160217 by The Southern Cross

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February 17 to February 23, 2016

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Art legend Andy Warhol’s Catholic faith

Perrier: Lent is our yearly rehab

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New SA nuncio: Pray for me T

Two giant chandeliers made of old CDs, ice cream cartons, printers’ plates and broken mirrors were presented to the Denis Hurley Centre in Durban by Umcebo Design. Seen here are artist Samuel Gwezva and director Robin Opperman of Umcebo Design. See page 3 for a report on the centre’s AGM. (Photo: Niamh Walsh-Vorster)

Nuns shocked by KZN smash-and-grab robbery BY STUART GRAHAM

NARDINI Franciscan Sister from Vryheid in northern KwaZulu-Natal was in shock after thieves smashed her car windows and stole “a large sum” of money from her as she parked in a garage at her convent. Sr Dolorosa Sorour FNS told The Southern Cross that she is talking to God by writing about the incident and that she is heartened by the support and love from her community. She recounted how she had informed the bank that she and another sister would come in to withdraw a large amount of money. “We went in at the allocated time…and then we drove back to the convent. I had left gates and garage open.” Sr Sorour drove “straight in”. When she stopped the car she saw a silver-grey car “coming fast” and pulling up to pavement. Two men jumped out and pointed their guns at the car. “They came into the garage and tried to open the car doors, but the doors were still locked. So they smashed the windows,” Sr Sorour said. “My window broke first; I was the driver. The man stretched across to grab the bag with money...I tried a few times to block

him. I tried to stop him, but he took it.” She noted that the robber did not try and assault the nuns. “He just tried to grab the bag.” Once the criminals had the money they ran to their car. Sr Sorour reversed out of the driveway to look at the number plate and memorise it. “I went to the police station and reported it to them and they quickly notified all the patrol cars.” The car was eventually found parked in someone’s yard. The money, said Sr Sorour, was meant for various projects aimed at helping the poor and those in need. “What helped is that the community and sisters were very supportive,” she said. “It also helped to have our regional superior be with us and guide us to the next step.” As a means of dealing with the trauma of the robbery, Sr Sorour has taken to writing. “What I find helped was to write down what I was feeling. To talk to God through writing,” she said. The incident came shortly after a brutal attack on Fr Charles Prince during a burglary at his church in Langa in Cape Town (as discussed in last week’s editorial).

HE newly-appointed papal nuncio to Pretoria has said he was “extremely humbled and honoured by the faith which has been placed in me by the Church and our Holy Father”, and has asked the faithful for their prayers as he prepares to embark on his new mission “to the extraordinary people of Southern Africa”. This is Archbishop Peter Wells’ first appointment as nuncio, a role in which he represents Pope Francis in the region and serves as ambassador to South Africa and Botswana (with the possibility of further countries being added to that portfolio). The 52-year-old American has served as the assessor for the General Affairs of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, a position equivalent to deputy chief of staff, since 2009. His role as assessor made Mgr Wells the fifth-ranking official in the Secretariat of State. Accessible and articulate, ArchbishopWells is widely described as the “go-to man” in the Vatican for English-speaking bishops. He is credited with having had a strong, positive influence in developing the Vatican’s response to the sexual abuse scandal. He has also been intimately involved in reforming the Vatican’s financial structures. In 2013 Pope Francis appointed Mgr Wells as the secretary of a Pontifical Com-

Archbishop Peter Wells, the new nuncio to Southern Africa. (Photo: Paul Haring/CNS) mission charged with drawing up an “exhaustive” report into the juridical standing and activities of the so-called Vatican Bank. Last year, the pope put Archbishop Wells in charge of a Financial Security Committee that sought to prevent money-laundering and the funding of terrorism. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on May 12, 1963, the eldest of five children, he studied Continued on page 2

New bishop’s 25 minutes in chapel BY STUART GRAHAM

ATHER Duncan Tsoke, vicar-general of the archdiocese of Johannesburg and parish priest at Turffontein, has asked for prayers after being appointed auxiliary bishop for the archdiocese. Bishop-elect Tsoke was born on April 15, 1964, in Daveyton. He was ordained to the priesthood on December 2, 1995. He said the appointment came as “a shock and a surprise” when he was given the news by Mgr Kevin Randall, counsellor at the apostolic nunciature in Pretoria. Bishop-elect Tsoke told Radio Veritas that Mgr Randall had phoned him, asking to see him. “I thought, ‘What have I done?’ I went the following day and that is when he told me the news,” he recalled. “I became nervous. I didn’t know what to say. I started shaking. He could see I [was] not OK. He asked me if I [wanted to] go to the chapel. I said, ‘Good idea’.” Fr Tsoke said he spent 25 minutes in the

chapel, trying to think about the responsibility he had been given. “Eventually I had to say yes. [Mgr Randall] was saying, ‘God has called you. The Holy Father has appointed you.’ There was no way to say no. I said, ‘Let his will be done’,” Bishopelect Tsoke said. “Please pray for me. This is not an easy re- Bishop-elect Tsoke sponsibility.” His parents, who live in Benoni, were delighted at the news, as was his only sister. “They were happy, delighted, but I could feel they were nervous for me as well,” he said. As auxiliary bishops are not heads of a diocese, they are assigned a defunct see. Bishopelect Tsoke was given the titular see of Horrea Coelia, which once was a diocese in today’s town of Hergla in Tunisia.

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The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2016

LOCAL The community of MashayilangaChrist the Alpha and Omega parish, in Umzimkulu diocese, celebrated the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. The Mass was presided over by Bishop Stanley Dziuba.

Dictators shaped Hurley on apartheid BY STAFF REPORTER

HE late Durban Archbishop Denis Hurley’s encounters with fascism and dictators such as Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler while he was studying for the priesthood in Rome in the 1930s played an important role in forming his unwavering stance against the apartheid government, his biographer said in a Durban lecture. Soon after arriving in Rome in 1933 to train for the priesthood, the 18-year-old Denis Hurley was writing home with observations about the fascists loyal to Mussolini, Paddy Kearney said in an address to the SA National Society at the KwaMuhle Museum in Durban to mark the 12th anniversary of the archbishop’s death on February 13. “The whole Italian nation is mad with fascism,” Hurley wrote in a letter to his parents. “Every second man in the street, quite literally and without exaggeration, wears some kind of uniform, principally the black-shirt variety. “Soldiers carry rifles, revolvers, bayonets. Policemen sport sabres, rapiers, daggers and revolvers. A regular armoury is attached to each fellow’s belt. Even little boys are togged out in black-shirts and Wellington boots. The whole nation. Seems a bit childish, doesn’t it?” Hurley said the way fascists treated ordinary civilians in the streets reminded him of how black people were treated in South Africa. “He began to resolve that when he returned to South Africa, he would have no part in such behaviour,” said Mr Kearney, who is also

the chair of the Denis Hurley Centre Trust. Another of the “great dictators”, Adolf Hitler, came to Rome on a sixday state visit in 1938. A military parade took place along the Via dell’Impero, between the Colosseum and the monument to Victor Emmanuel II. One of his fellow scholastics came running in and said: “Come quickly. You can see Hitler from the roof.” Hurley’s reply was: “No, I’m not going. I don’t want to see that man.”

here was just one man in Rome who could stand up to Mussolini and Hitler, and that was Pope Pius XI, whom Hurley described as “a real fighter”. Hearing that Hitler wanted to visit the Vatican during his state visit, Pope Pius showed his contempt for the Nazi dictator by leaving Rome for his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, saying: “I cannot stay in Rome with a man who has raised the crooked cross against the cross of Christ.” “Quite obviously the way Pius XI stood up to the great dictators was hugely influential in how Hurley would stand up to people like Verwoerd and PW Botha in their promotion of apartheid,” Mr Kearney said. Years later, reflecting on his studies overseas, Archbishop Hurley said that he had left South Africa “very much as a white boy”. When he returned in 1940, he discovered that all the social teaching he had learnt in Rome challenged “in a most striking way...the racial situation in South Africa”.

Facebook campaign for EWTN on DStv STAFF REPORTER

GROUP of Catholics who want DStv to include the US Catholic television station EWTN have taken to Facebook. “We want EWTN on DStv to provide wholesome, family-orientated, Catholic programming,” said Caren Munzer, one of the organisers of the campaign. Multichoice, which owns DStv and is a subsidiary of media conglomerate Naspers, runs several Christian channels, though all of them are of Pentecostal and Evangelical in approach. EWTN—or Eternal Word Television Network—produces aroundthe-clock television and radio programming from its headquarters in Alabama.

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It can be received in South Africa on special decoders. Its radio programming features prominently on Radio Veritas at night and on weekends. The station has said it would readily give DStv broadcast rights. DStv carries EWTN in other parts of Africa, but refuses to do so in South Africa, saying that Catholics have access to Christian programming through the Pentecostal and Evangelical channels. When Multichoice Africa decided to remove the Catholic TV station from its bouquet in Nigeria in 2012, it swiftly reversed its decision after the threat of a consumer boycott, spearheaded by the bishops of the country. At the same time, Multichoice declared as final its decision to ex-

clude EWTN from its South African offering. “With over 3,1 million Catholics in South Africa alone, why don’t we have Catholic programming on DStv?” Mrs Munzer asked. “We feel it is very important to be given the opportunity to watch Catholic TV on DStv, as there are many other channels on DStv dedicated to various religions,” Mrs Munzer said. “I believe in the power of prayer and the power of social media,” she said, explaining the decision to set up a Facebook page to express the Catholic demand for EWTN on the satellite broadcaster’s channels. n To “like” the “We want Catholic TV (EWTN) on DSTV”, go to www.facebook.com/CatholicTVonDSTV/

New nuncio for Southern Africa has wide experience Continued from page 1 at St Meinrad Seminary College in Indiana before being sent to the Pontifical North American College in Rome to study theology. While in Rome, he obtained a baccalaureate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1990, and in 1992, a licentiate from the John Paul II Institute for studies on Marriage and the Family at the Pontifical Lateran University. After his ordination to the priesthood on July 12, 1991, he served in various roles in his home diocese of Tulsa before beginning his diplomatic work with the Holy See in 1999, after obtaining a licentiate and doctoral degree in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University, in 1998 and 1999, respectively.

