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April 25 to May 1, 2018

Young Catholics: ‘Why we are in the SVP’

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Pope to boy: ‘Atheist dad is with God now’

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US speaker to give insights on racism By ERin CARELSE

F Commonwealth Games swimmer Kate Beavon, a Grade 12 student at St Teresa’s High School in Rosebank, Johannesburg, proudly wears her South African flag under water. The 17-yearold represented her country at the recent Commonwealth Games in Australia in the finals of the 800m freestyle and swam in the 4X100m and 4x200m women’s freestyle relay races. The whole school gathered to watch Kate swim in the 800m. (Photo: Duné Coetzee)

And now for the bad news

UE to sharp increases in the production and distribution of The Southern Cross, as well as the recent VAT increase, we are forced to increase the cover price of the newspaper as of next week to R10. “While we realise this is a significant increase, we have to remind ourselves that R10 does not have the same buying power it used to have. Now it gets you a can of cool drink or less than half a gossip magazine. I’m sure we can all agree that a paper such as The Southern Cross does one more good than either of these,” said Rosanne Shields, chair of the board of the Catholic Newspaper & Publishing Company, which owns The Southern Cross. The newspaper survives on sales and advertising, and the generosity of the contributors to our Associates Campaign. It receives no Church subsidies. “We are confident that our readers will remain loyal to us even after the price increase,” Mrs Shields said, adding that the board had considered the messages from numerous readers who encouraged a cover price of R10— ”because they felt The Southern Cross is worth

The

that amount and more, and also because it makes paying for the newspaper at church more practical”. Mrs Shields asked parishes “to please continue to market and promote The Southern Cross, including the digital edition, which is exactly the same as the print edition”. The annual subscription to the digital edition is only R420, which works out to just R8 per week. To subscribe to The Southern Cross (digital or hardcopy) contact Michelle at subscriptions@ scross.co.za or call 021 465-5007. n See also editorial on page 6.

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OR the US priest who will deliver this year’s series of Winter Living Theology (WLT) lectures, “racism is a soul-sickness and our spiritual tradition can and does give us the tools to find healing and reconciliation if we are willing to use it”, according to Fr Russell Pollitt SJ, director of the Jesuit Institute SA, which is organising the lectures. Fr Pollitt said that Fr Bryan Massingale was invited to meet one of the key works of the Jesuit Institute: to bridge the gap between faith and society. “Fr Massingale is a theologian but also someone who comes from a context where race has divided people, and so speaks not just from a theological perspective but a lived experience,” Fr Pollitt said. He noted that the bishops of Southern Africa have identified a dialogue on race and racism as a priority. This year’s WLT theme, “Racial Justice and the Demands of Christian Discipleship”, is in keeping with the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference’s 2016 pastoral letter, “A Call to Overcome Racism”, as well as this year’s Lenten theme, Fr Pollitt said. “In South Africa today, racism is a very important issue which continues to be a painful part of the national dialogue. Fr Massingale will try and help us see how the Church, our faith and spirituality, can help us to counter this issue which is becoming more and more divisive,” he explained. Fr Pollitt described Fr Massingale as “sensitive and caring and yet forthright. He is not afraid to speak of the pain of disunity that racism inflicts on a people and the wounds that need healing.” A priest of the archdiocese of Milwaukee, Fr Massingale is a professor in applied ethics at Fordham University in New York. He is a past convener of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium and a former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America. In 2017 he received the Pope John XXIII Award from the Association of US Catholic Priests “for his tireless efforts to create a world

Fr Bryan Massingale, who is delivering this year’s Winter Living Theology lectures. (Photo: Bruce Gilbert, Fordham University) where the dignity of each person is respected and protected”. In 2012 he was awarded the Catholic Charities USA’s Centennial Gold Medal for leadership and service in the social mission of the Catholic Church. In his book Racial Justice and the Catholic Church, Fr Massingale examines the presence of racism in the US from its early history through the civil rights movement and the presidential election of Barack Obama. It also explores how Catholic social teaching has been used—and not used—to promote reconciliation and justice. He believes that the Catholic faith and the black experience make essential contributions in the continuing struggle against racial injustice. The dates and venues for this year’s Winter Living Theology are: Johannesburg: June 26-28 at Lumko Institute, Benoni; Port Elizabeth: July 3-5 at St Luke’s Retreat and Conference Centre; Durban: July 10-12 at St Joseph’s parish, Morningside; Cape Town: July 17-18 (venue to be confirmed). n For more information or to register, contact admin@jesuitinstitute.org.za or call 011 4824237.

A pilgrimage with Bishop Victor Phalana

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The Southern Cross, April 25 to May 1, 2018

LOCAL Grazia Barletta (centre) donated money from the first print-run of her book to St Joseph’s Home in Montana, Cape Town. With her are St Joseph’s director Thea Patterson (left) and development manager Alrika Hefers.

Church-government TB partnership succeeding W By ERin CARELSE

ITH tuberculosis still the leading cause of death in South Africa—according to the World Health Organisation around 124 000 South Africans died from TB in 2016 alone—the Catholic Church has partnered with the health department to provide screening services in three municipal areas. The Aids Office of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), in partnership with the National Department of Health’s TB directorate, became a service provider for the National Religious Association for Social Development in a project that screens TB contacts in Nelson Mandela Bay (Eastern Cape), Ehlanzeni (Mpumalanga), and eThekwini (KwaZulu-Natal) areas. Maredi Modiba, manager of the TB project under the SACBC Aids Office, said that the project, which has been running from July 2017 and will end in March 2019, experienced a slow start but through the active participation and collaboration of different stakeholders, the project has shaped up and things have started running smoothly. “In all three municipalities, the project is performing beyond the set target, which is measured on a daily and weekly base, a ground for hope that the project will be highly successful,” she said. Various awareness and screening campaigns were held by the Aids Office on March 5. Members took part in door-to-door screening

Author donates income from photo book to Church charities The SACBC TB screening team, together with South Africa Medical Research Centre team during a meeting in Glenmore Catholic Pastoral Centre in Durban. (Photo: Fr Paul Tatu CSS) where they accompanied the MEC for health in the Bhambayi settlement of KwaZulu-Natal. They held a consultative meeting with the religious in the eThekwini area and an agreement was reached that they will also take part in the prevention of TB. The SACBC team will do advocacy and screening at different parishes throughout the year. Cases of TB and other related diseases are referred to local health institutions and are closely monitored. So far, there have been positive follow-ups and clear evidence that referred patients are reporting back to the relevant health facilities for treatment. “For the past 200 years, part of the mission of the Catholic Church has been building and promoting quality life for all South Africans, of which millions have benefited from

the countless number of pro bono Church projects,” Ms Modiba said. “Therefore, to talk of a better developed South Africa today without acknowledging the ample contribution of the Church in making this so is impossible,” she added. “The Church continues to advance her mission by being a close partner that government can always rely on to promote a quality nation.” The SACBC, in partnership with the government, encourages all people to visit their health facilities to test for TB and other related diseases, and to immediately start treatment when they are found positive. When discovered early, and with faithful adherence to treatment, people can fully recover from TB and be completely cured. n For more information contact Maredi Modiba on mmodiba@sacbc. org.za or call 012 323 6458.

By ERin CARELSE

HE author of a popular coffee table book is giving proceeds from sales to Catholic charities. Grazia Barletta, a parishioner at Our Lady of Good Hope in Sea Point, Cape Town, has created and published a coffee table photography book entitled Moments that Have Captured my Heart. She is on the third print-run of the book. Ms Barletta, a business support specialist in food projects at Woolworths, created the book using her own photographs combined with inspirational quotes and messages. “I enrolled in a photography course, and discovered my love for photography, which inspired me to start my own blog,” she said. “There are no specific topics I focus on, just stories my photos tell. I wanted to share my photos, and it was suggested that I print them in a coffee table book. The rest is history.” The beneficiary of Ms Barletta’s first print-run was St Joseph’s Home in Montana, Cape Town, an intermediate paediatric care facility for

children with life-limiting and lifethreatening illnesses. “My late father was called Joseph and I felt it would be a special way to honour his memory—as well as having been to the home and volunteered with the children years ago,” she told The Southern Cross. The second print-run saw the proceeds going towards the Missionaries of Charity home in Khayelitsha run by Mother Teresa nuns. The home offers childcare and healthcare accommodation. Nuns also visit the sick and take food parcels to those in need. “I’ve been very blessed in my life and I wanted to give back,” Ms Barletta said. Money from the third print-run will go towards Nazareth House in central Cape Town. n Copies of Moments that Have Captured my Heart are available at the Woolworth stores in Sea Point and Gardens Centre as well as Oxford Stationery in Gardens Centre for R200, or can be ordered from Ms Barletta directly at graziabarletta1@gmail.com

New book chronicles Trappists of KwaZulu By nEREESHA PATEL

BOOK detailing the history of the Trappist movement in South Africa is off the press and available for purchase. Written by Nicki von der Heyde, Triumph and Tragedy: Trappist Missions in South Africa is a richly illustrated publication that explores 22 Trappist mission stations built in the late 19th century by Mariannhill monks in KwaZulu-Natal. The author wrote about the history of Mariannhill in The Southern Cross over the past two weeks. An Anglo-Zulu and Anglo-Boer war battlefield guide, she first discovered these stations after moving to Underberg. “On one of these trips in the

area, I came across these magnificent churches built by Trappist monks. Immediately my interest was sparked, especially since I have researched local history yet knew so little about the Trappists,” she said. From 2011, Ms Von der Heyde researched and wrote Triumph and Tragedy. While it focuses on mission stations, it also delves into the life of Trappist Abbot Francis Pfanner, who founded Mariannhill monastery near Pinetown and flouted his order to do missionary work. Triumph and Tragedy chronicles the history, origin and strict rules of the Trappist order; recounts the background history at the time of the Trappist movement; gives a brief biography of Br Nivard Streicher, who was responsible for de-

signing the mission churches; and features more than 200 historical and modern photographs. Ms Von der Heyde hopes that readers will gain “a real appreciation of the churches, and of the hard work of the Mariannhill missionaries, as well as admiration for Abbot Pfanner” after reading her book, especially those who have an interest in art, history and architecture. “I have noticed that tourists who have visited these churches with me come away moved,” Ms Von der Heyde said. “Missions now provide homes for orphans, schools, hospitals and pastoral care. Visits help them to continue their good work.” She currently conducts tours of the Trappist stations through her touring business Campaign Trails,

and hopes they will be recognised as viable tourist attractions. “The mission churches are crumbling and need urgent attention,” she explained. “If there is interest from the public, and international tourists, donations and government support will help towards the restoration of these stately buildings. “I sincerely hope incoming visitors to the missions will be inspired by the spirit of Abbot Pfanner, who was passionate about the spiritual and material uplifting of the very poor,” said Ms Von der Heyde. n To order Triumph and Tragedy: Trappist Monasteries in South Africa, or for more information on the tours of the Trappist missions, contact Nicki von der Heyde at info@ campaigntrails.co.za

Reichenau Trappist mission church near Underberg and (inset) author nicki von der Heyde. (Church photo: Peter Jarvis/Author photo: Rowena Aldous)

