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S outher n C ross www.scross.co.za

June 7 to June 13, 2017

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Catholic Mr SA Focus on contender has two great ‘faith and trust’ ‘political’ saints Page 2

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‘How faith beat my heroin addiction’

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Archbishop Khumalo honoured

by ERIn CARELSE

F

ORMER archbishop of the diocese of Pretoria, Archbishop Emeritus Paul Mandla Khumalo CMM, has been honoured for his contribution to changing the lives of children from farms and rural villages around Ixopo in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands.

The event was organised by former Mariathal School learners from the 1950s, before the school was a high school, and former learners from 1992, when matric was added.

Mariathal Combined School is a rural and no-fee school in Ixopo, founded by the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill in the late 1940s.

Mariannhill itself was founded by the Trappists under Abbot Francis Pfanner in 1882 as a monastery, and the order later became the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill, with some members settling on a mission station near Ixopo.

Mariathal was built on land owned by the Church, and has since been taken over by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education.

In the 1950s the school offered junior certificate with a boarding facility for children from surrounding farms and villages. In those years, it was mainly run by the Sisters of the Precious Blood, a congregation of nuns founded by Abbot Pfanner.

The school was a primary school until 1987, when Archbishop Khumalo took over as parish priest of the mission station.

When thanking former learners for recognising his contribution to the school, he mentioned he was moved by the little children from neighbouring villages who travelled many kilometres to get to school, and the idea of a boarding establishment was born.

There was no high school nearby, so Mariathal started adding higher grades over the years from 1987, with matric added in 1992. The first matriculants wrote their final exams in the church, because the mission did not have a hall.

The acting school principal at the time called on all to urgently assist the school with fundraising, because the building had not only

The papal nuncio to South Africa, Archbishop Peter Wells, paid a pastoral visit to the Aliwal diocese. Archbishop Wells went to different institutions within the diocese and spent time with the youth, who displayed their music and singing talents to him. The nuncio issued a letter, calling upon them to play an active role in the Church. “The Holy Spirit is active in your lives,” he wrote.

Nuns offer wedding gowns Archbishop Emeritus Paul Mandla Khumalo CMM with Mariathal Combined School students at the event honouring him for his work for the school. become dilapidated, but inadequate as well.

Mariathal Combined School attained an 80.67% pass rate in the national senior certificate exams in 2016 despite all the odds, including lack of basic resources.

The event honouring Archbishop Khumalo began with the planting of an Acacia sieberiana tree in the schoolyard as a symbol of union between the school and its past and present learners.

The mayor of Ubuhlebezwe municipality, Councillor ZDN Nxumalo, current and former educators, and senior officials of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education were present.

The archbishop also received gifts, handed over by Professor Paulus Zulu, a former learner at Mariathal. Among the gifts was a large school photo, as well as a photo of the matric class of 1992.

A school alumni organisation was launched, where former learners will work with the school on issues of education, as well as building funding.

I

TALIAN brides are finding wedding dresses at an unusual spot hidden in the Umbrian hills, where they are able to pick out their special gown—all for the cost of a simple donation.

Sr Maria Laura at the Augustinian monastery of St Rita in Cascia, Italy, began running the thrifty wedding dress service out of a surplus of donated wedding dresses.

Since about 1950, brides have been making pilgrimages to St Rita’s to ask for her special intercession in marriage, and would leave their wedding dresses at the monastery in gratitude. Over the years, it has collected hundreds of dresses.

Sr Maria Laura entered monastic life at 28, having previously been a seamstress and designer in Tuscany. She uses her skills to alter the dresses to fit each bride.

The sewing sister only sees

S outher n C ross Pilgrimage

Sr Maria Laura dresses a bride at St Rita’s monastery in Casica, Italy. brides-to-be by appointment, who often bring family members and bridesmaids for their opinions. But, Sr Maria Laura noted, she has special intuition about each of the dresses.

“I know which one she will take; you can tell from

their faces,” she said. “If you have a dream and we can make it come true, we’ll do our best.”

Currently, they have about three women a week visit to pick out wedding dresses, while up to 10 dresses a month are donated.

The monastery is a special spot for brides, as St Rita is the patron saint of difficult marriages. When Rita was 12, her parents forced her into a marriage with a husband who abused her for years.

After her husband died, Rita entered a monastery at 36.

As Italy continues in its recession, St Rita’s considers its service a charity for brides trying to keep costs down.

One bride explained that a second-hand gown was her only option: “If I can’t find it here, I simply can’t afford to buy one.” Another bride said she “felt at home here from the very first minute”.—CNA

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The Southern Cross, June 7 to June 13, 2017

LOCAL

Mr SA contestant keeps the faith M

ORGAN Jacobs, 28, from Atlantis, Western Cape, says he entered Mr South Africa as a way to empower and influence others, especially the youth.

Mr Jacobs, who is completing his Masters in public management at Cape Peninsula University of Technology, with specialisation in six fields, works as a corporate affairs specialist at Eskom.

“I decided to enter MRSA as it’s a good platform to network, grow my contacts, and secure possible partnerships for business and community developments,” he said.

Mr Jacobs, who attends St John the Baptist parish in Atlantis, is the youngest eucharistic minister in the congregation and serves on the altar. He is also vice-chair of the parish finance council and holds a seat on the West Coast deanery.

“My faith has played a huge role in my journey thus far,” he said.

“I have faith and trust that whatever happens is as God intended. I need to do my best at all times.

“I pray and ask for protection with whatever I do in life. I always say, ‘I have done my bit as the Lord has asked me to, now I leave it up to him’.”

Mr Jacobs said the journey thus far in the MRSA contest has been a learning curve.

As a contestant, he had the challenge for the month of May of raising R10 000 for the MRSA official charity.

“Planning it was the easy part but the support from community and businesses was little to none, and that was very discouraging.”

He has another challenge coming up, which involves raising

funds for the Cancer Association of South Africa, and hopes to have a better turnout.

Making it to the top three in the competition would be an achievement Mr Jacobs would be proud of, but he hopes to win.

“If I were to win MRSA, I plan on materialising my plans to open up a health centre in my immediate community, and doing my best to assist others across the country in their growth and development plans,” he said Mr Jacobs’ favourite verse from the Bible, which helps him on his journey in life, is Jeremiah 29:11— “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

The winner of MRSA will be announced in November.

Morgan Jacobs, a contestant in the Mr South Africa competition, is also a practising Catholic, holding positions in his Atlantis parish in greater Cape Town and the West Coast deanery.

Theological focus to be on ‘re-formation’

T

The SACbC’s Justice & Peace Commission thanked human rights activists in the Klerksdorp diocese, who held demonstrations outside court for 15-year-old nombuyiselo nombewu, who was found raped, killed and her body burnt, a few metres from her home‚ two days after she had been reported missing.

HIS year’s Catholic Theological Society’s annual conference, in late September, will mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, with the focus on “reformation” issues.

Last October, Pope Francis joined Lutherans in Sweden to mark the beginning of this commemorative year.

The conference organisers say this moment in history is an opportunity to ask critically unsettling questions such as: What other voices does the Catholic Church need to hear? What other academic questions need to be raised? What experiences from the struggles of people of the Global South are not

being heard and why?

Most significant amongst these struggles, the organisers say, is exposing the ongoing intersectional legacy of slavery, colonisation, apartheid, dispossession and neocolonial oppression.

The divided churches supported, legitimated and benefited from these dynamics, they say, and believe that while official ecclesial apologies have been made, the depth of the complicity has yet to be faced. Also, they ask, in what way did the Reformation contribute directly or indirectly to these injustices?

The conference organisers say that, taking seriously the continued rawness of divisions, antagonisms

and contestations of the past, a humble listening to voices previously disregarded and suppressed will hopefully provide the basis for a new dialogue where difference is valued, respected and positively engaged.

While Pope Francis has come with a Third World experience of the poor and marginalised, the organisers acknowledge, they say voices from the Global South on inculturation, liberation, neo-colonial struggle and stewardship continue to be marginalised. n For any inquiries on the conference, contact Itumeleng Daniel Mothoagae at itumeleng.mothoagae@gmail. com, or Fr Laurence Anselm Prior OFM at prior.laurence@gmail.com

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LOCAL

The Southern Cross, June 7 to June 13, 2017

3

Gabuza ‘saddened’ by state capture inquiry

B

ISHOP Abel Gabuza, chair of the SACBC’s Justice & Peace Commission, has said J&P is not impressed with the ANC NEC’s position on the judicial inquiry into state capture.

The ANC NEC has announced that it wants a judicial probe on state capture. Such a probe should, however, it said, happen after the court case to review the Public Protector’s report.

Bishop Gabuza said: “We are saddened to see that the review process and the sub judice rule are being used by the president and the ANC

NEC as a delaying tactic. The process could drag on for months and years. Chances are such that the probe may never happen and this is a cause for concern.”

The bishop added: “In the face of the various reports and revelations warning us that our country has been hijacked by a patronage network linked to the president, the ANC NEC continues to demonstrate that it lacks the collective political will to hold the president to account.

“We do not therefore trust its sincerity when it says that it wants a judicial probe on state capture.

“The country is in a state of political and economic paralysis as the result of state capture allegations.

Many people in the country have now lost confidence in the office of the president,” he said.

“To restore such confidence, the judicial inquiry should commence now, and not wait for the conclusion of the court case to review the Public Protector’s report.”

The Justice & Peace Commission is of the view that the president can institute the probe immediately if he wants to, so too the ANC NEC. “We are of the view that the

ANC NEC is de facto calling for an inquiry that is different from the one recommended by the Public Protector,” Bishop Gabuza said.

“The period for the inquiry (dating back to 1994) and the matter under investigation (broadly covering all areas of state capture, and not only the Gupta allegations) are both different from the ones recommended by the Public Protector.

“In our view, this is reason enough for the NEC to compel the president to consider immediate establishment of the judicial inquiry without waiting for the conclusion

of the court case on the Public Protector’s report. Delaying tactics should stop,” he said.

Bishop Gabuza has called on all people of goodwill in South Africa to stand up and speak out against the sad state of our nation.

“If we do not do something now to stop the systemic plunder of state resources by the political elite and the business elite (both white monopoly capital and black monopoly capital), the unhealthy wealth gap in our country will widen to dangerous levels. The time to stop this from happening is now.”

