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S outher n C ross

November 8 to November 14, 2017

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Have will to fix crime, police minister told STAFF REPORTER

U Holy Trinity Parish in Olifantsfontein in Gauteng launched its St Anne Sodality after many years of serving under Moya parish in Tembisa. The launch Mass was celebrated by Fr Paul Tatu CSS, communications officer of the bishops’ conference. Three probators were awarded medals: Mpho Sewela, Sindisiwe Mpungose and Rebecca Kwadi.

Kids win out over racists A COURT had to decide whether the central square in Dresden, Germany, would be used for a children’s festival in support of a South African charity or for a right-wing demonstration against migrants.

The children’s festival was planned to be held in conjunction with that evening’s gala ball to raise funds for the HIV/Aids project Hope Cape Town, which was founded in 2001 by the German-speaking Catholic Community of the Cape Peninsula, under the guidance of Fr Stefan Hippler.

But on the same day, the right-wing antiimmigration group Pegida wanted to use the city’s Altmarkt square for a political rally.

Local businesswoman and socialite Viola Klein, who organises the annual Hope Gala in Dresden—a highlight in the eastern German city’s social calendar—became the public face in the battle between children and extremists which made newspaper headlines in the region.

The Dresden administrative court eventually found in favour of Mrs Klein and the children’s festival. The daily Dresdener Zeitung afterwards profiled Mrs Klein under the headline: “She Took Pegida’s Spot”.

Pegida head Lutz Bachmann described

Viola Klein and Fr Stefan Hippler Mrs Klein as a “left-wing extremist”. The charity organiser became a hate-figure for the right-wing group, the Dresdener Zeitung noted—but also a hero to locals standing against xenophobia.

At the children’s festival a bodyguard discretely watched over Mrs Klein’s safety.

The short notice, the police presence and bad weather resulted in a lower turnout than expected, but the festival was nevertheless a joyful event, according to local media.

The Dresden gala, the 12th event, raised Continued on page 32

NLESS the problems in the police force are tackled head on, crime will become worse, a Church analyst has warned after the release of the latest crime statistics by police minister Fikile Mbabula.

The crime statistics, covering the period April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017 record a slight decrease of 1,8% in the commission of serious crimes.

However Fr Peter-John Pearson, director of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office, noted that murders increased nationally by 1,8%, translating into 52 homicides per day. One in five murder victims is a woman or child.

“By way of comparison: the murder rate is five times higher than Mexico and ten times higher than India,” Fr Pearson said.

While an average of 109 rapes were reported daily, civil society organisations hold that for every reported rape, as many as nine are not reported.

Hijackings were up 14,5%; home robberies showed a significant increase of 7,3% compared to 2,7% in the previous year; and business robberies showed an increase of 5%.

Drug-related crimes were up 12,9% and the possession of illegal firearms and ammunition increased by 9,22%.

“Gun control experts have warned that this increase is in fact at the root of the increase in violence in the other crime categories. A greater effort in curbing the leak of legal guns, and annihilating the numbers of illegal firearms, will contribute to creating a safer environment,” Fr Pearson said.

He observed that a recent survey found that six out of ten victims of robberies did not report these crimes to the police “as they had no confidence that the police would do anything about them”. This, Fr Pearson said, has led many, including Mr Mbabula, “to believe that the police, despite many hardworking and sincere personnel,

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“But this raises the question as to whether the minister has the political will, the stamina and the courage to tackle this herculean task, especially given the way interests of factions within the governing party have crept into and bedevilled the institutional life of the police force,” Fr Pearson said.

Mr Mbabula has promised “to revive specialised units, have competent police officers who know how to investigate crimes, make arrests and ensure that cases are so solid that we secure convictions”.

However, Fr Pearson argued, “it has long been argued that the failure of the intelligence units and the high levels of suspicion, distrust and collusion by individuals and groups, have opened a space where organised criminals can act with impunity, thus perpetuating an almost invincible criminal culture”.

Fr Pearson emphasised that “the statistics in all provinces show that crime is mostly concentrated in the poorer areas and that it is thus the poor who carry the heavy burden of criminal activities”.

This, he said, “raises the question of the allocation of personnel and resources and whether poorer areas receive the benefit of adequate resources”.

That has broader implications. “At the end of the day policing, crime, violence, aggression and extremism are linked to questions of sharing resources, justice and human rights. They are all interlinked and we need to be careful to not analyse crime in isolation,” the priest said.

He referred to Pope Francis who last month said: “The poor and the poorer peoples are accused of violence yet, without equal opportunities, the different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and will eventually explode.”

Fr Pearson added: “We would do well to bear that in mind.”

CATHOLIC IRELAND A pilgrimage with Bishop Victor Phalana

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2

The Southern Cross, November 8 to November 14, 2017

LOCAL

Botswana women celebrate 21 years

By SR PHATSiMO V RAMOKGWEBANA SC

T

HE Catholic Women’s Association (CWA) in Botswana celebrated its 21st anniversary at its 15th annual conference at Ave Maria Pastoral Centre in Gaborone.

The CWA in Botswana, which forms part of the SACBC region, was founded in 1996 with the approval of Bishop Boniface Setlalekgosi of Gaborone.

It was inspired by the ideals and living of a group of committed women from Atteridgeville, Pretoria. “The Pretoria archdiocese had housed Botswana, Kimberley and other dioceses, so we started off as the Gaborone diocese and the Kimberley diocese. With the acceptance of Bishop Setlalekgosi, we were allowed to start the CWA in Botswana,� said CWA Botswana president Keba Nyathi.

Initially the bishop was hesitant about the women starting immediately as he wanted to make sure they understood what they wanted to be, and what CWA was all about.

When he saw the women’s work in the parish in line with their motto of “Faith and Action�, he al-

Jhb lecture on Martin Luther

lowed them to spread into other areas within the diocese.

When they had more than five branches, and had walked the journey for a number of years, Bishop Setlalekgosi was convinced they had good intentions and determination, and that they understood what the CWA was.

Gradually the group started growing, and now has more than 400 women within the two Botswana dioceses of Gaborone and Francistown.

To mark their 21 years of existence, they pulled together resources through their spiritual advisor, Fr Tefo Bolokwe, who invited other priests to the conference to share the word of God and the importance of their commitment.

The CWA adopted as its theme “Life in the Spirit�, fitting within the overall objective of the association, and suggesting growth in faith inspired by the Holy Spirit. “Normally, in past years, when people spoke about the Holy Spirit, they seemed to detach it from the Church, ignoring that the Holy Spirit is at the centre of the birth of the Church,� Mrs Nyathi said.

The Catholic Women’s Association in Botswana celebrated its 21st anniversary at Ave Maria Pastoral Centre in Gaborone. “We often emphasise the role of the Holy Spirit in our spiritual journey,� she said, adding that they let the Spirit work in their efforts to “inculcate values of good citizenship in our children�.

Mrs Nyathi said that in the past “this knowledge about the Holy

Men organise relaxing day off for priests

By ERiN CARElSE

A

J

ESUIT Father Anthony Egan will deliver a lecture in Johannesburg on November 18 on the subject of “Learning from Luther�.

The talk will commemorate the 500th anniversary of the German friar’s campaign against the sale of plenary indulgences which sparked the Protestant Reformation.

Fr Egan’s talk is hosted by the Gauteng area of We Are All Church SA at the Harry Wilkinson Community Centre at Rosebank Catholic church (16 Keyes Avenue), starting at 9:30 and finishing at 12:15.

There will be questions and discussion after Fr Egan’s talk. n Entrance is free, with donations welcome. To organise seating and refreshments numbers needed, contact Douglas Irvine at dmirvine@mweb. co.za by November 16.

Spirit was not as much emphasised as it is today�.

At this year’s conference, through a donation of 10 000 pula (about R14 000) by a parliamentarian, clothing was made to help the orphanage in the Ghanzi district in the Kgalagadi region.

Inspired by their motto of “Faith and Action�, CWA members continue to take on practical projects, responding to St James’ warning that “faith without works is as good as dead�.

Members have, through the years, rendered untiring service to the Church, family and society, through activities that demonstrate the virtue of mercy. This includes reaching out to the needy in their communities.

The association is sustained by reading spiritual books, meditating on the word of God, attending retreats and workshops, as well as by interacting with other CWA members, particularly in inter-diocese forums.

The aim of the CWA is to emphasise to members that they are first of all Catholics through participating in the sacramental life of the Church, then through training other women in leadership, and building and promoting the welfare of the youth.

This means the CWA contributes to community activities, and also imparts moral and Christian values.

Priests enjoy a game of chess at last year’s Shepherds on the Green event, to be repeated this year on November 27, and organised by the Radio Veritas Warriors men’s group.

FTER the success of the inaugural gathering in 2016, priests from all around the country can once again experience a day of fun and relaxation at the Radio Veritas Shepherds on the Green event on Monday, November 27.

Games, pampering, prayer and a chance to relax await priests at the Benoni Country Club in Gauteng.

The day will kick off early with a breakfast laid on for the visitors, following which they can take to the country club’s scenic trail for cycling, walking or running. Golf, soccer, tennis, bowls, squash and a variety of board and table games will also be on offer.

Catholic men’s volunteer group the Radio Veritas Warriors has organised Shepherds on the Green, and warrior Boycie Ntlwane encourages the faithful to show appreciation of

Talent search for Durban’s MWYD

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their priests by buying them tickets. “Our priests dedicate their lives to us with love, and this fun day is one way we can reciprocate that love. We would like to have champions in all parishes around the country, who will ensure that no priest or bishop is left out, and that all priests from Botswana to Swaziland and Durban, Limpopo to the Cape, have a ticket and will be joining the fun,� said Mr Ntlwane.

Parishioners are requested to buy tickets for their parish priests and for those priests not in parishes.

Tickets are R1 500 and cover everything, including a threecourse prizegiving dinner. n For more information, e-mail the Warriors at warriors@veritas.co.za, SMS 063 468 1157, or phone Mahadi Buthelezi on 011 663 4700. Also, see the Radio Veritas website at www. radioveritas.co.za

O Deacon John Vorster, a retired headmaster and stalwart of St James’ parish in Port Alfred, and other parishes earlier, has been awarded the papal Bene Merenti medal for exceptional service. Although retired, he continues to take services when parish priest Fr Trymos Munyaka is away on diocesan business.

German gala event funds SA charity Continued from page 1 185 000 euros for Hope Cape Town. Among the celebrities supporting the gala was 2014 Eurovision Song Contest winner Conchita Wurst.

The event was broadcast on a big screen in Dresden’s central square.

Fr Hippler, who was in Dresden for the gala, said it was heartening “to know that people in far-off places like Germany care about our work in South Africa�. “Dresden has a great heart,� he added.

Fr Hippler said the gala funds will help Hope Cape Town to keep their many projects running. n For more on Hope Cape Town’s work see www. hopecapetown.com

NE of the events taking place at Mini World Youth Day is “Catholics Have Talent�. This showcase is open to all registered conference participants.

Plans are underway for MWYD, which will be held from December 6-10 at the Durban Exhibition Centre, to unite Catholic young people from Southern Africa to celebrate their Christianity, community, and unity while experiencing the chosen theme of “Young people, faith, and vocations�.