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The Southern Cross, April 25 to May 1, 2018

LOCAL

Jesuit to head religious’ body T By nEREESHA PATEL

Two Catholic Women’s League members at St Francis Xavier parish on the Bluff in Durban were honoured with 60-year service badges. Seen are parish priest Fr Mike Foley, CWL president Sharon Wright (right back), service badge recipient Betty Williams (front left) and fellow recipient Lucy Lawlor. (Submitted by Cathy Frankson)

HE new head of the umbrella body for religious congregations and orders in Southern Africa sees vocations and social justice issues as matters of concern during his tenure. Fr David Rowan SJ, the Jesuit regional superior in South Africa, will serve a two-year term as the new president of the Leadership Conference of Consecrated Life (LCCL) in Southern Africa. As president of the LCCL, Fr Rowan told the Spotlight. Africa news site, his role is to oversee the executive of the association and—working with the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference—carry out their mandates set for the following year. Migration, human trafficking, the protocols of dealing

with other organisations, and racism are the four main areas of apostolic concern. “We have various portfolios in the executive trying to coordinate our activities better in these areas,” said Fr Rowan. Vocations—specifically fewer people entering religious orders—and problems across various sectors including education and health, are also among the challenges faced by the LCCL. “These are the challenges we as a group of religious orders in Southern Africa have to face, and to find out how we can respond to these challenges that form part of our reality and reinvent religious life,” he said. Fr Rowan explained that the LCCL is also “trying to work at cooperating more with the bishops”, with whom they meet every three years to dis-

cuss these concerns. “We look at what the SACBC is doing, then we look at what [the LCCL] can do as religious. So I think there’s a bit of a confluence, and that’s why we have this meeting to make sure that we’re not working against each other, and try to complement each other’s work,” he said. An initiative that the LCCL and the SACBC are currently working on together is setting up an orientation programme for new missionary priests and religious coming to work in South Africa, assisting them with travel-related matters and easing them into parish life. The LCCL is an association of elected leaders, men and women, and religious congregations or institutes of apostolic life in South Africa, Botswana, and Swaziland. It is an associate body of the SACBC.

Fr David Rowan SJ, Jesuit regional superior in South Africa, has been elected president of the umbrella body for religious congregations and orders in Southern Africa.

Young women: ‘Why we are SVP members’ By ERin CARELSE

WO young people had a desire to make a difference in their community and Church, and have been able to do so by joining the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP). Ofentse Mahasha, who is 19, and Lindokuhle Mwelase, 22, both of St Philip Neri parish in Moletsane, Soweto, said that through the SVP, their eyes have been opened to the needs of many families. “This experience has helped us to grow as Christians. We have realised the difference reading the Bible daily and attending weekly Mass makes, as well as putting our faith into practice,” they said. “We found and continue to find joy in the fact that the little we do through the society makes a difference in the lives of people in our community.” Founded in France in 1883 by Bl Frederick Ozanam to help impoverished people, the SVP now has a worldwide presence, including in South Africa. The saint after whom Bl Ozanam named the society, St Vincent de Paul, once said: “Charity is the cement which binds communities to God and persons to one another.” Ms Mahasha and Ms Mwelase joined the SVP last year, a decision spurred on by their experience as altar servers at church. “We knew that this society would enable us to do more for the parish and extend that to our communities as well,” they said. And the SVP shouldn’t be seen as a society only for older people, they say. “The society has an active presence in our parish. However, its activities were overlooked by the youth as its general membership was considered to be ‘elderly’. This is also one of the reasons why we elected to join the society,” to set an example, the two young women said.

younger members of the St Vincent de Paul Society of St Philip neri parish in Soweto have raffle draws and seasonal sales to help fund the society. The activities of their parish society include: distributing monthly food parcels (given to families who are in need); conducting sanitary towels drives; conducting school shoe drives; collecting and distributing clothes; visiting orphanages; and hosting an annual Christmas party for children in their area. The SVP of Moletsane cooperates with that of its twin parish, Holy Trinity in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, to learn from and support one another. “Our twin parish’s work is exceptional,” Ms Mahasha and Ms Mwelase said. The two women had the opportunity to attend the Mini World Youth Day in Durban in December, where they joined thousands of young people from across South Africa and beyond. “During the event, we managed to showcase and market the SVP to the youth in attendance. Our ultimate aim

Little Eden residents and visitors at Mass. On May 7 there will be a Mass for the cause of the beatification of Little Eden’s founders.

Special Mass for Little Eden founders

ITTLE Eden Society invites the community to participate in the celebration of Mass at 8:30 on Monday, May 7, at the parish of St Therese in Edenvale, Johannesburg. The Mass is to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Little Eden founder Domitilla Rota Hyams, and to petition for the promotion of the cause towards the beatification of Danny and Domitilla Hyams as a couple. n For more information contact Nichollette Muthige on 011 609 7246 or marketing@littleeden.org.za

was to encourage the youth to join our society, no matter where they are from. For us, this spoke to Jesus’ words, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few’ [Lk 10:2],” they said. To help fund a portion of their work, senior citizen members have jumble sales and sell popcorn, and the younger members have raffle draws and sell a variety of things on a seasonal basis—from Easter eggs during Easter, and scones in winter, to boerewors rolls and cold drinks in spring. “The support we receive from our parish members and our parish priest is amazing. We are now on a mission to go beyond the parish level and find corporate sponsorship to enable us to help more people and have a greater impact,” they said. “We encourage everyone, young or old, to form part of this worldwide family in blue on the mission to promote good works,” Ms Mahasha and Ms Mwelase said.

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Lindokuhle Mwelase, 22 (left), and Ofentse Mahasha, 19, of St Philip neri parish in Moletsane, Soweto, are keen new SVP members.

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The Southern Cross, April 25 to May 1, 2018

INTERNATIONAL

Christian leaders: Bombs on Syria help terrorists S An image of Bl Oscar Romero is carried in San Salvador, to commemorate the 38th anniversary of his murder in March. A Salvadoran archbishop has said the canonisation of Bl Romero will “probably” be in Rome and at the end of October. (Photo: Oscar Rivera, EPA/CnS)

Bl Romero will be a saint ‘probably in October’ By RHinA GUiDOS

ALVADORAN Archbishop José Luis Escobar Alas said the canonisation of Bl Oscar Romero will “probably” be in Rome and “probably” take place at the end of October after a meeting of bishops. He hedged his statement in an interview with Catholic News Service saying the final decision is up to Pope Francis. “Soon we will have a canonisation,” the archbishop said to a crowd of mostly Salvadoran immigrants gathered for Mass at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, in Washington. “On May 19, we will know the date and the place.” That’s the date cardinals will gather at the Vatican for a meeting known as a consistory, where they're expected to decide the details. The archbishop’s statement came after reports that Honduran Cardinal Oscar Maradiaga said to members of

the press in Madrid that the Romero canonisation would take place on October 21. El Salvador’s Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez, who also was present at the Mass in Washington, referenced Cardinal Maradiaga's statement and said, “Let’s wait until the official announcement.” Archbishop Escobar, who occupies the post held for three years by Archbishop Romero, from 1977 until his assassination in 1980, said El Salvador’s bishops sent the pope a message asking that the canonisation be held in their country. Many of the country’s poor would not be able to otherwise attend the ceremony, a first for El Salvador, he said. Archbishop Romero’s May 2015 beatification took place in El Salvador. Ultimately, the pope will decide what to do, he said. “In any case, he will be canonised,” he said during the homily. “We are happy.”—CNS

YRIA’S Christian leaders condemned this month’s airstrikes by the United States, France and Britain as “brutal aggression” which aids terrorist movements, saying that allegations of President Bashir al-Assad having used poison gas are unproven. In a statement, the Catholic and Orthodox Church leaders of Syria united to condemn the air strikes as an “unjustified assault” on a sovereign country that is a member of the United Nations. “It causes us great pain that this assault comes from powerful countries to which Syria did not cause any harm in any way,” the Church leaders said. “The allegations of the USA and other countries that the Syrian army is using chemical weapons, and that Syria is a country that owns and uses this kind of weapon, is a claim that is unjustified and unsupported by sufficient and clear evidence.” The signatories included Catholic Patriarch Joseph Absi of

Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem. A total of 105 missiles targeted military facilities in Syria. “This brutal aggression destroys the chances for a peaceful political solution and leads to escalation and more complications,” the Church leaders said. The noted that Western action against Syria encourages terrorist organisations, such as ISIS and the al-Qaeda affiliates fighting against the Assad government in the seven-year civil war which has killed nearly half a million and left 10 million displaced. “We call upon all Churches in the countries that participated in the aggression, to fulfil their Christian duties, according to the teachings of the Gospel, and condemn this aggression and to call their governments to commit to the protection of international peace. We salute the courage, heroism and sacrifices of the Syrian Arab Army which courageously protects Syria and provides security for its people. We pray for the souls of

the martyrs and the recovery of the wounded. “We are confident that the army will not bow before the external or internal terrorist aggressions; they will continue to fight courageously against terrorism until every inch of the Syrian land is cleansed from terrorism. We, likewise, commend the brave stand of countries which are friendly to Syria and its people,” the Church leaders said. Pope Francis also expressed his sorrow over the air strikes. “I am deeply disturbed by the current world situation, in which, despite the tools available to the international community, it is difficult to agree on a common action in favour of peace in Syria and in other regions of the world,” he said. “While I pray incessantly for peace, and I invite all people of goodwill to continue doing so, I appeal again to all the political leaders, so that justice and peace prevail.”

