Eastern Church under Rome (6) 9. Vestment for martyr’s ritual (3,4) 10. It ain’t about a Venetian artist (6) 11. Ancient war caused by Paris (6) 12. Cuts short phone call without bands on (5,5) 18. Peter was recognised as one (Mk 14) (8) 20. Moses’ successor (6) 21. Land of Edom (6) 22. Of a style typically changeless (7) 23. Written in a small enclosure? (6) 24. Gives approval (7)

DOWN

1. Seed of the kingdom of heaven (Mt 13) (7) 2. Aloof? Far from it (7) 3. Breaks a Commandment (6) 5. Describing your busy day (8) 6. Letter mistake causes great dread (6) 7. Martyr who became the 20th bishop of Rome (6) 13. Lofty instrumentalist? (8) 14. Appearing (7) 15. How Christian soldiers march (7) 16. Do they abound in the Milky Way? (6) 17. Sounds as if the celibate is being pursued (6) 19. Really and truly (6) Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

T

HERE was a priest who fell in the ocean and he couldn’t swim.

When a boat came by, the captain shouted: “Do you need help, sir?” The priest calmly said: “No, God will save me.”

A little later, another boat came by and a fisherman asked: “Hey, do you need help?” The priest replied again: “No, God will save me.”

Eventually the priest drowned and went to heaven.

The priest asked God: “Why didn’t you save me?” God replied: “Fool, I sent you two boats!”

A journey to the places of St John Paul II’s life and devotions, led by a Bishop who knows Poland intimately.

Led by Bishop Stan Dziuba 13 - 21 May 2016

Kraków | Wadowice (on St John Paul II’s birthday) | Black Madonna of Częstochowa | Niepokalanów (St Maximilan Kolbe) | Divine Mercy Sanctuary | Warsaw | Kalwaria Zebrzydowska (with miraculous icon) | Zakopane | Wieliczka Salt Mine (with Mass!)