Coordinator Justin Nanak invites conference pilgrims to share their performing talent in whatever genre, from music to magic; from dance to drama; from rap to rock; from comedy to classics; from singing to sports. “As long as it fits in with the event guidelines, the stage is yours,� he said.

Performances across all age groups are encouraged and the showcase is open to individual or group performances. Original work is preferred, but it is not a criterion.

Special guests are also expected to perform. “Similar events have been held at other major gatherings and previous Mini World Youth Days, and on every occasion, the talent search adds a fun, inclusive highlight to the proceedings and is a useful counterpoint to the more formal and structured discussions and sessions� explains Mr Nanak.

To stand a chance to perform, contestants must record one minute of their proposed routine/act and submit it to Mr Nanak as a YouTube or video clip, for him and his team to adjudicate.

The deadline for submitting “Catholics Have Talent� entries is November 20.

While formal registration for MWYD is closed, there are, however, a few unclaimed spaces, so late registration packs are still available at R2 250.

The “Catholics Have Talent� content guidelines can be found on the MWYD website, www.miniworldyouth day.co.za, or can be requested from jus.n@live.co.za

The Southern Cross, November 8 to November 14, 2017

LOCAL

Book on Zimbabwe martyrs to be launched

Politicians should not ‘hijack’ church services

By ERiN CARElSE

A

NEW book by a Jesuit priest about 30 missionaries who were murdered in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe between 1976 and 1988 will be launched in Johannesburg and Durban.

Fr Ted Rogers’ book Missionary Martyrs in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe: 1976-1988 is being published by Pietermaritzburg–based Cluster Publications in their “Christian Lives in Africa” series.

The first launch will be held at the Jesuit Institute in Johannesburg (15 Molesley Avenue, Auckland Park) on November 21 at 19:00, sponsored by the institute.

The second launch will be held at St Anne’s chapel of the Monastery church in Mariannhill on December 2 from 15:00, sponsored by the Congregation of Mariannhill Missionaries and the Precious Blood Sisters.

Music will be provided by the sisters’ marimba band and the Zimbabwean Choir of Emmanuel cathedral in Durban.

In Missionary Martyrs, Fr Rogers SJ tells the stories of 30 Catholic missionaries who were murdered in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe between 1976 and 1988.

Most of the missionaries came from European countries to work on the missions as doctors, nurses, teachers, priests, brothers and sisters.

These include Bishop Adolph Gregory Schmitt CMM, who on December 5, 1976, was shot dead with two of his companions on their way to a hospital visit.

Two were local Zimbabweans: one a catechist, the other a priest.

The liberation war was fought in the rural areas of Zimbabwe where the vast majority of local people lived and most of the mission stations were situated.

As the conflict intensified, the mission stations in these areas were vulnerable and often endangered.

Many missionaries at these stations chose to stay on rather than seek protection by moving to the towns or back to their own home countries. They decided to stay on for the sake of the people they

B

were serving.

Fr Rogers lived in Zimbabwe for 51 years, serving as a priest, teacher and Catholic social activist. He is well known as the founder of the School of Social Work at the University of Rhodesia, as the former general-secretary of IMBISA, which links the bishops’ conferences of eight Southern African countries, and as an Aids pioneer in Zimbabwe where he established many Aids-awareness clubs in high schools.

He also impressed on the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference the need to begin an Aids ministry in its region.

Fr Rogers was personally acquainted with many of the men and women whose lives and deaths are documented in Missionary Martyrs.

Because of his poor health he is now living in the Jesuit retirement home in Bournemouth, England. n For further information about Missionary Martyrs or the two launches, contact Paddy Kearney on 031 201 3832, 072 806 4417 or pkearney@saol.com

Pilgrimage to Fatima, lourdes and Paris led by Fr. Karabo Baloyi and Fr. donald Mabitsela

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ISHOPS from the metropolitan region of Durban at their second annual meeting have resolved to uphold a 1981 resolution by the SACBC that no party political speeches are to be permitted at Church events.

That policy was formulated 26 years ago after Inkatha leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi used the ordination of the late Bishop Paul Mngoma to give a very long and “unashamedly political” speech, Cardinal Wilfrid Napier said.

“So I was shocked and disappointed to hear that Mariannhill diocese had on a number of occasions allowed Church events to be hijacked for party political speeches, even campaign speeches,” the cardinal told The Southern Cross.

African National Congress presidential candidate Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has addressed at least two Church events in Mariannhill diocese: in May with President Jacob Zuma, at which he publicly endorsed her as his successor; and again in July, when she

addressed the congregation, stating it was time for a female to run the country.

Cardinal Napier said that at least on one occasion, in Kevelaer, it was the person introducing Dr Dlamini-Zuma, who was invited to speak on women’s issues, who “turned it into a political rally”.

Deputy-president Cyril Ramaphosa also addressed a congregation at a Catholic church in Kimberley diocese in September, where he was joined by ANC and government officials and supporters.

“If politicians wish to address a congregation after a service, they should do so off the premises,” SACBC spokesman Archbishop Slattery said. “This applies to all political parties and individuals.”

However, “sometimes there is a breach in protocol because a parish may find itself with a politician in a congregation who uses the opportunity to seek a blessing”, he said.

“Without knowledge of the priest, this blessing is pre-arranged with media so that photographs are taken of the incident,” he ex-

plained.

“The priests might have blessed 40 other people in that same service but it is the one photograph of the politician that will find publicity. Sometimes it is impossible to avoid such situations,” he said.

People will often get angry when a politician of a party or group they do not support is featured, the archbishop observed, but it’s wise not to become too excited when such incidents happen.

Catholic citizens should have their own political allegiances and be free to vote as they want, he said.

Archbishop Slattery advised that parish council members seek to protect Church officials, especially prominent ones, from being caught in the background of political photographs.

“It is quite precarious to allow politicians to make any statements during notice-time [at Mass]. They already dominate the media day and night,” he said.

“The challenge of politicians is to bring the Gospel into political life.”

Mahobe mission in Umzimkulu diocese in KwaZulu-Natal celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first baptism in the area, at what was then St Anthony’s church, of infant Anton Mbandlwa.

Today Mahobe mission is the Sacred Heart parish of Mahobe. The parish priest is Fr Thokozani Masina SCP and the little Servants of Mary immaculate Sisters are active in the diocese.

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The Senior School invites qualified applicants to apply for the following post, starting January 2018

suMMER sPEcial!

STD SING LE ALU-ZINC DOOR AUTOMATI C/W ON @ R6950.0 0

English/ REligious Education (grades 8-12)

cBc st John’s is an independent Catholic school in Cape Town which provides a holistic and vibrant faith-based education.

the successful candidate should: • Be qualified and have experience in the teaching of Catholic Religious Education and English.

• Be able to coordinate liturgical celebrations.

• Be able to offer spiritual growth programmes.

• Be able to prepare candidates for the Sacrament of Confirmation.

• Be SACE –Registered.

Please forward your CV (Maximum 3 pages) to:Head of College, CBC St John’s E-mail: svanvuren@cbcstjohns.co.za closing date for applications: 17 november 2017

The Board of Governors reserves the right not to proceed with the filling of this post.An application will not in itself entitle the applicant to an interview or appointment, and failure to meet the minimum requirements of the advertised post will result in applicants automatically disqualifying themselves from consideration.No faxed applications accepted.Candidates not contacted shall consider their application unsuccessful.

4

The Southern Cross, November 8 to November 14, 2017

INTERNATIONAL

Beatification of Indian nun: Killer attended A

By ANTO AKKARA

N Indian nun stabbed to death in 1995 was beatified—and one of those who celebrated is her assassin.

Clarist Sister Rani Maria Vattalil, 41, was stabbed in front of more than 50 bus passengers on a remote jungle track in Madhya Pradesh state as she was on her way to Kerala state for a visit.

Samandar Singh, then 22, murdered her on behalf of money lenders upset with Sr Rani Maria’s work setting up self-help groups in the diocese of Indore. Mr Singh has since been forgiven by the nun’s family and was released from prison.

“Whatever happened has happened. I am sad and sorry about what I did. But now I am happy that the world is recognising and honouring Sr Rani,” Mr Singh, a Hindu, said.

Mr Singh was convicted of the murder and initially was sentenced to death; the sentence was later commuted to life in prison. He said Sr Rani Maria’s younger sister—Clarist

Samandar Singh, who killed Clarist Sister Rani Vattalil in 1995, is flanked by Sr Selmy Vattalil and Stephen Vattalil, elder brother of both the nuns at Sr Rani Maria’s tomb in Udainagar, india. (Photo: Anto Akkara/CNS) Sister Selmy—formally accepted him as her “brother” while he was in prison and facilitated his early release. Court officials agreed to the release in 2006 after mandatory declarations were signed by Sr Selmy, her parents and Church officials.

When Sr Selmy was preparing to return home to southern Kerala state

in January 2007 to visit her ailing 82year-old father, Paul Vattalil, Mr Singh accompanied the nun and apologised to her parents.

Bishop Chacko Thottumarickal of Indore said that the beatification of Sr Rani Maria “is an inspiration for those serving the needy and poor in difficult circumstances in the country”.

“Sr Rani Maria challenges all to carry on their work even if there is opposition and not to get disheartened by obstacles,” added Bishop Thottumarickal.

Sr Selmy called the beatification “a miracle”.

“Sr Rani urges us all to go forward fearlessly,” said Sr Selmy, who serves in a remote village in Uttar Pradesh state.

Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, presided over the beatification. Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro, apostolic nuncio to India, led the thanksgiving Mass at Udainagar, 15km from Indore.—CNS

Vatican’s new Nativity scene highlights works of mercy

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES

T

HE Vatican’s Christmas tree and Nativity scene will feature traditional designs and decorations centred on the theme of mercy.

A towering 28m spruce tree will be the centrepiece of the Vatican’s Christmas holidays, according to the governing office of Vatican City.

The tree, which measures nearly 10m in diameter, will be donated by the archdiocese of Elk, Poland, and transported to the Vatican on a flatbed truck travelling over 2 000km across central Europe, the Vatican said.

The Nativity scene will be donated by the Benedictine Abbey of Montevergine, located in southern

The Christmas tree and Nativity scene are pictured in December 2016. (Photo: Paul Haring/CNS) Italy, and created in an “18th century style according to the oldest Neapolitan tradition”.

Covering a surface of over 80m2, the Nativity scene will be “inspired by the works of mercy” and will feature 20 terracotta figures, some as tall as 1,8m.

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

As it was last year, the Christmas tree will be adorned with ornaments made by children receiving treatment at several Italian hospitals.

“These children, with their parents, participated in a ceramics recreational therapy programme” organised by the Countess Lene Thune Foundation, which provides therapeutic recreation to young boys and girls suffering from oncological and haematological disorders, the Vatican said.

Additionally, children from the central Italian archdiocese of Spoleto-Norcia, which was devastated by earthquakes in 2016, will also make ornaments for the Christmas tree.

The tree will be lit on December 7.—CNS

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Actor Mark Wahlberg (left) and and Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago discuss faith and the life of young adults. (Photo: Karen Callaway, Chicago Catholic/CNS)

Actor: I’m on my knees every morning

By JOyCE DURiGA

H

OLLYWOOD actor and producer Mark Wahlberg takes his faith seriously, often attending daily Mass and making time for quiet prayer each morning.