Vatican: Killer robots will make war even more inhumane By CAROL GLATz

LLOWING for the development and use of fully automated lethal weapons systems would make warfare even more inhumane and undermine efforts to achieve peace through dialogue, not an arms race, a Vatican representative said. “A world in which autonomous

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systems are left to manage, rigidly or randomly, fundamental questions related to the lives of human beings and nations, would lead us imperceptibly to dehumanisation, and to a weakening of the bonds of a true and lasting fraternity of the human family,” Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic told a group of experts at the United Nations in Geneva. The archbishop, who is the Vatican observer to UN agencies in Geneva, spoke at a session for the “Group of Governmental Experts” on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS). States that are party to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons agreed in 2016 to establish the group to address the legal and ethical implications concerning such autonomous technologies, which are also referred to as robotic weapons or “killer robots”. The International Committee of the Red Cross has defined LAWS as being “any weapon system with autonomy in its critical functions. That is, a weapon system that can select—search for or detect, identify, track, select—and attack—use force against, neutralise, damage or destroy—targets without human intervention.” The first such autonomous

weapon was the landmine, but rapid advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning have broadened the potential for weapons with extensive autonomy from human decision-making. Archbishop Jurkovic told the group that “the development of LAWS will provide the capacity of altering irreversibly the nature of warfare, becoming even more inhumane, putting in question the humanity of our societies”. “Any armed intervention must be carefully weighed and must at all times verify its legitimacy, legality and conformity with its purposes, which must also be both ethically and legally legitimate,” he said. “Confronted with today’s challenges, these tasks are growing ever more complex and too nuanced to be entrusted to a machine, which, for example, would be ineffective when facing moral dilemmas or questions raised by the application of the so-called principle of double effect,” he said. “Increased automation will blur or erase accountability and the “traceability of the use of force with an accurate identification of those responsible”, he said.—CNS

INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, April 25 to May 1, 2018

Little boy asks pope: ‘Is my atheist dad with God?’ By CinDy WOODEn

FTER circling a massive, crumbling public housing complex on the outskirts of Rome, Pope Francis had an emotional encounter with the neighbourhood’s children. Question-and-answer-sessions with youngsters are a standard part of Pope Francis’ parish visits. And, at St Paul of the Cross parish, there were the usual questions like, “How did you feel when you were elected pope?” But then it was Emanuele’s turn. The young boy smiled at the pope as he approached the microphone. But then froze. “I can’t do it,” Emanuele said. Mgr Leonardo Sapienza, a papal aide, encouraged the boy, but he kept saying, “I can’t.” “Come, come to me, Emanuele,” the pope said. “Come and whisper it in my ear.” Mgr Sapienza helped the boy up to the platform where the pope was seated. Emanuele was sobbing by that point, and Pope Francis enveloped him in a big embrace, patting his head and speaking softly to him. With their heads touching, the pope and the boy spoke privately to each other before Emanuele returned to his seat. “If only we could all cry like Emanuele when we have an ache in our hearts like he has,” the pope told the children. “He was crying

Pope Francis embraces Emanuele, a boy whose father died, as he visits St Paul of the Cross parish in Rome. (Photo:Paul Haring/CnS) for his father and had the courage to do it in front of us because in his heart there is love for his father.” Pope Francis said he had asked Emanuele if he could share the boy’s question and the boy agreed. “‘A little while ago my father passed away. He was a non-believer, but he had all four of his children baptised. He was a good man. Is dad in heaven?’ “How beautiful to hear a son say of his father: ‘He was good’,” the pope told the children. “And what a beautiful witness of a son who inherited the strength of his father, who had the courage to cry

in front of all of us. If that man was able to make his children like that, then it’s true, he was a good man. He was a good man. “That man did not have the gift of faith, he wasn’t a believer, but he had his children baptised. He had a good heart,” Pope Francis said. “God is the one who says who goes to heaven,” the pope explained. The next step in answering Emanuele’s question, he said, would be to think about what God is like and, especially, what kind of heart God has. “What do you think? A father’s heart. God has a dad’s heart. And with a dad who was not a believer, but who baptised his children and gave them that bravura, do you think God would be able to leave him far from himself? “Does God abandon his children?” the pope asked. “Does God abandon his children when they are good?” The children shouted, “No.” “There, Emanuele, that is the answer,” the pope told the boy. “God surely was proud of your father, because it is easier as a believer to baptise your children than to baptise them when you are not a believer. Surely this pleased God very much.” Pope Francis encouraged Emanuele to “talk to your dad; pray with your dad”.—CNS

Why Gospel demands we reject ‘god of power and money’

N the preface to a book on his economic thought, Pope Francis has written that the Gospel is not an unattainable ideal, but something that the whole Church should seek, especially where there is economic injustice. “The Church, in spreading the message of charity and justice of the Gospel, cannot remain silent in the face of injustice and suffering,” the pope wrote. “Many encounters have confirmed to me that the Gospel is not a utopia but a real hope, even for the economy: God does not abandon his creatures…he invites them to not grow tired of collaborating with everyone for the common good.” Pope Francis wrote about economic injustice and the social teaching of the Catholic Church in a preface to an Italian-language book of his writings and speeches called Power and Money: Social Justice According to Bergoglio. In the preface, Pope Francis wrote that he hopes his messages on economic and social matters will inspire those who exploit oth-

ers to have a change of heart, coming to find a sense of humanity and justice. “I cannot fail to denounce with the Gospel the personal and social sins committed against God and against the neighbour in the name of the god of money and of power,” he said. He noted that, as it shows in the book, his thought is based on the “rich patrimony” of the social doctrine of the Church. “First as a simple Christian, then as a religious and a priest, then as a pope, I believe that social and economic issues cannot be foreign to the message of the Gospel,” he stated. “Economy is a vital component of every society, it determines in a good part the quality of life and even of dying, contributes to making human existence worthy or unworthy. “Therefore,” he continued, “it occupies an important place in the reflection of the Church, which looks at man and woman as people called to collaborate with God’s plan also through the work,

production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.” He noted that the world is capable of both the best and the worst, but that it seems today, “technical and financial means” have amplified the potential for good and evil so that in some areas of the world there is an excess of money, while in others there is not even the minimum to survive. Pope Francis explained that, especially in his travels, he has seen “the paradox of a globalised economy” which could feed and house all the inhabitants “of our common home,” but instead concentrates the wealth in the hands of only a few people. “It is possible: the fact that so many workers, entrepreneurs and administrators are already at the service of justice, solidarity and peace confirms that the way of truth, charity and beauty is arduous, but practicable and necessary, even in economics and finance,” he said.—CNA

Kenyan bishops: Compensate the victims of post-election violence By FREDRiCK nzWiLi

ENYA’S Catholic bishops urged compensation for deaths, injuries and loss of property in last year’s extended election season, which divided the nation and harmed its economy. Disputed elections led to the deaths of about 100 people. Kenya’s Supreme Court nullified an August poll, citing procedural irregularities, and President Uhuru Kenyatta won a repeat vote in October that opposition

leader Raila Odinga boycotted. Many people in the East African country “are still traumatised by what they went through and remain bitter, and hence are in need of healing and reconciliation”, Bishop Philip Anyolo of Homa Bay, chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, said at a news conference in the capital Nairobi. “For those who lost their property and those undergoing medical treatment...there must

be a way of compensation and some assistance” to enable them to “recover their lives and livelihoods”, he said. The country’s bishops welcomed talks between Kenyatta and Odinga, Bishop Anyolo said, noting that “their coming together was and will continue to be good for the country”. Bishop Anyolo said the bishops hope dialogue between the political leaders will bring a new era of peace, stability and prosperity.— CNS

Fr Javier Olivera and Sr Marie de la Sagesse, who were engaged to be married. (Photo: CnA).

Engaged couple now a priest and a nun

EFORE discovering their vocations, Fr Javier Olivera and Sr Marie de la Sagesse fro Argentina were engaged and planning their wedding. God had other plans. Speaking to ACI Prensa, Fr Olivera said that they both grew up in Catholic families and that “our parents knew each other when they were young”. They saw each other frequently when they were children. “I had really left the practice of religion. When I was 19, I came back from a back-packing trip to Peru and I met Marie. I asked her if she believed in virginity until marriage, because for me this was kind of an invention by the Church. She laid out the principles so well about purity, from faith and reason, that it impacted me. I met a woman who knew how to defend what she believed and who was at the same time very intelligent,” Fr Olivera said. Soon after that conversation, they began dating. At that time both of them were studying law. He was at the National University at Buenos Aires and she was at the National University at La Plata. “I started to practise the faith, to pray, to go to Mass on Sundays. All in large part thanks to her, to God mainly, but to her as an instrument,” said the priest. He added that they also prayed the Rosary together. For her part, Sr Marie said that what she most appreciated about her then-boyfriend was “his sincere search for the truth without fearing the consequences”. The couple got engaged when they were 21 and decided to get

married after university, two and a half years away. After Marie’s older brother entered the seminary, the couple began asking themselves: ‘What would happen if God called us to the religious life?’ “The first thing we said was ‘no’ and that was crazy because we were having a really beautiful engagement and we were already buying things to get married,” Fr Olivera recounted. Weeks went by and “there was this constant thought in my soul about what would happen if God called me, if I had to leave everything, why not be a priest? How to know if the best way to get to heaven for me is the priestly life or the married life? Where can I do the most good?” However, neither one of them made a decision. They had “a very prudent monk” as a spiritual adviser, who told them: “Look, that is an issue between each one of you and God. No one can interfere with souls.” “It was a long period of discernment, at least two years, until God clearly showed me the consecrated life, and I could not doubt that he was asking of me this total surrender, said Sr Marie.” After finishing their studies, both embraced their vocations. In 2008, when they were 31, he was ordained a priest in the diocese of San Rafael, and she made her final vows in the congregation of the Sisters of the Merciful Jesus.—CNA

The Southern Cross, April 25 to May 1, 2018

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

Our way to a century

OR almost half of the 200year existence of the Catholic Church in South Africa, this newspaper has edified, educated and entertained many generations of the faithful. In two years’ time, in October 2020, we will celebrate the 100th birthday of The Southern Cross, being able to reflect on a century of spreading the Good News (and sometimes also the inconvenient truths). But, like a cricket batsman going through the nervous 90s, we are currently sitting on a jittery 97 not out. And we are facing a spell of bouncers on our way to lifting the bat. After a few successive years of recording small profits—which for The Southern Cross means breaking even—the current financial cycle is hitting us hard. We will make a substantial loss. And since the crippling postal strike in late 2014 depleted much of our reserves, which we have not managed to fully replenish, our capacity to absorb heavy losses is diminished, especially since we receive no subsidies of any kind. In plain text: The Southern Cross cannot survive many more years such as the current one. The fact that this thunderbolt year follows a sustained period of holding steady assures us that we are generally on the right fiscal path, also thanks to the generosity of the contributors to our Associates Campaign. But strong immediate action needs to be taken, especially after the shock of the unexpected VAT increase. The board of directors of the Catholic Newspaper & Publishing Co, which publishes The Southern Cross (the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference owns 51% of the company), has therefore decided to raise the cover price to R10 as of next week. We are confident that the quality of The Southern Cross continues to justify the cover price, and that our readers will remain loyal. At the same time, our faithful staff are making significant financial sacrifices to aid this newspaper. These two measures will go a long way to alleviating the effects of a bad year. But our focus must be not only on the audits at the end of our fiscal year but also on the long-term survival of The Southern Cross. And the survival of our only national Catholic weekly is in the interests of the entire local Church. One of the great problems South Africa’s Church faces

is in bridging the various divides between its members, especially in terms of geographic and demographic background. In what is essentially a divided Church, The Southern Cross serves the function of bringing people together, across the provinces and across the race groups. The Southern Cross is a meeting place of Catholics who normally do not meet one another. We see that in the pages of The Southern Cross, and we see that even more clearly in our vibrant social media presence. It would be a tragedy for the local Church if this one meeting place for the whole Church were to disappear. For the bishops and clergy of our region, who are rightly concerned about division in the local Church, it should be an imperative to deliberately advance The Southern Cross in their dioceses, making the newspaper known in parishes that don’t know it and urging its concerted promotion in communities where it already has a presence. And the time to act on that is now! But we know that in the rapidly changing newspaper environment, the old model of surviving on sales and advertising alone will not work much longer, and new ways of generating revenue will be required. We are currently identifying additional streams of revenue, but even these efforts are constrained by our limited resources, which impede the appointment of a suitably qualified business facilitator with the requisite entrepreneurial competence. These alternative streams of revenue will subsidise The Southern Cross in its core function, which is to serve the Church’s social communications apostolate as a newspaper in print and digital format, and increasingly through our social media presence. Even as the dark clouds of precarious finances hang above us, we remain confident in God’s providence and passionate about our exciting plans for the future. We hope that our readers will see the new price not only as a measure to ensure that we weather the present difficulties but also as an investment in our future, and thereby in the future of our Church. Let the Church come together so that in October 2020, The Southern Cross can raise the bat to celebrate its century!

