180711

The

S outher n C ross

July 11 to July 17, 2018

Reg No. 1920/002058/06

No 5091

www.scross.co.za

Trip to Bavaria: To be in a Catholic world

How we can renew our parishes

Madiba@100: Catholics recall Nelson Mandela

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Page 10

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www.scross.co.za/

R10 (incl VAT RSA) associates-campaign

Priest: Fighting racism is our Catholic duty

BY ERIN CARELSE

Deacon Baothae Masibi receives the lectionary from Thato Hlabi during the Mass that launched Renew in Klerksdorp diocese. The Mass was concelebrated by Bishop Victor Phalana with apostolic nuncio Archbishop Peter Wells and priests from the diocese and neighbouring dioceses. (Photo: Kagiso Francis Morake/Instagram: @mzokoshots_)

Oudtshoorn bishop resigns

BY ERIN CARELSE

P

OPE Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Francisco De Gouveia of Oudtshoorn for health reasons.

In his resignation letter, Bishop De Gouveia requested that he be allowed to serve in the Church in a ministry that is less stressful and free of administrative duties.

According to a statement issued by Archbishop Stephen Brislin, president of the Southern African Bishops’ Conference, it appears that the bishop is suffering “various inflammatory conditions”, among these “psoriatic arthritis”, and “has also been diagnosed with high-functioning major depression”.

Fr John Atkinson, vicar-general of Oudtshoorn, has been appointed interim administrator of the diocese until the pope appoints a new bishop.

Fr Atkinson is a native of Oudtshoorn and has worked at Swellendam, Knysna, Mossel Bay and George since his priesthood ceremony.

Fr Enrico Parry, chancellor of the diocese of Oudtshoorn, said that it took great courage for Bishop De Gouveia to take the step to resign, adding that this sends a strong message to leaders in the Church.

Bishop De Gouveia served the diocese of Oudtshoorn for almost eight years, having been installed on July 17, 2010. He succeeded Bishop Edward Adams, who had led the diocese since 1983.

A former priest of the archdiocese of Cape

Bishop Francisco De Gouveia, who has resigned as bishop of Oudtshoorn.

Town, the 67-year-old bishop had served in several parishes before being named a bishop in May 2010, among them Somerset West, Bonteheuwel, Durbanville, Camps Bay, Fish Hoek and the Cathedral parish.

He is also a former rector of St Francis Xavier National Orientation Seminary in Cape Town.

Oudtshoorn diocese serves a Catholic community of around 29 000 in a general population of 500 000. Covering 113343km2—nearly three times as much as Cape Town archdiocese—it is South Africa’s third-largest diocese in territory, after Keimoes-Upington and Kimberley.

C

ATHOLICS have a responsibility to tackle issues of race because we have a clear summons from our faith to confront and eradicate racism, a US priest and professor told South African audiences in various cities.

Fr Brian Massingale warned that attendees of the Winter Theology 2018 lectures on “Racial Justice and the Demands of Discipleship” were going “to feel uncomfortable”, and that hard truths would be and needed to be heard.

He quoted the biblical dictum that the truth, however painful, “will set you free”.

Fr Massingale has addressed audiences in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth, and at the time of going to print was scheduled to speak in Durban and Cape Town.

The annual Winter Living Theology series of lectures is presented by the Jesuit Institute in association with the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

Fr Massingale said that his objective was to show the contribution that people of faith need to make “to this ongoing struggle for justice that plagues our societies—that haunts us”.

“We are here because as people of faith we share in Christ’s concern for the least among us, and if we Christians are to live out Christ’s concerns, at least then this demands that we have a concern for racial justice,” the priest said.

Fr Massingale recalled watching St John Paul II on TV when the late pope gave his homily on his last pastoral visit to the US. The priest remembered being thrilled when the pope spoke so boldly and frankly about the responsibly of Catholics being pro-life, and in the context of being pro-life declared that there remained another great challenge: to eradicate every form of racism, a plague which is one of the most persistent and destructive evils of the nation.

Fr Massingale referred to three obstacles that need to be overcome and confronted when we speak about race and racism.

• People often don’t know what is meant by race or racism.