St Augustine College to introduce BCom degree in 2018

S

OUTH Africa’s only Catholic institution of higher education, St Augustine College, is introducing a Bachelor of Commerce (PPE) degree in 2018. The degree will be offered on a full-time (three years) and part-time (six years) basis.

Rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition, educational offerings at St Augustine’s are addressed to people of all faiths and cultures, while particularly relevant to the context and challenges of South African society.

Founded in 1999, St Augustine’s is a private, Catholic, tertiary academic institution situated in Victory Park, Johannesburg.

Although a “university” in all senses of the word, current legislation prevents it—and other private tertiary institutions—from calling itself such.

All St Augustine’s degree offerings are recognised and accredited

St Augustine College in Victory Park, Johannesburg, is to offer a new bCom (PPE) degree from 2018. by the relevant branches of South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training. To the benefit

of its students, St Augustine’s is also a member of a global network of Catholic universities, many of them

New sodality formed in greater Knysna

F

OUR communities of greater Knysna held a joint Mass at Queen of the Holy Rosary parish in Khayalethu for the official presentation and blessing of a new sodality, Ba Nthombi baMaria.

The sodality is an initiative of the young women themselves. Following their confirmation last year, they took to heart the words of Bishop Francisco de Gouveia, “to get involved in the Church”.

They took Our Lady as their role model and, under Gladys Seyisi, have set out cleaning their churches, visiting the sick and elderly, and meeting weekly for prayer, Bible study and worship.

At the service, each young woman was sponsored by an older Catholic woman, who dressed her in the jacket, collar and hat of the new sodality.

Parish priest Fr Brian Williams re-

minded the girls in his address that theirs was a mission to evangelise through loving service.

The young women of Ba Nthombi baMaria are Tina Frans, Thandi Ndlovu, Kamvelihle Seyisi, Nandipa Tobi, Khanyisa September, Liyema Mjamba, Nangomso Barns, Siposethu September, Asekhona Nzanzeka, Zizonke Maqebula, Melody Nzanzeka and Yibanati Qalinge.

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among the most highly ranked in the world.

All students registered for the BCom (PPE) will major in economics, with a second major in either philosophy or politics.

The curriculum includes a number of compulsory subjects.

In the first year, modules in academic development and research skills assist students with developing their reading, writing and communication skills and, in the third year, two modules are devoted to a research project.

Three modules in the first and second years provide students with the chance to explore topics fundamental to the ethos of St Augustine’s (philosophy of the human person, introduction to ethics, and introduction to Catholic social thought).

Additional compulsory subjects include mathematics, statistics and accounting.

Elective subjects include business management and law.

The curriculum allows for a possible third major (in philosophy or politics, business management, law and mathematics).

Apart from acquiring subject content knowledge, the multidisciplinary nature of the qualification prepares graduates for a range of careers that require critical thinking, logical reasoning, and a solid foundation in commercial literacy and numeracy.

St Augustine’s already offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees at undergraduate level and a range of postgraduate qualifications from honours through to doctorates (in theology, philosophy, applied ethics, education and peace studies). n For more information contact Professor Garth Abraham on 011 380 9030 or e-mail g.abraham@staugustine. ac.za young women in Knysna have started a new sodality, Ba Nthombi baMaria, and were presented and blessed at a Mass at Queen of the Holy Rosary parish.

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The Southern Cross, June 7 to June 13, 2017

INTERNATIONAL

Egypt’s Christians: We could be next martyrs C Pope Francis meets Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a private audience at the Vatican. (Photo: Ettore Ferrari, Reuters/CnS)

Canada asks pope for help with reconciliation

by CInDy WooDEn

C

ANADIAN Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he asked Pope Francis to help Canadians “move forward on a real reconciliation” with the country’s indigenous people “by issuing an apology” on behalf of the Catholic Church for its role in harming their communities.

The prime minister spoke to a handful of reporters in Rome’s Villa Borghese Park after having had a 36-minute private meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican.

“He reminded me that his entire life has been dedicated to supporting marginalised people in the world, fighting for them,” the prime minister said, adding the pope said that “he looked forward to working with me and with the Canadian bishops to figure out a path forward together”.

The 2015 report of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which focused on past treatment of the indigenous communities and concrete steps for a future of greater inclusion, included a recommendation that the pope come to Canada to apologise on behalf of the Catholic Church for its participation in the residential schools for indigenous children.

While the idea behind the schools was to promote the greater integration of indigenous communities into modern Canadian life, the schools—many run by Catholic religious orders—led to a situation in which many children were torn from their families, lost their native language and culture, and often suffered abuse.

Mr Trudeau told reporters he invited the pope to go to Canada “in the coming years”, but added no

further details about such a trip.

The Vatican meeting, Mr Trudeau said, was an opportunity to have “a deeply personal and wideranging, thoughtful conversation with the leader of my own faith”.

For its part, the Vatican issued a statement saying that the prime minister’s meetings with the pope and with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, included “the themes of integration and reconciliation, as well as religious freedom and current ethical issues”.

Mr Trudeau, who is Catholic, and the bishops of Canada work closely on fighting climate change and on welcoming and assisting refugees, especially from Syria.

However, the bishops have sharp differences with the prime minister over a variety of issues related to the sanctity of human life and the family.

Mr Trudeau’s government announced it would invest $483 million (R6 327 million)over three years to provide abortion and other services in the developing world.

The president of the bishops’ conference, Bishop Douglas Crosby of Hamilton, Ontario, reacted by calling the policy “a reprehensible example of Western cultural imperialism”.

The bishops also have been working diligently to promote palliative care and a recognition of the sacredness of life of those who are dying as well as the right of medical personnel to conscientiously object to participating in practices they oppose on religious grounds. The Canadian Supreme Court ruled unanimously in 2015 that people who are “grievously and irremediably ill” have a right to medical assistance in dying.—CNS

HRISTIANS in Egypt “are getting this idea that they could be martyred at any moment,” the spokesman for the nation’s Catholic bishops told Catholic News Service.

The spokesman, Fr Rafic Greiche, also lamented the number of children killed in an attack on a bus carrying Coptic Orthodox Christians to St Samuel monastery in southern Egypt.

At least 26 people, many of them children, were killed when masked assailants attacked the bus. Dozens of others were injured.

The attack marked the latest in a series of deadly attacks on Coptic Christians, whose church was founded by St Mark the Apostle in the first century, and whose community represents the largest of the Middle East’s Christian minorities.

Earlier this year, two suicide bombers attacked St George’s cathedral in Egypt’s northern city of Tanta and St Mark’s cathedral in the coastal city of Alexandria.

Those attacks killed and maimed dozens in what was the deadliest attack against Christians in Egypt’s recent history. A nationwide state of emergency has been in place since.

In a widely publicised visit to Egypt soon after the April attacks, Pope Francis addressed the terrorist violence carried out in the name of a fundamentalist reading of Islam.

Pope Francis frequently has said there are more Christians being martyred today than during the persecutions of the Church in the early centuries of Christianity.

And, using the term “ecumenism of blood”, he has noted how Christians divided into churches and denominations are united in mourning for their members killed

The mother of one of the victims of an attack on a group of Coptic Christians attends a funeral at the Sacred Family church in Minya, Egypt, that same day. (Photo: Mohamed Abd El Ghany, Reuters/CnS) not because they are Orthodox or Catholic, but simply because they are Christian.

The pope paid tribute to the Coptic Orthodox Church’s modern martyrs, praying before a memorial in Cairo marking the place where 29 people were killed and 31 wounded in December by a suicide bomber. He told Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II: “Your sufferings are also our sufferings.”

After the latest attack, the Coptic Orthodox Church released a statement saying: “We extend our condolences to all the affected families and are suffering with the entire country due to this evil and violence.

“We hope for the necessary procedures to prevent these kinds of attacks, which degrade the image of Egypt and cause so much suffering to Egyptians,” the statement said.

Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak of Alexandria sent condolences to Pope

Ghana plans to hand back schools to religious

by DAMIAn AVEVoR

T

HE government of Ghana has indicated it might be making a move to return management and supervision of mission schools to religious bodies.

Church leaders welcomed the move but called for an educational partnership agreement to make a smooth transition.

Bishop John Kwofie of SekondiTakoradi, who is in charge of education for the bishops’ conference, said the government originally helped mission schools because it

was in charge of education.

“Educating the population of a country is an immense duty that the state cannot do alone,” he said.

“This assistance, however, evolved into what seemed like taking over the schools from their rightful owners who have, in some instances, been relegated to the background on account of the lack of clear policies or agreement,” he said.

“I think returning the mission schools to their owners is a way of

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recognising the contribution religious bodies have made and the purposes for which they founded mission schools,” he said, adding that it is “recognition by the government that the religious bodies are able partners in the agenda of government for a better quality of education in our country”.

He said the churches expect to work with the government on a memorandum of understanding for the management of schools established by religious bodies.— CNS

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Tawardros and “all families of all the martyrs”, reported the Egyptian paper Al Masry al Youm.

Ashraf Sultan, Egyptian parliament spokesman, told Sky News Arabia: “This is an attack on the entire society and affects us all.”

And Egypt’s top authority on Islam, Sheik Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar University, said that “such attacks can never satisfy a Muslim or a Christian”.

Other church leaders around the world also reacted. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem expressed the condolences of churches in the Holy Land.

Local media showed grainy images of bloody bodies strewn on sandy ground, indicating many of the slain had fled the bus trying to escape the assailants’ bullets.

Asked about government assurances that security in the country would be tightened, Fr Greiche said: “It is now time for action, not just words.”—CNS

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INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, June 7 to June 13, 2017

Pope: Get a Thousands head for Ugandan martyrs shrine spiritual ECG

by CARoL GLATZ

by GoDFREy oLUKyA

N

W

ALKING more than 400km to keep a religious commitment is the least anyone can expect of Anna Aciro.

Ms Aciro, 62, has walked the entire distance from Aru, a village in Congo, to the Uganda Martyrs basilica and shrine in Namugongo to honour the memory of 22 Catholic saints who lost their lives because of their faith from 1885-87.

For Ms Aciro, it’s her second trek to the shrine, which is located near the capital of Kampala.