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.

Jesus’ agony over weight of sin I N his April 4 column, Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI mentions the reason for Jesus’ agony in the garden. He says that it was not easy for Jesus to link with a divine source outside himself in prayer. He then concludes that this was the reason for his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Is he forgetting that Jesus’ divine source is part of his very nature within him? He is truly God and truly man. It is true that he withdrew into the Garden of Gethsemane to be in solitude, to better commune with

Who failed the collapsed church?

HE collapse of the Winterveld church (April 11) raises many questions that should be addressed. 1. Who was the professional structural engineer responsible for the design? 2. Who was responsible for ensuring that the building was constructed in accordance with the relevant drawings, specifications, codes of practice, etc, that relate to such a structure? 3. Who certified that the building had been constructed in accordance with the relevant codes, specifications, etc, and was fit for occupation? While we can be truly thankful for “the miracle that nobody was hurt or killed”, we must appreciate that God’s laws of physics, as promulgated by Isaac Newton and developed by successive generations of scientists and engineers, cannot be ignored. Why do people act irresponsibly so that God must perform a miracle to save lives? MF Dachs, Cape Town

Land issue is moral not racial

REFER to your front-page article “What Church says on land redistribution” (March 28). My grandfather said: “They don’t make land anymore”, and it is inevitable that land tenure is always going to be a political (as well as moral) hot potato, not only in South Africa, but internationally. As such, notwithstanding South Africa’s history of racism, this should be seen as a moral issue, rather than a racial one. When I was a university student in Britain back in the 1960s, my then girlfriend and I attended an anti-apartheid meeting to which the South African high commissioner was invited. My girlfriend stood up and asked

his Father God as he was about to redeem the world. What caused Jesus to sweat blood was the fact that he foresaw all the torments of his passion and death, and they burst overwhelmingly upon him. The calumnies and the insults, the scourging and the crown of thorns, the thirst, the cross. All these sufferings thronged before his eyes and pressed upon his heart. At the same time, he saw all the offences, sins and crimes that had been and would be committed throughout the ages. The worst part

him whether it was right that onesixth of the South African population had five-sixths of the land, to which he asked her if it were right that 1% of the population should have 99% of the land. When she replied in the negative, he quoted the Bible, saying that Christ told us to look first at the plank in our own eyes, then went on to say that this was the case in Britain. He was (unfortunately) quite correct and he had effectively shut us up. It is a sad fact that, to this day, a disproportionate amount of the land here in Britain is owned by descendents of the Normans who invaded us nearly 1 000 years ago. Thus it is clear that the land situation in Southern Africa, as here in the UK, is a question of historical wrongs, and the challenge we now face is how to rectify this. Actually, looking on the bright side, the situation in South Africa is far simpler, as many of these historical wrongs happened in our lifetime, so are much less entrenched than they are in Europe. President Cyril Ramaphosa is to be commended on his maturity in not supporting mass invasions of farms as happened in Zimbabwe. The result was mass starvation. Many of the farmers dispossessed of their farms were offered farmland in Zambia, and Zimbabwe now has to use foreign exchange to import the food she formerly exported. As regards white farmers, there is much land further north in Africa looking for competent farmers to cultivate it. Why don’t they look north? The soil is more fertile, and the rainfall much better than in South Africa. Perhaps a gentleman’s way of handling the situation would be to allow a white farmer to keep his farm till he dies, but then it would go to the state for redistribution. The only caveat should be that he dies a natural death, to discourage murdering of farmers, so they could feel secure in the meantime. As regards compensation, his heirs do not have to be given a mar-

was that he not only witnessed them all, but was invested in them. So under the burden of their ignominy he had to present himself before the face of his all-Holy Father and implore him to show mercy! But so great was the anguish and agony of his human nature under the strain and weight of so much guilt and shame, that a bloody sweat poured from him to the ground. I gleaned most of this information from the book The Way of Divine Love. In it Jesus speaks to Sr Josefa Menendez, of the Sacred Heart convent in Poitiers, France, about his Passion. Moira Gillmore, Durban

ket value for the land, but a sweetener which would allow them to start up elsewhere, and loans at low interest so they can buy farm equipment for wherever they relocate in Africa. This would have the added benefit of helping the manufacturers of agricultural machinery, and create more jobs in that sector. The whole question of land tenure is indeed a thorny issue but, with a mature approach, one which can be resolved—and much more easily in Africa than elsewhere. Martin Lusty, Forres, Scotland

Pray the Rosary for Virgin’s help

HE text below will benefit all people who say the Rosary, and many more when they read it in The Southern Cross. The Blessed Virgin wants more people to say the Rosary, and has made 15 promises to Christians who recite the Rosary. We all know that with each day that passes, we are one day nearer to the day we will see Jesus for the first time. Jesus knows everything about us from the day we are born to the day we are taken from this earth. We cannot hide anything from him. He is the only judge and only the Blessed Virgin who loves us all can help us. The Blessed Virgin made 15 promises with regard to the Rosary. The 9th promise states: “I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.” She can appeal to Jesus on our behalf. Alfredo Lamberti, Johannesburg 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

The Southern Cross, April 25 to May 1, 2018

PERSPECTIVES Mphuthumi Ntabeni

Stay in power, Winnie T HE death this month of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela revealed, once again, the underbelly of our racialised society. Many saw it as an opportune moment to emphasise her moral failings as a leader, wife and human being in general. This, in turn, prompted an angry reaction from black people mostly, unto whom she holds the iconic status as a symbol of the struggle for freedom during the darkest times of apartheid, when the liberation movement was moribund and in exile. From the start Winnie was opposed to the Sunset Clauses that saw transition to power between the African National Congresss and the National Party at the end of the apartheid regime. With the likes of Chris Hani, the assassinated Communist Party leader, they felt it compromised the demands for real liberation. No one can fault that argument now. She was a strong proponent of land restoration to the black people, hence her latter flirtation with the EFF. She had a strong sense of self, and was sensitive about controlling the narrative of her own story—hence her refusal to be defined as Nelson’s shadow—and was perennially dissatisfied with almost all the movies and documentaries that tried to depict her life. Lastly, she was a feminist—not in the liberal sense, but she believed in controlling and directing the destiny of her own body without paying homage to the expectations of patriarchy or religious mores. All of this not only made her human, and flawed like all of us, but also an extremely courageous and tenacious woman. It is because of this that she has my respect and undying love. The five strong points of her character above made her a suspect and an enemy of the following:

The Public Square

The late Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. 1) The white supremacy and closet racists who feel comfortable only with things that submit to the hegemony of their narrative whose ultimate goal is to maintain white privilege. 2) Those who want peace and reconciliation to be maintained by the injustice against the majority who are still paying for apartheid legacy under pretence of “incremental change”—even though it has become clear during the last 24 years that things are getting worse, not better, for the poor majority. 3) Those who believe the status quo of land dispossession for the majority black people is a created nature of things which would be changed if only they worked harder and became more educated. 4) Those who believe Winnie needed to be punished for defying the controlled reconciliatory identity they constructed for Nelson to tame radical and militant demands for economic liberation of black people. 5) The patriarchy in all its traditional sense and institutions—to the extent that she must be defined by her marital infidelities when Nelson, who also cheated in his marriages, is provided a courtesy and understanding of being defined by his better qualities.

Our dance with Time M ANY of us have had the misfortune of watching time move as quickly as a tortoise. There are times in our work, school or ministry that bring us to a moment of staring helplessly at a clock. Many of my school days were filled with dry moments of boredom and nothingness. I would wake up at 5:30 and time would drag me through one hour of learning pronouns, verbs and adjectives, an excruciating 40 minutes of examining the Theorem of Pythagoras, and another lesson of learning verbs and how to conjoin sentences, this time in Afrikaans. This brings me to see how humanity has managed to view life as a complex calculation of years, months, weeks, days and minutes. It appears that we are in control of time and yet so frightened of losing it. We are forever in reach of time yet never close enough to fully grasp it. There are clocks everywhere and if you have the correct application on your computer, you will be able to tell what time it is in any city in the world. A consultation of any well-chartered atlas will show you where the International Date Line resides so that no human being needs to be confused about when the next day will begin. As fond as I am of alarms and calendar reminders, I do wonder what it would have been like to live in a world where time was told by the crowing of a rooster and the footsteps of nocturnal creatures. I am not alone in this. Many a quantum physicist has dreamt of hopping into a loud, shiny hovercraft and whizzing back into centuries past. Heaven forbid such a power would fall into the wrong hands. What would the world be if Abraham Lincoln had not abol-

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“When the sweet harmony of eternity begins, we will hold on to Time’s waist and dance with it to a song that never ends,” writes nthabiseng Maphisa. ished slavery in America? How would the Church have grown without the martyrs? Where would you be if your parents had never met? The past is not the only thing that inspires humanity’s curiosity. The abundance of psychics, tarot card readers and horoscope printouts seems to suggest that we are aching to know what the future holds. This is usually done by means of reaching out to powers whose resting place is unbeknownst to us and whose influence is immeasurable.

ut time in our world is always something finite. It always starts and ends. We have birthdates and days of death. We have sunrises and sunsets. Time has seen the rise of the Mayans and the Incas. It has also witnessed the ending of these once great civilisations. It watched as King Shaka ruled over the Zulu people only for his reign to end by the spilling of his blood at the hands of his brothers. It has seen flags flown at full mast

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Like most South Africans, I am not just grieving for Winnie’s life, but also for the passing of an age, and with it the loss of my innocence. I recognise that I have been angry, with a raised fist like Winnie’s, for a long time— ever since we were throwing stones and Molotovs at the Casspirs and police vans in our streets. Since we saw some of us die at the enemy’s hands and, in the mayhem of necklacing, also those suspected of being impimpis. I grieve for the psychological damage in all of us which was never given opportunity to heal, as it was in countries like Germany after the Holocaust. I grieve more when I now see the faces of those who shot teargas canisters, rubber and real bullets at us—killing those we left along those roads, and maiming others with lifetime scars we carry still today—become latter-day saints of humanism, pretending to care for those upon whom they sowed chaos. I see those who perpetrated all these things against us, or in whose name it was done, now point fingers at us, daring even to compare Winnie to the Hitlers and Stalins of this world. The injustice of it all not only baffles and infuriates me, it also wearies me. But this time around I've gained a little wisdom in my life. I shall no longer poison my life with anger because of the still unrepentant racists. But I shall never stop demanding justice, the only way to achieve lasting peace. This is the reason we say Winnie has not died but multiplied. Stay in power, Winnie! May you be just as militant for justice in the angelic hosts of St Michael.