Archbishop Wells’ first diplomatic assignment was to the nunciature in Nigeria, where he served until 2002 when he was summoned back to Rome to work in the Vatican. In addition to his English, the new nuncio is also fluent in Italian, French, German and Spanish. As nuncio to Southern Africa, Archbishop Wells succeeds Italian Archbishop Mario Roberto Cassari, who was transferred to Malta in May 2015, after three years in Pretoria. Archbishop Wells is the fifth American to serve as nuncio in Pretoria, following archbishops Celestine Damiano (1952-60), Joseph McGeough (1960-67), Ambrose De Paoli (1988-97), and James Green (2006-11).

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The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2016

LOCAL

Water floods in care of Radio Veritas BY LEBO WA MAJAHE

ADIO Veritas, the Johannesburg-based Catholic radio station, has embarked on an ongoing relief project for the people of Matwabeng, Senekal, in Free State, by collecting and distributing bottled water. Water and sanitation challenges are crucial issues for the people of the dusty and dry township of Matwabeng, as they battle a devastating drought. Residents said that in their desperation some people had resorted to drinking sewerage water and water fed to cows, as a consequence falling ill. While the municipality provides about 250 000 litres of water to residents, they say the supply is not enough to meet demand. Local resident Lerato Makena ex-

pressed her frustration at the municipality for not delivering clean water consistently. Maria Mokoena, also a resident in Matwabeng, said sometimes the water delivered to the community from the tanks is smelly and poses a health hazard. Schools experience sanitation challenges, particularly with dirty and unflushed toilets. Some parents keep their children out of school over health concerns. As they fail to produce their own food from farming, the poor supplement their inadequate government grants with lending from loan sharks to buy sufficient food and water. The first delivery by Radio Veritas, at the end of January, totalled 8 tonnes, about 2 000 bottles of water collected from various points within Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Fr Emil Blaser OP, director of Radio Veritas, positioned the project in the Year of Mercy, which calls on all Catholics to perform some corporal works of mercy in making the lives of the disadvantaged easier and more bearable. Radio Veritas will continue to collect water for the people of Senekal until the crisis there is resolved, the Dominican priest said. He noted the desperation of people. When word got around that water was being delivered, residents began quarrelling over who should get the water, “an evident sign that they are struggling and stranded”. The Catholic Institute of Education and the Reatlegile Primary School in Mabopane assisted with collecting water. Starpack, a packaging company in Johannesburg, assisted with a truck for transporting the water.

Delighted children in Matwabeng in Free State collect bottled water brought in by Radio Veritas.

Little Eden prepares for annual fête Hurley Centre aids the ‘poor and marginalised’ A

HE work of the Denis Hurley Centre in Durban can be presented in terms of the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy, its director told the annual general meeting. The director, Raymond Perrier, said the DHC is feeding the hungry (almost 50 000 hot meals were served in the centre’s first year), tending the sick (over 2 000 patients were seen in the free clinic every month), and welcoming the stranger (through the practical work of the archdiocese’s Refugee Pastoral Care project). The centre, he said, is also “liberating the prisoner” by helping drug users and their families cope with addiction, “satisfying the thirsty” through various educational programmes in computer skills, a basic sewing course, language classes and theological education, and “clothing the naked by adorning people’s lives through film screenings, concerts, drama and community arts projects”. “The seventh corporal work is to honour the dead,” Mr Perrier added, “and I believe that we do this every day. The best way to honour the memory of the late archbishop is by doing the work we believe he would be leading if he were alive today.” DHC chair Paddy Kearney thanked

the donor organisations, South African and international, who had financed the work for the poor and marginalised. He also mentioned key Durban parishes that have supported the centre, including Pinetown, Virginia, Morningside and Hillcrest. Guest speaker Rev John Witcombe, Anglican dean of Coventry cathedral in England, explained the work of the Community of the Cross of Nails that honours organisations involved in peace-building and reconciliation. He said that from what he had seen, the DHC would be a great addition to this worldwide community. Visitors were excited to see the new additions of two giant chandeliers made by Umcebo Design and gifted to the DHC. Though they look as if they are made of flowers and shells, in fact the materials are old CDs, ice cream cartons, printers’ plates and broken mirrors. “Our work starts with materials that others regard as useless,” designer Robin Opperman explained. “We are drawn to the Denis Hurley Centre because they engage with people whom others would disregard and help them discover their potential and value.”

S with every year, Little Eden is preparing for its main annual fundraising event, the fête, on Saturday, March 5, at Little Eden’s Domitilla and Danny Hyams Home in Edenvale. With 300 people relying on the society for all their needs, the purpose of the event is to raise funds to care for them. Of the 300 residents, about 238 were previously abandoned, and some come from indigent families who provide no financial support. About 35% is received through the government, leaving a shortfall of

around R18 million a year to be raised through various activities and events like the fête. The success of the day relies on the support of the community. Little Eden asks its supporters to assist with donations in cash or kind. Contributions to the bottle tombola stall of any unopened item that comes in a bottle—bath salts, chutney, toiletries—would be appreciated. Crafts, books, plants, knitting and needlework are also welcome and, of course, cakes. Supporters are requested to

come dressed as their favourite “Under the Sea” character, to fit in with the 2016 theme and to stand a chance to win prizes for the best-dressed visitors. Entrance is R5 per person which qualifies supporters to be entered in the lucky draw. There will be plenty of food, entertainment and fun for the young and old. n For more information on how you can get involved and help, contact Zama Zulu on 011 609 7246. Also, the website at www.littleeden. org.za has more information on the society.

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Religious, priests and laity celebrated the end of the Year of Consecrated Life in Lansdowne, Cape Town.

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HE archdiocese of Cape Town ended the Year of Consecrated Life with an assembly of religious, priests and laity at Our Lady Help of Christians parish in Lansdowne. The Eucharistic celebration was led by Archbishop Stephen Brislin, concelebrated by more than 30 priests. Members of many religious congregations participated in the reading, offertory and music, giving a testimony of their collaboration for the Kingdom of God. The Mass also remembered those religious who have died and whose

legacy is being built on today. The consecrated people present renewed their commitment to God during the Mass. Archbishop Brislin thanked the religious for the great evangelical work since the Christian faith was brought to the Cape more than 150 years ago. He recounted the story of the burning down of a brand-new boarding school for girls as an illustration of both the hardships faced and the ability to overcome and persevere. The Mass was followed by a reception in the parish hall, organised by the Knights of Da Gama.

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The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2016

INTERNATIONAL

‘Dear Pope, what did God do before he made the world?’ C BY CiNDY WOODEN

A child is lifted to come into contact with the glass case containing the body of St Padre Pio in St Peter’s basilica at the Vatican. (Photo: Paul Haring/CNS)

Forgive like Jesus, don’t accuse like the devil BY JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES

ONFESSORS have two choices: to be like Jesus who readily forgave sins or like the devil who always condemns, Pope Francis said. “You can either do the work of Jesus, who forgives, by giving your lives in prayer [and] through many hours seated there or you do the work of the devil who condemns and accuses,” the pope said during a Mass with Capuchin friars from around the world. The Mass at the altar of the Chair in St Peter’s basilica was held in conjunction with the veneration of the relics of two Capuchins, Ss Padre Pio and Leopold Mandic; Pope Francis requested their relics be brought to the Vatican for the Year of Mercy. Both saints, the pope told the friars, spent long hours in the confessional as ministers of God’s mercy

and forgiveness. “The confessional is for forgiving,” he said. “And if you cannot give someone absolution, please, do not ‘beat’ him.” The pope repeated the story of a former Capuchin provincial who was sent to a shrine as a confessor after his retirement. The friar, who usually had a long line of people waiting for him, “always found a way to forgive or at least leave that person’s soul in peace with a hug”. However, the priest expressed concern that he was forgiving too much. “And what do you do when you feel that way?” the pope recalled asking him. “‘I go to the chapel in front of the tabernacle, and I tell the Lord: ‘I’m sorry Lord, forgive me, I think I forgave too much today. But Lord, it was you who gave me a bad example,’“ the friar responded.—CNS

HILDREN may say the darnedest things, but when it comes to questions about faith, they can make even the most learned parents and priests pause. “These are tough,” Pope Francis said when presented with questions from 30 children from around the world. Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, who went through the questions with the pope, said half the time he personally was stumped when thinking about how he would have responded. But the pope wasn’t. The questions, illustrated with the drawings of the children aged 6-13, and the pope’s answers will be published on March 1 as the book Dear Pope Francis. “What did God do before the world was made?” one child asked. “Do bad people have a guardian angel, too?” asked another. In the book, coordinated and published by Loyola Press, Pope Francis responds to those and 28 other queries; some of the questions are theological, others are practical, and a few are about the pope personally, including what he wanted to be when he grew up. To the question about what God was doing before creation, the heart of the pope’s answer is, “Think of it this way: Before creating anything, God loved. That’s what God was doing: God was loving.” Questions about Jesus, war and peace and about heaven are also included, though Fr Spadaro was keeping those exact questions and answers under wraps. Some of the personal questions

This is one of many drawings by children ages 6-13 that appear in the book Dear Pope Francis, which will be published on March 1. (Photo: courtesy Loyola Press/CNS) made Pope Francis laugh and the pope’s answers to those questions made Fr Spadaro laugh, the Jesuit said. The pope admits in the book that when he was small he wanted to be a butcher because the butcher his grandmother bought meat from had an apron with a big pocket that seemed to be full of money. The children’s questions are “simple, but not silly”, said Fr Spadaro, who discussed them with Pope Francis and recorded his answers. Fr Spadaro heads La Civiltà Cattolica, a Jesuit journal filled with articles on philosophy, theology, literary criticism and political theory. He has never worked with

young children and said he was in awe of how the pope handled the questions—taking them seriously and responding to them honestly and clearly. Some of the pope’s answers, he said, are “inspired”. “This is important,” Fr Spadaro said. “It says a lot about the magisterium of Pope Francis; he knows his ministry can reach children.” At the request of Loyola Press, Fr Spadaro asked Pope Francis last May if he would be willing to do the book. “The pope said yes immediately and with enthusiasm,” Fr Spadaro said. Loyola Press then reached out to dozens of Jesuits and collaborators around the globe, asking them to solicit questions and drawings from children. Sometimes Loyola had to ship off crayons, markers and paper because the children had none. In the end, 259 children in 26 countries submitted questions. The big batch of letters are is 14 languages and comes from children in wealthy cities, poor rural areas and even refugee centres. Choosing which letters the pope would answer in the book was done with input from the children, parents, grandparents, teachers and Jesuits, Fr Spadaro said. But he went into the reserve pile and pulled out a few more as well. In August, Fr Spadaro read the letters out loud to the pope in Italian, but the pope also scrutinised the drawings, the Jesuit said. He commented on the scenes and colors and often had a good laugh over the way the kids drew the pope.—CNS