“I last walked in 2015,” she told Catholic News Service. “I walk because I want to identify myself with the martyrs who were killed at Namugongo. I also want to pray to God to help me in some of my problems. Last time I got what I prayed for at Namugongo.”

Ms Aciro is among thousands of pilgrims—some older, most younger—who have made the trek from within Uganda and beyond for the annual Uganda Martyrs Day observance. The Uganda bishops’ conference said that apart from Ugandans, pilgrims came from the US, Nigeria, Mexico, Malawi, Italy, Zambia, Australia, Singapore, South Africa, Ireland, the UK, Germany and Canada.

More than 60 000 pilgrims had arrived at Namugongo and thousands more are expected throughout June. Several Masses are celebrated daily, with thousands of

The faithful near Kampala, Uganda, pray at the Uganda martyrs shrine, namugongo. (Photo: Daniel Dal Zennaro, EPA/CnS) people attending.

Fr John Kato, a member of the organising committee of this year’s festival, said that people have deep faith and love for the martyrs because they showed courage in the face of violence at the hands of the local ruler at the time.

“Some pilgrims have walked all the way from Tanzania, DRC (Congo), South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi. Others from overseas have also started flying in,” Fr Kato said.

The Uganda martyrs are a group of 22 Catholics and 23 Anglican converts to Christianity in the historical kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda, who were executed between January 31, 1885, and Jan-

uary 27, 1887, while singing songs praising God. They were killed on orders of a local king, Mwanga II of Buganda.

The deaths took place during a time of religious struggle for political influence at the Buganda royal court.

The Catholic Church canonised the Catholic martyrs in 1964. A basilica was constructed at Namugongo, the place where the martyrs were killed, and later several other structures were put in place to accommodate pilgrims.

Uganda, and particularly the shrine, is the only place in Africa, and probably among the few in the world, visited by three popes.— CNS

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and discern what the Holy Spirit is saying to their hearts, too, “because the Holy Spirit is the master of discernment”.

“A person who does not have this movement in the heart, who doesn’t discern what is happening, is a person who has a cold faith, an ideological faith,” he said.

The pope asked people to reflect on their relationship with the Holy Spirit and pray that the Spirit guide them in the choices they make. “I ask that he give me the grace to distinguish the good from the less good because good can be distinguished from evil easily,” the pope said.

At morning Mass the next day, Pope Francis reflected on how pastors and bishops must be ready to leave their flock and follow God’s call to head somewhere completely unknown.

A real pastor, he said, knows how to let go of the Church he once served because he knows he is not the protagonist or “central focus of the story”.

Priests and bishops must be open to and obey the Holy Spirit because “the pastor knows that he is on a journey”, the pope said.

Every apostle of Christ must guide his flock without compromise, must serve the people without ever misleading or improperly using them by making them think he is the “central focus of the story”.—CNS

Souther n Cross & Radio Veritas

100 Years Fatima Pilgrimage

Overview: Denis Hurley Peace Institute (DHPI) seeks to appoint a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Coordinator to be based in Pretoria. The ideal candidate must be self-motivated, energetic and highly organised with a keen understanding of Africa and the multi-layered dynamics challenging the continent and issues entailed in peace building and conflict management.

This is a full-time position, the duration of which is dependent upon availability of funding.

About DHPi: DHPI is an associate body of Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) working in selected countries in the African continent in the areas of peace building. responsibilities: • Develop, maintain and implement Planning, M&E Reporting and Learning (PMEL) systems and associated tools in alignment with the organisations framework.

• Provide quantitative and qualitative monitoring across the target countries through high-lighting and analyzing key outputs, outcomes and impact of DHPI activities.

• Through PMEL ensure the design and conduct of baseline studies to support DHPI’s programme.

• Support internal and implementing partners' capacities to conduct effective programme management and monitoring.

• Ensure the effective implementation of all M&E tools and systems.

• Conduct M&E training programmes for DHPI Programme staff and its implementing

partners.

• Interpret and analyses data generated from M&E tools in relation to DHPI programmes.

• Provide oversight and generate reports for PMEL country programmes.

requirements: • Bachelor's Degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences or other relevant disciplines from a reputable tertiary education institution. A Master’s degree will be an added advantage.

• A qualification in Monitoring and Evaluation is a must.

• Minimum of five years of working experience and track record in monitoring and evaluating role involving the design and implementation and analysis of monitoring, evaluation or research.

• Capacity to conceptualize programme interventions and to frame them within a results based framework.

• Adept at research, data analysis, planning, monitoring and high levels of precision and strong analytical skills.

• Ability to work as part of a team and delivering multiple activities under pressure to strict deadlines.

• Promote the vision, mission, and strategic goals of DHPI • Prepared and able to travel outside the country.

• Knowledge and understanding of issues of peace building, human rights, peace and justice, with a passion for community development would be desirable.

EVER speak, act or make a decision without first listening to the Holy Spirit, who moves, troubles and inspires the heart, Pope Francis advised.

A cold and calculating heart that is closed to the Holy Spirit results in a faith that is “ideological”, he said during a morning Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

Knowing God and his commandments, and being good are not enough, the pope said. One must also receive God’s gift of the Holy Spirit and let him “trouble” the heart.

If people were to get a “spiritual electrocardiogram”, the pope asked, would it flatline because the heart is hardened, unmoved and emotionless or would it be pulsating with the prompting and prods of the Spirit?

“Am I able to listen him? Am I able to ask for his inspiration before making a decision or saying something or doing something?

Or is my heart serene, without emotion, an immobile heart,” much like the doctors of the law had, he asked.

“They believed in God, they knew all the commandments, but their hearts were closed, immobile, they didn’t let them become troubled,” the pope said.

Christians cannot just listen to their heads and calculated reason, he said. They must learn to listen

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A spiritual journey to

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5

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6

The Southern Cross, June 7 to June 13, 2017

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

See holy pictures with ‘spiritual’ eye

Editor: Günther Simmermacher Guest editorial: Michael Shackleton

I

A clear conscience

T

ODAY we have a feature article on Page 10 on the martyrdom of two saints who stood firm in the 16th century against the king of England, Henry VIII, who had divorced his lawful wife, Catherine of Aragon, and married Anne Boleyn, a lady of the royal court.

We celebrate the common feast day of these resolute men on June 22, a good reminder of the role that conscience plays in the moral life of each one of us.

Ss John Fisher and Thomas More in all good conscience could not agree to the divorce on the grounds of the indissolubility of a sacramental marriage.

Moreover, they repudiated any thought of the king being head of the Church in England, as he had boldly declared himself.

They were in a small minority. Thomas More, a layman and lord chancellor of England, and John Fisher, bishop of Rochester, represented perhaps the cream of the laity and clergy respectively. On the whole, ordinary people and clerics sailed on regardless in obedience to the royal command.

Bishop Fisher, as a member of the House of Lords, the upper house of parliament, openly objected to what the king was doing, warning that his actions could destroy the Church.

Thomas More was more circumspect. He kept his counsel and said little, enabling him to sidestep any trap the king’s officers set for him. He was eventually convicted of treason because of false evidence and perjury.

With his new powers and prestige, Henry took full charge of the Church. He appointed clerics and nobles eager to ingratiate themselves with their regal patron and to ensure that his actions were approved and implemented.

In 1534 he pressed parliament to pass the Act of Supremacy, a gesture of defiance to the pope and the Church of Rome. It declared that the king and his successors would be the only supreme head on earth of the Church of England.

It was not long before the Oath of Supremacy was demanded of people of all ranks.

Those who refused to take it were persecuted, our two martyr saints among them.

This brief look back into history confronts us now as we find that South African politicians in the House of Assembly have been wrestling with the question of whether they may cast their votes according to their consciences or according to the pressure put on them by their party.

Ss Thomas More and John Fisher sacrificed their comforts and security before they sacrificed their lives. Men of law and learning, they were punitively deprived of books and intellectual stimulus. Their days and nights of imprisonment were severe.

Their consciences were clear, however. Hard and harrowing as it was, they courageously chose to suffer for the sake of what they knew was the right thing to do, even though they were in a small minority of non-conformists.

The right thing to do is not something everyone agrees on.

Some consciences are clear, informed and demanding, while others may be vague, uninformed and lax. Making moral judgments is a task that can contradict what others may deem the right or wrong thing to do.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that man has in his heart a law inscribed by God. His conscience is his “most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths (1776)”.

For those in public office, conscience must be informed by the common good of all involved and not by personal or self-serving aims. It is in the nature of humanity to contradict this but in spite of human failing and fear we have to hold to the primacy of good conscience.

Good conscience can be buried and ignored under the pressures of the conventions of the time. But conscience nags, and sooner or later it confronts one and must be faced honestly.

Ss Thomas More and John Fisher are historical figures and saints honoured for their loyalty to and love of Christ in his Church. They may be distant in the past but their feast day could be a good reason for us to think again on the importance of a clear conscience in public and private life.

ST ANTHONYS CHILD and YOUTH CARE CENTRE Keeping Children safe within families

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.

T is never a good idea to look at holy pictures with a critical eye, rating their artistic genius.

It is always better to look at them with our “spiritual” eyes, as it were.

For example, looking at the picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we would wonder, what on earth is Jesus’ heart doing outside his chest?

Our spiritual eyes lead us to realise that the tremendous love of God cannot be contained in a human chest and so is shown bursting forth with love for us.

Celibacy not an imposition

I

FULLY agree with both Fr PE Lavoipierre and Fr Francois Dufour (May 3) that celibacy is not a Catholic imposition and totally disagree with Romany Rubin (April 19) that it is.

Mr Rubin’s submission is based on his opinion about the Catholic Church, it is not based on facts, and as such he believes that his opinion is factual, and this is indicative of the attitude he holds about the Church.

Mr Rubin is, I suppose, not a Catholic. Perhaps he resents the Catholic Church and her doctrines and principles.

As a proudly Catholic man raised by both parents with a Catholic spirit, I don’t think it is fair for Mr Rubin to judge, crucify and criticise the Church the way he does, based on the facts that: • He is not informed about the Catholic Church and her teachings.

• His opinion is baseless and cannot be substantiated as it lacks evidence of any priest ever complaining to him of celibacy having been imposed by the Church.

• His opinion is farfetched.