Nthabiseng Maphisa

Pop Culture Catholic

and heard cannon balls tearing through the Bastille. All this and more has been given to Time. He’s a popular kid. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with him? We see that celebrities, politicians and fortune tellers will snuggle up close to Time in the hopes that it will give them the keys that open wide the doors to forever. But Time is no fool and does not give in to shallow whisperings and other seductions. It is not manipulated by potions and spells. It is like the wind that comes before each rain in October: warm, pleasant and full of promise. But those who try to catch it will feel the warm breeze upon their skin and soon notice the emptiness in their hands. What lone wolf are you and what free spirit becomes you, oh dearest Time? It is you whom I cannot grasp with my fingers and place in the safety of my satchel. It is understood in the Christian world that God intends for us to live forever. But the concept of a world without clocks or calendars is baffling and unimaginable to me. Perhaps is it not that in our eternal life Time will disappear but rather that we will no longer be haunted by its ghost. We will not have to chase after its rolling wheel of dusks and dawns. I believe that when the sweet harmony of eternity begins, we will hold on to Time’s waist and dance with it to a song that never ends. Time is a bubbling elixir of the here and now stirred with the drops of yesterday slowly dissolving to the bottom. At the top rests the tasteless froth of the future, for today we cannot know its flavour.

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Pray with the Pope

What’s the mission of the laity? General Intention: That the lay faithful may fulfil their specific mission, by responding with creativity to the challenges that face the world today. HE term “lay apostolate” brings to mind extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist taking Communion to the sick and presiding at services of the Word. This narrow view can confine the lay apostolate to a small group of people working at quasi-priestly tasks. The broader sense of the term includes all laypeople, and the layperson’s primary mission or apostolate is to the secular world. While the mission of the laity finds its origin in the laity’s share in the priestly, prophetic and royal office of Christ, it is primarily “directed to the evangelisation and sanctification of people and to the permeating and perfecting of the temporal order through the spirit of the Gospel”, as Vatican II put it in Apostolicam Actuositatem, the decree on the laity,. To my mind this is a far more challenging mission than assisting at the altar. Trying to infuse the secular world with the spirit of the Gospel in this day and age is not for the faint of heart. We just have to look at the recent massive moral failures in business to see how daunting the commercial world must be for a Catholic businessperson who is concerned about upholding ethical standards. The same is true for men and women working in public office. In a very contaminated moral environment it is hard enough to remain uncorrupted, let alone proclaim the Gospel. And the call goes beyond the ethical—how to bring into a morally compromised world the “spirit of the Gospel”? Clergy and religious cannot have access to all the places and people that the laity can and do on a daily basis in the natural course of their professional and social lives, but laymen and women are rubbing up against people of other faiths (and none) all the time. They can and do touch the heart of the secular world.

n one level, it is about simple witness. Just to be known by colleagues as a person of integrity and to make it clear that this integrity flows from one’s Catholic faith, is half the battle. Such a person will have the respect of people who are not of the Christian or Catholic household. We know this is true because the reverse is also true. We Catholics have deep respect for Jews, Muslims and other Christians who take their faith seriously and whose moral conduct is informed by that faith. Muslim banking or Jewish care to observe the Sabbath or Protestant knowledge of the Bible command our respect. What do they respect about us? The Holy Father is asking laypeople to respond creatively to the challenge to permeate and perfect secular society through the spirit of the Gospel. There is much encouraging literature around these days to help stimulate that creativity. One example would be the former Jesuit Chris Lowney’s book, Heroic Leadership. Another is the excellent Vatican document on the “Vocation of the Business Leader”. Yes, vocation! The Catholic tradition has some wonderful and often untapped resources which a layperson can delicately and discreetly deploy in his or her professional and social life. The deep listening that comes with a life of prayer, for example. The way we deal with people for whom we are responsible can be powerfully infused by the Gospel. In religious life we call it cura personalis, the care of your community members. In a world which reduces people to the graceless status of a consumer, such care testifies to a vision of the human person made in the image and likeness of God. n You can find a short, inspiring video on this theme featuring Pope Francis himself on www.thepope video.org

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The Southern Cross, April 25 to May 1, 2018

Two Sisters of the Daughters of the immaculate Heart of Mary in Witbank diocese celebrated their golden jubilees. (From left) Sr Peter Mnisi, Bishop Joe Sandri, and Sr Veronica Mashaba.

COMMUNITY

Pupils Jade Mciver and Amy Weinerlein (pictured) of Assumption Convent School in Germiston have been selected to represent the school on the Johannesburg Junior Council. The council has been running for 90 years and consists of two representatives from 40 schools from around Johannesburg. Amy Weinerlein was voted in as co-mayor of the council with Callum Beukes from KES.

The Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office in Cape Town held a roundtable discussion on the factors affecting newborns and infants, and how to minimise risks such as substance abuse, poor maternal nutrition, poverty, and inter-personal violence. (From left) Joan Armstrong, director of the Centre for Pastoral Development; Professor Lisanne du Plessis of the Division for Human nutrition at Stellenbosch University; Dr Leana Olivier, CEO of the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research; and Dr Liezille Jacobs of the Department of Psychology at Rhodes University.

PRICE CHECK

The new playing fields Astroturf, pre-grade buildings, and grandstand at St Dominic’s in Boksburg, Gauteng, were officially opened by past principal Rosa Calaca, with the blessing done by Fr Jeff Jawaheer.

Grade 6 pupils at Sacred Heart College in Johannesburg attended a leadership camp at Camp nelu, near Hekpoort. They were divided into four groups, each with their own camp counsellor, and gave themselves a name, a song, and their own crest before activities began. These included paintball, an obstacle course, and night-orienteering.

The B swimming team at St Benedict’s College in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, won the boys’ section of the inter-Catholic Schools Gala.

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Kwazulu-natal members of the Association of Catholic Tertiary Students gathered at the Denis Hurley Centre in Durban for their opening provincial Mass.

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April 18 to April 24, 2018

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Brother, nun tell their vocation stories

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Pope asks Napier to stay on in Durban BY ERIN CARELSE

Pilgrims at the church of St Peter’s Primacy at the Sea of Galilee. Tradition holds that the risen Christ stood on the boulders next to the church when he instructed the apostles to cast their nets on the other side. After feeding the disciples he issued the instruction: “Feed my sheep!” (Jn 21-1-17). Christ‘s instruction echoes especially on Vocations Sunday, this year on April 22, when the Church prays that more young people hear God’s call to the priesthood or consecrated life. (Photo: Günther Simmermacher)

Pope exhorts us to be holy BY CINDY WOODEN

OD calls all Christians to be saints— not plastic statues of saints, but real people who make time for prayer and who show loving care for others in the simplest gestures, Pope Francis said in a new landmark document on holiness. “Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality or joy,” the pope wrote in Gaudete et Exsultate (“Rejoice and Be Glad”), his apostolic exhortation on “the call to holiness in today’s world”. Much of the document was written in the second person, speaking directly to the individual reading it. Saying he was not writing a theological treatise on holiness, Pope Francis focused mainly on how the call to holiness is a personal call, something God asks of each Christian and which requires a personal response given one’s state in life, talents and circumstances. “We are frequently tempted to think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer,” he wrote. But “that is not the case”. “We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves,” he said.

He wrote about “the saints next door” and said he likes “to contemplate the holiness present in the patience of God’s people: in those parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, in elderly religious who never lose their smile”. Pope Francis also noted the challenges to holiness, writing at length and explicitly about the devil. “We should not think of the devil as a myth, a representation, a symbol, a figure of speech or an idea. This mistake would lead us to let down our guard, to grow careless and end up more vulnerable” to the devil’s temptations. The path to holiness, he wrote, is almost always gradual, made up of small steps in prayer, in sacrifice and in service to others. Being part of a parish community and receiving the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and reconciliation, are essential supports for living a holy life, the pope wrote. And so is finding time for silent prayer. “I do not believe in holiness without prayer— even though that prayer need not be lengthy or involve intense emotion,” he said. “The holiness to which the Lord calls you Continued on page 4

OPE Francis has asked Cardinal Wilfrid Napier to continue serving indefinitely as archbishop of Durban, two years after the cardinal submitted his resignation on reaching the age of 75, as required by canon law. Cardinal Napier said that the pope’s decision is surely a vote of confidence from the Holy Father, especially when it incurs greater and closer collaboration with him. After Cardinal Napier submitted his resignation in March 2016, he was initially told to continue as archbishop for two years. Just before Easter, Cardinal Napier received another instruction from the Holy Father that he should continue in his position until given further directive, which he said he is happy to do as long as he is still able. Cardinal Napier served as bishop his home diocese of Kokstad from 1983 to 1992, when he was appointed archbishop of Durban. He was made a cardinal in 2001 and currently serves on the Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organisational and Economic Questions of the Apostolic See. Asked whether he still feels fit enough to run the archdiocese, Cardinal Napier said that Pope Francis, whom he meets almost every three months, seems to be of the opinion that he is. “I am glad to take up the challenge to prove him right, by doing all that is necessary to remain physically and mentally as fit as possible,” Cardinal Napier told The Southern Cross. “Of course, there are times and circumstances when advancing age does show itself, but that is somewhat compensated for by the wisdom that age and experience force upon us.” Cardinal Napier expressed his gratitude for the high degree of cooperation and mutual support that has been evident among the bishops, priests, deacons and religious of the Metropolitan Province of Durban in his time as archbishop. “I greatly appreciate the support received especially from the bishops of the suffragan

Pope Francis and Cardinal Wilfrid Napier in St Peter’s Square. The pope has asked the cardinal to stay on as archbishop of Durban indefinitely. (Photo: Paul Haring/CNS) dioceses for common projects such as Caritas KZN, Joint Witness KZN, the Zulu Bible Translation Project, and so on,” he said. The cardinal said that he isn’t sure what he will be able to accomplish in the future, but sees a challenge ahead for him, together with the priests and deacons of his archdiocese, in the area of renewing and, where necessary, reforming the Church. This, he added, is particularly true of the marriage and family life ministry as a direct result of the two synods of bishops on marriage and the family in 2014 and 2015. “Amoris Laetitia, the final document of the synods on the family, in particular, calls on us to engage in more thorough and far-reaching preparation for marriage, not just the wedding day; accompany newly-wed couples for the first five to ten years of marriage; seek out and accompany those whose marriages have failed so they've divorced and ‘remarried’, and accompany families with special needs, single-parent families, cohabiting couples, and so on,” Cardinal Napier said. “I believe patient listening, persevering prayer and gentle pursuit will bear the kind of fruits that Pope Francis and the Synod Fathers had in mind when they gave us the benefit of the prayer, reflection, and wisdom on the role of a concerned pastor today,” he said.

S o u t h e r n C r o s s Pilgrimage 2019 HOLY LAND & ROME • 5-17 May 2019

Led by Fr Russell Pollitt SJ with Günther Simmermacher, author of The Holy Land Trek For more information or to book, please contact Gail info@fowlertours.co.za or phone/WhatsApp 076 352-3809

www.fowlertours.co.za/pollitt

Feed your soul with The

S outher n C ross

IT’S WORTH IT!