EU bishops hail decision to call ISIS ‘genocide’ Woman named to leading theological Vatican post BY SiMON CALDWELL

EUROPEAN bishops’ commission has welcomed a move by the European parliament to classify atrocities and religious cleansing by the Islamic State as genocide. Fr Patrick Daly, general secretary of COMECE, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of the European Community, said the designation represented progress in halting the persecution of Christians and other minorities in Syria and Iraq. “Steps to prosecute criminals and bring them to justice are also imper-

ative,” Fr Daly said. The statement was issued the same day the European Parliament adopted the resolution proposed by Lars Adaktusson, a Swedish member, which stated that ISIS was “committing genocide against Christians and Yezidis and other religious and ethnic minorities, who do not agree with the so-called ISIS/Daesh interpretation of Islam, and that this, therefore, entails action under the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide”. The parliament also recommended that “action should be

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taken” for the activities of ISIS to be recognised as genocide by the UN Security Council. The parliament adopted the resolution the week after the Council of Europe, which harmonises human rights legislation throughout the continent, voted 117-1 in favour of a resolution recognising genocide. If a similar resolution were adopted by the United Nations, signatories to the convention would have an obligation to bring the activities of Islamic State to an end, to prioritise the protection of the victims, and to prosecute perpetrators once the hostilities were over.—CNS

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HE director of the new theological-pastoral department of the Vatican Secretariat for Communications is Natasa Govekar, a theologian who specialises in the communication of faith through images. The Vatican announced Pope Francis’ nomination of Ms Govekar, a Slovenian. At the same time, the pope named Francesco Masci, a 37-year-old official at the Vatican Internet Office, to direct the secretariat’s technical office. Mgr Dario Vigano, prefect of the secretariat, issued a statement highlighting the youth of the two appointees as well as the pope’s choice of a woman theologian to handle the theological-pastoral aspect of Vatican communications activities. Ms Govekar, who holds a doctorate in missiology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, is a member of

Natasa Govekar, director of the theological-pastoral department of Vatican communications. the staff of Rome’s Centro Aletti, a study and research centre focused particularly on the art and spirituality of Eastern Christianity. “The Holy Father appointing a woman as head of the theologicalpastoral department is an affirmation that attention to the pastoral is not exclusive to pastors, but involves the practices and ways of being Church today,” Mgr Vigano said.—CNS

Celibate priests free to 'travel light, serve freely’

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PRIESTS OF THE SACRED HEART “Here I am Lord” Cell: +27 72 769 7396, +27 83 471 6081 E-mail: vocation.office@ dehonafrica.net

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BY JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES

ELIBACY helps priests to “travel light” as they minister and serve free from attachments that could hinder them in bringing Christ’s love to the faithful, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. Giving the keynote address at a conference on priestly celibacy, Cardinal Parolin said the call to celibacy is a different way of giving one’s self completely in a loving relationship. Although celibacy is not demanded by the “very nature of the priesthood”, he said, there are some “special advantages” that help priests in their pastoral ministry, including the “freedom to serve”. “It is an opportunity for the priest to live a rich affection for his own

personal journey and for the exercise of his mission. It is not the absence of profound relationships, but a space for them. The cardinal acknowledged that while the lack of priests is regarded by some as a “sacramental emergency”, hasty solutions based on present urgencies do not justify the removal of the celibacy requirement, he said. “It remains true that the demands of evangelisation, together with the history and multifaceted tradition of the Church, leave the field open for legitimate debates—if motivated by the preaching of the Gospel and conducted in a constructive manner— while always safeguarding the beauty and majesty of the celibate choice,” he said. —CNS

INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2016

Pope: Talks in Syria the only way to peace BY CAROL GLATz

NEGOTIATED political resolution is the only answer to the crisis unfolding in Syria, Pope Francis said, urging world leaders to do everything possible to kick-start talks. Inviting people to intensify their prayers, he also asked everyone to be generous in offering the kind of help needed to guarantee the “survival and dignity” of Syrians fleeing the conflict. “With great concern, I am following the tragic fate of civilians caught up in violent battles in beloved Syria and forced to abandon everything to flee the horrors of war,” he said after praying the Angelus with those gathered in St Peter’s Square. The pope launched an “appeal to the international community to not spare any effort in urgently bringing the parties

Pope Francis leads his Angelus overlooking St Peter’s Square at the Vatican. (Photo: Tony Gentile, Reuters/CNS) concerned to the negotiating table. Only a political solution of the conflict will be capable of guaranteeing a future of reconciliation and peace,” he said. “Our society should be helped to be healed from all attacks on life, daring inner change, which

also is expressed through works of mercy,” he said. The pope said when people recognise and are in awe of Christ’s divinity, it is easy for them to believe they are not worthy enough for God. Just as Peter urged Christ, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man,” most people “think there should be distance between the sinner and the saint”, the pope said. However, it is precisely “the sinner’s condition that demands the Lord not distance himself in the same way a doctor cannot walk away from a person who is sick”, he said. “In this Holy Year of Mercy, we are called to comfort those who feel like sinners and unworthy before the Lord and discouraged because of their errors. “Do not be afraid. The father’s mercy is greater than your sins,” he said.—CNS

Priest: I ‘kidnapped’ Mother Teresa BY DAN MELOY

HERE aren’t many people who can get away with kidnapping a soon-to-be-saint, but Fr Jim Kean managed it. Technically, it wasn't kidnapping—he was following his passenger’s orders—but when the passenger is Mother Teresa, alarm bells are sure to ring when you suddenly turn down a narrow Roman alley as the other cars in the caravan whiz by. It was the late 1980s, and Fr Kean was a member of the Brothers of the Word, a community in Rome affiliated with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. Fr Kean had the honour of driving the order’s founder from place to place. During one of their trips, “I was driving Mother Teresa, and

there was a priest beside me telling her about this mother who was terminally ill,” recalled Fr Kean, now pastor of St Damien of Molokai parish in Pontiac, US. “Mother asked if we could go visit this village, so I turned rapidly down a side street, ditching the rest of the convoy.” In an era before cellphones, the rest of the cars must have been confused; did a 22-year-old American seminarian just kidnap Mother Teresa in Rome? The three stopped at the village just outside Rome, where Mother Teresa visited the dying woman. Her comforting face brought a smile to the woman, who was graced to have a future saint in her home, Fr Kean recalled. “It was a beautiful moment,

but I could only think of how much trouble I was in,” Fr Kean said. “Fortunately, Mother Teresa’s warm, affectionate smile was all she needed for the dying woman.” Fr Kean struggled to relate what Mother Teresa was saying to the dying woman. “I bumbled through the translation, so the old lady just had this confused look on her face and said, ‘What?’” Words lost in translation and accidentally kidnapping one of the most beloved people of the 20th century aside, Fr Kean enjoyed his time driving around the woman he always knew was a saint. September 4 is the probable date of Mother Teresa’s canonisation.—CNS

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A young man on his bicycle passes in front of paintings of Pope Francis in Ecatepec, Mexico. The Southern Cross will feature an in-depth look at the papal visit to Mexico next week. (Photo: Edgard Garrido, Reuters/CNS)

Turkish ambassador back at Vatican BY CAROL GLATz

URKEY reinstated its ambassador to the Vatican nearly a year after recalling him to Ankara. The diplomat had been called back to Turkey “for consultations” on April 12— the same day Pope Francis used the term “genocide” in reference to the deaths of an estimated 1,5 million Armenians during their forced evacuation by Ottoman Turks in 1915-18. Turkey rejects accusations of genocide and disputes the number of Armenians who died. The pope’s remarks to Armenian Christians gathered in St Peter’s basilica, including Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, came ahead of a Mass last year commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The pope lamented the forced expulsions and atrocious killings of Christians in the world in his brief address. He said humanity has lived through “three massive and unprecedented tragedies the past century: the first, which is generally considered ‘the first genocide of the 20th century’,” struck the Armenian people, quoting a joint declaration signed in 2001 by St John Paul and

Catholicos Karekin II of Etchmiadzin, patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Pope Francis said atrocities from the past had to be recognised—not hidden or denied—for true reconciliation and healing to come to the world. Almost one year later, Tanju Bilgic, spokesman for Turkey’s foreign ministry, said that a recent statement by the Vatican was “a positive development” and that Mehmet Pacaci, Turkey’s ambassador to the Holy See, would “return to duty”. The spokesman was referring to a Vatican communique which “noted and appreciated” Turkey’s repeated commitment “to make its archives available to historians and researchers of interested parties in order to arrive jointly at a better understanding of historical events and the pain and suffering endured by all parties, regardless of their religious or ethnic identity, caught up in war and conflict, including the tragic events of 1915”. The ministry spokesman highlighted the significance of referring to the “tragic events of 1915”, instead of using the term “genocide”. —CNS

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The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2016

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

Welcome the new nuncio T

HE Church in Southern Africa will extend a warm welcome to Archbishop Peter Wells when he arrives in Pretoria to commence his service as papal nuncio to the Southern African region. In Archbishop Wells, Pope Francis has appointed a rising star in the Roman curia to our part of the world. In his almost 14 years in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State—latterly as its fifth-ranking official— the newly-elevated archbishop has become a point-man for many Anglophone bishops, especially among his fellow Americans. Pope Francis has in the past appointed him to handle delicate assignments, indicating the high regard in which the Holy Father holds the cleric who has served three popes in the Vatican. While it is true that sometimes inconvenient curial officials are promoted out of the way—an act known as “promoveatur ut amoveatur” (promote to remove)—Archbishop Wells’ appointment seems to be intended to invest in him the experience required for positions of greater responsibility. Two former nuncios to South Africa went on to become curial leaders. Archbishop Edward Cassidy, the Australian who served as nuncio in Pretoria from 1981-84, became a cardinal in 1991 and headed the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity before his retirement in 2001. Portuguese Archbishop Manuel Monteira de Castro, here from 1998-2000, moved from Pretoria to the prestigious nunciature in Spain, and became a cardinal and the head of the Church’s Apostolic Penitentiary in 2012 (he retired the following year). South Africa has had good recent experiences with American nuncios. The late Archbishop Ambrose de Paoli, here from 1988-97, was held in high esteem and is still remembered fondly. Archbishop James Green, for whom South Africa was also a first appointment as nuncio, made a deep impression with his open personality and humour, and earned admiration for his work ethic. A large number of Southern African bishops were appointed during the tenure of Archbishop Green, who presently serves in Peru. It is fair to say that Archbishop Green helped shape the present Church in Southern Africa. Archbishop Wells will likewise influence the future of our local