• People often don’t know how to talk

Fr Bryan Massingale is speaking in Pretoria as part of his Winter Living Theology tour of South Africa which concludes on July 17-18 in Cape Town. (Photo: Ursula von Nierop) about it, especially in interracial situations.

• People often don’t really want to talk about racism, and especially not about the core reasons for racial disparities and injustice, because talking about race in a way that is necessary to address the pressing issues, makes people uncomfortable.

Fr Massingale was also careful to point out the collusion of the Church with respect to the evil of racism and its shortcomings in dealing with racism. He noted that even though progress has been made, there are still greater advances to be made.

He said that profound apologies still need to be heard at an institutional level.

It is really about how we can “struggle together against an evil that harms us all, though in different ways”, he said.

It is an evil that, “no matter what our racial identities may be, harms us all”, he added.

A leader in the field of theological ethics, Fr Massingale is a past convener of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium and a former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America.

The final lectures in the Winter Living Theology 2018 series will take place on July 17-18 at St Francis Xavier Seminary in Cape Town.

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The Southern Cross, July 11 to July 17, 2018

LOCAL

Jubilee Sisters give bishop reasons to smile STAFF REPORTER

G

OD put a smile on the faces of four Precious Blood Sisters who celebrated their 50th and 60th jubilees of profession in Mthatha, Eastern Cape.

That was the message of the city’s Bishop Sithembele Sipuka at a thanksgiving Mass at Glen Avent chapel, concelebrated with Bishop Dabula Mpako of Queenstown and ten priests.

The Mass marked the jubilees of Sr Maria Mechtild Biberauer, who celebrated 60 years of religious life, and Srs Ferdinand Kabai, Hilary Ngqanda and Anna-Rita Schedl (all 50 years).

“What adds joy and a smile in a human is their quality of life,” Bishop Sipuka noted. “So I guess our jubilarians are smiling today because they have indeed experienced God’s unconditional love.”

Addressing them, the bishop said: “You have seen his guiding providence in your lives, you have seen how he weaves his plan of sal-

vation into your lives, and all this gives you reason to praise and bless him with great joy today.”

Bishop Sipuka said there was a wonderful reason for him to smile too: “In you we have veterans who are an inspiration for younger generations to stay on track. And so because of you, there is hope.”

The bishop added: “Your quality as human beings has developed and you have also grown in your spiritual lives. It is one thing to take a vow, another to live it. Over many years, your understanding and practice of these vows has deepened and changed you.”

The Sisters were due great respect, he said. “When you speak, we might listen because with 50 and 60 years of final profession behind you, you have the moral authority, you have earned the right to speak. For the good of the Church, tell us the truth when we go astray. You have nothing to lose now in being frank.”

Bishop Sipuka added: “We may be cheeky because we are in power

and do not listen, but we will have been told. Do not tell us what we would like to hear, tell us the truth, warn us about our sins so that our fate may be averted. Warn us so that we do not perish.”

The bishop noted with concern the decrease in vocations to the religious life.

“We are experiencing a decline in religious life, and there are no indications of an increase in married life either, so you wonder what is happening. Not only do we see a decline in commitment to a way of life, we are also seeing it in commitment to good causes,” he said.

“The prevailing misery, corruption, injustice, and abject poverty indicate a shortage of people committed to good causes. People are concerned only about themselves,” Bishop Sipuka said, before thanking the Sisters “for being examples of both commitment to a way of life and to a good cause”.

• See Page 11 for article on Precious Blood Sisters’ Mother Paula Emunds.

Precious Blood Sisters with Bishops Sithembele Sipuka of Mthatha and Dabula Mpako of Queenstown after a Mass in Mthatha to celebrate their jubilees of final profession. With the bishops are (from left) Srs Maria Mechtild Biberauer (60 years), Ferdinand Kabai, Hilary Ngqanda and Anna-Rita Schedl (all 50 years). (Photo: Sr Bettina Maria Berens CPS)

Help home to fund 970 nappies daily

S Staff at St Joseph’s Home for chronically ill children have chipped in to help its “Happy Nappy” campaign to raise funds for the many disposable nappies the home uses daily.