The youth confirmation groups of 2017 and 2018 performed a passion play at St John the Baptist church in Pretoria north, where Fr Clement Senekane is parish priest. (Submitted by Matsobane Kekana)

Several services were held at St Peter Claver in Pimville, Soweto, during Holy Week. Parish priest Fr Tom Segami OMi and Deacon Thabo Thokoane blessed the paschal candle, Fr Segami baptised new adult faithful, and the congregation joined in a candlelit vigil. (Photo: Sello Mokoka)

The Southern Cross, April 25 to May 1, 2018

FAITH

How to pray the Rosary well Praying the Rosary is an important part in practising the Catholic faith, but often it is recited by rote. MGR FLORiAn KOLFHAUS suggests ways of praying the Rosary more deeply.

words every so often, in some way, to affirm that I love God. To do this, it can be useful to pause and take a few breaths before resuming vocal prayer.

4. A gaze of love The vocal prayers of the Rosary provide only the rhythm of the prayer. With my thoughts, I can and should go out from the rhythm to encounter the Mystery which is being contemplated. This is more clear in German, where the Mystery is announced not only at the beginning of each decade, but before each Hail Mary. It’s a time to look your Beloved in the eyes and let him look back, with eyes full of love.

T is interesting that in her appearances at Lourdes, Fatima and other locations, the Mother of God repeatedly recommends praying the Rosary. She does not invite us to pray the Divine Office, or to do spiritual reading, or Eucharistic adoration, or practise interior prayer or mental prayer. All the mentioned forms of prayer are good, recognised by the Church and practiced by many saints. Why does Mary place “only” the Rosary in our hearts? We can find a possible answer by looking at the visionaries of Lourdes and Fatima. Mary revealed herself to children of little instruction, who could not even read or write correctly. The Rosary was for them the appropriate school to learn how to pray well, since bead after bead, it leads us from vocal prayer, to meditation, and eventually to contemplation. With the Rosary, everyone who allows himself to be led by Mary can arrive at interior prayer without any kind of special technique or complicated practices. This does not mean—and I want to emphasise this point— that praying the Rosary is for “dummies” or for simple-minded people. Even great intellectuals must come before God as children, who in their prayers are always simple and sincere, always full of confidence, praying from within. All Christians are called to the kind of interior prayer that allows an experience of closeness with God and recognition of his action in our lives.

e can compare the Rosary to playing the guitar. The vocal prayers—the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be—are the central prayers of Christianity, rooted in Scripture. These are like the rhythm in a song. But simply strumming a guitar is not a song. And mindless repetition of words is not interior prayer. In addition to rhythm, keys are needed. The Mysteries of the Rosary are like the chords on the guitar. The vocal prayers form the framework for meditation on the Mysteries. There are always these five chords to the rhythm of the repetition of the prayers, which make the lives of Jesus and Mary pass before our eyes. With meditation, we go on reflecting on what happens in each Mystery and what it means for our lives: At Nazareth, the Son of God is incarnated in Mary. In Holy Communion, he also comes to me. In Gethsemane, Jesus sweats blood. He suffers, is in anguish, and yet his friends remain asleep. Can I keep vigil with him or do my eyes close with tiredness? On Easter morning, Jesus rises and breaks forth from the tomb. The first day of creation brought light. The first day of the week conquered death and gave us life. Christ can change the darkness in my life into light. And so, our prayer begins to change into music. That is to say, it is no longer monotonous and boring, but now it is full of images and thoughts. And when the grace of God permits, it is also filled with supernatural illuminations and inspirations. There is one more thing needed to have really great music, or to have a prayer that is even more profound and intimate: the melody that the heart sings. When playing the guitar, a

Mgr Florian Kolfhaus compares the Rosary to playing the guitar. The vocal prayers—the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be—are the central prayers of Christianity, rooted in Scripture. These are like the rhythm in a song. The Mysteries of the Rosary are like the chords on the guitar. voice is needed to interpret the song. When praying the Rosary, it is the song of our heart, as we place our own life before God, to the tempo of the prayers and meditations. It is this song of the heart that allows us to enter into the Mysteries of the Rosary: For my sake you were scourged, and it was I who struck you. Forgive me! You have ascended into Heaven, Lord. I long for you, I long for your kingdom, my true homeland. In contemplation, the person praying sees the Mysteries pass before his eyes, and at the same time he abides in particular affections or movements of the heart before God. The one who prays sings the song of his own life, in which naturally there can arise specific desires: You wanted to be the son of a human Mother; help my sick mother! You were crowned with thorns; help me in this financial difficulty which I can't get out of my head. You sent the Holy Spirit; without You I don't have the courage or the strength to make a good decision. With this understanding, the following tips can help those who pray the Rosary move from vocal prayer to meditation to inner contemplation:

1. Schedule the time Our schedule is full of appointments. More or less consciously, we also plan out the time we're going to need for each task or appointment. Sometimes it is good to set aside 20 or 30 minutes to pray the Rosary, and write it down in the schedule. This “appointment” with Jesus and Mary is then just as important as all the other ones planned. For all of us, it is possible to set aside a time to pray the Rosary, at first, once, twice or three times a week. Over time—and this is the goal—it will be easier to find a time to pray the Rosary daily.

2. Don’t rush We can learn a lesson about prayer by observing people in love. During a romantic candlelit dinner, no one would be constantly looking at the clock, or choking down their food, or leaving the dessert to one side to finish as quickly as possible. Rather, a romantic meal is stretched out, maybe lingering for an hour to sip a cocktail, and enjoying every moment spent together. So it is with praying the Rosary. It shouldn't be treated as sets of Hail Marys to be performed as if one were lifting weights. I can spend time lingering on a thought. I can also break away from it. I can, principally at the beginning, simply be peaceful. If I keep this peaceful attitude and an awareness of how important this 20-minute “appointment” is, then I will have prayed well. It will have been a good

prayer, because my will is focused on pleasing the Beloved and not myself.

3. Savour the experience St Ignatius recommends what's called the “third form of prayer”, which consists in adjusting the words to the rhythm of one's own breathing. Often it is sufficient in praying the Rosary to briefly pause between the Mysteries, and to remember that Jesus and Mary are looking at me full of joy and love, recognising with gratitude that I am like a little child babbling

The

5. Be amazed One of the first and most important steps for inner prayer is to go from thinking and speculation to looking upon and being amazed. Think of lovers who meet, not to plan out what they're going to give each other or what they might do on the next holiday, but to enjoy the time together and to rejoice in each other. Looking at a family photo album is very different from looking at a history book. In the photo album, we see people who are important to us, whom we love—and even more, who love us! That's how our gaze at Jesus and Mary ought to be in the Rosary.

6. Let your ‘inner cameraman’ notice details Some people close their eyes while praying in order to concen-

trate. Others find it useful to focus their eyes on a certain point (such as a crucifix). Either way, what is important is for the eyes of the heart to be open. Praying the Rosary is like going to the movies. It's about seeing images. It's useful to ask yourself: Who, What, Where am I looking at when I contemplate the birth of Jesus, or his crucifixion, or his ascension into Heaven? And on some occasions, like a good cameraman does, come in for a close-up image of some detail: contemplate the warm breath of the ox that's warming the Child, the pierced hand of Jesus that spread so much love, the tears in John's eyes as he gazes at Jesus rising up to Heaven.

7. Pray in words, mind, and heart The words accompany and the mind opens, but it is the heart that has the leading role in prayer. All the great spiritual authors agree that inner prayer is about dwelling in the affections, that is, the inner sentiments and movements. St Teresa of Avila says very simply: “Don't think a lot, love a lot!” An elderly lady was ruefully complaining to me that she could not reflect while praying her daily Rosary, and that in that situation she could barely say, “Jesus, Mary, I love you!” I congratulated the lady. That is exactly what praying the Rosary ought to lead us to.—CNA n Mgr Kolfhaus serves in the Vatican’s secretariat of state and is an associate member of the Pontifical Academy for Marian Studies.

S outher n C ross Pilgrimage 2019

HOLY LAND & ROME 3 – 17 May 2019

Led by

FR RUSSELL POLLITT SJ with Günther Simmermacher (Author of The Holy Land Trek)

To book or for info contact Gail at info@fowlertours.co.za or 076 352-3809

www.fowlertours.co.za/pollitt

The Southern Cross, April 25 to May 1, 2018

LIFE

Is your T-shirt worth a human life? A disaster in a building of clothing factories in Bangladesh five years ago changed fashion forever, with many now insisting on ethical production and consumption, as South African fashion writer CLOUDS DRUMMOnD explains.

HE place was Rana Plaza, an eight-storey building in the Savar Upazila district of Dhaka in Bangladesh which housed three factories, flats and shops. It was 20:30 on April 23, 2013. “It was unbearably humid. Hot sticky air hung heavy over hundreds of workers who lined the factory floor, bent over sewing machines, some with permanently hunched shoulders from spending hours in that one position. Others were asleep on the cement floor, snatching a few precious minutes of rest during a 24-hour shift. “Men were stationed in another department, yoked by the wet, messy task of dip-dyeing tons of fabric. Young children played innocently among them, unsupervised and oblivious to the safety hazard caused by exposed plug points and naked lightbulbs suspended from a myriad of exposed wiring poking out of cracked walls and ceilings. Food or drinks wasn’t allowed on the factory floors. I wondered when they ate; if at all. “The noise was the worst; a monotonous drone of sewing machines churning out one seam after another. There was fabric everywhere; thousands of metres piled on every surface as far as the eye could see. A thick fog of fabric dust clogged my nose and burned my throat. “Fourteen hours later I sat in the plush conference room of a business park situated a 20 minute helicopter ride away. As we thrashed out a multi-million dollar clothing deal contract, a secretary burst in, her eyes wide with shock. The factory I had visited had just been reduced to a mangled pile of rubble,

casualties yet unknown.” This account was relayed to me by my good friend John (not his real name, to protect him) who was on business in Bangladesh at the time. He’d been living in the Middle East and was employed by an influential institution to secure a contract for the production of a new clothing line due for launch in June that year. His factory visit host was a major shareholder in the world’s largest garment brokerage company—a man who appeared indifferent to the morbid and dangerous working environment. “He didn’t seem to notice how affected I was by the factory conditions. His sales pitch was focused solely on name-dropping global brands to impress me. I couldn’t tell you whether this was true or not as I didn’t see any labels lying around but he seemed confident in telling me who his clients were and how much they produced,” John recalled. Forget China. Bangladesh is home to 80% of the world’s clothing manufacture. Some 40 million people across the globe work to make clothing and 4 million of them live in Bangladesh where wages are especially low. In a consumer market dominated by the need to impress, owning the latest trend has become a way of life. This demand has created a supply chain where “first out” yields the highest profit. And because time is money, any production line capable of churning out goods cheaply and quickly will be awarded a tender. Rana Plaza, like so many others in the region, was one such environment.

Day of disaster So what actually happened on April 23, 2013? The day was like any other, with hundreds of workers toiling away in three factories. Serious cracks in the structure had previously been reported yet fell on deaf ears. This proved disastrous when on that fateful day the Rana Plaza crumbled, with all its factories’ employees still inside. There were 1 134 fatalities and about 2 500 injured.