But his faith wasn’t always important to him. Youngest in a family of nine children, he dropped out of school at 13, and served prison time.

At 16, he was charged with attempted murder but he pleaded guilty to assault.

Today, he said, he’s committed to being a good father and husband and giving his children the Catholic education he didn’t have, he said in a question-and-answer session with Cardinal Blase Cupich at Chicago’s first (re)Encounter event.

The evening of music, speakers, faith sharing and eucharistic adoration aimed at energising the faith of young adult Catholics was attended by about 2 000 people..

The highlight was the star of movies such as Transformers: Age of Extinction, Ted and Deepwater Horizon and producer of the popular series Entourage, Mr Wahlberg He presented at the Festival of Families with Pope Francis during the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in 2015.

Because his parents worked a lot, the actor recalled, he was often unsupervised and took to running in the streets.

“Ended up getting into a lot of trouble, incarcerated, tried as an

adult at 16, 17. That was a big wakeup call for me,” he told Cardinal Cupich.

“A lot of people go to God, especially when they get in trouble.

When I heard the jail doors close behind me, I started praying right away.” It was then that he turned his life around.

“Still, every day it’s a process.

That’s why I start my day, every day, by getting on my knees and starting a time of prayer and reading, reading Scripture. Then I feel like I can go out there and conquer the world or at least do my job and give back because I’ve been blessed so much,” Mr Wahlberg said.

Hearing the faith journey of the Hollywood star left an impression on the hearts of many young adults attending the event.

“It’s powerful for a celebrity to feel that way about religion,” said Omar Lopez, 21. “For me, when I think about a celebrity, I think cockiness, selfishness, but to hear an artist say that he takes time to just pray, that’s an incredible feeling.”

“I came to hear him because personally I feel lost myself,” Mr Lopez told the Chicago Catholic, the archdiocesan newspaper.

Responding to a young adult’s question about making time for prayer and Mass in a busy life, the actor said it’s a “must”. He goes to bed early every night and wakes up before his family to pray in the chapel he built in his home.—CNS

Catholics split on Catalan breakaway S PANISH Church leaders reiterated support for their country’s unity as the federal government in Madrid imposed direct control over Catalonia.

However, Catholic organisations in the breakaway region—which declared independence—condemned the crackdown and warned government actions could have “incalculable consequences”.

Cardinal Ricardo Blazquez Perez of Valladolid, president of the Spanish bishops’ conference, expressed sadness for the Catalonian declaration of independence and reiterated support “for the constitutional order and...its restoration, and I ask God for peaceful coexistence among all citizens”.

His statement came the day after the Spanish government announced it was dismissing Catalonia’s president, Carles Puigdemont, and local officials, and ending the region’s self-government under the terms of Spain’s 1978 constitution.

Spain called for regional elections on December 21.

Other Church leaders also urged unity.

Madrid Cardinal Carlos Osoro Sierra said on Twitter that Jesus encouraged “understanding and reconciliation, not the building of

walls”. Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera of Valencia told Catholics at a cathedral Mass that Spain needed “love, forgiveness and peace” when “many people do not know what they do, and the damaging poverty and misery it may bring”.

But in Catalonia, the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission and 12 other Catholic organisations said Catalan institutions “predate and do not derive from the 1978 Spanish constitution”.

“The dismissal of the government and legislative limitation of Catalonia’s parliament mean a suspension of self-government and violates essential democratic rights,” said the statement, published on the Justice and Peace Commission website.

“The lack of a political response to majority demands by Catalan society has led to a serious situation, causing extreme tension and a worrying lack of understanding among the various peoples of Spain,” it said.

The groups said any lasting solution would have to be “just, democratic, fraternal and respectful of Catalonia’s national rights”, and demanded the withdrawal of criminal charges against separatist leaders.— CNS

INTERNATIONAL

5

The Southern Cross, November 8 to November 14, 2017

Vatican–Lutheran study sharing the Eucharist

By CiNDy WOODEN

T

HE official Catholic-Lutheran dialogue will begin a deeper exploration of common beliefs and differences on “Church, Eucharist and ministry”, the Vatican and the Lutheran World Federation announced.

When Pope Francis joined Bishop Munib Younan, then the president of the Lutheran World Federation, for a prayer service in Sweden in 2016, the two noted the pain many of their followers—especially Catholics and Lutherans married to each other—experience when they cannot share the Eucharist at each other’s services.

“We acknowledge our joint pastoral responsibility to respond to the spiritual thirst and hunger of our people to be one in Christ,” the two leaders said in 2016. “We long for this wound in the Body of

Christ to be healed. This is the goal of our ecumenical endeavours, which we wish to advance, also by renewing our commitment to theological dialogue.”

The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Lutheran World Federation announced that the next task of their formal dialogue commission would be “to discern in a prayerful manner our understanding on Church, Eucharist and ministry, seeking a substantial consensus so as to overcome remaining differences between us”.

The announcement was part of a statement marking the end of a yearlong joint commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

After 500 years of division and even violent opposition, Catholics and Lutherans and many other Christian communities commemorated the Reformation together, ac-

knowledging their past sins and pledging to work for full unity, said the statement.

Over the past year, the statement said, “we begged forgiveness for our failures and for the ways in which Christians have wounded the body of the Lord and offended each other during the 500 years since the beginning of the Reformation until today”.

But, “for the first time Lutherans and Catholics have seen the Reformation from an ecumenical perspective,” it said. “This has allowed new insight into the events of the 16th century, which led to our separation.”

The mistakes of the past cannot be changed, the statement said, but “its influence upon us today can be transformed to become a stimulus for growing communion, and a sign of hope for the world to overcome division and fragmentation”.—CNS

Pope Francis speaks from the Vatican to astronauts aboard the international Space Station. The pope connected for about 25 minutes to astronauts 400km above the earth, asking them five questions. Catholic astronaut Mark Vande Hei had requested the call from Pope Francis. Another Catholic astronaut, italian Paolo Nespoli, brought among the few personal possessions allowed on board a prayer card of St Padre Pio and an olive branch he had received from Pope Francis as a reminder of the importance of taking care of Earth. Pope Benedict xVi spoke to astronauts in space, including Mr Nespoli, by live link in 2011. (Photo: l’Osservatore Romano via CNS)

How foreign religious serve Turkey’s Catholic minority

By OSCAR DURAND

A

T 10 am, Franciscan Father Dominic Ko walked to the altar to begin Mass in Korean, his native tongue.

“Amen”, replied the 30 people in attendance, all of them also Korean.

The church of St Mary Draperis is in the heart of Istanbul, where Fr Dominic landed ten years ago to tend to the country’s Korean community. He is the only Korean priest in Turkey but, as a religious from a foreign country, he is not alone. He is one of the 125 Latin-rite Catholic religious from more than 20 nations.

It is a tiny yet very diverse community for a country with very few Latin Catholics. Accurate numbers are not available, although the Istanbul Vicariate estimates they number about 5 000; Eastern Catholics number about 20 000.

“This place is very important in Christianity, a Christian treasure; therefore, we have to maintain this place,” said Fr Dominic, who comes to Istanbul every week to celebrate Mass. He lives south of Istan-

Sisters irene, Catherine, Bruna and Veronica, members of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent of Paul at la Paix Hospital in istanbul. (Photo: Oscar Durand/CNS) bul, near the ancient city of Ephesus.

Turkey is a storied area in the history of Christianity. Early Church communities began here and later expanded to the rest of the world. St Paul traversed the region during his missionary journeys.

Much has changed since then. Today, the majority of Turkey’s 80 million inhabitants are Muslim. The number of Christians is estimated at about 100 000.

“Because there are Catholics present, we are present,” said Bishop Ruben Tierrablanca Gonzalez, apostolic vicar of Istanbul. The bishop, who is originally from Mexico, is a Franciscan friar; his order has been in Turkey since the 13th century.

Bishop Tierrablanca said some of the Latin Catholic religious orders currently active in Turkey put down roots many years ago. Today, despite the modest number of Catholics, they continue their mission.

The oldest psychiatric hospital in Turkey, Hospital La Paix, is owned by the French Daughters of Charity of St Vincent of Paul. Started in 1856, the Daughters of Charity no longer run the day-to-day operations, although they are still present at the hospital.—CNS

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Bishops: Lift ‘Assisting victims of war a work of mercy’ arms embargo

By CiNDy WOODEN

M

EMBERS of the military and of humanitarian agencies who risk their lives to save others or to alleviate their suffering are precisely those for whom Jesus will say: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me,” Pope Francis said.

For decades, the Geneva Conventions have tried to establish rules to protect innocent civilians in times of war, yet “atrocious crimes” and shocking violations of human dignity continue to occur, the pope told participants at a conference on international humanitarian law.

The conference was sponsored by the Italian ministry of defence and the Carabinieri, Italy’s military police. Pope Francis met with the 150 conference participants and with 100 officer candidates from the Carabinieri.

Despite the ongoing, “praiseworthy attempt” to codify humanitarian law to protect noncombatants, religious and cultural monuments and the environment during periods of strife, the pope said, so many atrocities continue around the globe that it leads to “a certain saturation that anesthetises and, to some degree,

relativises the seriousness of the problem”.

The only solution, he said, is “a conversion of hearts and an openness to God and to one’s neighbour that pushes people to overcome indifference and live solidarity as a moral virtue and a social attitude”.

And while it is true that almost unimaginably horrible things continue to happen in situations of conflict, he said, it also is true that solidarity and charity are there as well.

“There are many people, many charitable and non-governmental groups, within the Church and outside it, whose members face difficulty and danger to care for the injured and the sick, to bury the dead, to bring food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty and to visit prisons”.

“Truly,” the pope said, “the assistance provided to the victims of conflict add up to the works of mercy upon which we will be judged at the end of our lives.”

Pope Francis prayed that all combatants and humanitarian workers would embrace the “fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence” in assisting the victims of war.—CNS

HELPING PEOPLE SPEND TIME WITH GOD EACH DAY

By JONATHAN lUxMOORE

C

ATHOLIC leaders in the Central African Republic welcomed the strengthening of UN peacekeeping operations, but also said the UN should lift an arms embargo so government forces can defend themselves.

“Some of the peacekeeping contingent has lacked equipment and been hindered by bureaucracy, so this reinforcement is an important step,” said Bishop Nestor-Desire Nongo-Aziagbia of Bossangoa, vice-president of the nation's bishops’ conference.

“Armed groups are going around our country, killing and maiming people. Unless concrete action is taken to disarm and resist them, nothing can be achieved,” he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the Central African Republic in late October and met with Muslim and Christian religious leaders.

Bishop Nongo-Aziagbia told CNS the secretarygeneral had promised tougher action on UN resolutions and a more effective role for its 12 500-member military mission, MINUSCA, which is to be increased by 900 troops when its mandate is renewed.

“I’m optimistic this will mark a turning point,” the bishop tsaid. He said Mr Guterres “clearly wants to help us find a way forward and out of this difficult and complex situation, which is being manipulated from so many angles”.