The

AINT Joseph’s Home for chronically ill children in Cape Town has relaunched a “Happy Nappy” campaign, run last year, as a way of saving on the cost of buying disposable nappies.

This year’s campaign, dedicated to the centenary of Mandela’s birth, is called “Our 100 Days of Giving”, and will run till September 20.

Every 24 hours, St Joseph’s uses more than 970 disposable nappies in its five wards. Last year the nappy bill was about R200 000.

Last year’s campaign raised R23 315 for the nappy budget, plus 16 405 nappies, leading to

a total saving of R81 408, said resource development manager Alrika Hefers, Staff of the home chipped in generously, Ms Hefers added. “We often ask the public to donate. As staff, we would like to set the example.”

Nappies can be dropped at St Joseph’s in Montana, and donations made via stjosephs home.org.za/happy-nappy-campaign or via the crowdfunding site www.backabuddy.co.za/happy nappy. One bag of nappies costs R230. n For more information contact Alrika Hefers at alrika@stjosephshome.org.za

S outher n C ross Pilgrimage to

CATHOLIC

FRANCE 6-16 October 2019

Lourdes

Fr Kevin Reynolds celebrated the golden jubilee of his priestly ordination at Maria Regina church in Lyttleton, Pretoria. Fr Reynolds is a past parish priest of Maria Regina. He was ordained by Archbishop John Garner in the Redemptorist Monastery church in Pretoria on June 29, 1968. (Right) Under the watchful eye of today’s parish priest Fr Sefiri Motsepe, Fr Reynolds cuts his jubilee cake. (Left) Fr Reynolds with close friend Mervyn Pollitt and his wife Jackie, who made the tripfrom KZN to Pretoria to celebrate with him. Mr Pollitt and Fr Reynolds were altar boys at the Monastery parish in Pretoria together, and weree schoolmates at CBC College in Pretoria.

plus Paris (with Miraculous Medal Chapel), Paray-le-Monial (Sacred Heart of Jesus devotion), Marseilles (OMI founder St Mazenod), Nevers, Avignon, Bourges, Orléans and more

Johannesburg Catholic Delia Kairuz speaks about her devotion to the saints in the SABC2 Issues of Faith documentary on the saints, which is now on YouTube.

For info or to book, contact Gail:

076 353-3809 or info@fowlertours.co.za

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Saints docu now on YouTube

T

HE documentary on the saints, broadcast on SABC2 on June 17, is now available in full on YouTube.

The 48-minute show for SABC’s Issues of Faith series included interviews with Catholic personalities such as Southern Cross columnist Raymond Perrier, Jesuit Fathers Russell Pollitt and Anthony Egan, Fr Lawrence Ndlovu, theologian Dr Nontando

Hadebe and Frances Correia.

Produced by Patricia Proctor and narrated by former TV presenter Karl Kikillus, the documentary explores issues such as “Why are there saints?”, “How are they made?”, “What did they do to be canonised?”, saints’ relics, and incorruptibility.

The documentary can be viewed in various quality settings, up to 720p HD at youtu.be/fsioMjEBNbU

LOCAL

The Southern Cross, July 11 to July 17, 2018

3

Pope Day brings govt and Church together

BY FR RUSSELL POLLITT SJ

S

OME 200 people, including diplomats, bishops and clergy, attended “Pope Day” at the nunciature in Pretoria, hosted by Archbishop Peter Wells, the apostolic nuncio to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia.

The celebration began with a Mass at Pretoria’s Sacred Heart cathedral at which Archbishop William Slattery preached the homily.

The archbishop of Pretoria said that Pope Francis is an inspiration to the Church in Southern Africa for his clear stance, the direction he gives, and his personal outreach to the poor. He thanked the pope, and the nuncio, for ensuring that the Church in Southern Africa knows that it is not alone but part of the universal Catholic Church.

Archbishop Wells, at the reception after the Mass, welcomed the deputy director-general of the Department of Higher Education and Training, Zukile Mvalo, who represented the South African government at the celebration. The dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Bene

M’Poko, was also present.

St John Vianney seminarians sung the national anthems of both South Africa and the Vatican at the start of proceedings.