Church. Depending on the length of his tenure in Pretoria, he may be involved in the appointment of three of South Africa’s five archbishops. Bishops are required to submit their resignations to the pope upon reaching the age of 75. While the pope may ask the incumbent to extend his service by a few years, the Holy See will nevertheless already consider the question of succession. Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban will turn 75 on March 8; Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria will reach the age of 75 in 2018; Archbishop Jabulani Nxumalo of Bloemfontein in 2019. Even if Archbishop Wells’ tenure in Southern Africa turns out to be a short three years, he will be involved in planning the succession in all three archdioceses—aside from the other dioceses that may fall vacant during his time here. As ambassador to South Africa, Archbishop Wells arrives at a time when the country is approaching a crossroads. A weak economy in an environment marked by stark inequality is likely to give rise to social unrest, some of which we have already witnessed. Moreover, it is conceivable that President Jacob Zuma may not see out his presidential term as his position is becoming increasingly untenable. The new nuncio will doubtless follow these developments with acute interest. In doing so, he will surely benefit from the exemplary work of the bishops’ Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office, an innovation which has attracted the interest of many bishops’ conferences around the world. Archbishop Wells will need the keen support of all in the local Church with whom he will interact. He will encounter a people who are hospitable, and who always enjoy meeting the papal nuncio. By all accounts, Archbishop Wells is an approachable man with a good sense of humour and a level head. These are qualities which Southern Africans appreciate. With the Church in the countries of his first posting as apostolic nuncio—Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland—The Southern Cross congratulates Archbishop Wells on his appointment. We wish him God’s richest blessings as he prepares to take on the significant task of representing the pope and the Holy See in our region.

Sea chaplains’ crucial role on ships

OUR article about Fr Thomas Byles giving his life for passengers on the Titanic (January 6) is a timely reminder of the important role Apostleship of the Sea (AOS) chaplains have today on cruise ships around the world. As the Catholic Church agency for providing spiritual support and pastoral care to those working in the maritime industry, AOS deploys many chaplains to cruise ships, especially around the Christmas and Easter periods. Cruise chaplains celebrate Mass, hear confessions, and provide the kind of care they would in a parish. In fact, many people remark that modern cruise ships, with their shops, restaurants, theatres and

Ecumenical relations

ALCOLM Bagley’s letter (January 27) refers. There is no doubt that since Vatican II, ecumenical relations have improved among Christians, especially those of the mainline churches. However, the main stumbling block always seems to centre around the Eucharist. For Christians other than Catholics, sharing Communion constitutes a symbolic ritual surrounding the concept of Christianity, “Jesus died for us”. Catholic doctrine insists that the bread and wine at the time of the consecration are changed into the actual body and blood of Jesus. This can be an issue only of faith, because in reality it goes against the mechanism of physical properties. As an analogy, take petrol- and diesel-driven cars. Although the two respective engines operate differently, the car itself is designed for getting us from point A to point B. One can debate for hours the merits of either, but the end result is exactly the same. We understand Pope Francis not agreeing to the Lutheran lady being able to receive Catholic Communion, because he did not implement the rule. That doesn’t mean it cannot be changed, by consensus of course. After all, who would have ever believed the Berlin Wall would come crumbling down? And hats off to Bishop Graham Rose for inviting Professor Paul Murray to South Africa, who gave a series of lectures on ecumenism. Patrick Dacey, Johannesburg

Homosexual inclination

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Bishops on local elections: Choose wisely BY STUART GRAHAM

Sitting down with a saint

HANK you for the article “Catholic, gay, chaste—and feeling fine” on Joseph Prever (January

HE bishops of Southern Africa have called on South Africans to vote with wisdom and responsibility when they cast their ballots in the municipal elections this year, and praised the state’s security personnel for protecting our democracy. Given the wi Africa brought omy, unemploy tion, the cou representatives w for the welfare African Catho spokesman Arch T h e S o u t h e r n C ro “The election nity to chose th and the leaders said. “We need mo

13). St Joseph must feel proud of his namesake. Some critics claim that the Catholic Church despises the homosexual inclination but it is only the sexual expression thereof which is denied to us. The members of our hierarchy are themselves celibate and therefore familiar with the pain of loneliness. They cannot be arbitrary in their rulings on sexuality, however, since these are based upon God’s laws, changing which clearly lies outside the scope of our hierarchy’s powers. Trying to find loopholes merely represents a sterile intellectual pursuit since the Church’s teaching unequivocally forbids engagement in homosexual activity. Moreover, whereas in the case of heterosexual fornication there may exist the possibly of a marriage, the Church is barred from conferring her blessing on same-sex matrimony. For a man exiled in the prime of life from the consolations of marriage for reasons of conscience, Joseph Prever has set a thorny challenge. I respectfully salute his courageous choice for abstinence. Luky Whittle, Kroonstad

Biblical texts

QUESTION the anonymous priest’s personal interpretation of the biblical texts on homosexuality (January 13). To be interpreted properly, passages from the Old Testament must be viewed within the broader context of biblical teaching on sexuality, the foundations of which are laid in the creation narratives of Genesis 1-3. Similarly, the scripture quotes from Paul must be interpreted within the broader context of Paul’s teaching on marriage (especially Eph 5:21-33 and 1 Cor 7). The unity of the Bible must be a criterion for its interpretation. However, he readily admits that

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leisure facilities, are similar to a small town. What’s not often understood perhaps is that the chaplains’ primary role is to minister to the crew, which can number over 1 000 on some large vessels. Many are from Catholic parts of the world, such as the Philippines or Goa, and they save most of what they earn to support their families at home. Seafarers on cruise ships work long and demanding hours, often beginning very early in the morning, or finishing late at night, because of the shift patterns of the crew. A chaplain will often celebrate Mass late at night.

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The Editor reserves the right to shorten or edit published letters. Letters below 300 words receive preference. Pseudonyms are acceptable only under special circumstances and at the Editor’s discretion. Name and address of the writer must be supplied. No anonymous letter will be considered.

On average, each contract on board ship lasts approximately eight to ten months. This means crew members miss important family events such as births, deaths and anniversaries. AOS chaplains are there to provide comfort, reassurance and spiritual guidance. Crew members frequently say how much they appreciate someone who cares about them being around on board the ship. AOS chaplains are not usually called upon to show the kind of heroism displayed by Fr Byles when the Titanic sank, but what they do when they go on deck is minister to the men and women they meet through their presence and through small gestures. Terry Whitfield, national director: Apostleship of the Sea, Durban 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

millions have been hurt especially in their younger years, and a healing process is needed. The LGBT movement would have you believe that all homosexuals are “born gay”. Is this really true? There are many who have come out of same-sex attraction (SSA) by facing those hurts which have been experienced in childhood and early adolescence. However, not everyone who turns away from this lifestyle will move from SSA to being totally heterosexual. There are many possible contributing factors to the development of such attractions. Many experiencing SSA have suffered a tremendous amount of hurt and rejection growing up, and ongoing rejection from the one place where they should be accepted and loved: the Church. Many people experiencing SSA feel accepted and at home in the LGBT community, but not in the Church. This is our fault. We judge, judge and judge again. The Church has to function as family and community, and we are a long way from being there. Our bishops should arrange for an organisation to be established in this country which would assist those who are experiencing SSA and have nobody to turn to. Well-informed homilies could also be prepared on a local level. With the special graces available in this Year of Mercy, let us move forward with confidence in the love of our God. Manuel De Ponte, Cape Town

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Lent: Our annual rehab programme A Raymond Perrier GOOD friend of mine is an addict. There, I’ve said it. For someone to admit they are an addict is a hard thing—in the famous 12 steps programme of AA it is the first step. In the same way, it is hard to admit having a close friend or a family member who is an addict. After all, doesn’t that reflect badly on me? Did I drive him to drink? Did I miss the chance to keep her off drugs? What is the gap they are trying to fill in their lives—and why was my love not enough to fill it? Such questions are essentially pointless. Addiction is an immensely complicated human condition and we can rarely deconstruct its origins and find two or three simple explanations of where it has come from. What we can do is respond to the person’s need. We are called—as Pope Francis is reminding us in this Year of Mercy—to be “merciful just as our Heavenly Father is merciful”. First and foremost, that means avoiding the all-too-human temptation to judge. We all know the Scriptures: “Do not judge in case you are judged,” or “Remove the plank from your own eye before removing the splinter from someone else’s.” Yet, as a loving parent or sibling or friend, when we see behaviour that we know is destroying someone, we want to protect them from it. But we inadvertently find ourselves using language that reinforces the bad behaviour. If addiction is someone trying to escape from their own poor self-image, then telling them they are worthless or useless or beyond help is only going to reinforce the poor self-image. My friend—who was living and working with me, and so I saw him all the time—was clearly descending to lower and lower levels of craziness in how he was behaving. I tried setting rules, I tried threats, I tried ultimatums, but he did not seem to respond to any of them. I began to get a glimpse of what the Father feels when he watches each one of us constantly sinning! Then my friend hit rock bottom. And for the first time he realised that he had. I fear that we cannot rescue someone until they see that they need to be res-

cued. Sometimes that might mean standing by and watching them fall through all the safety nets that we lovingly put in place. So he called for help and he is now in his second month of rehab. He is in a place—not cheap, but somehow the money appeared when I needed it—where he is loved. Not by me or by his family— though we did try—but by complete strangers who just see the person in front of them as God sees him. A small guy who is slowly getting bigger again as the chemical toxins leave his system but, more importantly, the psychological toxins of a bad self-image are retreating. I can pray for him; I can pay for him; I can now visit him from time to time. And I can offer him hope that, if he completes this programme, there is something to come back to: a home, a job, a place of welcome.

t the Denis Hurley Centre we see people constantly addicted to drugs and drink. Some of them have families but they are estranged from them. Many of them have friends who are as lost as they are. If we cannot help them directly, can we support their family and their better friends to do so? Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban recently wrote about the need to see drugs as a new liberation struggle. He spoke of the importance of reaching out to families who are affected and giving them our love and support as Catholic communities (as re-

Addiction is a complicated human condition and we can rarely find two or three simple explanations of where it has come from. What we can do is respond to the person’s need, Raymond Perrier writes.