May God continue to bless all who believe in him, especially those who commit themselves with their lives for the sake of his kingdom and forgive Mr Rubin for his judgmental opinion!

Isaac Khumalo, White River

Celibacy noble

R

OMANY Robins’ disparaging remarks about priestly celibacy and his ill-informed assertion that “purity...belongs to virgins and women” exposes his ignorance of the discipline of priestly celibacy.

Celibacy is not an “imposition” for those who freely choose a religious vocation in the Church.

These noble men and women willingly choose to refrain from sex for “the sake of the kingdom of God” (Matt 19:10-11, 12).

Mr Robins uncovers his lack of scriptural insight and displays his

animus against celibacy when he further asserts that celibacy is “...corrupting...dangerous and soul destroying...and gives rise to terrible suffering that...robs men of their manhood.”

Was the manhood and soul of St Paul or our Lord destroyed by their willingness to serve the will of the Father and embrace the virtue of sexual purity?

What about the thousands of holy men and women who selflessly gave up worldly passions and materialism to serve Christ and his Church and who died in mission fields driven by their faith and love for our Lord?

What about lay men and women who, through their circumstances or disability, choose the single life of continence—are they “corrupted?”

Godly men and women have always understood the sacrifice of containing their sexual desires for a higher good to serve God. Moses in preparation to meet God instructs his people to remain free from sexual intercourse (Ex 19:15; Lev 15:16).

Jesus in his ministry taught that those who strive to attain the higher calling to heaven “neither marry nor are given in marriage” (Lk 20:34).

St Paul further teaches that those anxious for the affairs of the Lord remain unmarried to be holy in body and spirit (1 Cor 7:17, 25-35).

Dr Jay Budziszewski, a philosopher at the University of Texas, believes God made the gap between male and female so that we would receive a blessing for the “difficulty” to overcome the individual incompleteness of being male or female.

He affirms that those who are called to a chaste life don’t “give up 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

PUBLIC LECTURE

“INTERPRETING POPE FRANCIS: PASTORAL BENIGNITY AND PRUDENTIAL DIALECTIC?”

BY FR LARRY KAUFMANN CssR DOCTOR OF MORAL THEOLOGY tUeSDAY 13 JUNe At 7.30 PM

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The thorns around the heart depict Christ’s wounded heart when we do not respond to this love for us.

The cross above the heart and the holes in his hands are a reminder of Calvary and his offer of love and mercy.

His hands are held out in blessing and welcome.

The Divine Mercy picture speaks similarly.

We see Christ walking towards us with his hands raised in blessing.

The red, pale rays coming from

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his heart depict the fountain of love and mercy which purifies, heals and nurtures us—the fountain of blood and water which burst forth from his heart on Calvary when the soldier pierced his side.

The inscription, “ Jesus I Trust in You” at the bottom of the picture is our own trustful response to Christ’s love and mercy.

So holy pictures are there to stimulate devotion in us. We would therefore do well to have blessed holy pictures on our walls and in our prayer books as long as we see the symbolism in each one.

Moira Gillmore, Durban something” that minimises their manhood or womanhood. Instead, they pursue “pure goods” for a higher calling to holiness.

In the same way, when a man and woman enter into marriage, they “burn their bridges” and give up their freedom or “more choice” by making a solemn promise to remain pure and loyal to their spouses.

Finally, the title of “Father” is given to those who father and care for children. It is also given to those God calls to be a Father to a community of believers—St Paul refers to himself as a father to his community of believers (1Cor 4:15).

Yes, Mr Robins, sacrifice and suffering are part and parcel of our Christian walk of faith and certainly produce “strange” men and women, who in their love of God and his Church give up all for the sake of his kingdom.

Henry Sylvester, Catholic Witness Apostolate president

Parish finances: communication

T

HE problem with parish finances, as discussed for some time in the letters page, is partly one of communication.

From my own experience, it seems that parish council members or the parish priest do not like to get into the pulpit and preach money.

Maybe they will be unpopular, and church attendance will fall further.

Often, parishioners are probably not aware of financial needs.

It may be that the reason for spending is not understood and the use of collection money questioned.

The various ways of determining the monthly payment will not always be fair. For example, they could discriminate against people with children.

Lastly, parishioners need to be motivated to pay.

Explain why the Church is so important to society and to each parishioner, and explain how it is often possible to become more of a saver and less of a consumer of nonessentials.

Michael Phillips, Sedgefield

The Southern Cross, June 7 to June 13, 2017

PERSPECTIVES

#StopItNow: Violence against women Sarah-Leah V Pimentel IOLENCE against women has dominated national headlines and social media discussions over the last month. Karabo Mokoena gave these words a face. The front pages of newspapers around the country carried the picture of a clean-cut young lady with her whole life ahead of her. Her body—burnt beyond recognition—was discovered in a shallow grave.

Karabo is not a statistic. She was a real person, a woman with dreams for her future. She was a daughter, a friend, a classmate, a colleague. According to family members, Karabo's boyfriend—a key suspect—had previously hit her and it is thought that the couple had an argument on the night she was murdered. Her young life was cut short and we can only imagine what pain and fear she experienced in the moments before her death.

Nobody deserves to die that way.

Two days later, a 22-year old woman was gang-raped by 11 men as she was walking home from work. She was accompanied by a male colleague who ran for help when he saw her being dragged away by a group of men. The police arrived on the scene to find several men waiting in line to rape her. The victim was pregnant.

We pray that the violence against her did not harm the life of her child.

Only the most horrific and graphic stories make national headlines, but they are not isolated incidents. Countless women face violence every day and many fear for their lives. They suffer silently every day and we never hear their stories.

A few weeks ago a lady phoned me. She was in tears and desperate. She was about to file for divorce against her husband. She has been married for several years. Shortly after the birth of their first child, their family circumstances changed and she was forced to quit her job and come home to look after her child. It was at this time that her husband began hitting her, something he had never done before. She could not explain his changed behaviour, except that he somehow blamed her for their changed circumstances.

After multiple violent outbursts, she filed a restraining order against her hus-

band. However, he still came to the house and acted violently towards her. She began to fear for her and her daughter's safety. Finally she decided that her only way out was to divorce him. She is a Christian and had been told that divorce is a sin. She phoned me to ask for my prayers, so that God would forgive her. Forgive her? What did she do wrong?

My heart broke as I listened to her story. Has our Church teaching been so misunderstood that the victims of abusive marriages add the guilt of divorce to the already heavy burden they are carrying?

Yes, the Church promotes the sanctity of marriage and will always continue to do so. But a marriage is only valid if it is based on mutual, life-giving love and is built on trust. A relationship that is based on one spouse’s desire to overpower, control or instil fear in the other is not a marriage. If the couple cannot resolve conflict without resorting to abuse and violence, then we need to ask serious questions about the quality of their love.

I

n the context of the endemic violence against women in South Africa, the Church must proclaim its message boldly.

The Church must do whatever it can to help break the cycle of abuse and violence.

When trust has broken down to such an extent and love gives way to fear, we need to acknowledge that humanly, it is very difficult to restore the bonds of uncondi-

“Countless women face violence every day and many fear for their lives.” SarahLeah Pimentel has observed that sometimes the only option is divorce for some.

Nervous before Christ’s majesty Fr Michael T Mapulanga O be nervous can be either positive or negative, depending on the circumstance.

Over five days recently I conducted interviews with 36 candidates who were going to receive their First Communion at St Charles Lwanga parish in Botshabelo, archdiocese of Bloemfontein.

I asked the candidates a simple question: “How do you feel about it that you are going to receive Holy Communion for the first time?” The common answer I received was that they were nervous.

This touched me because I had a similar experience when I celebrated my first Mass after my ordination in January.

The ordination was on Saturday, and on Sunday I led the first Eucharistic celebration of my priesthood. When I raised the paten and the chalice during the consecration, I became very nervous.

My hands started shaking. I didn’t understand why that nervousness was suddenly kicking in and why my hands were shaking during this time of consecration.

I was puzzled, because from the beginning of the Mass, up to the moment of consecration, I was fine—no nerves or shaking of hands. And I was fine again after the consecration.

After listening to the children prepar-

Point of Reflection

Fr Michael Mapulanga on the day of his ordination. Fr Mapulanga believes that a feeling of nervousness before the presence of Christ is normal and can even be a beautiful gift. ing for their First Holy Communion and hearing that they were nervous, I came to believe and understand something profound: the presences of Christ in our lives can sometimes make us nervous because we are in front of the Great Mystery.

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Christian Leadership

The Mustard Seeds

tional love. Divorce sometimes is the only option.

We cannot treat the divorced members of our communities as second-class citizens. We don’t know their stories and can’t judge them. Neither can we force those who are divorced (especially those who played no part in the breakdown of their marriages) to choose between receiving the Eucharist and the companionship of human love in a future relationship that could heal the hurt and brokenness of the past. Then have the marriage annulled, some might say. A divorced Catholic friend once said to me that the process of annulment is so intrusive and brings up so many old wounds, that many people feel that they cannot face this option.

The Church is in a unique position to assist with counselling, discernment on relationships and, where necessary, empowering women to make decisions that ensure their safety. Every parish has a responsibility to make available counsellors, social workers and legal professionals to help all women and children who are the victims of sexual, physical and emotional abuse and have nowhere to turn.

We are told that a woman’s life is most in danger when she has told an abusive partner that she is leaving. Parishes might also consider having places of safety where victims of abuse can be welcomed and cared for.

But we need to go even further.

It’s important to give assistance to the victims, but that’s a lot like treating a toothache without locating the abscess.

We need to identify the root cause of South Africa’s high incidence of genderbased violence. Psychological studies indicate that violence against women stems from deep-seated anger and powerlessness among Continued on Page 11

makes us realise that we are in front of the mystery, which is deserving of full reverence.

Indeed, we should give great reverence to Holy Communion because Jesus was fully recognised by his disciples after resurrection after the breaking of the bread.

My set of questions, directed to all of us, is this: • When we receive Holy Communion, are we truly fully aware that we are receiving our Lord Jesus Christ?

• Are we always aware that we are in front of the Great Mystery?

• Do we give the due total reverence to Holy Communion?

May God continue to enlighten all of us during Communion and in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

And may the Lord continue to bless and strengthen all of these 36 first communicants of St Charles Lwanga parish whose nervousness taught me such a great lesson.