The nuncio said the celebration brought together both diplomats and the Church, showing the dual nature of the apostolic nunciature’s mission. It is a point of contact between Pope Francis and the Church in Southern Africa, as well as the governments of the five countries.

Archbishop Wells said that as South Africa celebrates the centenaries of the births of both Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu in 2018, the two liberation heroes remind us of the imperative to continuing their work against poverty and inequality, and aiding the most vulnerable.

The nuncio assured the people of Southern Africa that the Holy See stands beside them to ensure that all are given a voice, especially the weak and marginalised.

He said that in its relations with civil authorities, the Holy See promotes the spiritual and material wellbeing of the human person to pursue the common good.

Archbishop Wells drew atten-

St John Vianney seminarians sung the national anthems of South Africa and the Vatican City state at a Pope Day reception at the apostolic nunciature in Pretoria. (Photo: Fr Russell Pollitt SJ/spotlight.africa) tion to a recent publication by the Holy See on the present world economic and financial system. Quoting from it, he said there can be no area of human action that legiti-

mately claims to be outside of or impermeable to ethical principles based on liberty, truth, justice and solidarity.

The archbishop said there were

specific areas of bilateral cooperation between the Holy See and South Africa: humanitarian priorities in general, human trafficking, the environment, extreme poverty, the rights of women and children, family life, racism and xenophobia, religious extremism, education, healthcare, HIV/Aids, and immigration.

He also affirmed that “the Holy See will never cease in its efforts to enable the message of peace to be heard to the ends of the earth”.

In his response, Mr Mvalo thanked the Holy See and Pope Francis for highlighting the plight of the poor and marginalised, and said the Holy See had always been in solidarity with the people of South Africa during the liberation struggle.

Mr Mvalo made special mention of the space provided by the Church at Regina Mundi in Soweto, enabling the community to meet and mobilise at the height of the struggle.

He expressed his hope—and that of President Cyril Ramaphosa—that in the near future, Pope Francis would visit South Africa.—spotlight. africa

Moral Regeneration calls for commission on govt land theft STAFF REPORTER

T

HE Moral Regeneration Movement has called for the establishment of a Judicial Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate land theft.

“Municipal, provincial and national government officials found to have aided the process must be blacklisted. Like perpetrators and beneficiaries of state capture, they should no longer be eligible to stand for political office,” said Fr Smangaliso Mkhatshwa of Moral Regeneration.

Speaking at the movement’s Ethics of Land and Soil Summit in Johannesburg, Fr Mkhatshwa said that fines imposed and assets recouped during such a reconciliation commission’s process would need to be channeled towards a reparation fund that would be used

towards replacing informal settlements.

He said that the summit endorsed the consultative approach towards dealing with the land question, which is an extremely sensitive, emotional and difficult issue.

“Traditional leaders, as custodians of land rights and cultures on behalf of communities, and other interest groups including beneficiaries of dispossession, must not be sidelined in the redress of past injustices which have robbed the landless masses of an economic asset, and confined them to squalor and abject poverty,” the priest pointed out.

The summit deplored the closure of agriculture colleges that should have empowered those seeking to work as well as protect the land.

The almost 300 delegates called

for these colleges to be reopened.

They also proposed that mentorship programmes be developed, and that machinery and equipment be supplied for unemployed youth to acquire the necessary technical skills in agriculture.

The summit also highlighted the importance of maintaining traditional systems that were used to prevent erosion to protect the environment for future generations.

It concurred with expert panellists Dr Tito Mboweni, Prof Mathole Motshekgoa and Prof Martin Prozesky’s assertion that the soil as the source of all that we eat—either as plant foods or indirectly from animals—is the very basis of life and must therefore be cared for as such, never exhausted,polluted or poisoned.

Delegates recommended that

the estimated R60 billion paid by mining houses to the Mineral Resources Department as a deposit towards rehabilitating mining areas be utilised to rehabilitate neglected communities, boost employment, and unlock economic potential.

An awareness programme to conscientise communities about environmental policies and land usage was identified as a critical step towards the rollout of land expropriation.

“Expropriation without planning will be disastrous, therefore accountability must be at the centre of the entire process, which must prioritise allocation of serviced sites for residential purposes to discourage increasing incidents of land invasion,” Fr Mkhatshwa said.