Faith and Society

ported in The Southern Cross of February 3). We must no more judge the families than judge the addicts. They need our mercy so they in turn can show mercy to their addicted sons and daughters. Lent is a good time to reflect on addiction. While we may not be addicted to the point of needing rehab, we all have in our lives what are termed “disordered desires”: a perfectly good and healthy desire that has become disordered because it harms us, or others, or our relationship with others by taking up too much of our time or money or attention. For example: would I rather read the postings of a stranger on Facebook than talk to the friend who is sitting next to me? Do I “crave” chocolate when a piece of fruit is what would do me good? Do I have a second glass of wine after the first one has not quite chased away the stress of the day? By giving up chocolates or wine or Facebook for Lent, we can test if they have become disordered desires—we prove to ourselves that we can say “no”, and we see that we can live well without it. If at the end of 40 days we return to that desire, we can do so in a way which is more balanced: in the words of a famous Ignatian writer, “befriending our desires”. So God each year gives us a rehab programme called Lent. It requires of us to start by admitting our need to be rehabilitated: the conversion of the sinner. It has structure and ritual and focus like any good rehab programme. We pursue it each in our own way but also with fellow travellers in need of conversion. We are supported, I hope, by a Church which is loving and merciful and non-judgmental. And we keep going because we know that at the end of it, even after the darkest night of Good Friday, we will be welcomed by the Father with a new coat, and a feast and a fattened calf because he has never given up on us.

Better to discuss than to lecture? Toni Rowland I N our postmodern way of free thinking, does the word lecture come across as rather dictatorial? It possibly does even more than the words sermon or homily; all of these are occasions for someone to tell another one what to do. In all kinds of social discourse there seems to be an element of “I have a right to my own opinion”. That is correct in terms of the Constitution. And yet there is so much we can learn and need to be taught, whatever our age or life experience. Education, I sometimes say, is wasted on the young. Isn’t it not true that more mature learners do so out of a desire for knowledge and for their own enjoyment and personal growth? Some members of families attend various Lenten lectures and programmes, and each year there seem to be more on offer. This year, in the context of the Year of Mercy, there are special missions too where input is given for reflection. How can this be done at home, in families? Can families, and family catechesis, come on board to inform, form, educate, enrich ourselves and one another? Faith-formation is a family responsibility, but are lectures the answer in this type of context? Or is a process of input, reflection, scripture, sharing and prayer such as the “See, Judge, Act” process a more useful format? There must be an element of informing but a minimum of “lecturing,” certainly with children and teenagers. An ideal setup for family faith-sharing is for one person to do some preparation on a topic and guide the process where others are given a chance to express their opinions and be accepted and possibly gently challenged if necessary. I believe that is a merciful approach. Take the topic of life and of abortion. The Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office in their Mass which masked the Termination of Pregnancy Bill taking effect in February 1997 asked for prayers for those impacted and for a change of heart. Pope Francis, on this and other difficult

Family Friendly

moral issues says, stresses that God alone is the judge. In his Misericordiae Vultus (The Face of Mercy), the pope raises many issues in general: conversion, corruption, care for “our wounded brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity”. He constantly reminds us of God’s merciful love, saying: “Jesus is the Face of the Father’s mercy.”

n the question of the poor, however, he speaks out strongly, to governments and all leaders—including us—as in his Lenten message this year. Referring to Mary and her prayer, the Magnificat, he refers to the “proud”, the “powerful” and the “wealthy”. He calls for the need for conversion on their part. “By taking this path, the ‘proud’, the ‘powerful’ and the ‘wealthy’ spoken of in the Magnificat can also be embraced and undeservedly loved by the crucified Lord who died and rose for them. “This love alone is the answer to that yearning for infinite happiness and love

that we think we can satisfy with the idols of knowledge, power and riches. Yet the danger always remains that by a constant refusal to open the doors of their hearts to Christ who knocks on them in the poor, the proud, rich and powerful will end up condemning themselves and plunging into the eternal abyss of solitude which is hell.” There is much that families can and should talk about, sharing the Church’s teaching, examining Scripture, reflecting on our views and our experiences and praying for right actions. Lent is a good time to make a commitment to spend an hour or more together at least once a week on a variety of topics, not all serious but also joyful. The family theme for February is “Love is at the heart of mercy”, indicated on the Family Year Planner and supported by Marfam’s short reflections and longer articles. Maybe mini-lectures, with discussion, sharing, Scripture and prayer that lead us to reflect on how loving and merciful we can be this Lent can bring us face to face with Jesus himself, and to see his face in others. I came across a card given to my late husband Chris and me years ago which are attributed to one Hardin Marshall. It reads: “The same faith that draws us closer to the Lord, holds us close to one another.” As a truly family-friendly suggestion on the topic of Holy Doors I want to suggest that on Family Day in South Africa on Easter Monday the special parishes keep an “Open Door” for families to visit as families together, possible anytime of the day to spend a little time together with Jesus and the Father. A leaflet could be available. More information on this idea on www.marfam.org.za.

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2016

Michael Shackleton

Open Door

Did or didn’t Jesus baptise people? Did Jesus himself actually baptise people with water, as did the disciples? This seems evident in John 3:22 but is contradicted in John 4:13. What is the mind of the Church? S Grogan

OHN 3:22: “After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptised.” John 4:1-3: “Now when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptising more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptise, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again to Galilee.” It is the mind of the Church that the baptism performed by the disciples of Jesus and John was not the sacrament of baptism as we know it. How could it be? Jesus had not yet completed his work of salvation, which would culminate in his death and resurrection. St Paul explained: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:3-4). So, what kind of baptism was this earlier, nonsacramental rite of cleansing? It was a penitential rite performed by John and his disciples in which the recipients symbolically washed away their sinful lives and readied themselves spiritually to enter the promised messianic kingdom. Jesus and his disciples joined in this preaching the Good News and baptising and, as noted above, “Jesus was making and baptising more disciples than John”. That’s not surprising, since John had told his men that he was not worthy even to carry Jesus’ sandals. There are various opinions about the seeming contradiction in the two texts you refer to. I think the more common opinion is that when John stated categorically that Jesus did not do any baptising but only the disciples did the baptising, he meant exactly what he wrote. When we read that Jesus remained in Judea with his disciples “and baptised”, it is likely that Jesus preached the coming of the kingdom and healed the afflicted: he then left it to his disciples to do the baptising of those who were moved by his urgent message for repentance in anticipation of the Messiah’s long-awaited appearance. Whether Jesus took a hand in this preparatory baptismal routine or not, is immaterial. Even if he did, we know that the time had not yet come “to baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Mt 3:11). n Send your queries to Open Door, Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000; or e-mail: opendoor@scross.co.za; or fax (021) 465 3850. Anonymity can be preserved by arrangement, but questions must be signed, and may be edited for clarity. Only published questions will be answered.

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8 March 2016, at 15:00

EST.. 1935 EST

Little Saints PRESCHOOL

Saints In T Trr a i n i n g

Saints Among Us

JUNIOR SCHOOL

CBC St John’s John’s provides provides our students with an enriched, holistic education

While we are are PROUDLY PROUDLY CATHOLIC, CATHOLIC, we welcome children children from from different different

within an environment environment where where life, faith and family ar are e celebrated. Our motto

backgrounds. faith backgr ounds.

Ora et Labora (Prayer and Work) Work) encapsulates our belief that spiritual development is seen as an integrated component of education. From Fr om our Little Saints in the Preschool Preschool through through to the Saints in Training Training in

“Live Jesus in our hearts, forever forever.” for ever.” ever .”

our Junior School and onto the Saints Among Us in the Senior School, our ensure dedicated and passionate teachers and staff staff ensur e that the transitions between the various grades and phases are are effortless. effortless. In keeping with our Fratres family values, our Semper Fratr es links our Grade One and Matric students programme in a mentorship pr ogramme aimed at fostering a sense of brother brother and sisterhood. inspires Our academic curriculum not only inspir es excellence but embraces diversity and is enriched by our extensive sport and cultural extramural programme, pr ogramme, camps, field trips and excursions.

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o f fi c e @ c b c s t j o h n s . c o . z a

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2016

LENT

Lent is time of ‘joy’ for Eastern Catholics

Not all Catholics have the same liturgy or even Lenten practices. Byzantine Catholics, one of the eastern rites of the Church, have their own Lenten customs, as LAURA iERACi explains.

HE word “joy” is not a word people usually associate with strict fasting and penance—unless they are Eastern-rite Catholics. In the Eastern Church, the penitential period that prepares believers to celebrate Easter is called “Great Lent”, and its prayers invite the faithful to recognise their “need for forgiveness” and to “delight in the joy” of the fast. Mother Theodora, the hegumena (or abbess) of the Byzantine Catholic Christ the Bridegroom monastery in Burton, Ohio, describes the Lenten disposition as “bright sadness”. “We recognise our weakness and sinfulness, but rejoice in the mercy of God,” she said. Unlike Lent for Latin-rite Catholics, Great Lent does not begin on Ash Wednesday, but after Forgiveness Vespers. For Eastern Churches using the Gregorian calendar, the vespers are held on the Sunday before the Latin Church’s Ash Wednesday, which this year fell on February 10. During Forgiveness Vespers, the clergy and the congregation ask forgiveness of one another, one person at a time, for offences they committed, knowingly or not, and exchange a kiss of peace. While all Catholics, East and West, are called to fasting, prayer and almsgiving during Lent, fasting and prayer are accentuated and lived more intensely in the Eastern Church. Benedictine Father Michel Van Parys, abbot of the Byzantine-rite

abbey of St Mary of Grottaferrata, outside Rome, said the “dimension of spiritual warfare” and the belief in Jesus’ words that “some demons can only be cast out by prayer and fasting” are fundamental to Great Lent. “The Great Fast is meant to be a challenge which brings out the real struggles of the spiritual life, so that they can be confronted,” said Mother Theodora. In addition to “emptying ourselves in order to be filled with God”, the purpose of fasting is also “to discipline ourselves and to gain control of our passions”, she continued. “Fasting liberates us from worldly dependence and helps us to realise our dependence on God.” The fast has two aspects: spiritual and physical. The spiritual “involves abstaining from evil thoughts, words and deeds”, she said. The physical fast traditionally includes eating less (or nothing at all during set periods) and abstaining from meat, fish with backbones, all dairy products, eggs, oil and wine for all of Great Lent. However, fasting varies by degrees, depending on one’s state of health and type of work, said Fr Van Parys. In addition, Eastern Catholics determine their fasting with their spiritual director, who accompanies them on their Lenten journey, he said. Unlike in the West, fasting is “a cultural fact” in the Near East and in predominantly Orthodox countries, he noted. “There is some fear to fast [in the West]. But you have to take small steps because fasting is not the goal in itself. It is opening your heart to God and to neighbour,” he said. Stefano Parenti, a liturgy professor at the Pontifical University of St Anselm in Rome, said that “at one time, fasting was also common in Western Christianity”. However, historical events, such as war, led Church leaders to grant dispensations from fasting. “Then the war would end, but the dispensation would remain, so