Professionalising religious practice

A

S we continue our discussion on how to protect the word of God and gullible Christians against the false teachings and unacceptable practices of some modern-day “prophets”, we should always try to refer to the Scriptures for support of the position we are taking in promoting authentic Christianity.

The apostle Peter urges us to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have”. He goes on to add: “But do this with gentleness and respect …” (1 Peter 3:15).

In view of the above, the strategies we adopt to protect the word of God against un-Christian practices should not be such as to show loathing and contempt for the pastors who call themselves prophets, or to induce hatred and antagonism against them in the hearts of the members of our churches. We should actually pray for them and their followers that they may listen to the authentic word of God and not abuse it. However, in adopting this attitude we should be clear that we have false prophets among us. Jesus predicted this when he said: “At that time many will turn away from the faith…and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people” (Matthew 24: 10-11).

Unfortunately, establishing churches under the gospel of health and wealth has become a thriving and fast-growing industry.

I

n the previous column we discussed what we might call “the theoretical underpinnings” of professionalising religious practice. So how do we go about building concrete structures and procedures? Central to the proposal we are making is the idea of creating a body or an agency that is empowered to register and deregister pastors and priests.

The body could be called “The Religious Professions Council” or some such name. The council would have the power to determine minimum requirements for practising as a pastor and a preacher in the Christian Church.

This would entail: • Determining the minimum level of training required for one to practise as a pastor/priest; • Setting minimum standards of quality; • Registration of recognised training institutions across all Christian denominations; • Non-recognition and/or de-registration of institutions that fail to comply with the minimum requirements; • Registration of all pastors/priests recognised by the council.

There could be one council for all the SADC countries, with chapters/branches in each country. Pastors/priests from outside the region would have to have their qualifications/certificates evaluated before they are allowed to practise in any of the countries of the region.

In addition to the establishment of the council, there would be a need to develop a code of conduct for priests and pastors, and to draw up a list of practices that are not recognised in the Christian Church. The list of bad practices would include such things as pastors selling “anointed condoms”, and pastors telling congregants to drink sewage or engine oil, or to eat snakes and grass.

Over and above these structures and strategies, there would be a need to educate congregants in the mainline and authentic Pentecostal churches about the activities of false prophets in our time, with a view to ensuring that congregants acquire a clear understanding of the true Gospel message of Christ.

All this should be done in a true Christian spirit, with both church leaders and congregants praying for the leaders of the dubious churches and their followers to follow the light of Christ.

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The Southern Cross, June 7 to June 13, 2017

Karoline Schwarzer from Germany joined Assumption Convent School in Germiston, Johannesburg, as a Rotary exchange student. Karoline (left) stayed with Kiran Molloy (right) and her family.

The Catholic community, with the Capuchin and Assisi sisters at Umzumbe, Kwazulunatal, joined many across the globe praying the rosary for the needs of the world and particularly for South Africa.

COMMUNITY

The Catholic Women’s League at our Lady of Fatima parish in Durban north held a celebratory breakfast for member Lise bernon on her 90th birthday.

Catechists from East London held a bibliodrama retreat at St Pius Pastoral Centre.

This was a way of experiencing different ways to encounter Christ in Scripture. bibliodrama focuses on the narrative of Scripture reflecting the drama of our daily lives.

The theme for Holy Rosary School in Edenvale, Johannesburg’s matric dance was A night at the Palace of Versailles. The matrics are seen in their traditional photo taken after a fashion show where they modelled their dresses for the school.

The feast of Mary Help of Christians was celebrated at St John bosco parish in Robertsham, Johannesburg. The statue of Mary Help of Christians was adorned with flowers and carried in procession by the youth. Parish catechetics coordinator Linda Ferreira and Sr Patricia Finn FMA organised the event.

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Extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist at St Peter Claver parish in Pimville, Soweto, joined parish priest Fr Tom Segami during Easter Holy Week, with lighted candles and the paschal candle. (Photo: Sello Mokoka)

St James’ parish in Schauderville, Port Elizabeth, gathered to celebrate the opening and blessing of their new Garden of Remembrance. The garden was created for quiet prayer and to hold the ashes of loved ones.

Former parish priests Fr Anthony Padua and Fr Sizwe Zungu officiated alongside Fr Selwyn Francis.

pics@scross.co.za

De La Salle Holy Cross College in Victory Park, Johannesburg, collected baby products to help mothers at oliver Tambo Hospital. barbara Morrison runs the project and the school’s outreach committee, headed by teacher Jeanette Preston-Whyte, took on the challenge. Makayla Stockter (left) and Melina Manferdini are pictured with some of the items. To contact the Tambo Memorial baby Pack network, phone barbara Morrison on 083 242 1849 or look for the network’s page on Facebook.

S outhern C ross www.scross.co.za

March 1 to March 7, 2017

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Budget 2017: tough times

BY MANDLA ZIBI

I

F the latest Budget announcements are anything to go by, the Church will be called to give more assistance to the poor as government begins to implement “austerity” measures to balance its books, a top Catholic commentator told The Southern Cross following Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s Budget speech for 2017.

While Mike Pothier of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office acknowledged the 7% increase on average in social grants announced by the minister, he pointed out that it was below “the real inflation rate for the poor”, which he estimated at 10%.

“The standard of living for the poor in South Africa has gone up way beyond the official inflation rate of around 6%. Food prices and other living expenses have gone up considerably and social grants will not keep up, even after this increase,” he said.

“So thankfully there is an increase, but the parish finance committees and other bodies in poor areas will still find it hard going to fund soup kitchens, food parcels and other interventions for the poor.”

Mr Pothier said he believed there could be more cooperation between government and the Church in the area of poverty alleviation. He pointed out that many grassroots Catholic organisations who work with the poor are struggling for funds “but they know the problems that poor people face.

They have the experience, they just lack the money,” he said.

In an environment where international donors are increasingly turning to their own domestic problems, it did not make sense for government to continue to resist working with a homegrown non-governmental sector. “Instead you hear of government departments which fail to spend their budget allocations at the end of the cycle,” lamented Mr Pothier.

Commenting in general on the Budget, he praised it as “very considered, thorough and vigorous”.

“Minister Gordhan does not take chances. He does not underestimate anything, neither does he overestimate. His speech was about clarity, certainty and knowledge. Everyone knows where they stand. For example, now the Minister of Higher Education, Dr Blade Nzimande, knows exactly how much he is getting and

what he can do as far as the issue of #FeesMustFall is concerned,” he said.

Regarding what some commentators have called an “aggressive” new top tax rate of 45% for individuals earning over R1,5 million, Mr Pothier said it was “superficial” of the media to focus on the issue.

“This is something that affects 1 person out of 50 000 in South Africa. On average this person takes home around R80 000 per month. You have CEOs who earn up to R30 million a year and yet the media focuses on the fact that he/she might have to pay a million rand more to the taxman. This is a very superficial approach to the situation,” said the commentator.

He also blasted some cabinet ministers for ignoring Minister Gordhan’s calls for modesty and austerity in spending taxpayers’ money on luxury and inessential items, like cars, accommodation and parties.

“You have the Ministers of Mineral Resources and of Labour buying themselves luxury cars worth more than a million rand each despite Minister Gordhan’s instructions. Instead of sending a message of solidarity with the poor and workers in the mines who are losing their jobs almost every day, they spit in their faces. This mentality of self-importance is worrying in our government. The president could also intervene by sending strong instructions to cabinet to support Minister Gordhan.”

The highlight of the social budget was the fact that social grants were increased by about 7% on average.

Spending on social grants is set to rise from R164,9bn in 2016/17 to R209,1bn by 2019/20, growing at an annual average of 8,2% over the medium term.

The number of social-grant beneficiaries is expected to reach 18,1 million by the end of 2019/20.

The specific increases are: • Old-age grants from R1 505 to R 1 600 per month.

• State old-age grants for over-75s from R1 525 to R1 620.

• War veterans’ grant from R1 525 to R1 620.

• Disability grants from R1 505 to R1 600.

• Foster-care grants from R890 to R920.

• Care-dependency grants from R1 505 to R1 600.

• Child-support grants from R355 to R380.

Rev Dirk Gevers, head of the Bible Society, with some of the children who received new isiZulu Bible-based literacy booklets at the launch of the project in Embo, near Hillcrest in KwaZulu-Natal. See Page 2 for the story.

Religious sisters ride in New Orleans Mardi Gras

BY CHRISTINE BORDELON

A

S part of the 175th anniversary celebration of the Sisters of the Holy Family—an African-American congregation founded in pre-Civil War New Orleans by Mother Henriette Delille— 20 members of the religious order rode through the city in a Mardi Gras parade.

Sr Greta Jupiter, head of the order, had asked the Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale group if the sisters could ride with them, and Femme Fatale president Gwendolyn Rainey jumped at the request.

“We found it only fitting that they ride, due to their work in the community and their history,” Ms Rainey said.

“We are standing on their shoulders. We have a number of members who are graduates of St Mary’s Academy (a school run by the sisters). And, I know, somewhere in my life, their hands have touched me.”

Traditionally, float riders are required to mask in costume, but the sisters were dressed in their normal veils, habits and wearing crucifixes. “We were their royal, honorary guests, so we didn’t have to wear a mask or costume,”

said Sr Greta.

Riding in the parade is one of the congregation’s many activities during their year-long anniversary celebration, which will culminate with a closing Mass at St Louis cathedral and banquet in November.

Sr Greta said the ride was historic, believed to be the first time a women’s religious congregation has ridden in a parade as a group.

The sisters threw specially minted medallions to the crowds, one side bearing the coat of arms of the Sisters of the Holy Family, and the flip side of the medallion the Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale’s logo.

Sr Greta said she hoped the ride had created more awareness of the congregation’s history and its ministries today, which include care for seniors, feeding the homeless, and education.

She also hoped it would further Mother Delille’s cause.

Her sainthood cause was opened in 1988 and was approved unanimously by US bishops in 1997. She was declared venerable in 2010.

“Parades are part of a celebration,” Sr Greta said. “And I really wanted the visibility of the Sisters of the Holy Family celebrating its 175th year.”—CNS

S o u t h e r n C r o s s Pilgrimage HOLY LAND • ROME •ASSISI • CAIRO 25 Aug - 8 Sept 2017 • Led by Archbishop William Slattery OFM For more information or to book, please contact Gail info@fowlertours.co.za or 076 352-3809

www.fowlertours.co.za/slattery

Feed your soul with The

S outher n C ross

IT’S WORTH IT!