Models on the runway at Fashion Revolution during AFi Cape Town Fashion Week 2018. Fashion movements in South Africa can give guidance on whether the clothes we buy were made ethically or in rights-abusing sweatshops. (Photo: Reze Bonne/AFi) The disaster touched Pope Francis. A week after it happened, and while bodies were still being retrieved from the rubble, he noted: “Living on $50 a month—that was the pay of these people who died. That is called slave labour.” Later he connected that dot to us. In his apostolic letter Evangelii Gaudium he contrasted that “slave labour” with a prosperous lifestyle made partly possible because we can buy cheap clothing. “Almost without being aware of it, we end up being incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people’s pain, and feeling a need to help them, as though all this were someone else’s responsibility and not our own. The culture of prosperity deadens us; we are thrilled if the market offers us something new to purchase. In the meantime all those lives stunted for lack of opportunity seem a mere spectacle; they fail to move us,” Pope Francis wrote. This horror of Rana Plaza altered the face of fashion forever. It inspired film maker Andrew Morton to find answers. His documentary The True Cost takes the viewer on a global fashion journey

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to meet world influencers who shine under the bright lights of international runway shows. On the flip side, it portrays a sad tale of how the demand for low-cost fashion supports the emergence of sweatshops, and its adverse effects on the environment and society. Did you know that after oil, clothing is the second-most polluting industry in the world? It’s said that one can determine the colour of the season by the colour of the rivers in China. In cities like Kanpur on the River Ganges in India, Chromium 6 is used to tan hide, a chemical directly related to skin cancer. The True Cost also reports a figure of 250 000 Indian cotton farmers who committed suicide after being forced off their land when they failed to repay loans made to purchase genetically modified seeds. In that light, fashion is looking less glamorous, isn’t it?

Fashion Revolution Fortunately, more good has emerged. Not only has the tragedy of so many deaths catapulted the plight of cheap labour onto every digital screen across the world, it also gave birth to the Fashion Revolution. This non-profit global movement, now active in 100 countries, is dedicated to ethical, sustainable and conscious clothing production. It was started in 2013 by Carey Somers and Orsolo de Castro, two UK-based fashion designers who saw the factory collapse as an opportunity to champion reform in fashion by creating transparency in the industry’s supply chain. The organisation initially dedicated the anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster to Fashion Revolution Day where millions around the world were called on to ask global brands, Who Made My Clothes? By 2016, global activities spanned a week from April 18-24, and saw the launch of the Fashion Transparency Index. This white paper ranked 40 global fashion brands based on how much information they disclose to shareholders about their supply chain’s social and environmental practices.

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Transparency matters. It provides insight into the rights of workers in the garment industry; employee working hours, operational conditions, health and safety. Do mothers get maternity leave, are there pension plans, medical aid or disability cover available? Are workers given access to sanitation and clean water? Are they protected from sexual abuse and paid enough to support themselves and their families? Transparency ensures that the clothes we wear will never be stained with the blood of 1 134 human lives. So what does this have to do with consumers in South Africa?

Our country is a soft target because we’re the new kids on the shopping block. Globalisation in the form of travel, online retail and a plethora of international labels flooding our shores have seen a steady rise in exposure to clothing we haven’t had before. Insecurity, peer pressure, that need to be accepted, have created a craving for celebrity status symbols which appear to prove our worth. Sadly, our current poor socioeconomic climate sees one hand grabbing cheap mass-produced clothing as the other hand inadvertently feeds the beasts which keep sweatshops like Rana Plaza in operation. The solution to fighting the scourge of fast fashion is becoming so much easier that a lifestyle change may not be as painful as one would imagine. Firstly, South Africa proudly sports a division of Fashion Revolution with a Cape Town office headed up by Cyril Naicker. As CEO of the publicity and media company Afrikan Soul Headquarters, his job entails working closely with his client Wear SA, a movement which strives to grow and sustain local clothing manufacture. Shop the brands they promote and you’re guaranteed a quality, homegrown product. “Buy as much SA-made clothing as you can,” Mr Naicker exhorted in an article he wrote for the April 2017 issue of Glamour SA magazine. “Research has shown that when we support independent local enterprises, we strengthen our own communities. Plus, buying local is good for jobs, creativity and the environment,” he added. Economic growth and business development in the rag trade is also at the fore of Simon Deiner’s operation. A passionate and proudly SA fashion and commercial lifestyle photographer, he co-founded South Africa Menswear Week, the only menswear fashion platform on the African continent. Since its inception in February 2015, this biannual show serves as a powerful portal into the world of apparel and associated accessories created by emerging and established African designers. However, behind its aesthetic appeal sits an astute business mind dedicated towards bringing quality and design back home. “The first criteria for showing at South Africa Menswear Week is that the manufacturing process is conducted on African soil. My team and I then follow up with a strong curation process to ensure quality in design and execution,” said Mr Deiner in an interview. Furthermore, and possibly more importantly, he emphasised his commitment to the business of fashion and the promotion of these designers to build and create sustainable, profitable brands. “I encourage local designers to share their challenges and successes with me. Having access to key international players in the industry has equipped me to help them grow their businesses in any and every way I can.” Much like Cyril Naicker, Mr Deiner and the designers they represent, my friend John has become equally passionate about our garment industry. He left Bangladesh the day Rana Plaza collapsed, quit his job in the Middle East and returned home to start his own fashion label. With the rise of such passionate South Africans investing in our industry, our only responsibility is to buy consciously. Being “sartorially vegan” may not be possible yet but the next time you’re out shopping, ask yourself whether the cost of a fast-fashion T-shirt is worth 1 134 lives. n Clouds Drummond is a Cape Townbased fashion and lifestyle writer and a Catholic. She blogs at cloudsdrummond.co.za; follow @cloudsdrummond on Instagram and Twitter.

CLASSIFIEDS

Sr Winifred Kingstone CSN

AZARETH Sister Mary Winifred Kingstone of Cape Town died on March 13 at the age of 97. Born in Nottingham, England, on September 4, 1920, she was initially an Anglican who felt a call to become a lay missionary in order to serve God and others as a member of the international Christian charity Mothers’ Union. This led her to travel all over Mashonaland in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) during the 1950s— alone in an old car through very rough and desolate terrain—in order to reach families living in the remote villages scattered around the vast area. She wrote in her diary: “It has been a strange day today. A Mothers’ Union member offered to show me the way to the next village and we got lost. This is a favourite habit of mine, including getting the car stuck in a ditch… I have moved on twice since the last paragraph and there are two chickens asleep in the car tonight, plus masses of rice, eggs, etc. I have been a fortnight going from village to village, and you can imagine I need a bath more than anything! I have only enough

Nazareth House in Elsies River, Cape Town, had just opened, and Sr Winifred spent the following 20 years there. Her previous training as an occupational therapist was invaluable, and the elderly residents especially enjoyed all the knitting, sewing and other crafts which she did with them. She had also been a ballet dancer in her youth, and used this talent to teach liturgical dancing to an enthusiastic group of young girls at Elsies River’s St Clare’s parish. Eventually age and frailty caught up with Sr Winifred, and she was transferred to Nazareth House in Cape Town. She was a great community Sister, an avid reader, and also enjoyed her crosswords. Her love and concern for the residents and staff in Elsies River was always evident, and she would fondly recall her days there. She died peacefully at Nazareth House on March 13. The Sisters were most grateful to Archbishop Daniel, who travelled from Pretoria to be the chief celebrant at her funeral Mass and burial on Easter Monday, April 2.

drinking water for a cup of tea tomorrow morning, and I could drink six cups at this very moment.” Sometime later, Winifred entered the Anglican Order of Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and worked in South Africa. About 30 years later, she became a Catholic, and received much help and support from Archbishop George Daniel of Pretoria, who had himself travelled the journey from the Anglican Church to Rome. Sr Winifred became a novice with the Sisters of Nazareth and was professed on August 15, 1986. It was a great joy for her to see some of her Anglican Sisters present at this celebration.

We can all make a difference

E should all play a role in changing the world. It is no one’s job but one’s commitment in making the world a better place to be. Our secular leaders are where they are today because of the votes of their people. Before they even attain the position, they make promises (which some of them don’t go on to fulfil). The questions we face include: What is our role in the world? What change do we want? What change can we bring? We are all leaders in one sense, because we all have that one mind to change other people’s lives and the world. A leader is someone who listens to people, who puts others first. A leader is one who stands for the truth, no matter what. Although we are all leaders in our own corners, we should have that one leader who leads other leaders. And that leader is chosen by other leaders because

of their leadership. Is that what we see today when we look around? Or do we maybe see the opposite? Jesus the Lord was killed by his own people, not by cruel people or non-believers, but by people who did not understand his mission. We would all change the world if we were willing, teaching what we were taught. The world today is facing all sorts of challenges. We can name a few: human trafficking, rape, murder. Another example is religious wars that “prowl around the world like the devil looking for someone to devour”. But these wars are not primarily about religion. We don’t have to fight because of our beliefs: we can find something in common with others’ beliefs, and that will keep us going as the people of one God. Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust survivor, wrote: “The opposite

Southern CrossWord solutions

SOLUTIONS TO 808. ACROSS: 1 Milk, 3 Esoteric, 9 Tempter, 10 Tutor, 11 Hot gospeller, 13 Orange, 15 Mystic, 17 Keep faithful, 20 Lager, 21 Upright, 22 Foretold, 23 Send. DOWN: 1 Matchbox, 2 Limit, 4 Seraph, 5 Total mystery, 6 Retreat, 7 Cure, 8 Strong spirit, 12 Sculpted, 14 Avenger, 16 Manual, 18 Fugue, 19 Clef.

James Qeqe

Point of Reflection

of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.” A friend once asked me what keeps me going. I responded that I wouldn’t live if people weren’t there. People keep me going. It doesn’t matter where they come from, what religion they are or what colour their skin. Those are not important at all. What is important is that we are all human beings, and in one way or another, we all hope to live in peace. n James Qeqe is a seminarian at St John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria.

Our bishops’ anniversaries This week we congratulate: April 30: Auxiliary Bishop Duncan Tsoke of Johannesburg on the 2nd anniversary of his episcopal ordination May 3: Bishop Sithembele Sipuka of Mthatha on the 10th anniversary of his episcopal ordination

community calendar

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

cAPe tOWN: Retreat day/quiet prayer last Saturday of each month except December, at Springfield Convent in Wynberg, Cape Town. Hosted by CLC, 10:0015:30. Contact Jill on 083 282 6763 or Jane on 082 783 0331.

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. Con-

tact 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.

The Southern Cross, April 25 to May 1, 2018

clASSIFIeDS

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 (R1,80 a word) with small advertisements for promptest publication.