Rules for the ‘Great Lent’ fast BY LAURA iERACi

N the eyes of Latin-rite Catholics, the extent of Eastern Catholics’ Lenten fasting and abstinence is perceived as particularly strict. The traditional Byzantine fast for Great Lent includes one meal a day from Monday to Friday, and abstinence from all animal products, including meat, fish with backbones, dairy products and eggs, as well as oil and wine for the entire period of Lent. Shellfish are permitted. Fasting and abstinence are maintained on Saturdays, Sundays and on the eve of special feast days, although loosened to permit the use of oil and wine. On important feast days, such as the Annunciation and Palm Sunday, fish may be eaten. “Oil and wine were restricted because, in the past, they were stored in animal skin,” explained Mother Theodora, of the Byzantine Christ the Bridegroom monastery. “Though this is no longer the case, the tradition continues.” Prayer of St Ephrem the Syrian

ASTERN Catholics recite the Prayer of St Ephrem several times a day in their daily Lenten office. Each verse is followed by a prostration, which means crouching down on one’s knees and touching one’s forehead to the ground.

O Lord and Master of my life, spare me from the spirit of indifference, despair, lust of power and idle chatter. (Prostration) Instead, bestow on me, your servant, the spirit of integrity, humility, patience, and love. (Prostration) Yes, O Lord and King, let me see my own sins and not judge my brothers and sisters; for you are blessed forever and ever. Amen. (Prostration)

There are varying degrees of fasting, from stricter to more lenient, depending on one’s work and state of health. Monks and nuns will often submit to the most strict fasting. Holy Week is not considered part of Great Lent but “an additional, more intense time of fasting and prayer”, said Mother Theodora. However, Eastern Catholics don’t plunge into fasting and abstinence cold turkey. “Meatfare” and “Cheesefare” weeks help them enter into the Great Fast gradually.

y Meatfare Sunday, one week before the start of Lent, Eastern Catholics will have emptied their refrigerators and pantries of meat products. By Cheesefare Sunday, they will have cleared out all of their egg and dairy products, ready to enter into the Great Fast that evening, after Forgiveness Vespers. In an effort to keep Eastern Christians faithful, yet creative, in the kitchen, cookbooks with fastfriendly recipes have been published.

Great Lent in the Byzantine Catholic rite includes the dimension of spiritual warfare and the belief in Jesus’ words that “some demons can only be cast out by prayer and fasting”. (Photo: byzcath.org) that dietary abstinence became perceived in the West as no longer characteristic of Lent,” he explained. Eventually, fasting and abstinence diminished in the West as a Churchwide practice and became personal.

oday, Western Catholics can choose when to fast and from which foods to abstain, except for on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, when fasting and abstinence are obligatory, and on the Fridays of Lent when they abstain from meat. In the Byzantine Church, fasting is not individual but ecclesial, Prof Parenti said. The entire Church fasts together and the food restrictions are set by the Church, offering a context that encourages growing in obedience and humility for one’s own good and the good of others, he said.

The communal aspect is emphasised in the liturgies and prayers, found in a book called the Lenten Triodion, which accompany the faithful through Great Lent and explain the meaning of the fast, said Prof Parenti. Prayer services and liturgies are longer and more frequent and the faithful are called to additional personal prayer at home. The readings during Great Lent draw heavily from the book of Genesis, highlighting the Lenten call to conversion, which requires a “going back to the beginning” and to a “state of harmony and peace with all creation”, said Prof Parenti. In the Byzantine Church, the fast also extends to the Eucharist, so that the liturgical sacrifice of the Eucharist is reserved only for Sundays. To emphasise the fast, the liturgy of

the pre-sanctified gifts (comparable to a Communion service in the West) is held every Wednesday and Friday and the faithful receive the Eucharist that was consecrated on the previous Sunday. The Prayer of St Ephrem, which asks God for mercy and for the spiritual gifts of integrity, humility, patience and love, is also characteristic of Great Lent. Using the prayer, people also ask for the grace not to judge others. “In this prayer, we ask to become aware of our sins and...to lose our illusions about ourselves,” said Fr Van Parys. The prayer is accompanied by three prostrations, which is “a physical expression of one’s openness to conversion”, explained Prof Parenti. The entire congregation crouching on the floor and touching their heads to the ground “is an expression of our smallness before God”, he said. All Catholics are urged to give alms during Lent. In the East, Fr Van Parys said, the emphasis is perhaps less on material goods than on giving of one’s time: being more present to others, devoting oneself to the needy and visiting the sick. Drawing on the Eastern theology of iconography, Prof Parenti offered a metaphor: “Great Lent is about diving into reality, putting yourself in front of a mirror that gives you the honest image of what you are seeking to restore—this icon that time, sin, mistakes and fatigue have blurred. This is a time to restore the icon of the one who created us, that is, the icon we are called to be in the world. That is the meaning of Great Lent.”—CNS

7-21 MAY 2015

ST JOHN PAUL II PILGRIMAGE TO POLAND 13 to 21 May 2016

Wadowice basilica

St Mary’s Cathedral, Krakow

Led by Bishop Stanislaw Dziuba Pilgrimage Highlights

• Explore Krakow, the city of St John Paul’s student and priestly life, just two months before World Youth Day. • Wadowice, St John Paul’s birthplace, on his birthday! • Czechostowa with Black Madonna • Divine Mercy Sanctuary with the tomb of St Faustina and the original painting of the Divine Mercy image • Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, with the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Calvary • Niepokalanow, the Franciscan monastery of St Maximilian Kolbe • Mass in a chapel carved out of rock in the Wieliczka Salt Mine • Zakopane, with wooden chapel of Our Lady of Fatima

Black Madonna

St Faustina’s tomb

For more information or to book, please contact Gail info@fowlertours.co.za or 076 352-3809

www.fowlertours.co.za

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2016

PERSONALITY

Portrait of the artist as a Catholic He was a pop artist, a provocateur, and a Catholic. But who was Andy Warhol, who died on February 22, 1987, really? ADELAiDE MENA looks into the life, art and faith of one of the most influential modern artists.

HANCES are you’ve heard of the phrase “15 minutes of fame”. And you’ve probably seen the neon-coloured canvases of Campbell soup cans or the multicoloured collage of Marilyn Monroe’s face—even if you don’t know the artist behind them. Some 29 years after his sudden death, Andy Warhol and his prolific body of work are still encountered today. While Warhol may be bestknown for his visionary depiction of fame and popular culture, his art can also be understood as iconic— in a much more literal way. Why? Because he was an ardently practising Byzantine Catholic—a rite of the Church that uses old and modern Greek in the liturgy—according to those close to the artist and his work. In fact, they say, Warhol’s art is actually best understood through the lens of faith and religious iconography. “Warhol’s a very complicated person and whatever angle we really try to take to his art, we can take one angle to come from but it’s always going to be incomplete if we don’t take another angle as well,” said art historian Dr James Romaine. Dr Romaine, president of the international Association of Scholars of Christianity in the History of Art, said that the widespread read on Warhol’s work—that it’s largely a critique of consumerism—actually isn’t at odds with a more religious interpretation of his art.

Who was Warhol? Andrew Warhola—as the artist was born on August 6, 1928, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—was the son of parents who had immigrated to the United States in 1914 and 1921 respectively from what is today Slovakia. They raised their family of three sons in the Byzantine Catholic Church. After high school, Warhol studied commercial art. In 1949 he moved to New York City, where he worked in magazine illustration and advertising, and also started signing his last name as Warhol. Throughout the 1950s and ‘60s, Warhol gained attention for his painting techniques, and later photography, film, installations and multi-media exhibitions. He cofounded Interview magazine, designed record covers, produced television programmes, and continued to paint both commissioned works and his own artistic series. He passed away suddenly on

February 22, 1987, during a routine gall bladder surgery. In the nearly 30 years since the artist’s death, his art has left a lasting impact on society not only due to the vast popularity of his work, but the major themes he wrestles with and explores. “Warhol has been celebrated by critics and art historians for his ability to probe some of the most challenging themes of modern society: identity politics, celebrity, death, religion, desire, and the capitalist machine,” said Jessica Beck, assistant curator for The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. While a small amount of his religious work has been explored, “relative to the pop paintings of Campbell’s Soup and Coca-Cola or the celebrity portraits”, these are “somewhat under-researched,” she said.

Warhol the Catholic For Warhol, faith was an integral part of family life and a daily practice—and both of these remained important to the artist until his death, according to his nephew Donald Warhola. While many assume he was nonreligious, Warhol “was a practising Byzantine Catholic, and actually attended a Latin-rite church later in his life”, the nephew said. This dedication to the faith was a critical part of Andy’s daily life. Mr Warhola recalled that his uncle would visit his neighbourhood Roman Catholic parish in New York City “and pray every day”. After Warhol passed away, the priest approached the Warhola family at his memorial “and said to us that he was going to miss his daily talks with Uncle Andy”. From among Warhol’s personal collection displayed in the Warhol Museum after his death are religious items such as a sculpture of the Sacred Heart. But for the Warhola family, the Catholic faith was more than daily practice, and was a key part of their family life and source of personal strength. “Sunday was meant for worship,” Donald said. He added that Warhol’s parents raised their sons to place church and visiting with family first on Sundays. Even when Andy Warhol moved from Pittsburgh to New York City in order pursue his art career, faith remained an important familial touchstone. “Always he would ask if I went to church because it was a Sunday,” Mr Warhola said of his phone calls with his uncle. “He was very religious: it was a very big part of his upbringing as well as mine.” Warhol’s diaries also provide a record of his internal religious life, documenting weekly Mass attendance, volunteer work at a parish soup kitchen, and his experience of meeting and shaking hands with St John Paul II in 1980. He also recorded his anxiety being surrounded by the “scary” crowds in St Peter’s Square waiting for the pope, although he fought off

INVITATION

Andrew Warhol was popularly associated with New York City’s dissolute art scene, but what many people do not know is that one of the most influential modern artists was a devout Catholic whose masterpieces can be seen as having religious undertones—even his painting of a can of soup. his nervousness in order to sign autographs for several nuns. Warhol also wrote that he screamed after the assassination attempt on John Paul II in 1981.