St Martin de Porres parish in Lavistown, Cape Town, held a rosary procession to commemorate the 100th anniversary of our Lady of Fatima. The procession was led by Fr Jerome Aranes.

young people, religious brothers in training and Association of Catholic Tertiary Students (ACTS) members attended a special youth Mass at St Joseph the Worker parish in Pretoria West.

The Southern Cross, June 7 to June 13, 2017

FAITH

9

How faith beat my heroin addiction For more than a decade DAMIEn RICHARDSon was a heroin addict. Thanks to a community founded by an Italian nun and the faith it taught him, he recovered.

Here he tells his story.

I

GREW up in Dublin, Ireland, to a good hardworking family. But when I was 13, my family broke up and I had to move house. This left me very wounded.

I left school at 15 with no education or trade. I began doing drugs and ended up addicted to many different types of drugs, searching for the secret of happiness.

This started me on a journey of addiction that would last for over 14 years.

At first the drugs gave me confidence. After a while they became my god and I used them to escape from all my problems.

The first thing I would think of when I opened my eyes in the morning was: how am I going to get drugs today. It was like oxygen. I could not function or communicate without them.

When I was taking heroin, I did a lot of things that I now regret. I ended up in prison a few times.

During this time, I met my girlfriend, who also was an addict. We started a methadone programme for six years.

Methadone is an opioid analgesic that is administered to heroin addicts to wean them off the drug.

During that time, we had our first baby, a little girl. To our shame she was born addicted to methadone.

Life on methadone was horrific.

It was like being sedated all the time with no quality of life.

After 14 years of active addiction I was left a very broken person.

When I went to my doctor for help, his only answer was to give me more and more medication and tablets. During this time, I was left very suicidal and felt the only an-

Damien Richardson (right), who came back from years of drug addiction, with his mentor bill o'Connor. swer would be for me to kill myself to be free from this pain I was in.

Things changed in 1996 when my father took me to Medjugorje where I met another Irishman, Bill O’Connor from Bunclody, County Wexford.

Bill was a big influence on my life that week, with his amazing faith he shared with me. He encouraged me to go to the sacraments, and now he is a lifelong friend.

While in Medjugorje I visited the Cenacolo Community and heard about their residential addiction treatment centre in Knock, County Mayo.

The Cenacolo Way is one of recovery from addiction through prayer, work and friendship.

It was shaped by the vision of an Italian nun, Mother Elvira Petrozzi, who founded it over 30 years ago, The structure is the same in all the 60 Cenacolo houses worldwide.

There is no television, newspapers, radio, Internet or cellphones.

The day starts at 6:00 and includes adoration, working in pairs on various chores like tending animals, cut-

Catholic trio urges prayer for Cenacolo to come to S. Africa

A

GROUP of South African Catholics would love to see Cenacolo in South Africa.

Michele Michael, Robert Champion and Moira Gillmore have visited Cenacolo’s mother house in Saluzzo, near Turin, Italy. They each at different times spent more or less a week in the Cenacolo House.

Mr Champion lived with the men being healed and “experienced very closely the miracle of Cenacolo”, Ms Gillmore told The Southern Cross.

His intention was to get a better understanding of Cenacolo, with the ultimate goal of inviting the Cenacolo Community leadership to visit South Africa, the Durban Catholic said.

Such a visit would then pave the way for the realisation of establishing a house in South Africa.

Of its 60 houses worldwide, Cenacolo have only one in Africa, in Libreville, Liberia. Like those in Latin America, it places a special focus on street children.

Anybody can join, regardless of nationality or confession, but the community’s spiritual focus is Catholic.

It received official recognition from Pope Benedict XVI. Cenacolo doesn’t see itself as a therapeutical institution, but rather as a self-help community. Drug-substituting pharmaceuticals are not allowed.

The official language in all Cena-

colo communities worldwide is Italian.

Cenacolo relies entirely on donations and divine providence.

“We have been advised that we should pray and ask others to join us in praying,” Ms Gillmore said.

“We therefore started prayer groups in our parishes, praying the rosary and having Masses celebrated” for Cenacolo.

In Johannesburg some 100 Masses were celebrated for Cenacolo last year, a number she hopes will be matched this year.

“We would like to invite other parishes in South Africa to do the same, with their bishop's consent,” Ms Gillmore said. “We would love to know which dioceses are getting involved, so please contact one of us three” at the numbers below.

She said that any bishop who would like to experience Cenacolo in Italy is very welcome. Ms Gillmore, Ms Michael or Mr Champion could help “as we are in direct contact with Saluzzo”.

They are also ready to advise locals suffering with addiction on how to make contact with Cenacolo in Saluzzo, though, Ms Gillmore pointed out, they will need an EU passport or long-term visa to make it possible to join a community in Europe. n Contact Michele Michael at 082 417 2725 or Robert Champion at 079 671 6006 or Moira Gillmore at 084 468 8890

ting firewood, preparing food, cleaning, building and maintenance.

Time is given to recreation, such as music or sports. There is communal prayer and Scripture reading, and the lads all eat together.

At Cenacolo the day is full of work and fresh air. It’s good for the mind and soul. It’s a great way to get the mental and physical health back after addiction.

a bit of getting used to but I was willing to try anything to get my life back.

At Cenacolo I started to pray the rosary with the lads and I got a great sense of peace from this.

I remember the first time I got enough courage to call out a decade of the rosary in the chapel. It was the first time in so many years that I had heard the tone of my voice with no drugs inside me, but it was a big thing for me to push myself to do it.

I found the rosary very peaceful in the beginning and I knew I was getting great strength from it in my recovery.

The adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament was kind of new for me at Cenacolo. The lads in the house opened the tabernacle and exposed the Blessed Sacrament three times a day when we prayed the three rosaries in the chapel.

Every time I shared a difficulty I was having, they would say to me: “Tell Jesus in the tabernacle your difficulties and struggles.”

It took me a while to understand the true presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but in moments of adoration the overwhelming

sense of peace, love and healing I was experiencing was unreal.

With the help of the Cenacolo Community I have learned how to live a normal life again with the healing power of Jesus in the Eucharist. Before Cenacolo my life was in total darkness. When I had a problem, I took drugs. Now, when life gets difficult, I pray to the Risen Jesus and his Holy Mother for help, and they never let me down.

When I was at Cenacolo my girlfriend did a short detox in a Dublin detox centre and then we got married in 2005.

With the help of Cenacolo my wife and I have been drug-free for more than 14 years and we have been blessed with ten children.

In 2014 I started college and I am on my third year studying to become an addiction counsellor.

Every morning when I wake up, I thank God for the gift of life and for all the beautiful people he has put in my life. n Cenacolo is completely free. It provides residential treatment for alcohol, drug and other addictions. For info visit www.communitycenacolo.ie.

T

here is no paid staff in Cenacolo and no charge for the people who join. Cenacolo gets no government funding and no social welfare and relies purely on divine providence and the generosity of donors.

When they are in need of anything, they pray for it. People just knock at the door with food and clothes, and it’s in these moments that you really see God working.

When I contacted the Cenacolo Community they said I had to attend an assessment meeting and do a few working days there before they would take me in. That went well over a few weeks.

When I entered Cenacolo it took

Mother Elvira Petrozzi, who founded the Cenacolo communities in 1983 to help drug addicts recover through what essentially is a monastic lifestyle over 3-5 years. Mother Elvira experienced the trauma of addiction through her alcoholic father. (Photo: Comunità Cenacolo)

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

Founder: Fr. Leo John Dehon (1843-1925)

Daughters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Charism Then as a‘Loving Daughter of the Heart of and Mary this inImmacualte Suffering is your chance to rekindle the light of LOVE and of the GOOD NEWS to the: Mission’ We evangelise, nurse the sick and aged, catechise youth, children and old, outcast and neglected.

For more information contact The Vocation Directoress

P.O. Box 17204 witbank, 1035; Tel: 013 656 3708; Cell: 082 838 5428 lekgala.m@gmail.com

P.O. Box 864, glen Cowie, 1061 Cell: 076 923 8319

10

The Southern Cross, June 7 to June 13, 2017

CHURCH

Two men for all seasons On June 22 the Church will mark the feast day of the English martyrs Ss Thomas More and John Fisher. SR JoAn RoCCASALVo CSJ looks at their lives and executions in 1535.

T

HEY stood with the few who resisted his insatiable power.

During the reign of England’s King Henry VIII (1509-47), John Fisher served as the bishop of Rochester, and Thomas More as lord chancellor of the realm.

Their personal styles could not have been more different; as men of faith, they were one. Today the Catholic Church honours Ss John Fisher and Thomas More, the sainted martyrs of Henry VIII’s brutal and turbulent reign.

In 1533, Henry VIII sought but failed to procure the pope’s approval for a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, his queen and lawful wife of 19 years. Smitten with new love, he was determined to marry his mistress, Anne Boleyn.

Catherine had failed to “produce” a male heir and successor to the throne. Hence, his first marriage was invalid, so he reasoned.

Henry’s emotions overruled his reason. And it was his emotions that drove him by a short route to certain chaos.

The next year, by an act of parliament, Henry rejected the pope’s supreme authority in England. A second act, the Act of Supremacy, established him as the “Supreme Head of the Church in England”.

The “Defender of the Faith” now challenged the faith. “The king’s great matter” would dislodge England’s Catholic moorings and ravage every phase of English life.

Henry’s England exemplifies the maxim of St Thomas Aquinas: “A small error in the beginning is a big error in the end.”

For the next 12 years, from 1535 until 1547, the year of his death, Henry had at least 50 men

and women executed for high treason. Among them were Bishop John Fisher and Sir Thomas More, as well as members of the Society of Jesus and other religious orders, the secular clergy—every class, trade, or profession who gave their lives rather than deny their faith.

Because of their high offices, Fisher and More were beheaded whereas the “lesser” 50 were hanged, drawn and quartered.

Brutal deaths, all.