“A national army is the symbol of a country, and a country without one isn’t a country—we can’t go on relying on foreigners for our security,” said the bishop.—CNS

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6

The Southern Cross, November 8 to November 14, 2017

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: GĂźnther Simmermacher

Gangster nation SA

S

OUTH Africa’s status as a nation beset with crime has been confirmed by the latest crime statistics—and new allegations suggest that criminality goes right to the top.

Police minister Fikile Mbabula emphatically expressed his frustrations with the state of crime in South Africa: “Yes, we have a 1.8% drop in crime, I do not feel it, and our people do not feel it, and they are correct.�

He has undertaken to step up law enforcement, but in this he must temper his overzealous language which at times echoes the scripts of vigilante movies.

Such grandstanding aside, Mr Mbabula gives some hope when he promises to “revive specialised units, have competent police officers who know how to investigate crimes, make arrests and ensure that cases are so solid that we secure convictions�.

We hope that in doing so he will not have to navigate around those of his associates, including his boss, who systematically neutered exactly those crime-fighting properties by closing units and replacing skilled personnel with compliant flunkies who would protect certain individuals.

These protected individuals tend to move in the circles of those politicians whom Mr Mbabula aligns himself with, and in some cases are those politicians themselves.

The recent revelations of President Jacob Zuma’s alleged relationships with individuals associated with organised crime should alarm the nation.

In a new book, The President’s Keepers, veteran investigative journalist Jacques Pauw reports that alleged organised crime boss Glenn Agliotti said on a recording: “[Jacob Zuma] is a gangster like us.�

Mr Pauw’s book outlines the many ways in which the president and those doing his bidding have facilitated the plundering of the state coffers—and how President Zuma allegedly owes his political survival to criminal elements and business people of flexible integrity.

In our front-page article this week, Fr Peter-John Pearson, director of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office, suggests that “it has long been argued that the failure of the intelligence units and the high levels of suspicion, distrust and collusion by individuals and groups, have opened a space where organised criminals can act with impunity, thus per-

petuating an almost invincible criminal culture�.

This culture of impunity begins in the office of the presidency and filters down to the thugs on the streets. When the president of a country has a shameless disregard for ethics, integrity and personal honour, then this feeds a pervasive culture of impunity.

At its worst, that culture of impunity finds expression in violent crime. But it also encourages disregard for ethics and the law in many other areas of life, from the destruction of public property by protesters right down to our behaviour in traffic.

How do we arrest this moral degeneration that has gripped our political class and our society?

Will the eventual departure of Jacob Zuma bring relief or will we suffer more of the same? Has the cancer of corruption in South Africa reached Stage 4?

The responsibility for answering this question resides, in part, with the membership of the African National Congress, which now has a responsibility to the nation to correct the disastrous course it chose when it heaved the obviously tainted Jacob Zuma into the presidency—twice.

Civil society must not tire of challenging corruption, exhausting though this is and despite the inevitable disappointments and disillusionments when those who might effect change are driven by self-interest or spinelessness.

The Church must be heard to be speaking out. The Justice & Peace Commission, under the leadership of Bishop Abel Gabuza and Fr Stan Muyebe OP, has done great work in challenging corruption and social injustice (which too often is an indirect result of that corruption).

It is necessary that the local Church address corruption forthrightly (and also within it). Pope Francis has shown the way.

In September, the pope told an Italian parliamentary commission that to defeat organised crime, “contagious and parasitic� political corruption must be eliminated. In 2014, he said those in organised crime are by their actions “excommunicated� since “they are not in communion with God�.

This is a message that must be courageously and prophetically communicated by the Church’s bishops, clergy and laity to those Catholics who practise or collude in corruption—and particularly to political leaders who present themselves for election.

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.

Church must act on own corruption

I

T is impressive to hear the Catholic Church stepping up its moral voice in the public space, as you report in the front-page article “Set up a new anti-corruption court —Church� (October 25).

The call from Bishop Abel Gabuza of Kimberley and the Justice & Peace Commission for the establishment of an anti-corruption court places the Church at the forefront in the fight against corruption.

In analysing what Bishop Gabuza’s call means for the Church, I came to the following conclusions.

The Church leadership should act swiftly against all allegations of corruption within the Catholic Church, holding clergy and religious accountable. Such allegations should be reported to the authorities for investigation as required by

Mass no place for political parties

A

CCORDING to several news reports, Dr Nkosazana DlaminiZuma (above) has taken her political campaign to become the next leader of the African National Congress, and therefore possibly the next president of South Africa, to the Catholic church in Mariannhill diocese.

She reportedly used two such occasions this year to promote her campaign, once with President Jacob Zuma using the setting of Dr Dlamini-Zuma’s home church to officially launch her candidature.

A recent report in The Sunday Times indicated that this had caused dissention among senior Catholic clergy and that the Catholic bishops were planning a meeting to discuss the matter, apparently as a metropolitan matter for KwaZuluNatal dioceses.

However, this matter is a national issue and should be viewed as such by our bishops. The entire SACBC should examine the matter and come out with a very clear statement that the Catholic Church does not get involved in such political matters.

Readers may recall that in early 2014, the Zuma Foundation offered the Catholic Church a substantial donation to be used to fund a translation of the Bible into Zulu. I well remember the excellent press statement issued by Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, declining the offer.

Yet one year later the Zuma Foundation did contribute this donation to the diocese of Mariannhill for this translation. You published a report of this contribution and I wrote a letter expressing my view that “by accepting this donation

the Prevention & Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004.

Section 34 of the Act requires people in authority to report corruption over R100 000. Failure to report corruption is a criminal offence.

Section 26 defines penalties for offences committed against this legislation. Hefty prison sentences can be imposed as well as fines. If convicted in a magistrate’s court, a sanction of up to 18 years can be imposed. If convicted in a High Court, life imprisonment can be imposed.

There are too many whispers about alleged “corrupt priests�. Too many times we hear: “It is just the tip of the iceberg.�

The Church is not exempt from upholding the laws of the country.

To lead the fight against corruption, it must ensure that its own house is

the Church has placed itself in the position of being beholden to the ruling party�.

Clearly it would appear that certain members of the hierarchy have precious little knowledge of South African politics and their complexity.

Here again is an area where the laity must be consulted and their opinions listened to and considered.

Once again I plead with our bishops to come out with a clear statement, to be published countrywide, that politics such as promoting a leadership candidate to any political party is not part of the Christian message of the Catholic Church.

Mervyn Pollitt, Waterfall, KZN

Church and ANC: no equivalence

S

HAME, Paul Traynor, your Church is very sad. I read your letter (October 18) comparing your Church to the ANC. Thank God I don’t belong to that church. I am so proud that I belong to the Holy Catholic Church and have done so for over 80 years.

I have been involved in sodalities in every parish I have lived in.

My Church is open and loving to all and I believe you honestly get what you are looking for, and I have never found it wanting.

What about looking for all the positives?

May God remove the prejudice from your eyes and open them to find that when you give a little, and when you are the change you hope to see, it makes all the difference in the world.

I am praying for this to happen for you.

Cynthia Jones, Durban

“clean and in order�.

That calls for greater transparency in investigations against clergy and religious, for accountability and transformational leadership.

It also calls for the people of God to be vigilant and report allegations of corruption by clergy and religious directly to authorities, as it is their legal right to do so if they wish. It is a call for good governance and compliance from within.

In moving forward to address the above concerns, I suggest that the Justice & Peace Commission consider establishment of a toll-free line where parishioners can anonymously report information that relates to allegations of corruption within the Church.

Nothing stops the people of God from being creative and setting up a group which can also monitor the Church with reference to prevention and eradication of corruption.

Colleen Constable, Pretoria 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

Bidding prayer against abortion

O

UR nation’s hospitals daily terminate the lives of many unborn infants by legalised abortion on demand.

I thus respectfully ask our Catholic bishops to direct that the following prayer, or something similar, be made one of our Sunday Masses’ bidding prayers once a month. “That Almighty God shall guide our rulers to end the daily killing of unborn infants in our nation’s hospitals by legalised abortion on demand.�

Almighty God, although infinitely merciful, is also infinitely good and just, and thus incapable of cooperating with the forces of evil.

He cannot continue to bless a nation which, unrepentant, continues the evil of abortion on demand.

This has resulted in the disasters now being experienced by many pro-abortion nations in the world today.

For this reason, and also because “It is sufficient for evil to flourish that good men do nothing� (philosopher Edmund Burke).

I urge all our nation to also write to our bishops as above at PO Box 941, Pretoria 0001.

Damian McLeish, Johannesburg

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PERSPECTIVES

Put the final nail in death’s coffin Nthabiseng T Maphisa HE opening words of the sonnet “Death Be Not Proud” by the 17thcentury British poet and cleric John Donne have resonated with me over the past couple of weeks.

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful for thou art not so; For those whom thou thinkst dost overthrow Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

Donne has a dismissive and even mocking attitude towards death. Death in his mind becomes personified and he engages in a damning conversation with it.

He does this by pointing out its flaws and laughing at its inability to have a lasting impact.

All of this got me thinking. How has the world changed its attitude towards death since the life of this great poet?

The overflow of movies and television series that have, at their core, the telling of haunted houses and vengeance-seeking ghosts says much about humanity’s “laughter” at death. This is made evident by the popularity of TV series such as The Walking Dead and American Horror Story.

The pre-Christmas cash cow milked by retailers that is Hallowe’en provides an illuminating observation of this.

This year as in many years before, the shops were littered with plastic pumpkins, fake cobwebs and bats, and the evereerie abundance of devils’ masks and pitchforks. Children paraded through the streets dressed as dead nurses, dead pilots and dead police officers. Spooky, isn’t it?

There will, of course, be the occasional angel wrapped in a toga-style white sheet with a tinsel-made halo.

So that’s it, then? Human beings are not afraid to die?

If that is the case, however, why do graveyards still evoke a dark and chilling presence? What are we to make of elaborate tombstones and longwinded epitaphs?

I have long wondered what happens when a heart stops beating. Are we sucked into a black pit teeming with penitent souls awaiting their eternal reward?

Or do we, as they suggest in the movies,

walk into a bright light that consumes us?

T

he great saints of our time shed much light on this. St Faustina of the Divine Mercy begged the Lord to reveal to her the day that she would be with him in heaven. When the day finally arrived, she was surrounded by her fellow religious sisters and her soul departed peacefully to Christ.

The final moments of the lives of the saints seem to echo the closing couplet of Donne’s sonnet: “One short sleep past, we wake eternally, and death shall be no more; Death thou shalt die.”

Indeed the saints show us that death, frightening in its inevitability, is a final opportunity to submit to God. This terrifies me as I’m inclined to cling to many things: to good memories, to pride, to shame and to sparkly shoes. My fear has a voice and it seems to say: I’m afraid that when I die, the gates of Heaven will be closed shut And I’ll be sitting down in purgatory wondering how I didn’t make the cut I’m afraid that when I die, I’ll be left to

Together with the saints we shall, one day, proclaim aloud: “Death, be not proud”.

see the dark Even though Christ has left on me His most indelible mark I’m afraid that when I die, God will only see my sins And that He’ll look back on my life wondering why I didn’t let Him in.

I’m afraid that when I die, the saints will look and wonder why?

Why didn’t speak I about God, was I embarrassed or too shy?