Warhol’s faith and art Just as faith played an important place in Warhol’s life so too did it surface as an important topic in his art. He worked on several explicitly religious pieces, including appropriations and reinventions of Raphael’s “Madonna” and da Vinci’s “Last Supper”. A camouflage version of the latter, art historian Dr Romaine observed, can be interpreted as “bringing back the halo on and over Christ’s head”, which was removed in da Vinci’s original humanist painting. For Dr Romaine, however, Warhol’s religious themes run into all his work—even those thought of as non-religious. “If I had to describe Andy Warhol’s work in just one or two sentences, I would describe it as, ‘the world seen not as it is, but the world seen as it might be transformed by grace’.” Dr Romaine explained that in the Eastern Catholic Churches, religious icons play a vital role in worship and spiritual life. As opposed to altar pieces or other sacred art in the Western Church, “the icon is more of a specific presence of the saints there with an icon”, he said. “The sacred image is not directly bringing the Virgin Mary into the Church, whereas with the icon, the presence of the saints is believed to be more directly there.” He said that by viewing Warhol’s work—particularly his paintings— with an eye towards iconography, “I see all of Warhol’s work as poten-

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tially sacred”. As an example, Dr Romaine pointed to the now-iconic printing of the Campbell soup can: “Soup cans are disposable food. But the way Warhol depicts them, he removed them from a time and place context in which they’re disposable, into a timeless realm in which they’re almost like icons.” Similarly, Dr Romaine said, people are presented in a glorified, redemptive manner in Warhol’s paintings. The artist finished the now-classic screen print of Marilyn Monroe shortly after the actress’s sudden death after a tumultuous life. Yet, Warhol’s work “doesn’t depict her as a tragic figure [but] celebrates her. He sees her in a way as being, in fact, beautiful.” Warhol also portrays Elizabeth Taylor, another actress dealing with scandal at the time of the painting. “He’s depicting those women at critical moments in their lives. Warhol depicts her as kind of redeeming her through his imagery,” Dr Romaine said. The way the soup can or Marilyn Monroe, or Liz Taylor are presented, Dr Romaine said, reminds him of the Transfiguration, where Christ is presented to the disciples in the fullness of his glory. Likewise, in these images, “I kind of see Warhol seeing the whole world as potentially glorified.” This glorification of the popular is one of the markers of Warhol’s art, Dr Romaine noted. “His work is so much connected with the lowest of the low commodity culture makes the transfiguration that takes place in his work, all the more miraculous, all the more important.” He explained: “If he’s depicting the Virgin Mary as sacred, it’s sort of obvious already, but if you’re depicting the soup can as sacred, it’s really transformative.”

A man ahead of his time While Andrew Warhola was a man of faith and his Catholic understanding of the world did make its way into his art, the artist Andy Warhol also dealt intimately with themes such as fame, popular culture, mass production and sexuality—themes that would become nearly ubiquitous in the 30 years after his death. “I’ve just always thought Uncle Andy was able to predict what was going to be popular ahead of his time,” Donald Warhola said. He called his uncle’s work “progressive” in that it “was ahead of his time”. He pointed to his uncle’s prediction that “in the future everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes” and art projects such as the filming of ordinary people living their lives.

Some of the trends Warhol explored extensively were those of sexuality and sexual orientation, which he revisited throughout his professional career. “There’s no question that Andy Warhol was homosexual,” Dr Romaine said. Indeed, several scholars have documented that he was open about his attractions since the 1950s, and several of his art projects explore his fascination with voyeurism and the sexually explicit.

‘Still a virgin’ However, in interviews late in his life Warhol also proclaimed that he was “still a virgin” and eschewed participation in the acts he depicted. “I don’t know exactly what that means for him, but because of his religious upbringing but even more so because of his intense shyness he wrestled with any sort of a sexual relationship,” Dr Romaine commented. “His art then becomes a means by which he can realise some of the sexual longing that he has that he’s not able to realise in relationships.” Warhol’s nephew also sees the question of identity as one that concerned his uncle personally and that Andy Warhol explored in his work. “I’ve always thought that there’s two personas: there’s the Andrew Warhola persona that I, for the most part, got to know, and the Andy Warhol persona,” Mr Warhola said. “And I think that the Andy Warhol persona almost gave my uncle the permission to do the things that Andrew Warhola would not feel comfortable doing or being.” Mr Warhola suggested that perhaps some of the character Andy Warhol became and the work the artist produced was itself a type of creation. This persona, Warhola added, grew and changed with public expectations and “wherever people took that, he was okay with it”. Towards what would be the end of his life, however, Andrew Warhola shifted focus from feeding the expectations others had of him. “He wasn’t painting necessarily for other people, but was more painting from his soul, and he did a lot of various religious works,” Mr Warhola noted, bringing up “The Last Supper” paintings and the “Heaven and Hell” series. While earlier in his career, Warhol was concerned with staying “totally relevant” to avoid fading from popularity like other contemporary artists, later on he eventually stopped orienting his artwork around others’ expectations, Mr Warhola noted. “At a certain point, he just figured ‘I’m going to paint what I want to paint.’”—CNA

The Southern Cross, February 17 to February 23, 2016

CLASSIFIEDS

The fruits of salvation stream into us from Christ’s wounds

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 (R1,60 a word) with small advertisements for promptest publication.

IN MEMORIAM

HE theme of this Lenten reflection is taken from John 15:5. The weaving shows us Jesus the living tree. Jesus is looking straight out of the weaving at me. He is offering me the fruits of his love, salvation and forgiveness, streaming out from his wounded hands and heart. And I feel a deep inner gratitude for such a great gift, won for me at the price of the life blood of God’s own Son. In the weaving we see not only the abundance of fruits, of the passion of Christ. We also see the fresh green leaves of the vine: a sign and promise of the new life Jesus is to offer to me, and all who call on his name in faith. Standing below the vine, we see Mary and the disciple Jesus loved. They are the first recipients of the fruits of the vine, the crucified and risen Christ. They too are looking outwards at us, offering us the fruits of their love, their eyes seem to be imploring me to enter into a deeper union with Jesus, Son and Redeemer. Mary offers the love of a mother and a woman. She shares with us the pain of her suffering, but also the faith and hope of the resurrection. She invites us to ponder in our hearts the mystery of the purpose of the entire life of her Son Jesus. To stand in awe and faith with her at the foot of the cross, empty with only hope and faith, to carry us through to the resurrection. As I meditate on the weaving I feel that I am in need of Mary’s motherly love, her help and her intercessions. She understands what it means to stand in darkness, sorrow and pain, but she offers us her faith and love to strengthen us. I feel gratitude that I do not walk this path alone. “Mary, help me to learn from you how to love.” John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, offers Mary his support; he seems to look not only out at us, but also into the distance. There is a sense that he can see beyond

CLASSIFIEDS

HuSKISSON–Claire. Passed away on February 9, 2009. Thank you Claire, for all the love and joy you always showered upon us. Forever you are remembered by your husband Des and all your children and grandchildren. “So Much Love”

PRAYER

The weaving designed by Sr Johanna Senn CPS and woven by Margaret Mkhize at St Michael’s mission, Ndonyane, Kwazulu-Natal, depicts Jesus as the tree of life. the suffering and pain of the moment, to the wonder and glory of the wonderful promise of the future. He understands the generous mercy offered to this world by God, allowing his Son to live among us, to die for us, and to rise for us, opening the gates of heaven to all who believe. John’s love for his master and friend reaches out of the weaving and sees a world in need of love, hope and mercy. As John’s arm embraces and supports Mary, he too offers us his brotherly love and support,

Southern CrossWord solutions SOLUTIONS TO 694. ACROSS: 4 Warlock, 8 Ransom, 9 Charity, 10 Ararat, 11 Relent, 12 Overcome, 18 Totality, 20 Church, 21 Stitch, 22 Brigade, 23 Vulcan, 24 Pretext. DOWN: 1 Creator, 2 Enraged, 3 Mosaic, 5 Adherent, 6 Lordly, 7 Citing, 13 Orthodox, 14 Diptych, 15 Hyphens, 16 Sharer, 17 Bright, 19 Artful.

Our bishops’ anniversaries This week we congratulate: February 21: Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban on the 15th anniversary of being created a cardinal February 24: Bishop Michael Wüstenberg of Aliwal on the 8th anniversary of his episcopal ordination February 26: Auxiliary Bishop Barry Wood of Durban on the 10th anniversary of his episcopal ordination February 28: Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban on the 35th anniversary of his episcopal ordination (as bishop of Kokstad)

Word of the Week

Chrism: the holy oil used to anoint people in baptism, confirmation and ordination. It is made from olive oil and a special perfume.

that we may with him and Mary share in this great and wonderful gift of life, and become heirs to God’s kingdom, strengthened on our journey through life by the power of the Holy Spirit. John seems to speak to me in the silence of my heart, encouraging me to live out brotherly love, hope and mercy in my daily life. Living love is not for “sissies”. I long to be strengthened in faith, hope and mercy, and live daily in God’s service. Srs Margaret von Ohr CPS & Clair Wade CPS

ST MICHAEL the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen. ALMIGHTY eternal God, source of all compassion, the promise of your mercy and saving help fills our hearts with hope. Hear the cries of the people of Syria; bring healing to those suffering from the violence, and comfort to those mourning the dead. Empower and encourage Syria’s neighbours in their care and welcome for refugees. Convert the hearts of those who have taken up arms, and strengthen the resolve of those committed to peace. O God of hope and

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

O MOST beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendour of Heaven, blessed Mother of the Son of God, immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein that you are my Mother, O Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of heaven and earth, i humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to secure me in my necessity. There are none who can withstand your power, O show me that you are my mother. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Thank you for your mercy towards me and mine. Amen.