Meet John Fisher Bishop John Fisher, born in 1469, had held important ecclesiastical offices in the Church. He left his mark at Cambridge for establishing two colleges there and for attracting eminent scholars to both Cambridge and Oxford.

The stern and austere Fisher was a no-nonsense type who upheld both spirit and letter of the law.

When it came to “the king’s great matter”, Fisher sided firmly with Queen Catherine who maintained the validity of her marriage.

Cardinal Wolsey, the lord chancellor steering the divorce activities, specifically warned Fisher not to meddle in the controversy. The bishop ignored him.

On discovering that one of the bishops forged his handwriting to give assent to the divorce, this tall, emaciated figure stood and orated:

“This is not my hand [writing] nor my seal.” He excoriated them for caving to Henry’s demands, thereby incurring the king’s wrath.

Yet, through Fisher’s efforts, a clause was added to Henry’s new title as Supreme Head of the Church in England so that one could assent to it uttering the words, “so far as God’s law permits”. This qualifier did little good as it was ignored or not known by most. Fisher’s days were numbered.

When he and two fellow bishops appealed to Rome concerning Henry’s seizing of canonical powers, the three were arrested. In 1535, John Fisher was executed in the churchyard of All Hallows near the Tower, and his head was displayed on London Bridge. Later his body was reburied in the Tower church of St Peter-ad-Vincula.

Despite the later efforts of the English government to suppress Fisher’s popularity, the bishop has remained a universally-admired clergyman and humanist throughout Europe.

Sir Thomas More, martyr Thomas More, born in 1478, is the patron saint of lawyers and university students.

More enjoyed a thorough legal education even though he had seriously considered entering the

Actor Paul Scofield as Thomas More with director Fred Zinnemann during the filming of the classic 1966 film A Man For All Seasons.

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Ss Thomas More and John Fisher, both painted in their lifetime by Hans Holbein the younger. monastic life.

For four years, he lived with the Carthusian monks at the London Charterhouse. The Carthusian order, it should be noted, is the most austere in the Church, never needing reform because it was never found to be deformed.

But Thomas came to see that his vocation lay in the world and not in a monastery. His intellectual rigour and good humour, his diplomacy and keen sense of fairness, his deep Carthusian spirit attracted attention.

These attributes contributed to his steady rise through the ranks of his legal profession. Thomas More was a great man. Henry knew it, the people knew it, and Europe knew it.

When he was not yet 40, Thomas’ first wife died, leaving him with four children. Soon after, he married Alice Middleton, a woman of means.

It was during these years that Thomas firmly established himself as a leader among the humanists in London. The great Dutch theologian Erasmus referred to More as “England’s only genius”, a barb meant to show up England’s dearth of scholars.

Thomas remained at the royal court for 12 years, beginning in 1518. As parliament began to ponder “the king’s great matter”, Councillor Thomas maintained his silence on the matter—unlike John Fisher.

Thomas replaced Wolsey as lord chancellor of the realm in 1529.

Wolsey had failed to negotiate the divorce. Now the project belonged to More.

Thomas served as lord chancellor until 1532; he resigned his post when he could no longer serve with a clear conscience.

He retired to his home in Chelsea, but not for long. As the most prominent layman in the realm and the only one except for Fisher who refused to endorse the marriage, pressure mounted to break his silence. He tried for as long as possible, relying on a maxim of the law which states that “silence is construed as giving one’s consent” (Qui tacet consentire).

Even the law failed to convince.

Not silence, not the law but a fullthroated assent to the marriage was what Henry wanted.

Sir Thomas was arrested, imprisoned, and condemned to death for refusing to bend to the marriage.

This was considered high treason

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and condemned him to death by beheading.

After months in the Tower, Thomas was beheaded in 1535. He died “the king’s good servant but God’s first”. Throughout Europe, his execution was mourned.

In 1935, Pius XI canonised John Fisher, Thomas More, and the other martyrs who had been put to death during Henry VIII’s bloody reign.

A man for all seasons Robert Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons, written in 1960, has eclipsed all earlier attempts to portray Thomas More on the stage.

In 1966, Fred Zinnemann, produced and directed the moving screenplay, almost entirely based on Robert Bolt’s play.

Zinnemann was an Austrian Jew, but seems to have had an affinity for Catholicism through his wife, Renee Bartlett, who was a Catholic. Zinnemann also directed 1959’s The Nun’s Story, with Audrey Hepburn.

He also directed such films as High Noon (1952), From Here to Eternity (1953), Oklahoma! (1955), The Day of the Jackal (1973), and Julia (1977).

A Man for All Seasons won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.

The latter was awarded to the British actor Paul Scofield, the very personification of Thomas More.

He played the role both in London and on Broadway.

The title of the play and film derive from a contemporary of Thomas More, Robert Whittington who in 1520 wrote of the future saint: “More is a man of an angel’s wit and singular learning. I know not his fellow. For where is the man of that gentleness, lowliness, and affability? And, as time requires, a man of marvelous mirth and pastimes, and sometime of sad gravity? A man for all seasons.”

John Fisher and Thomas More were made saints because they stood with the very few; and with them, willingly gave their lives for the soul of Catholic England.

They were beatified together by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 and canonised by Pope Pius XI in 1935.

They also share a feast day, June 22—the date of Fisher’s execution.

Remarkably they are also considered saints in the Church of England, where their feast is on July 6—the date of More’s execution.—CNA

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CLASSIFIEDS

Sr Rufina Hollweck OP

D

OMINICAN Sr Rufina died peacefully at Emmaus retirement home in East London on May 11, aged 91.

She was born on November 2, 1925, at Unterried in southern Germany. There were seven children in her family and Maria, as she was baptised, was the eldest.

Every day before school started, the children attended Mass. When Maria asked her mother why they had to do this every day, she said: “O child, how I wish I could do it.”

Maria and her siblings grew up during the Hitler regime. One day, all teachers were ordered to remove crucifixes from the classrooms and replace them with photos of Hitler. One teacher did as told, but moved the crucifix to the other wall. Luckily nobody reported her.

This was a hard time for most families in Germany as the men were forced to join the army.

Maria’s father had to do duty at a military base close by, but whenever possible did night shift and came home during the day to supervise the Polish prisoners of war who worked on the farm.

Your prayer to cut out and collect

When the neighbouring town was bombed, Maria’s mother took the children out to the roadside cross and said: “Children, let us pray for the people who are dying just now.”

These sad experiences, together with the happy visits to a nearby convent where three of her aunts were religious, and her deep Christian upbringing, led to Maria’s vocation.

She entered the convent in the town of Schlehdorf, when 22 years old. Soon after her first profession, she was missioned to South Africa.

After her teachers’ training in

Liturgical Calendar

PRAYER AT THE LIGHTING OF A CANDLE

Year A – Weekdays Cycle Year 1

LORD GOD, this candle that I light here today reminds me of the light that you enkindled in me at my Baptism.

Renew the flame of your Love in me.

Let it burn away all my egotism, my jealousy, my pride and my failure to love.

Let me have a warm and generous heart.

Lord, I am not able to remain here in this church very much longer: I have to go.

So, please accept this candle in my place.

Let it be like a part of me that I give to you.

Here, before the image of Blessed Mary, Mother of God, and imploring her powerful intercession, I ask you, as I offer you this humble candle, to allow my prayer to penetrate every activity and every facet of my life, so that everything will be shaped and formed by the burning flame of your Love.

I ask this for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Prayer found in the Church of Saint Castor, Koblenz, Germany, freely translated and slightly expanded by Fr Barry John Reabow SAC

Grahamstown, she taught in Cradock, at St Anne’s in East London, and at the orphanage in Izeli, outside King William’s Town. It was at Izeli, where Sr Rufina taught for 20 years, that she got involved with the poor in the nearby Zinyoka township.

She took note of their special needs and if a cupboard was needed, she would buy one from the generous donations she received from her family overseas.

Sr Rufina also taught the women knitting and sewing. This she continued after her official retirement when she was assigned to Marapyane, to Middelburg, and to De Aar. Sir Rufina was a knowledgeable herbalist and on retiring to Emmaus immediately started a herb garden.

In 2011 she was transferred to the frail section and soon became bedridden. The day before she died, her condition worsened and Fr Varghese Kannanaikkal anointed her in the presence of many sisters of the community. Sr Rufina died the following morning.

May she rest in peace.

Sunday June 11, Trinity Sunday Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9, Responsorial psalms Daniel 3:29-31,33-34 or 3:52-56, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, John 3:16-18 Monday June 12, St Onophrius 2 Corinthians 1:1-7, Psalms 34:2-9, Matthew 5:1-12 Tuesday June 13, St Anthony of Padua 2 Corinthians 1:1822, Psalms 119:129133, 135, Matthew 5:13-16 Wednesday June 14 2 Corinthians 3:4-11, Psalms 99:5-9, Matthew 5:17-19 Thursday June 15 2 Corinthians 3: 15--4:1, 3-6, Psalms 85:9-14, Matthew 5:20-26 Friday June 16 St Anthony of Padua 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, Psalms 116:10-11, 15-18, Matthew 5:27-32 Saturday June 17, Saturday Mass of Our Lady 2 Corinthians 5:14-21, Psalms 103:1-4, 8-9, 11-12, Matthew 5:33-37 Sunday June 18, The Body and Blood of Christ Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16, Psalms 147:12-15, 1920, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, John 6:51-58

#StopItNow: violence against women must end Continued from Page 7 men. Historical, cultural, and social factors have given rise to a generation of men who grew up without good role models and do not know how to channel their physical strength to care for the life around them.

The Church is called to actively educate boys and men on what it means to be a man, created in the image of God. How many parishes run formation programmess to teach men how to become loving sons, fathers and husbands?

The protection of women and the formation of men is one area in which the Church can—and must— play a transformative role in our so-

ciety. Let’s not wait for the SACBC to develop programmes and materials.

We can all get involved. Receive training to become a counsellor. Hold formation days on the Church’s teaching on the dignity of human life. Form faith-sharing groups that focus on uplifting women and educating men. Volunteer at shelters for abused women. Find parish-based solutions for each community.

Violence against the most vulnerable members of our society has continued for too long. This can only be reversed if everyone does something, no matter how small, to eliminate the conditions that allow the abuse to continue. #StopItNow.