Prof Prozesky, an ethicist, stressed that while few or any land owners of

today personally seized land at gunpoint, they didn’t have to, because the 20th-century history of land seizure was done under the armed protection of apartheid laws.

“These enabled mass removals like those at Sophiatown and in many other places under the infamous Group Areas Act. “Today’s beneficiaries of that history of injustice then bought their land from earlier owners and so onwards, back to the original acts of violent appropriation,” Prof Prozesky said.

CORRECTION

T

HE writer of the article “Marriage prep with a difference” (June 27) was Mashadi Mathosa and not reporter Erin Carelse. We apologise for the error.

Pilgrimage to Medjugorje

Syro-Malabar Catholics from India celebrated the feast of St Thomas the Apostle in Pretoria with Archbishop William Slattery.

Syro-Malabar Catholics celebrate

S

YRO-MALABAR Catholics from India celebrated the feast (dukhrana) of St Thomas the Apostle in Pretoria with Archbishop William Slattery. It was St Thomas who brought Christianity to India.

The Syro-Malabar church is an Eastern Catholic church, and is sui iuris in full communion with the pope and the worldwide Catholic Church. There are about 5,5 million faithful worldwide.

The pontifical High Mass was said at St Thomas the Apostle church in Laudium, and, preceding the Mass, the archbishop hoisted the flag of St Thomas, an Indian custom which signifies the start of a feast.

On the feast day, Mass was said in the Syro-Malabar rite in the Malayalam language, celebrated by Fr Albin Paul, chaplain to the Indian community of South Africa. Fr Paul said there are about 8 500 members of the Syro-Malabar rite across the

country, mostly from the southern Indian province of Kerala.

Messages to the faithful came from Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, major archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, and other leaders.

The celebrations were conducted by a committee headed by Tomy Mathew, trustee of the South African Syro-Malabar Catholic Community.

The community is organised into four units, in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg and Kimberley.

Mass in the East Cyriac liturgy is said in Malayalam, and catechism classes are held.

The Syro-Malabar rite Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 10:30 at St Thomas the Apostle church, 273 Pendant Street, Laudium, Pretoria, and at Bryanston Catholic church in Johannesburg at 16:30. n Those interested in experiencing the Eastern Catholic liturgy may write to sasmcc2016@gmail.com

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Pilgrimage to Egypt and Israel

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4

The Southern Cross, July 11 to July 17, 2018

INTERNATIONAL

Bishop: Communion for spouses in ‘individual cases’

BY ANIAN CHRISTOPH WIMMER

A People visit at the tomb of Spain’s former dictator Francisco Franco in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain. The government plans to move the remains from the civil war memorial. (Photo: Susana Vera, Reuters/CNS)

Spanish Church warns on exhumation of Franco

BY JONATHAN LUxMOORE

T

HE archdiocese of Madrid has warned the Spanish government against plans to exhume the remains of the country’s late dictator, General Francisco Franco, without obtaining agreement from interested parties.

“We want a solution which helps build a peaceful country,” said Rodrigo Pinedo Texidor, archdiocesan communications director, noting that the archdiocese is not for or against the removal of Franco’s remains.

“We are against moves which don’t have his family’s consent and don’t consider what the Church has to say,” Mr Pinedo said after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed plans to remove the remains from a state mausoleum at the Valley of the Fallen, near Madrid, by the end of July.

Besides the remains of Franco,

who ruled Spain until his death in 1975, the Valley of the Fallen contains the remains of at least 34 000 people who died in the 1936-39 civil war, and includes a 150m cross and pontifical Santa Cruz basilica.

Mr Sanchez announced plans to transform the Valley of the Fallen into a national remembrance centre.

Spain’s La Razon daily newspaper said the dictator’s seven grandchildren had asked the Church to block the move.

Fr José Maria Gil Tamayo, bishops’ conference secretary-general, told journalists that the proposed exhumation had been discussed by Mr Sanchez and conference president Cardinal Ricardo Blazquez Perez of Valladolid.