I’m afraid that when I die, my guardian angel won’t have good things to say God would have heard it all and He’ll send me on my way.

I’ll be way back down in Purgatory thinking of how I got it all wrong And waiting for someone to pray for me so that I won’t be in there too long What do I say to God when all of life has been spent?

His angels count up every penny and add up every cent That’s how it was with the dishonest steward in Luke’s gospel who, after having his own debt written off, refused to forgive the debt of others and was later captured and made to pay everything he owed (16:1-8).

Despite the plastic skulls and experimentation with the occult at Hallowe’en, the Church remembers the souls of the faithful deceased throughout the month of November. It is a stark reminder of our own mortality.

But it is in this time that we are to put the final nail in death’s coffin. We can bury it six feet under and engrave on its tombstone: “To the one who lost the war on life.”

Together with the saints we shall, one day, proclaim aloud: “Death, be not proud.” n For past columns by Nthabiseng Maphisa go to www.scross.co.za/category/perspectives/ nthabiseng-maphisa/

The Public Square

Pope Francis and a blind girl meet at a centre for the blind in Rome. Mercy is at the centre of this papacy. (Photo: l’Osservatore Romano via CNS) That he acknowledges the teachings of the Gospel, while in the attempt to have the primacy of love, allows certain latitude in the pastoral interpretation of the Gospel.

That he preaches mercy, tolerant guidance for the faithful deviant. Because he knows that the duty of orthodoxy is to inform, teach, entice and persuade our reality towards the ideal values—not to discourage and condemn.

W

e can see that the pope knows that when Yeshua, the Christ, was confronted by the teachers of law and the Pharisees, seeking to stone an adulterous woman in accordance with the Law of

Moses, he invoked the primacy of love through mercy. He pointed out to their reality that not a single one of them, and of us, was without sin.

This is what is at the centre of the incarnation. When God saw we had all sinned, he did not insist on our death but, moved by indefatigable mercy, came down to redeem our frail and fallen nature. God meets us in our reality and walks us step by step to the ideals of the Gospel. This, to me, is what grace is all about.

Pope Francis does not justify the bending of the Gospel ideals, as some seem to accuse him of doing. The pope is following Christ’s parable in allowing for the wheat and the weeds to grow cheek by jowl until harvest time. And in doing so, he gives opportunity to the weak—which is all of us—to be irreversibly hooked on the Gospel values, which is just another way of saying: “Be ready for heaven.”

What Christ despised and preached against are the Pharisees and the lawyers who burden people with rules they themselves were not keeping; those who crush the bruised reed and snuff out the smouldering wick.

Pope Francis is of similar mind, and this is probably why he has become so unpopular with false righteous (the modern Pharisees) within and outside the Church.

I do not care to participate in the futile nomenclature of conservative or progressive—Jesus was both and neither. The only progress I am interested in is to go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” n For past columns by Mphutumi Ntabeni go to www.scross.co.za/category/perspectives/ ntabeni

7

Julia Beacroft

Point of Reflection

Pop Culture Catholic

We can see Christ in Pope Francis Mphuthumi I Ntabeni T baffles me how many Christians don’t take Mathew 25 seriously as one of the crucial conditions for their salvation, even though Yeshua, the Christ, was at pains to make this clear.

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

It is clear that the option for the poor and vulnerable is regarded, by Christ in particular, as the means to win God’s favour, thus of entering heaven. He even goes as far as to teach us: “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” And by this he means all of us.

There is a demonstrable preference given to powerless individuals who live on the margins of society in the both the Bible and in our Church’s canon law: “The Christian faithful are also obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of the precept of the Lord, to assist the poor.”

As far as I can tell the phrase “preferential option for the poor” was first used in 1968 by the superior general of the Jesuits, Fr Pedro Arrupe, in a letter to his order. It has now permeated almost all the Church’s teachings, especially social teachings. Its prevalence, perhaps, is also its downfall, for most people take it for granted, assuming that it is already being implemented.

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” Jesus taught.

It is worrying that when the Holy Spirit, as a way of reminding us and our era about this, gives us a pope who takes this teaching very seriously and is then attacked, in veiled attempts to discredit his message, by questioning the orthodoxy of his stand.

Worse still is when the attack is led by Princes of the Church.

Many of us, lay Catholics in particular, are revived by Pope Francis’ papacy. We believe he proclaims an orthodox teaching of the Catholic Church.

The Southern Cross, November 8 to November 14, 2017

Do you connect to evangelise?

W

HEN my son was at primary school he won a prize. No big deal, you may say; children win prizes at school all the time. And you would, of course, be quite correct.

However, this prize was notable—not only because it was a poetry prize and my son hated poetry and English in general, but also because of the content of the poem.

For reasons best known only to himself, he had decided to write his masterpiece about—of all things—bacon! In fact the title of his poem (and I use the term loosely) was “The Bacon Rap”.

Incredibly, the triumphant ending to his epic verse was: “Bacon, bacon, comes from a cow!”

Naturally, despite having received the prize from his school, my son has never been able to live down the joke, to this day!

However, although hilariously funny, this event served as an excellent means of communication to us and to the school. It announced, loudly and clearly, that he certainly loved bacon!

Today, communication has become increasingly important and is readily available in a veritable plethora of means and methods.

Social media, in particular, has taken off in a way that no-one could have anticipated. It has actually become an integral part of our lives, with Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram and so on being universally used as an excellent way of keeping in touch with others and sharing ideas and opinions.

In fact, the pope himself tweets on a daily basis. Facebook and Twitter are particularly good at suggesting “friends” and “followers” as a way of putting people in touch with each other and connecting them.

I

n the same way, as we attempt to spread the Gospel message, we ourselves are connectors—we connect others to the providential love and grace of God. In so doing our methods of communication are all important, whether this involves talking about our faith, listening to others or helping our neighbour.

Even such a basic action as a smile, greeting or kind word to another person is hugely important. It is surprising the way that such small moments of kindness and friendliness can make an enormous difference to the lives of others, and in so doing possibly plant a seed of faith which could germinate and grow.

When we behave in this way, we are living the Gospel in action. And although there can be and have been problems with social media, and sometimes trivia or even nonsense have been posted on it, let’s not forget that it is also an excellent medium or connector for evangelisation, as it reaches out to the whole world with ease.

Pope Francis tweeted recently: “A Christian’s mission in the world is splendid, it is a mission intended for everyone, it is a mission of service, excluding no one!”

In today’s technological world our communication systems are more advanced than ever as we routinely use social media or facilities such as e-mail, Skype or Snapchat.

Letters and former written methods of communication are rapidly becoming an anachronism. Yet our role of connecting others to our Christian faith remains essentially unchanged.

May we always embrace any method of communication to bring others to the Lord, so he may take his place in their lives and “save their bacon”. n Julia Beacroft’s book Sanctifying The Spirit is published by Sancio Books. It is available on Amazon.

8

The Southern Cross, November 8 to November 14, 2017

COMMUNITY

Christ the King parish in Pinelands, Cape Town, held a confirmation ceremony. (From left) catechists Denver Simpson and Chris Grobbelaar, Deacon Desmond lai lan, Kirsten Erasmus, Kelly isaacs, Dean Coetzee, Caitlin Erasmus, Fr Peter-John Pearson, Catherine Grobbelaar, Emma Erasmus, Kayla isaacs, Meagan Booysen, Jared van Schoor, and parish priest Fr Andrew Borello.

The Sisters of Nazareth held their regional chapter at Mariannhill in KwaZulu-Natal.

(Supplied by Sr Margaret Craig)

The Sacred Heart sodalities from various parishes in Kroonstad diocese held their annual conference in Makeleketla. Present were their chaplain Fr Molibeli lisene and Maokeng parish priest Fr Modise Hlomola.

The sodalities presented Bishop Peter Holiday with a gift of R26 000 for the training of future diocesan priests.

(Photo: Br Thabo Karedi)

Members of the Catholic Women’s league of Our lady of Fatima parish in Durban North recommitted themselves to charity work and loyalty during a special Mass. (Supplied by Anna Accolla)

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send your photos to

pics@scross.co.za

Holy Cross Sisters Rudo, Thecla, Gloria, Clara and Phuthunywa celebrated Heritage Day at the order’s lady Selborne home offering frail care and hospice facilities in Pretoria.

Junior catechism groups, with parents and catechists of Durbanville parish in Cape Town, prayed the rosary together in the streets of the suburb. (Photo: Vanessa Thomas)

EDE"Uv"LqjpÔu"

The Senior School invites qualified applicants to apply for the following post, starting January 2018

liFE sciEncEs – (grades 10-12) natuRal sciEncEs (grade 8-9)

A commitment to the caring ethos of a Catholic school and the ability to coach a sporting code as well as manage a cultural activity is essential. All applicants must be SACE –Registered.

Please forward your CV (Maximum 3 pages) to:Head of College, CBC St John’s E-mail: svanvuren@cbcstjohns.co.za

closing date for applications: 17 november 2017

The Board of Governors reserves the right not to proceed with the filling of this post. An application will not in itself entitle the applicant to an interview or appointment, and failure to meet the minimum requirements of the advertised post will result in applicants automatically disqualifying themselves from consideration. No faxed applications accepted. Candidates not contacted shall consider their application unsuccessful.

Sacred Heart College in Observatory, Johannesburg, celebrated its final whole school Mass for the year, giving thanks for those who have gone before, those who empower, and those pupils nurture. Junior school pupils are seen after Mass with a senior student.

Auxiliary Bishop of Johannesburg Duncan Tsoke visited St Paul the Apostle parish in Alberton, Gauteng, and gave a talk on “Knowing your Family Roots”.

FAITH

The Southern Cross, November 8 to November 14, 2017

9

Wounds of mental illness: What to do Mental illness still has a stigma, and some Catholics even advise those affected to ‘pray it away’. MARy REZAC spoke to Catholics with mental health issues and experts in the field.

added, to categorise problems as strictly spiritual or psychological, because often they are both, and require both psychological and spiritual treatment. “So much of good therapy is helping a person get back in touch with their sense of dignity that God created them with...and as they get more in touch with it, they are actually just more open to God’s love and they’re more open to making changes in their life that might be helpful.�

M

ARIA had been struggling with some depressive and anxious thoughts for a while, although at the time, she didn’t recognise them as such. Probably because she was 14 years old.

When she shared her struggles with someone in her Catholic community, the woman told Maria that she was worried that “the devil was working his ways� in her, and used that to pressure her into going on a week-long retreat. “Sure, retreats are great,� Maria said. “But I just needed a therapist at that point in my life. And I had already given valid reasons for why I wasn't interested� in going on a retreat.

When Catholics experience spiritual problems, the solutions seem obvious: talk to a priest, go to confession, pray, seek guidance from a spiritual director.

But the line between the spiritual and the psychological can be very blurry, so much so that some Catholics and psychologists wonder if people are too often told to “pray away� problems that may also require psychological treatment.

Dr Gregory Bottaro is a Catholic clinical psychologist with the CatholicPsych Institute in Connecticut. He said that he has found the over-spiritualisation of psychological issues to be a persistent problem, particularly among devout Catholics. “Descartes is the philosopher who said: ‘I think therefore I am.’ He separated his thinking self from his bodily self, and planted the seed that eventually grew into our current thinking that the body and spirit are separate things. Acting as if the body doesn’t matter when considering our human experience is just as distorted as acting like the spirit doesn’t matter,� he said.