The Southern Cross, June 7 to June 13, 2017

clASSIFIeDS

11

births • First Communion • Confirmation • Engagement/Marriage • Wedding anniversary • ordination jubilee • Congratulations • Deaths • In memoriam • Thanks • Prayers • Accommodation • Holiday Accommodation • Personal • Services • Employment • Property • others Please include payment (R1,70 a word) with small advertisements for promptest publication.

IN MeMORIAM

AlBeRtYN (née Gain)— Mary Magdalene. Twenty years has passed since that sad day, When our dear mom was called away. God took her home.

It was His will, but in our hearts she liveth still. Remembered with love by your son Allan, your daughter Carol, son-in-law Leslie and family.

PRAYeRS

HOlY St JUDe, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke you, special patron in time of need. To you I have recourse from the depths of my heart and humbly beg you to come to my assistance. Please help me now in my urgent need and grant my petition. In return I promise to

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Help improve our job prospects. For more information contact Ashley at khayamandidrivingklub@ gmail.com

make your name known in distribution of this prayer that never fails. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be forever blessed and glorified. Holy Mary Mother of God, Pray for us and grant my request (name your request). our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be. Dermot PE. PAReNtS FOR cHIlDReN—o Jesus, lover of children, bestow your most precious graces on those whom you have confided to our care. Increase in them faith, hope and charity. May your love lead them to solid piety, inspiring them with dread for sin, love of work and an ardent desire of worthily approaching your holy table. Preserve in them innocence and purity of heart; and if they should offend you, grant them the grace of a prompt and sincere repentance. From your tabernacle watch over them day and night; protect them in all their ways. Grant that they may acquire the knowledge that they need to embrace the state of life to which you have called them.

Grant us a sincere love, constant vigilance and generous devotedness towards them. Grant us all consolation on earth and eternal reward in heaven.

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Our bishops’ anniversaries This week we congratulate: June 7: Bishop Xolelo Thaddeus Kumalo of Eshowe on the 9th anniversary of his episcopal ordination June 7: Bishop Frank Nubuasah of Francistown, Botswana, on his 68th birthday

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GOD BleSS AFRIcA Guard our people, guide our leaders and give us peace.

Luke 11:1-13

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the

S outher n C ross

The Body and Blood of Christ: June 18 Readings: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16, Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, John 6:51-58

God reveals his fidelity

Nicholas King SJ

N

which they found boring, and not nearly as good as what they had had in Egypt; and they kept on forgetting God. But God never forgets us, and is constantly giving us the most precious gift, the gift of God’s self.

That is the message of the psalm, which is traditionally used on this feast-day, celebrating God’s particular love for this maddeningly unfaithful people of his: “God has not acted like this for any other nation…praise the Lord.”

The song lists God’s gifts: “He has strengthened the bars of your gates, blessed your children within you, made peace in your borders, and (best of all) filled you with finest wheat, and sent his word to the land.” That is the God whom today’s feast celebrates.

In the second reading, Paul is trying to resolve a problem that may not be your most common difficulty, about whether or not it is permissible to eat meat that had previously been offered to idols (which was a cheap way of getting protein in that world).

It reminds the Corinthians of something

of the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.”

The language is crude, and the message is clear; our part is to recognise God’s generosity and so receive what this gospel calls “eternal life”. The language then gets cruder: “The one who munches my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in that person…this is the Bread that came down from heaven.”

It is the same generous God who stayed patiently with the Children of Israel in the desert and gave them the food they longed for.

But God’s story goes deeper: “This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as your ancestors ate—and they died.” This latest expression of God’s generosity goes deeper: “The one who munches [that crude word again] this bread will live for ever.”

And our task is to gaze with clear eyes upon God’s costly and loving generosity, and taste its richness.

EXT Sunday we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi; and it is bewildering to see what a flurry of mutual accusations Christians have made of it (possibly that just shows how important it is, of course).

How are we to think about this great mystery? First we must say that it is rich beyond anything that we can sensibly say; and secondly that the heart of the matter is the tireless fidelity of God’s generosity, even when we do not behave very well.

The first reading, Moses talking to the People of Israel on the verge of their entry into the Promised Land, is a reminder of how God’s fidelity is revealed in food: “the way the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness…he fed you with manna, which you did not know and your ancestors did not know”.

The task is to remember “the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of slaves”.

But of course we already know that the people had complained about the manna,

that we shall do well not to forget, especially on this feast-day, namely that receiving the body and blood of Christ puts us into “solidarity” with him and with his death, the ultimate sign of God’s fidelity.

Because of that, our silly inner-Christian quarrels are a missing of the point: “Because the loaf of bread is one, we who are many are one!” And how can this be? Because “We all share of the same loaf of bread.” It is God’s generosity that is the source of our unity .

The Gospel for the feast is taken from the lengthy treatment of the Bread of Life in John’s gospel; the teaching is difficult but clear: “I AM the Living Bread which came down from heaven; anyone who eats of this bread will live for ever.”

Once again, it is a matter of the unfailing fidelity of God in the face of our sinfulness, here symbolised by the battles among Jesus’ Judean hearers: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

The answer is that accepting the generosity of God is our only way to life: “Unless you eat

Going on, ahead of us ‘I

family having easy, 24-hour access to her hospice bed.

The days leading up to her death were a sacred time. I took her communion several days before she died and, with her head still very clear, she told me what I should say at her funeral liturgy. She had chosen that exact text where Jesus, on the night before he dies, tells his heavy-hearted disciples that he is going ahead, to prepare a place for them.

She shared how, before every one of her children was born, before she went to the hospital to give birth, she had carefully prepared everything at home for the new arrival, the crib, the nappies, the clothing, the room.

She brought each of her children home to a place she had specially prepared. And now she was going on ahead of them again, to prepare another place for them.

I preached those words at her funeral and despite our grief and despite the fact that in moments like these there is nothing really that can be said that takes away the pain, her raw testimony of faith left us with an image that placed us all, not least her husband and children, inside a bigger story, a faith-narrative, that highlighted two things.

Classic Conrad

GO on ahead to prepare a place for you!” Jesus speaks those words to his disciples on the eve of his death as he sits at table with them and senses their sadness as they grapple with his dying, his going away.

His words are meant to console them and give them the assurance that they aren’t being abandoned. It’s just that he is going on ahead to prepare a place for them to come and join him later.

That story speaks to me very personally because of how one of my sisters died. She was young, the mother of a large family, and seemingly too young to leave her young children behind.

She was dying of a cancer that, while relentlessly doing its deadly work, mercifully left her relatively pain-free and clear in mind and heart to the very end.

The cancer eventually took her to a point where she could no longer eat, but could still be nourished for a time by intravenous transfusions.

But these too eventually no longer worked and, once unhooked from the intravenous needles, she was told that she had roughly a week still to live.

She chose to spend those last days in a hospital rather than at home, with her

Pilgrimage of Graces

HOLY LAND 8 – 19 September 2017

Led by Fr S’milo Mngadi

contact Gail at 076 352 3809 info@fowlertours.co.za www.fowlertours.co.za/graces

Sunday Reflections

Southern Crossword #762

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final Reflection

First, the image of her going on ahead of her children awakened our grieving faith to the truth that a mother can go on ahead to prepare a place for her children in much deeper ways than simply bringing a newborn home from a hospital.

Second, her “going ahead” was also showing her children, and the rest of us, how to die, how to do that act that we all someday must do.

After you watch a good person die, you become less afraid to die yourself because you see how it can be done in an ordinary way, by an ordinary person, in a way that you can also do. In her dying, she prepared a place for us.

But this isn’t a lesson only about dying.

This image, I go on ahead to prepare a place for you, is a metaphor which defines the essential task of our adult, mature years.

Our task as “elders”, whether that be as a mother or father, an older brother or older sister, an uncle or an aunt, a teacher, a clergyman, a nurse, a worker, a colleague, or a friend, is to live in such a way so as to create a place where the young can follow.

Our task as adults is to show the young how to live at a place where they’ve never been as yet.

And it is both a noble and humble task.

Most of us cannot live up to the lofty ideals we see lived out in the lives of the great saints, though their lives have created an ideal place for us.

However, while not everyone can live as Mother Teresa did, perhaps they can live like you do and your life can be their exemplar for meaning, wholeness, anonymous sanctity, and dying without unnecessary fear.

I’ve been graced to be at the deathbed of a goodly number of ordinary people who died very ordinary-looking deaths, with no choirs of angels silently chanting in the background, no alleluias on their lips, with pain and thirst dominating their concerns, with their hands being tightly grasped by loved ones, and their hearts still very much focused on the pain of leaving this world.

And that’s not a bad way to die. In how they managed their deaths they prepared a place for me. Looking at how they died, I am far less fearful and can more readily say: I can do this!

OR FOR D

cONStRUctION

ACrOSS

1. I dwell where I fully intended (6) 4. Let every ... confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil 2) (6) 9. A gift of the Spirit (Is 11) (4,2,3,4) 10. Broke the fast around noon (7) 11. Fools not completely assessed (5) 12. I stand at the door and ... (Rev 3) (5) 14. Like a spacious mansion?

(5) 18. It identifies a text from a gospel (5) 19. Laura turns to New Testament. It’s normal (7) 21. Further on, tune changes for one seeking riches (7,6) 22. Behind these you are not on view (6) 23. Given before meals (6)

DOwN

1. Like a married woman (6) 2. Not a direct line to being taught the faith (8,5) 3. Period of history (5) 5. Orange changes nothing for this herb (7) 6. It’s a Roman goad to the man in the parable (4,9) 7. The first-born (6) 8. Short musical piece in French (5) 13. Ecclesiastical disapproval (7) 15. Deceives (6) 16. Show that you are praying (5) 17. Office workers in holy orders? (6) 20. I am the way and the ... and the life (Jn 14) (5)

Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

A

JEWISH couple have a son who is a holy terror, and has been kicked out of every school they put him in. Finally desperate, the father goes to the rabbi, and is advised to put his son in the local Catholic school.

So the father takes him to the nuns and leaves.

At three in the afternoon the son comes in and says: “Good afternoon Papa, good afternoon Mama,” goes to the table and starts his homework.

The father is amazed and finally asks why he is behaving so well.

His son looks up and says: “Papa, when you left, the Mother Superior took me to my room. Papa, they mean business! They’ve got a Jew nailed on a cross in every room!”

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