PRAYeRS

HOlY St JUDe, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke you, special patron in time of need. To you i have recourse from the depths of my heart and humbly beg you to come to my assistance. Please help me now in my urgent need and grant my petition. in return, i promise to make your name known in distribution of this prayer that never fails. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be forever blessed and glorified. Holy Mary Mother of God, Pray for us and grant my request (name your request). Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Dermot PE. O eteRNAl tRUtH, true love and beloved eternity. you are my God. To you do i sigh day and night. When i first came to know you, you drew me to yourself so that i might see that there were things for me to see, but that i myself was not yet ready to see them. Meanwhile you

overcame the weakness of my vision, sending forth most strongly the beams of your light, and i trembled at once with love and dread. i sought a way to gain the strength which i needed to enjoy you. But i did not find it until i embraced "the mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who is above all, God blessed for ever." He was calling me and saying: "i am the way of truth, i am the life." Late have i loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have i loved you! you were within me, but i was outside, and it was there that i searched for you. in my unloveliness i plunged into the lovely things which you created. you were with me, but i was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. you called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. you flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. you breathed you fragrance on me; i drew in breath and now i pant for you. i have tasted you, now i hunger and thirst for more. you touched me, and i burned for your peace.—St Augustine

Give us your vision of Jesus and ask the Father to open our hearts, that we may always see His presence in our lives, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, bring us into the joy and peace of the kingdom, where Jesus is Lord forever and ever. Amen.

PeRSONAl

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O VIRGIN Mother, in the depths of your heart you pondered the life of the Son you brought into the world.

Liturgical Calendar Year B – Weekdays Cycle Year 2 Sunday April 29, 5th Sunday of Easter Acts 9:26-31, Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32, 1 John 3:18-24, John 15:1-8 Monday April 30, Our Lady Mother of Africa Acts 1:12-14, Responsorial Psalm Luke 1:46-55, John 2:1-11 Tuesday May 1, St Joseph the Worker Acts 14:19-28, Psalm 145:10-13, 21, John 14:27-31 or Genesis 1:26--2:3 (or Colossians 3: 14-15, 17, 23-24), Psalm 90:2-4, 12-14, 16, Matthew 13:54-58 Our Lady Mother of Africa Wednesday May 2, St Athanasius Acts 15:1-6, Psalm 122:1-5, John 15:1-8 Thursday May 3, Ss Philip and James 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Psalm 19:2-5, John 14:6-14 Friday May 4 Acts 15:22-31, Psalm 57:8-12, John 15:12-17 Saturday May 5 Acts 16:1-10, Psalm 100:1-3, 5, John 15:18-21 Sunday May 6, 6th Sunday of Easter Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48, Psalm 98:1-4, 1 John 4:7-10, John 15:9-17

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6th Sunday of Easter: May 6 Readings: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48, Psalm 98:1-4, 1 John 4:7-10, John 15:9-17

NE of the aspects of the Resurrection that can sometimes be overlooked is that it is the victory of love, and next Sunday, as the Easter season rushes to its end, the readings invite us to meditate on this aspect of the festival. In the first reading, Peter is persuaded, against his religious instincts, to open out in love to non-Jews. In this case, the non-Jew is actually a Roman centurion called Cornelius, who “worships” Peter, and has to be persuaded that this is inappropriate behaviour (“I am also a human being”). Then Peter gives his verdict: “In truth, I understand that God is not a snob; in every nation those who fear God and do what is right are acceptable to God”; this is love breaking out. Immediately we hear that “the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to his message”. We are not told how they knew that it was the Holy Spirit, except that they “spoke in tongues and glorified God”; but we cannot mistake the love that is at work here. At that point, Peter resists no more and insists that they must all be baptised “given that they received the Holy Spirit just like us”.

S outher n C ross

Love at heart of Easter

Nicholas King SJ

That same love is expressed in the psalm, with its exultant imperative: “Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonders; his right hand and holy arm have won victory… the Lord has remembered his steadfast love and his integrity for the house of Israel.” And the love (as always) demands noisy expression: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth, break into song, rejoice and sing.” The second reading brings to an end our reading of the first letter of John. The word “love” and related terms are used here, by my count, no less than ten times in four verses. For this author, love, it seems, really is the only thing that matters: “Beloved, let us love one another”, it begins, and this “love” is linked with being “born of God” and “knowing God”; and it all comes back to the central Easter insight that “God is love”. We need, however, to be quite clear that this love is serious and costly: “Not that we have loved God, but that God himself has loved us. And he sent his only son as an expiation for our sins.” So the love of God is present at every point of the Easter mystery, on Good Friday as well

love than this, that they lay down their life for their friends” (once again, we recall what is to happen on the very next day); so it is with bleak misgivings that we hear him say: “You are my friends, if you do what I am commanding you.” The disciples have, it is true, changed their status: “no longer slaves, because the slave does not know what their Lord is doing”. So they have come to a new place: “I have called you friends, because I made known to you everything that I heard from my Father.” Then there is an important reminder, to stop us getting too exalted a notion of our position: “You did not choose me. No—it was I that chose you, and put you to go and bear fruit, and your fruit remain [that word again].” Then it ends, and we start to grasp the full meaning of Easter: “This is what I am commanding you, that you should love each other.” That “love” is right at the heart of our seven weeks of Easter celebration.

as the Sunday morning triumph. The Gospel is likewise well studded with the word “love”; as noun or verb it appears eight times in eight verses. But it goes a bit deeper. Once again we are in the Upper Room, and Jesus is helping his tiny and bemused group of disciples to cope with the fact that he is going to abandon them on the next day. Another important word here is “remain”, which comes four times, mainly in the command to “remain in my love”. This carries the implication, of course, that it is not going to be easy. And indeed it is expressed in terms of “keep my commandments, just as I have kept the Father’s commandments”. We know, of course, where that has led him, to the verge of death. At some level, it is true, we know that it is going to be all right (“in order that my joy may be in you and your joy may be fulfilled”); but we are talking of a love that goes all the way to death. The commandment is not, you may say, all that difficult: “This is my commandment, that you people love each other, just as I loved you.” But that is where it starts to get tough, as Jesus explains: “No one has a greater

Why moral outrage isn’t moral M

ORAL outrage is the antithesis of morality. Yet it’s everywhere present in our world today and is everywhere rationalised on the basis of God and truth. We live in a world awash in moral outrage. Everywhere individuals and groups are indignant and morally outraged, sometimes violently so, by opposing individuals, groups, ideologies, moral positions, ecclesiologies, interpretations of religion, interpretations of scripture, and the like. We see this everywhere, television networks outraged at the news coverage of other networks, church groups bitterly demonising each other, pro-life and prochoice groups angrily shouting at each other, and politics at its highest levels paralysed as different sides feel so morally indignant that they are unwilling to contemplate any accommodation whatever with what opposes them. And always, on both sides, there’s the righteous appeal to morality and divine authority (however explicit or implicit) in a way that, in essence, says: “I have a right to demonise you and to shut my ears to anything you have to say because you’re wrong and immoral and I, in the name of God and truth, am standing up to you. Moreover, your immorality gives me the legitimate right to bracket the essentials of human respect and treat you as a pariah to be eliminated—in the name of God and of truth.” And this kind of attitude doesn’t just make for the angry divisions, bitter polarisations, and deep distrust we live with today within our society, it’s also what produces terrorists, mass shootings, and the ugliest

bigotry and racism. It produced Hitler— someone who was able to capitalise so powerfully on moral outrage that he was able to sway millions of people to turn against what was best inside themselves. But moral outrage—however much it tries to justify itself on some lofty basis, religion, morality, patriotism, historical hurt, or personal injustice—remains always the opposite of genuine morality and genuine religious practice. Why? Because genuine morality and religious practice are characterised by the opposite of what’s seen in moral outrage. Genuine morality and genuine religious practice are always marked by empathy, understanding, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, respect, charity and graciousness—all of which are glaringly absent in virtually every expression of moral outrage we see today.

n trying to draw us into a genuine morality and religiosity, Jesus says this: “Unless your virtue goes deeper than that of the Scribes and the Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” What was the virtue of the Scribes and Pharisees? On the surface, theirs was a very high virtue. To be a good Scribe or Pharisee meant keeping the Ten Commandments, being faithful to the prescribed religious practices of the time, and being a man or woman who was always just and fair in dealings with others. So what’s lacking in that? What’s missing is that all of these things (keeping the commandments, faithful re-

Conrad

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Sunday Reflections

Southern Crossword #808

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Final Reflection

ligious observance, and being fair to others) can be done with a bitter, accusatory, unforgiving heart just as easily (and perhaps even more so) than with a warm, empathic, forgiving heart. Keeping the commandments, going to church, and being a just person can all be done (as we can see) out of moral outrage. To paraphrase Jesus: “Anyone can be gracious to those who are gracious to you. Anyone can love those who love you. And anyone can be good to those who do good to you … but can you be gracious to those who are bitter towards you? Can you be loving towards those who hate you? And can you forgive those who kill you?” That’s the litmus test for Christian morality and religious practice—and nowhere inside anyone who passes this test will you still find the kind of moral outrage where we believe that God and truth are asking us to demonise those who hate us, do us evil, or try to kill us. Moreover, what we do in moral outrage is deny that we are ourselves morally complicit in the very things we demonise and pour our hatred out on. As we watch the world news and see the anger, bitter divisions, violence, injustices, intolerance and wars that characterise our world, a deep, honest, courageous scrutiny should make us aware that we cannot fully separate ourselves from those things. We live in a world of longstanding and present injustice, of ever-widening economic inequality, of endemic racism and sexism, of countless victims of plunder and rape in history, of millions of refugees with no place to go, and in a society where various people are branded and ostracised as “losers” and “sickos”. Should we be surprised that our societies produce terrorists? However sincere and innocent we might personally feel, how we’re living helps create the ground that breeds mass killers, terrorists, abortionists, and playground bullies. We’re not as innocent as we think we are. Our moral outrage is not an indicator that we are on the side of God and truth. More often than not, it suggests the opposite.

ACROSS

1. The land ﬂowing with ... and honey (Ex 33) (4) 3. Kind of rare knowledge from coteries (8) 8. He tried to persuade Jesus (Mt 4) (7) 10. Cooked trout for the teacher (5) 11. A zealous evangelist gropes to hell (3,9) 13. Rage on about fruit (6) 15. Holy person who is deeply contemplative (6) 17. Remain steadfast in love (4,8) 20. Drink Elgar changed to (5) 21. Honest as a piano can be (7) 22. Predict in the past (8) 23. Here I am, ... me (Is 6) (4)

DOWN

1. Sacristans use it with striking eﬀect (8) 2. As far as you may go (5) 4. In a phrase, it’s an angel (6) 5. Description of the Blessed Trinity (5,7) 6. Does the army do it prayerfully? 7) 7. Secures remedy inside (4) 8. Powerful drink produces powerful courage (6,6) 12. Michelangelo did it regularly (8) 14. One who may get his own back (7) 16. Handbook for the organist? (6) 18. Bach may have composed it on the organ (5) 19. Organist will know which one is for the treble (4)

Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

HREE seminarians go fishing in a boat on a free afternoon. After an hour or so, one says he has made a vow to pray the Divine Office at exactly 3pm each day, but has left his book on shore. He steps out of the boat, walks across the water, and returns with the book, almost dry shod. Next, the second seminarian says he has notes for a sermon he would like to share with them but those are also on shore. He gets out of the boat, retrieves his notes, and returns with his shoes barely wet. The third seminarian is amazed and thinks that if those other two can walk on water, surely he has enough faith to do so as well. He makes some excuse, gets out of the boat and sinks like a stone. The first seminarian turns to the second and says: “I guess we should have told him about the sandbar!”

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