Because of this prevalent misconception about the separation of our body and soul, people both in and out of the Catholic Church often feel a stigma in seeking mental help that isn’t there when they need to seek physical help, he said. “We shouldn’t think any less of getting help for mental health than we do for physical health. There are fields of expertise for a reason, and just as we can’t fix every one of our own physical wounds, we can’t always fix every one of our own mental wounds,� Dr Bottaro said. “It is virtuous to recognise our need for help.�

Virtuous, but not always easy.

The biggest struggle

Especially for Catholics, there is a danger in over-spiritualising mental illness—just as there is a problem in underestimating the spiritual dimension in healing, experts say. thing was fine,� she said.

Michele waited several more months before seeking help through a Catholic charity, where she was connected to a therapist.

She found out that she had attachment disorder, which, left untreated for longer, could have turned into major, long-term depression.

Derek is another young 20-something Catholic who was also told to pray away his problems.

He was suffering from depressive episodes, when he wouldn’t eat and would sleep for 15 hours a day. His friends’ advice was to pray. It wasn’t until he attempted suicide that he got serious about seeking psychotherapy.

Sarah, also a young Catholic, had a similar experience. For months, she confessed suicidal thoughts to her pastor and spiritual director, who gave her advice based on the discernment of spirits from St Ignatius of Loyola.

But eventually the thoughts became so intense and prevalent that Sarah had herself admitted to a hospital on suicide watch. “I think part of it is— if someone is trained in something, that’s how they want to fix it,�

Sarah said. “If you’re trained in spirituality, then you want to use spirituality to fix it. And you absolutely should include spirituality,� she said. “However, you can’t just pray it away. These are real problems and real medical things. There are events in people’s lives that have happened, and they need to work through that both spiritually and psychologically, and a priest or youth minister can’t do both. They need to get you to someone who’s able to help,� she said.

The negative stigma attached to seeking mental help is magnified in the Church because of the “pray it away� mentality, Sarah added. Once prayer doesn’t work, people can feel like spiritual failures, and many people in the Church will distance themselves from someone who is mentally ill. “I can’t be a fully functional young woman who’s working through something and needs help with it,� she said. “It’s either—I’m okay or I’m not.�

‘As Christ would do: please, please just walk with me.’

Stories of survivors Michele is a young Catholic 20something who was used to being social and involved in various ministries within the Church. But a move to a new city left her usually bubbly self feeling lonely and isolated. “I felt like a failure spiritually because shouldn't my relationship with God be enough? But, I would come home from work and cry and just lie in my bed. It was hard for me to motivate myself to do anything,� she recalled.

When a friend, also involved in ministry, called to catch up, Michele saw it as a chance to reach out and share some of the feelings that had been concerning her. “I don't remember exactly what I said, but she told me what I was feeling was sinful. I shut down and said I was exaggerating and made up some story about how every-

Body and soul Dr Jim Langley, a Catholic clinical psychologist in Denver, said he tends to see opposite ends of the spectrum in his patients in about equal numbers: those who overspiritualise their problems, and those who under-spiritualise them. “Part of the problem is that in our culture, we have such a medically-oriented, science-oriented culture that we’ve sort of got away from spirituality, which causes a lot of problems,� he said.

People who tend to ignore the spiritual aspect of their psychological problems cut themselves off from the most holistic approach of

Several Catholics who have had mental illness said they wished that this subject was discussed more openly in the Church. “I have thirsted for greater support in the Church,� said Erin, who has depression and anxiety. “That is my biggest struggle as a Catholic with mental illness: not necessarily focusing too much on the spiritual aspects, but people not knowing how to address any other aspect.�

She had some suggestions for Catholics who find out their friend has a mental illness. “As Christ would do—and as Job's friends failed to do—please, please just walk with me. And if I bring up something spiritual, feel free to talk about it. If you think I'm shutting you out, ask. If I randomly start crying, hold my hand,� she said. “Finding support in my one friend [who also has a mental illness] has done worlds of good for me,� Erin said. “Imagine what could happen if Christians became more [open] about their mental illness. What a support system that would be!�

if you have mental; health problems:

• Know that you have an illness— not a character aw, personal failing or weakness. • Seek appropriate counselling and therapy. • Understand mental illness as an issue of body and spirit. Pray, but also seek help. • Realise that there is no onesize-ďŹ ts-all ďŹ x. • Learn from others who have struggled with mental health problems.

What others can do:

• Beware of trivialising mental illness or oering unkind advice like “snap out of itâ€?. • Avoid advice that mental health issues can be simply “prayed awayâ€?—or that it is the result of “sinâ€?! • Be present for the person struggling with depression, anxiety etc. Listen and oer comfort—and never judge! • Diminish the stigma surrounding mental health and its treatment.

healing, Dr Langley said. “The main reason is because it really is God who heals, and almost any psychological issue you’re dealing with is going to have some sort of a spiritual component connected to it, because it has to do with our dignity as a human person.�

And while it can be challenging to make people see the spiritual component of their problems, it can also be a challenge to help other people recognise that their spiritual issues might also have a psychological component, he said.

Michele said in sharing her story Some devout Catholics see it as about seeking therapy, she has been preferable to say they are suffering surprised at how many Catholics from something like “the dark have gone through similar experinight of the soul� rather than to ences. admit that they have depression “I try to be very open about it and may need medication and now—because a stigma should not counselling, he said. exist.�—CNA “In some ways in our Catholic community, it’s cooler to have a spiritual problem than it is to have a psychological problem,� he said. “The problem with overspiritualising is that you cut yourself from so many tools that psychology and even your faith could have to help you to be happy.�

Many of the things psychologists do to help their patients include teaching them “recipes� for happiness, Dr Langley said—retraining their thought patterns, providing practical tools to use when anxiety or depression kick in.

But a person who doesn’t recognise an issue as also having a psychological component may be resistant to these methods entirely, including spiritual methods, he said.

Catholics who are concerned about seeking psychological help should seek TEE College offers three a Catholic psychologist or psychiatrist who can talk DFFUHGLWHG +LJKHU &HUWLĂ€ FDWHV WR about both the spiritual equip Christians in these ministries: and psychological aspects of healing, Dr Langley said. “People who don’t pracChristian Proclamation tise from a Catholic or spirEnhance your skills in preaching, teaching the faith itual perspective can do a & making the Gospel known in different contexts pretty good job, but it’s like they’re doing therapy with Christian Worship their hands tied behind Grow as a worship planner and leader their back, because they’re missing out on a whole Christian Leadership & Management array of things you can do Learn about leading and managing a local church to help a person.â€?

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For example, men who are addicted to pornograInformation brochures available from the College website and on request phy may be told by a secular therapist that Registration for 2018 opens on 1 November 2017. pornography is a healthy release, or couples strugTheological Education by Extension College gling in their marriage may Website: www.tee.co.za E-mail: admin@tee.co.za Tel: (011) 683 3284 sometimes be encouraged by secular practitioners to The Theological Education by Extension College is registered with the Department of Higher Education divorce. and Training as a Private Higher Education Institution under the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997 5HJLVWUDWLRQ &HUWLÀ FDWH 1R +( 1RQ 3URÀ W &RPSDQ\ 5HJLVWUDWLRQ 1R It’s really a false dichotomy, Dr Langley

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10

The Southern Cross, November 8 to November 14, 2017

CHURCH

Franciscans’ 800 years in the Holy Land This year the Franciscans mark 800 years since they first came to the Holy Land, where they are the custodians of holy shrines — and part of daily life. GßNTHER SiMMERMACHER looks at that history.

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LL Franciscan missionary activity dates back to a meeting of the eight-year-old order in Assisi in 1217, when St Francis decided that the friars should go out to all four corners of the world.

That first general chapter of the Friars Minor established 11 Franciscan regions, including one covering the Holy Land. That same year, Brother Elias of Cortona, one of St Francis’ earliest followers, and a small group of missionaries arrived in Palestine.

They arrived to a region controlled by Muslims—the same year they arrived, the Fifth Crusade was launched—and likely did not draw too much attention to themselves, as is evidenced by the fact that the first official Franciscan house in Jerusalem was built only in 1229.

Two years later St Francis visited the region, famously trying to mediate a peace with the Sultan Malek al-Kamil, while the Egyptian city of Damietta was brutally besieged by Crusaders. The sultan was a relatively tolerant ruler, and certainly was impressed with Francis, whom he presented with an ivory trumpet and a letter of safe conduct.

St Francis’ respect for the sultan, and his attempts at making peace in place of the belligerence of the Crusades, entrenched a reputation among generations of Muslim rulers that the Franciscans were a tolerable Christian presence in the Holy Land.

We do not know whether St Francis used the sultan’s letter of safe conduct to visit the holy shrines of the Holy Land which he so yearned to see. If he didn’t, then he certainly brought Bethlehem to Europe by way of initiating the tradition of the Nativity Scene at Greccio, Italy, in 1223.

St Francis took Brother Elias home with him—Elias would eventually become his successor, and go on to live a turbulent life, but a group of Franciscans clearly remained, and witnessed the return of control of Jerusalem to the Crusaders in 1227.

Two years later they opened that first Franciscan house in Jerusalem, at what now is Station V of the Via Dolorosa (pilgrims may remember Station V as the building with Jesus’ supposed handprint on the wall).

In 1230, Pope Gregory IX instructed Catholic leaders to welcome the Franciscans throughout the Holy Land, and to cooperate with them in areas controlled by Crusaders and by Muslims.

Franciscan martyrs In 1244 Jerusalem fell again, to the Mamluks. Several friars were among the martyred Christians.

More friars were martyred in several persecutions and conquests in the decades that followed.

The Mamluk rulers were not a tolerant bunch. Still, the Franciscan Pope Nicholas IV, the pontiff from 1288-92, persuaded the sultan to allow friars to minister in the church of the Holy Sepulchre. But after the defeat of the Latin Kingdom with the fall of Acre in 1291, the Franciscans were expelled and went into exile in Cyprus.

In the times that followed, the number of Christians in Jerusalem was decimated but pilgrims still came, including Franciscan friars from Cyprus. But the Mamluks made it a point of filling Jerusalem on Christian holy days with Muslim

Br Elias, the friar who led the first group of Franciscans to the Holy land in 1217. and Jewish pilgrims, and allowed the expansion of mosques and synagogues while most Christian sites were in decay.

By the 1320s the Franciscans were slowly returning to the Holy Land, and were given the custody of the church of the Holy Sepulchre (which very nearly went to the Dominicans).

The diplomatic and financial patronage of the King Robert d’Angiò of Naples and his wife, Sancia di Maiorca, were pivotal in re-establishing the Franciscans in the Holy Land.

In 1342, Pope Clement VI appointed the Franciscans as the official custodians of the holy places for the Catholic Church.

They were able to fulfil their duties more or less in peace. Along the way they developed the devotion of the Way of the Cross—the Via Dolorosa—which follows the route supposedly taken by Jesus from his trial and flagellation to Golgotha.

The Stations of the Cross in our parishes today developed from the Via Dolorosa, instituted for the benefit of those who could not go to Jerusalem.