PERSONAL

ABORTION IS MuRDER: Silence on this issue is not

OMI STAMPS YOUR USED STAMPS

Liturgical Calendar Year C – Weekdays Cycle Year 2 Sunday February 21, 2nd Sunday of Lent Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18, Psalms 27:1, 7-9, 13-14, Philippians 3:17--4:1, Luke 9:28-36 Monday February 22, chair of St Peter 1 Peter 5:1-4, Psalms 23, Matthew 16:13-19 Tuesday February 23, St Polycarp Isaiah 1:10, 16-20, Psalms 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23, Matthew 23:1-12 Wednesday February 24 Jeremiah 18:18-20, Psalms 31:5-6, 14-16, Matthew 20:17-28 Thursday February 25 Jeremiah 17:5-10, Psalms 1:1-4, 6, Luke 16:19-31 Friday February 26, St Alexander of Alexandria Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28, Psalms 105:16-21, Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46 Saturday February 27 Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, Psalms 103:1-4, 9-12, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Sunday February 28, 3rd Sunday of Lent Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15, Psalms 103:1-4, 6-8, 11, 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12, Luke 13:1-9

can help in the education of South Africans for the PRIESTHOOD at St Joseph’s Scholasticate, Cedara, KwaZulu-Natal.

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SCREEN PRINTING

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golden, it’s yellow! Avoid pro-abortion politicians. ABORTION WARNING: The truth will convict a silent Church. See www. valuelifeabortionisevil. co.za DECEASED Catholic priest has left behind volumes of coins, stamps and Tinka toys needing valuation and now for sale to aid poor missions. Please respond to The Southern Cross. 021 465 5007. VISIT PIOuS KINTu’S official website http://ave maria832.simplesite.com This website has been set up to give glory to the Most Holy Trinity through the healing power of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. View amazing pictures of Pious Kintu's work in Congo and various African countries since 2007. Also read about African Stigmatist Reverend Sister Josephine Sul and Padre Pio among others.

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

LONDON: Protea House. Single ₤30(R540), twin ₤45(R810) per/night. Selfcatering, busses and underground nearby. Phone Peter 0044 208 7484834. 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 SOuTH COAST: Uvongo. Holiday flat, full security. belinda@kmchurch.za.org The

Southern Cross

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the

3rd Sunday in Lent: February 28 Readings: Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15, Psalm 103: 1-4, 6-8, 11, 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12, Luke 13:1-9

S outher n C ross

Wonder in the ordinary

NE of the arts that we have to learn on our Lenten journey is that of finding the powerful presence of God who is everywhere in our ordinary life. That seems to be the message of the readings for next Sunday. In the first reading, Moses is performing the perfectly ordinary task of looking after his father-in-law’s sheep when he meets God, in the perfectly ordinary shape of a bush; except that this bush is burning, and that the fire is not consuming it. At that moment the encounter with God takes off, and Moses is instructed to take off his shoes, “for the place on which you are standing is holy soil”. Then God is identified as the “God of your ancestors”, but also the God who has “seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt”. This is a God of mercy, you see, even in Lent, who is going to “rescue my people from the power of Egypt”. Now Moses raises an important question, both ordinary and extraordinary, “What is your name?”, which yields

the extraordinary answer “I am who I am” [there are various ways of translating this], and Moses is to tell his fellow-Israelites: “I AM sent me to you.” God is extraordinary in the shape of the ordinary. The author of the psalm for next Sunday knows this well: “Bless the Lord, my soul”, he sings, “Do not forget all God’s gifts.” And it is a God of mercy, “who forgives all your sins… redeems your life from the Pit”. So this is a God who is interested in the ordinary details of our lives, a “Lord who is merciful and forgiving”; and the poet beautifully expresses the gap between the ordinary and the extraordinary: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, [God’s] faithful love is above those who fear him.” In the second reading, Paul makes this point by rereading the familiar story of the Exodus, in the ordinary business of being “under the cloud and through the Sea”, and seeing it as a picture of the new life in Christ: “They were all baptised into Moses in the

cloud and in the Sea”, he says, “and all ate the same spiritual food.” This is meant to be a warning, however, for us not to “mutter, as some of them muttered”, and so fail to encounter the extraordinary in the ordinary. The Gospel for next Sunday finds Jesus well set on his journey to Jerusalem, and dealing with an episode that someone has read in the newspapers, about “the Galileans whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifices”. Presumably these Galileans had gone up to Jerusalem on ordinary religious business; and of course we are to be aware that Jesus is also a Galilean on his way to the Passover in Jerusalem, and that Pilate is going to mix his blood with the religious sacrifice. In reply, Jesus makes the point that these were ordinary Galileans, just like you and me, and that our task is to “repent”, in other words to turn around and find the extraordinary presence of God in our ordinary world. Then he adds another item from the news-

Understanding the ‘angry’ God A

own daughter on the altar of sacrifice. Texts like this seem to go against the very essence of the nature of God as the rest of scripture reveals it. God, in scripture, is sometimes seemingly shown to be arbitrary, heartless, violent, demanding violence from believers, and completely callous about the lives of anyone not among his chosen favourites. If one were to take these texts literally they could be used to justify the exact type of violence that extremist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda carry out under the belief that God loves them alone and they are free to kill others in his name. Nothing could be further from the truth, and nothing could be further from the meaning of these texts. These texts, as biblical scholarship makes clear, are not to be taken literally. They are anthropomorphic and archetypal (I’ll explain these terms in a minute). Whenever they are read they could be preceded by the kind of disclaimer we now often see at movies when we are told: “No real animals died while making this film.” So too, no real people die in these texts.

irst of all, these texts are anthropomorphic, meaning that in them we attribute our own emotions and intentions to God. Hence these texts reflect our feelings, not God’s. For example, when Paul tells us that when we sin we experience the “wrath of God”, we are not to believe that God gets angry with us when we sin and sends pos-

Conrad

COLLEAGUE of mine shares this story. Recently, after presiding over a Eucharistic celebration, a woman from the congregation came up to him with this comment: “What a horrible scripture reading today! If that’s the kind of God we’re worshipping, then I don’t want to go to heaven!” The reading for that day’s liturgy was taken from chapter 24 of the Second Book of Samuel where, seemingly, God gets upset with King David for counting the number of men he had for military service and then punishes him by sending a pestilence that kills 70 000 people. Is this really the word of God? Did God really get angry with David for doing a simple census and kill 70 000 people to teach him a lesson? What possible logic could justify this? As it stands, literally, yes, this is a horrible text! What do we do with passages like this and many others where God, seemingly, demands violence in his name? To cite just one example: In his instructions to Joshua when they enter the Promised Land, God orders him to kill everything in the land of Canaan—all the men, all the women, all the children, and even all the animals. Why? Why would God so grossly want all these people destroyed? Can we believe God would do this? There are other similar examples, as, for instance, in the Book of Judges, where God grants the prayer of Jephthah, the Gileadite, on the condition that he sacrifices his

Nicholas King SJ

Sunday Reflections

papers, about “the eighteen people on whom the skyscraper at Siloam fell”. This too is a part of ordinary life, and we must “repent” if we are to find the extraordinary. Jesus bolts the point home with an ordinary example of life in Galilee, a dialogue between the owner of a vineyard and his head-vintner, about cutting down a useless vine, with the vintner asking for a postponement of radical action, and the ordinary business of putting manure down to fertilise the tree. That ordinary action may be enough to persuade the vine to produce grapes next year, in the extraordinary miracle of life for which our Galilean peasant Jesus had such a ready eye. As Lent approaches its halfway stage, let us open our eyes to find the extraordinary presence of God in our very ordinary life.

Southern Crossword #694

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final Reflection

itive punishment upon us. Rather, when we sin, we punish ourselves, begin to hate ourselves, and we feel as if God is angry with us. Biblical writers frequently write in this genre. God never hates us, but, when we sin, we end up hating ourselves. These texts are also archetypal, meaning that they are powerful, primordial images that explain how life works. I remember a man coming up to me one Sunday after a liturgy, when the reading had proclaimed God’s order to Joshua to kill all the Canaanites upon entering the Promised Land. The man said to me: “You should have let me preach today. I know what that text means: I’m an alcoholic in recovery—and that text means ‘cold turkey’. As an alcoholic, you have to clean out your liquor cabinet completely, every bottle, you can’t be having even a single drink. Every Canaanite has to be killed! Jesus said the same thing, except he used a softer metaphor: New wine, new wineskins.” In essence, that is the meaning of this text. But even so, if these texts are not literal, aren’t they still the inspired word of God? Can we just explain them away because we feel them inconvenient? Two things might be said in response to this: First, all individual texts in scripture must be seen within the larger, overall framework of scripture and our overall theology of God and, as such, they demand an interpretation that is consistent with the nature of God as revealed overall in scripture. And, in scripture as a whole, we see that God is non-negotiably all-loving, all-merciful and all-good, and that it is impossible to attribute bias, callousness, brutality, favouritism and violence to God. Moreover, scripture is binding and inerrant in the intentionality of its message, not in the literalness of its expression. We do not, for example, take literally Jesus’ command to “call no one on earth your father”, nor Paul’s command: “Slaves be subject to your masters.” Context and interpretation are not rationalisations, they are a sacred duty. We may not make scripture unworthy of God.

ACROSS

4. Wizard for armed conflict security device (7) 8. Release money on Mars (6) 9. Love of almsgiving (7) 10. Where the ark came to rest (Gn 8) (6) 11. Think again about time for fasting (6) 12. We shall ... (protest song) (8) 18. Complete whole (8) 20. It’s built on Rock (6) 21. Needling pain (6) 22. Bunch of troops in the line of fire? (7) 23. Roman god of fire (6) 24. Not the real reason before the written word (7) Solutions on page 11

DOWN

1. The only one who makes a thing from nothing (7) 2. Angered in a fiercer way (7) 3. Art design for the Law of Moses (6) 5. One who sticks to the faith (8) 6. Nobly grand (6) 7. Quoting it in Company’s Gardens initially (6) 13. Conventional Eastern Church? (8) 14. Two-panelled altar-piece (7) 15. Signs to link double-barrelled names (7) 16. Rasher way to be a partaker (6) 17. All things ... and beautiful (hymn) (6) 19. Cunning like the Dodger (6)

CHURCH CHUCKLE

YRIE ELEISON: The only Greek words that most Catholics can recognise, besides souvlaki and baklava. USHERS: The only people in the parish who don’t know the seating capacity of a pew. RELICS: People who have been going to Mass for so long, they actually know when to sit, kneel, and stand. HYMN: A song of praise usually sung in a key three octaves higher than that of the congregation’s range.

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