Cardinal Blazquez had confirmed the bishops’ conference would not oppose the move, which was “not up to the Church to decide one way or another”, Fr Tamayo said.—CNS

Archbishop gets a year’s house arrest

A

RCHBISHOP Philip Wilson of Adelaide, Australia was sentenced to 12 months of house arrest following his conviction for failing to inform police about child sexual abuse allegations.

Magistrate Robert Stone announced the sentence and ordered an assessment of the 67-year-old archbishop to determine his suitability to serve the sentence at a family member’s home in New South Wales.

Archbishop Wilson showed no emotion as the magistrate issued

the sentence.

The court said that the sentence was appropriate given that the archbishop’s mental and physical conditions precluded a strict prison term. Archbishop Wilson’s defence attorney argued that his client would likely face physical abuse in prison.

The archbishop faced up to two years in prison following his May conviction. He stepped aside from his duties in the Adelaide archdiocese, but maintained his title as archbishop.—CNS

CCORDING to a German newspaper report, Archbishop Hans-Josef Becker of Paderborn has decided to allow Protestant spouses of Catholics living in his diocese to receive Holy Communion “in individual cases”.

As the newspaper Westfalenblatt reported, the archbishop told his presbyteral council that the document formerly known as a “pastoral handout”, which the German bishops’ conference has republished as “pastoral guidance” following discussions with Rome, offers “spiritual help for the decision of conscience in individual cases accompanied by pastoral care”.

“At the meeting of the council of priests of the archdiocese of Paderborn I presented my interpretation of the document and formulated the expectation that all priests in the archdiocese of Paderborn will familiarise themselves intensively with the guidance document and will act in a spirit of pastoral responsibility,” the archbishop said.

Referring to inter-denominational marriages as “denomina-

Archbishop Hans-Josef Becker of Paderborn and his cathedral in the central German city. (Photo: Wikimedia / Fotostudio Leninger Paderborn/CNA) tion-uniting” marriages in the German original, Archbishop Becker further said that through baptism, their Christian faith, and the sacrament of marriage, two Christians in such unions “are united”.

The Protestant spouse in such cases may have a longing and a strong desire to receive the Eucharist, the archbishop continued, according to the German newspaper, and therefore it is “a matter of

Combonis help doomed Bedouin village

BY JUDITH SUDILOVSKY

A

FTER decades of legal disputes, Israel’s Supreme Court has ruled in favour of demolishing a Jahalin Bedouin tribe village, located between two Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and home to about 190 people. The demolition of the tin and wood structures is to clear the way for eventual expansion of the Israeli Mishur Adumim settlement.

European Union leaders and religious and academic leaders from around the world have criticised the Israeli government’s decision to demolish the village and relocate its residents close to the al-Azaria Palestinian village, on the edge of a garbage dump.

The first to offer the community any kind of assistance were two Comboni sisters—Eritrean Sr Azizet Kidane and Italian Sr Agnes Elli, said tribe spokesman Eid Jahalin.

In 2008, the sisters began providing medical services for the children of the village. With Pax Christi In-

A young Jahalin Bedouin man in Khan Al-Ahmar, West Bank. Israel’s Supreme Court ruled to demolish the village, home to about 190 Jahalin Bedouin people.

(Photo: Debbie Hill/CNS) ternational, they also raised funds to build the village’s first school. Built entirely from used tires, the school now also serves the surrounding communities and has a student body of 170 students up to the age of 14.

The Jahalin say they do not want

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arriving at a responsible decision of conscience”.

At the same time, the 70-yearold archbishop emphasised that his move does not constitute a “general permission” to receive Holy Communion.

Founded in 799AD, the archdiocese of Paderborn is situated in the German state of Rhineland-Westphalia and home to about 1,5 million Catholics.—CNA

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to move to the land that the Israeli government wants them to move to.

“Our parents lived here, we were born here, we grew up and married here, raised our children here and now we are grandparents here,” said Mohammed Jahalin, 50. “The scent of our parents is here. Our memories are here.”

Israel says the settlement was built without permission. The Bedouin say it is impossible to get a building permit from the Israelis.

The tribe is resigned to the fact that they are pawns in the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, as well as part of the inevitable clash of traditional and modern urban cultures worldwide.