An end to peace

Franciscans pray during the ceremony for the opening of the celebrations of the anniversary of 800 years of Franciscan presence in the Holy land at the church of St Saviour in Jerusalem’s Old City in October. (Photo: Debbie Hill/CNS)

Courses for Catholics Are you looking for a practical and easily-paced way to grow in theological knowledge, skills, and values for ministry DQG PLVVLRQ" 2XU +LJKHU &HUWLÀ FDWH LQ 7KHRORJ\ ZLOO HQULFK \RXU faith and equip you for parish ministry roles. You will explore the scriptures, the Church’s teaching, history, liturgy, spirituality, and practices.

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The relative peace came to an end in 1517 when the Ottomans captured Jerusalem. First, all Christians were banished from Jerusalem.

As the Ottomans did in other places, they turned some Christian buildings into mosques.

In Jerusalem that fate befell the Cenacle, the Upper Room of the Last Supper, which had been the Franciscan Custody’s headquarters.

When the Franciscans could return, the playing field was changing. The Orthodox Church, with its patriarchate in Constantinople— the centre of the Ottoman empire— and consequent access to the favour of the rulers, came in great numbers to the Holy Land and could now assert themselves.

Resentment over the sack of Constantinople in 1204 by Cru-

The Franciscan flag flies on Mount Tabor, site of the Transfiguration. it features the Jerusalem cross—a Greek cross in red on a white background with four smaller crosses— which is the symbol of the Custody of the Holy land. saders still festered among the Orthodox, who showed little of the magnanimity that marked the Franciscan philosophy. Relationships were uneasy, and disputes were settled according to the whims of the Muslim rulers.

Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, Franciscan friars suffered several persecutions, some of them murderous, by the Muslims and the Orthodox—and in 1799 by Napoleon’s forces.

Things came to a head on Palm Sunday 1757 when Orthodox monks made a violent raid on the rotunda of the church of the Holy Sepulchre—the place of the tomb of the Resurrection—and took occupation of it.

The Ottoman rulers now had enough of all the squabbling. In 1767 the sultan gave the various denominations control over their own defined areas. The Orthodox were awarded the prime area of the tomb as well as Calvary. To these, however, they were ordered to allow fair access to members of other Churches.

Known as the Status Quo and confirmed in 1827, that allocation of ownership remains in force even today. And if one group perceives that another is disrespecting the Status Quo, violence can break out.

More often than not, this involves the Orthodox and Armenians, but in 2004 an Orthodox mob set upon Franciscans—because a chapel door had not been closed‌

Improved relations Lately relationships have improved, at the church of the Holy Sepulchre and in Bethlehem’s church of the Nativity, which is also governed by the Status Quo. Both churches have recently benefited from overdue renovations which required a consensus between various denominations which until not too long ago was difficult to come by.

At other holy sites, the Franciscans have full control. They care for 74 shrines throughout the Holy Land (including Syria and Jordan, both of which are considered part of the Holy Land). These include the basilica of the Annunciation

and St Joseph’s church in Nazareth as well as shrines in Cana, Tabgha (St Peter’s Primacy), Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Gethsemane, Mount Zion (St Peter in Gallicantu and next to the Cenacle), on the Via Dolorosa, Ein Kerem (churches of St John the Baptist’s Nativity and the Visitation), Shepherds’ Field in Bethlehem, Bethany, Jaffa, Emmaus (in El Qubeihbeh), Jericho, and on the Mount of Olives (Dominus Flevit), Mount Tabor (site of the Transfiguration) and Mount Nebo (place of Moses’ death in Jordan).

The jewel of them is Capernaum.

In the late 19th century the Franciscans bought the land beneath which they suspected lay the lost town which was Jesus’ headquarters during his Galilean ministry.

The order had a succession of archaeologists who did important work in the field in the Holy Land.

The most important of them was Fr Virgilio Corbo, an Italian whose work at the church of the Holy Sepulchre in the 1960s proved that the descriptions of Golgotha in the gospels accorded perfectly with what he found there.

With his confrere and assistant, Stanislao Loffreda, the mercurial Fr Corbo excavated Capernaum, revealing not only a fourth-century synagogue, the existence of which had been discovered by one of his predecessors, but also the basalt foundation of a first-century synagogue—the very synagogue in which Jesus preached and healed.

It got better: Frs Corbo and Loffreda discovered the house of St Peter; archaeology and the historical record leave no doubt that this is the place with the removable roof where Jesus stayed as a guest and where he performed miracles.

Among the people The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land maintain these holy sites and improve them for the benefit of Christian pilgrims of all denominations from all over the world. They also run a number of pilgrims’ guest houses.

But the Custodia TerrĂŚ SanctĂŚ, as the Custody is known in Latin, is also deeply involved in the Palestinian community, where almost all local Christians—the “Living Stonesâ€?—come from.

The Franciscans administer many parishes to give spiritual support to Palestine’s Catholics. They also run schools, hospitals, housing projects, vocational training and many other projects for the benefit of all people who need them.

It is to support these projects and the upkeep of the sacred shrines that the Holy Land collection in our churches on Good Friday are allocated.

The Franciscans are not the only Catholic orders that run shrines, projects and institutions in the Holy Land, but they certainly are the most widespread.

The Order of Friars Minor has a special bond with the Holy Land, one that goes right back to its founder, St Francis of Assisi, eight centuries ago this year.

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Franciscan Fathers Virgilio Corbo (right) and Stanislao loffreda, the archaeologists who discovered the house of St Peter in Capernaum in the 1960s. Fr Corbo’s excavations in the church of the Holy Sepulchre also revealed that the site’s characteristic accord exactly with the descriptions of Golgotha in the gospels.

CLASSIFIEDS

Fr Pius Omokhagbo Afiabor SMA

F

ATHER Pius Omokhagbo Afiabor, regional superior of the Society of African Missions (SMA), died on October 12, at Life Peglerae hospital, Rustenburg, after a period of sickness.

He was 45.

Born on August 21, 1972 in Kaduna, Nigeria, he was the third of seven children of Philomena and the late Fred Afiabor in Okpella in Edo state, Nigeria.

Fr Afiabor grew up in parishes run by the SMA Fathers where the seed of the missionary vocation was sowed in him through his contact with the priests.

But he first worked as a pharmacy technician before he felt the call to the priesthood.

He was admitted into the SMA formation programme in 1993. He had his seminary formation in Nigeria, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire.

He made his permanent commitment to the SMA on May 24, 2001, followed by his diaconate ordination. He was ordained a

priest on July 6, 2002, and appointed to work in South Africa.

In 2003, after a Setswana course, Fr Afiabor was appointed to work in St Anthony’s parish in Kanana, near Rustenburg. He served the Catholic communities of Kanana, Boitekong, Paardekraal, Meriting and Sunrise Park.

Fr Afiabor built churches in Paardekraal, Boitekong and Sun-

Liturgical Calendar Year A – Weekdays Cycle Year 1 Sunday November 12, 32nd Sunday of the Year Wisdom 6:12-16, Psalms 63:2-8, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13 Monday November 13 Wisdom 1:1-7, Psalms 139:1-10, Luke 17:1-6 Tuesday November 14 Wisdom 2:23--3:9, Psalms 34:2-3, 16-19, Luke 17:7-10 Wednesday November 15, St Albert the Great Wisdom 6:1-11, Psalms 82:3-4, 6-7, Luke 17:11-19 Thursday November 16, St Margaret of Scotland, St Gertrude Wisdom 7:22--8:1, Psalms 119:89-91, 130, 135, 175, Luke 17:20-25 Friday November 17, St Elizabeth of Hungary Wisdom 13:1-9, Psalms 19:2-5, Luke 17:26-3 Saturday November 18, Dedication of the Basilicas of Ss Peter and Paul, Saturday Mass of Our Lady Wisdom 18:14-16; 19:6-9, Psalms 105:2-3, 3637, 42-43, Luke 18:1-8 Sunday November 19, 33rd Sunday of the Year Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31, Psalms 128:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, Matthew 25:14-30

rise Park. He served these communities until he was elected in 2010 as the SMA regional superior in South Africa. From 201314, Fr Afiabor was also the vicar-general of the diocese of Rustenburg from 2013-14.

At the time of his death, he was the president of the Leadership Conference of Consecrated Life, having previously served as its vice-president from 2013-16.

Fr Afiabor was a leader who did his work with a good sense of humour. He enjoyed working with people, especially the youth in Rustenburg diocese.

He is sadly missed by his family, the SMA, the Catholic communities in Rustenburg diocese, the SACBC, and the LCCL. His Requiem Mass was held on November 4 at the SMA House in Buffelsfontein, Rustenburg diocese, where he was laid to rest.

Fr Afiabor is survived by his mother, five brothers and one sister.

Fr Evantus Kene SMA

Southern CrossWord solutions SOLUTIONS TO 784. ACROSS: 1 Tuck, 3 Forfeits, 9 Elevate, 10 Rufus, 11 Like no others, 13 Givers, 15 Die out, 17 Plaster saint, 20 Aware, 21 Ring out, 22 Tweeting, 23 Dyes. DOWN: 1 Theology, 2 Clerk, 4 Oberon, 5 For their sins, 6 Inferno, 7 Sash, 8 Earns respect, 12 Statues, 14 Vulgate, 16 Hebron, 18 Ivory, 19 Salt.

Word of the Week College of Cardinals: The body of all cardinals of the Church. Its main functions are to advise the pope about Church matters at an ordinary consistory and, on the death or abdication of a pope, to elect his successor at a conclave.

St Margaret of Scotland

IN MEMORIAM

VON RuBEN—Mick. in memory of my beloved husband who died on November 10, 2001. Daily remembered and sadly missed by Maire. May he rest in peace.

PERSONAL

ABORTION WARNINg: The truth will convict a silent Church. See www.valuelife abortionisevil.co.za HOLY SPIRIT CENTRE: 161a Coronation Street, Maitland, Cape Town. We offer food and accommodation for 70+ guests (school/ tour/youth groups, etc).

Bookings: Manager at 021 510 2988, cell 083 723 0293, e-mail hscentre@ telkomsa.net

Helpers of god’s Precious Infants. Mass on last Saturday of every month at 9:30 at Sacred Heart church in Somerset Road, Cape Town. Followed by vigil at abortion

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

DuRBAN: Holy Mass and Novena to St Anthony at St Anthony’s parish every Tuesday at 9:00. Holy Mass and Divine Mercy Devotion at 17:30 on first Friday of every month. Sunday Mass at 9:00. Phone 031 309 3496 or 031 209 2536.

St Anthony’s rosary group. Every Wednesday at 18:00 at St Anthony’s church opposite Greyville racecourse.

All are welcome and lifts are available.

Contact Keith Chetty on 083 372 9018.

NELSPRuIT: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St Peter’s parish every Tuesday from 8:00 to 16:45, followed by Rosary, Divine Mercy prayers, then a Mass/Communion service at 17:30.

oMi staMPs YouR usEd staMPs

St Albert the Great

St Elizabeth of Hungary

PRAYERS

O MOST beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendour of Heaven, blessed Mother of the Son of God, immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me where you are, Mother of God. Queen of heaven and earth i humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me in my necessity.

There is none who can withstand your power, O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Holy Mary, i place this cause in your hands. “Say this prayer for 3 consecutive days and then publish. RG. LORD, inspire those men

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

Perpetual Adoration Chapel at Good Shepherd parish, 1 Goede Hoop St, Bothasig, welcomes all visitors. Open 24 hours a day. Phone 021 558 1412.

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

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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.

Community Calendar

JOHANNESBuRg: St Anthony’s church in Coronationville is calling for donations of tinned fish, peanut butter, jam, butter and juice for their soup kitchen. Contact Faried and Nadine Benn on 073 906 6037 or 083 658 2573.

CAPE TOWN: Retreat day/quiet prayer last Saturday of each month except December, at Springfield Convent in Wynberg, Cape Town.

Hosted by ClC, 10.00-15.30. Contact Jill on 083 282 6763 or Jane on 082 783 0331.

The Southern Cross, November 8 to November 14, 2017

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and women who bear the titles “husband” and “wife”.

Help them to look to you, to themselves, to one another to rediscover the fullness and mystery they once felt in their union. let them be honest enough to ask: “Where have we been together and where are we going?” let them be brave enough to question: “How have we failed?” let each be foolhardy enough to say: “For me, we come first.”

Help them, together, to reexamine their commitment in the light of your love, willingly, openly, compassionately.

in your presence which penetrates all creation. Amen.

O LOVINg gOD, bless our family with your love. Guard us from all danger and harm; deliver us from anger that leads to division; empower us to forgive as we have been forgiven; and send us into the world to witness to your love and grace; in the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

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SPIRIT OF WISDOM and understanding, enlighten our minds to perceive the mysteries of the universe in relation to eternity. Spirit of right judgment and courage, guide us and make us firm in our baptismal decision to follow Jesus' way of love.

Spirit of knowledge and reverence, help us to see the lasting value of justice and mercy in our everyday dealings with one another. May we respect life as we work to solve problems of family and nation, economy and ecology. Spirit of God, spark our faith, hope and love into new action each day. Fill our lives with wonder and awe

CHRISTMAS IS NEAR! Greet friends and family through classified ads in The Southern Cross.

Only R1,70 a word in our Christmas edition of December 12-19. Send your ad with payment to Christmas Greetings, Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000, to arrive by December 1, 2017, or email advertising@ scross.co.za, fax 021 465 385, phone 021 465 55007

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the

33rd Sunday: November 19 Readings: Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31, Psalm 128: 1-5, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, Matthew 25:14-30

S outher n C ross

T

HERE is a tricky balance (indeed according to some views it is how Catholics differ from Protestants) between the two poles of total reliance on God and the need for us human beings to play our part, to “revere the Lord”. We can see something of this in the first reading.

It is the famous passage at the end of the Book of Proverbs, in praise of “a woman of power”, and it may not be empty piety to read in these lines the author’s tribute to his own wife.

“Her husband entrusts his heart to her, and lacks nothing that is good”. She is a hardworking lady, and it is not just within the family that she radiates goodness, for “she reaches out her hands to the poor, extends her arms to the needy”.

It is not the whole story, of course, for “grace is deceptive and beauty illusory”.

The key point is: “The woman who reveres the Lord is to be praised. Give to her for the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.”

There we have both the need to work on our part and the importance of what God does.

In the psalm, once again, we have the idea of “revering the Lord”, along with the reward of work well done: “Happy are all those who revere the Lord and walk in his way—you will enjoy the fruit of your labours.”

Then, after a vision of what a happy family is like (“a fruitful vine…olive plants”) comes once more the idea of reverence: “Look—the one who reverences the Lord will be blessed.”

It is that attitude of reverence (or “fear”), rather than any hard work of ours, that makes the difference, and then: “May you share Jerusalem’s prosperity all the days of your life.” It is not at all our doing.

That is very clear in the second reading, Paul still dealing with Thessalonian anxieties about when the Second Coming might take place: “You have no need, brothers and sisters, for me to write to you.”

The point is that it is all under God’s control (for all our desire to be in charge): “You know accurately that the Day of the Lord comes just like a thief at night-time.”

That is to say, just when “people are talking of peace and security: that is when suddenly Death looms over them, like the pains for a pregnant woman. And they are not

going to escape”.

But there is still our part to play as “children of the light and of the day, not of the night or darkness”: “So we are not to fall asleep like the rest. No—we are to stay awake and sober.”

The Gospel for next Sunday likewise offers the tension between God’s generosity and the need to play our part. It is the story of the “talents”.

And it may be worth making the point that a talent is a very large unit of money, and has taken on the additional meaning of Godgiven ability only as a result of the way the parable has been read in English.

There can be no mistake here about the extraordinary generosity of God: “A man going on a foreign trip summoned his own slaves and handed over his possessions to them.”

We are meant to be startled by this, even as we notice the numbers: five, two and one.

Then we are invited to admire Number One who went out “and worked with the five talents and made another five”.

Here generosity has responded to generosity; and the same is true of Number Two, with his total of four talents. Clearly Number

Listen carefully to the soul R

nated in popular culture where love and sex are spoken of more in terms of chemistry than in terms of soul.

It is not surprising that for most pop singers today the mantra is: “I want your body! I want your body!” We’re a long way from Shakespeare’s marriage of true minds and Yeats’ love of the pilgrim soul in you.

Religion, of course, has always lodged its protests against this, but often its understanding of the soul was itself too narrow to have much power to lure a materialistic culture back into wanting to rediscover and listen to the soul.

I

ronically, it took a non-religious figure, the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, to speak of soul again in a way that is intellectually intriguing. And it was in the sick, the insane, the suicidal, and others whose lives were broken that Jung began to hear the cry of the soul (whose demands are sometimes very different from those of the body and whose needs are for much more than simple comfort and the prolonging of life).

Much of Jung’s teaching and that of his followers can be seen as a protest for the soul. We see this, for example, in the writing of US psychologist James Hillman.

It’s ironic that as an agnostic Hillman was able to speak about the soul in ways that we, who are religious, might envy and emulate. Like Jung, he also drew many of his insights from listening to the soul cry out its meaning and pain through the voices of the sick, the insane, the broken, and the suicidal.

Conrad

ECENTLY on a radio programme a young woman shared the story of her breakup with her boyfriend, a young man for whom she had deep feelings.

The problem was that she, a person with a deep faith, a Mormon, struggled with the radical materialism of her boyfriend. For him, there were no souls; the physical world was real, and nothing else. She kept asking him if he believed he had a soul. He couldn’t make himself believe that. Eventually, not without a lot of heartache, they broke up.

Why? In her words: “It’s hard to find your soulmate in someone who doesn’t believe you have a soul.”

Her frustration is becoming more universal. More and more our world is ignoring and denying the existence of soul, becoming soulless. It wasn’t always like this. Up until modern times, often it was the physical and the body that weren’t properly honoured. But things have changed, radically.

It began with Darwin, who rooted our origins more in the history of our bodies than in the origins of our souls; it took more shape in the mechanistic philosophies of the last century, which understood both our universe and ourselves as physical machines; it became more firm as modern medicine and experimental psychology began to explain the brain primarily in terms of carbon complexity and biochemical interactions; it seeped into our higher educational systems as we produced more and more technical schools rather than universities in the deeper sense; and it culmi-

Nicholas King SJ

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Sunday Reflections

Three is at fault (“He dug the land and hid his Lord’s money”), simply for the lack of a generous response.

This becomes clearer when the Lord returns “after a long time”. The first two are told: “Well done, good and faithful servant—enter the joy of your Lord.”

Now listen to the response of Number Three: “Lord—I knew that you are a harsh man, harvesting where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter.”

We know that this is not going to end well; for he is simply unable to grasp the generosity he has received, and contents himself with giving the one talent back, after burying it in the ground.

If he had had a glimpse of the master’s generosity, he would have banked the money, and then the two of them together would have had a win-win, as they say nowadays.

So, yes, it is true: God does it all, but our part is to recognise that and to respond with generosity.

Are you being called to that, this week?

Southern Crossword #784

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final Reflection

Religion, medicine, and psychology, he believed, are not hearing the soul’s cry.

They’re forever trying to fix the soul, cure the soul, or save the soul, rather than listening to the soul, which wants and needs neither to be fixed nor saved. It’s already eternal.

The soul needs to be heard, and heard in all its godly goodness and earthy complexes. And sometimes what it tells us goes against all common sense, medical practice, and the oversimplistic spiritualities we often present as religion.

To be more in touch with our souls we might examine an older language, the language that religion, poets, mythologists, and lovers used before today’s dominant materialism turned our language about the soul into the language of chemistry and mechanism.

We cannot understand the soul through any scientific description but only by looking at its behaviour, its insatiability, its dissatisfactions, and its protests. A soul isn’t explained—it’s experienced, and soul experience always comes soaked in depth, in longing, in eros, in limit, in the feeling of being a pilgrim in need of a soulmate.

Happily, even today, we still do spontaneously connect the soul to things beyond chemistry and mechanism.

As Hillman points out: “We associate the word ‘soul’ with: mind, spirit, heart, life, warmth, humanness, personality, individuality, intentionality, essence, innermost, purpose, emotion, quality, virtue, morality, sin, wisdom, death, God. “As well, we speak of a soul as ‘troubled’, ‘old’, ‘disembodied’, ‘immortal’, ‘lost’, ‘innocent’, ‘inspired’. Eyes are said to be ‘soulful’, for the eyes are ‘the mirror of the soul’; and one can be ‘soulless’ by showing no mercy.”

Soullessness: We understand the makeup of something best when we see it broken. So perhaps today we can best understand our soullessness in the growing acceptance of pornography and hook-up sex, where the soul is intentionally and necessarily excluded from what is meant to be the epitome of all soulful experience.

acRoss

1. The friar in the playground?

(4) 3. Offers, it turns out, and one loses one’s rights (8) 9. Lift the chalice (7) 10. Son of Simon of Cyrene (Mk 15) (5) 11. Liner she took to be beyond comparison (4,2,5) 13. They make a donation (6) 15. Cease to be in the open air (3,3) 17. Petal strains to find the fake holy one (7,5) 20. Knowing of a conflict with the East (5) 21. What you do with the Old Year (4,3) 22. Bird song on your smart phone (8) 23. Expires, it’s said, with colours (4)

doWn

1. Study of divinity (8) 2. Ordained office worker?

(5) 4. Fairy king from Borneo (6) 5. Why souls suffer in purgatory (3,5,4) 6. Dante’s hellfire (7) 7. In Pisa’s houses you may see this kind of window (4) 8. Gains esteem from present cares (5,7) 12. Sets taut written laws (8) 14. Bible in Latin (7) 16. The oaks of Mamre are here (Gn 13) (6) 18. Woe to those sleeping on beds of ... (Amos 6) (5) 19. You are the ... of the earth (Mt 5) (4) Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

A

n American tourist in Dublin asks a local resident: “Is Irish whiskey really strong?”

The Irishman answered him: “Aye, it’s very strong. Last Saturday night after only two Irish whiskies, I went to 7am Mass.”

“What’s so unique about that?” the American asks, unimpressed.

The Irishman replied: “Well, y’see, I’m Jewish!”

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