The Bedouin fear of losing their lifestyle is just as great as the fear of losing their homes. They worry their children will lose their connection with the desert and become connected to television and computer games, as they have seen happen to other Bedouin who have been relocated.—CNS

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INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, July 11 to July 17, 2018

5

Catholics and Anglicans: learning from each other T

BY CAROL GLATZ

HE Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission has published its first document in 13 years on how both institutions can learn from each other in the exercise of ecclesial authority locally, regionally and globally.

The document, “Walking Together on the Way: Learning to Be the Church—Local, Regional, Universal”, is the first to come out of the third phase of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, known as ARCIC III, which began meeting in 2011.

The latest agreed statement on how structures of authority support and promote ecclesial communion is considered a key element in understanding how discussion and debates are handled and decisions about ethics and “right” moral teachings are made, which will be the topic of the next document by ARCIC III. The statement also represents a new methodology of “receptive ecumenical learning”, which, it says, seeks “to learn how the experience and structures of the other tradition might help them address their own questions and difficulties”.

The document explores the respective structures of the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion and identifies the challenges and difficulties each tradition faces at the local, regional and worldwide levels.

It then asks what each tradition holds that might be transformative or beneficial and learned from the other tradition so as to better support the mission of the Church.

The Vatican and the Anglicans’ Lambeth Conference are yet to officially approve it.

Some of the highlights from the document include: • Concerning involvement of the laity in Catholic Church governance, the Church “could learn from the mandatory roles accorded to the laity in Anglican parochial and diocesan structures, in ways that would nevertheless preserve the executive roles proper to the parish

South Sudanese sing traditional songs in Khartoum during a South Sudan peace meeting as part of talks to negotiate an end to a civil war that broke out in 2013. (Photo: Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah, Reuters/CNS) Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, England, head of the Church of England, and Pope Francis deliver a blessing at the Church of St Gregory in Rome. The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission published its first document in 13 years on how both institutions can learn from each other. (Photo: Paul Haring/CNS) priest and the bishop”.

• On the need for more open conversation, the Church “could be enriched by learning from Anglican experience of open and sometimes painful debate while the Church is in process of coming to a common mind”.

• Regarding ministry, “while the commission recognises that some decisions regarding ministry made by provinces of the Anglican Communion are not open to the Roman Catholic community, others potentially are, for example a female diaconate; a fuller implementation of licensed lay pastoral assistants; the priestly ordination of mature married men —viri probati; and the authorisation of lay people to preach”.

• As for strengthening the role of regional structures of Church life, the teaching role of Catholic bishops’ conferences could be strengthened by way of “a ‘pastoral magisterium’, the pastoral development of teaching that is formulated in a more abstract manner at the universal level”.

• Laity, religious and clergy could be given a deliberative vote in

Catholic provincial/regional councils on matters such as worship, pastoral outreach or community self-discipline.

• “Pope Francis has noted a tendency of bishops to defer too readily to Rome rather than to exercise their own proper authority. The decisionmaking authority exercised by Rome—particularly in relation to episcopal appointments, and its power to censure can render both individual bishops and episcopal conferences reticent and constrained in exercising their proper authority.”

• The Anglican tradition’s way of cherishing the role of the local and regional Church and the Catholic Church’s high priority on the need for ecclesial unity and coherence “are valued as gifts of grace and providence” but are also affected by sin, “as can be seen when the concern for autonomy becomes one of outright independence and when the concern for ecclesial unity and coherence becomes excessive centralised power. Hence there is the need for ecclesial repentance and for reform of our instruments of communion in this respect”.—CNS

Catholics mobilise for migrant families at US-Mexican border

BY RHINA GUIDOS

S

OME have taken their indignation all the way to the border between the US and Mexico, while others have taken action closer to home, protesting while accompanied by their children and fellow parishioners in cities and towns across the US. Others are volunteering their services to counsel or visit immigrant children separated from a parent or are publicly advocating against the practice.

From coast to coast, Catholics, including cardinals, bishops, women and men religious, priests and laity, and many Sisters from an array of religious orders and the organisations they staff or support, have been among some of the most public and vociferous voices around the country in defence of immigrants. That defence has gone into overdrive in efforts to reunite migrant families and to call for their humane treatment.

“Some of these episodes are right down inhumane, unbiblical and un-American,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan before a crowd of reporters in New York City during a news conference.

“I’d like to think that America has just experienced a wake-up call. That we’re getting away from our roots, of a posture of welcome and hospitality and embrace to the immigrant.”

Outside a courthouse in El

Demonstrators in Washington protest the Trump administration’s immigration policy during a national day of action.

(Photo: Tyler Orsburn/CNS) Paso, Texas, where hundreds of protesters had gathered to speak against family separation and detention, Sr Simone Campbell, a Sister of Social Service who is executive director of the Catholic social justice lobby Network, addressed the crowd using the words from the Book of Micah: “What does God ask of us? Act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly.”

“Our nation is failing this mandate,” she said. “We are failing to act justly. We as a nation are not loving. ” Sr Campbell tweeted that she was heading towards a detention camp for children to deliver toys

and books but had “no luck” in being allowed to do so.

Fr Tom Smith, a Conventual Franciscan who runs a retreat centre that has housed 500 migrants since November 2016 in New Mexico, had the same experience and was denied entry to a child detention centre in Texas.

“Zero tolerance is vindictive and immoral. Immigration officials may now say we are not separating families, but how long will it take to unite those already separated?” Fr Smith asked.

Though the Trump administration said it would temporarily stop separating children from their parents at the border, Catholics advocating for the migrants worry about the administration’s imminent plans to detain the children and their family members at camps on military bases in Texas.

Fr Smith said even though the administration plans to detain the families as a unit, that will not solve the problems of treating them inhumanely.

“We need to respect their dignity. Joseph and Mary and Jesus had to flee their home country because King Herod threatened to kill the child Jesus,” he said.

“Would we send them back if they came to our border and say, ‘Sorry, we don’t want you!’”— CNS

South Sudanese ceasefire creates hope for peace

BY FREDRICK NZWILI

C

ATHOLIC leaders in South Sudan expressed optimism that a new peace agreement between the government and rebel forces would hold despite allegations of violations in some remote frontlines.

The ceasefire agreement, between South Sudan President Salva Kiir and forces controlled by Riek Machar, his former deputy-turned rebel leader, was signed in Khartoum, Sudan, following talks brokered by Sudan President Omar al-Bashir.

For Church leaders and observers, the pact raised hopes for an end to a destructive civil war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 2013 in the world’s newest nation.

“We remain optimistic. There has some been fighting in some areas, but I consider this as a result of delays in relaying of the ceasefire orders to the frontlines. Some of the areas are remote and the communication network is poor,” said Fr James Oyet Latansio, general secretary of the South Sudan Council of Churches. “I want to be hopeful.”

Fr Latansio spoke amid reports that fierce fighting in Northern Upper Nile and Yei River states had left at least 18 people dead. The agreement calls for ending hostilities, separating forces in close proximity, withdrawal of allied troops, opening of humanitarian corridors and releasing prisoners of war and political detainees.

Fr Ferdinand Lugonzo, general secretary of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa, also welcomed the agreement as a good sign.

“We see this as a good starting point,” Fr Lugonzo said.

Further, he said, steps must be taken to ensure that the South Sudanese people live peacefully and that any remaining disagreements be resolved during negotiations rather than through armed conflict.

“The political leaders should have the will to end the conflict.

The neighbouring countries should also offer support to the leaders,” Fr Lugonzo said.

The Church has stood with the people, providing both humanitarian and pastoral care throughout the war.—CNS

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6

The Southern Cross, July 11 to July 17, 2018

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

Mandela at 100

A

S South Africa, and the world, marks the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela, his legacy is currently undergoing a critical revision.

Most people regard Mr Mandela as one of the great peacemakers in modern times—one who led a peaceful revolution—and hail him as one of the few politicians of personal integrity.

The longer Mr Mandela lived, the more he became loved. After he died at 95 on December 5, 2013, world leaders came to South Africa to mourn with a people who had lost their beloved Father of the Nation.

But there are also critical voices which see him as having compromised black aspirations when he presided over the negotiations for a democratic South Africa, the peaceful transition, and the adoption of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

In that critique, Mr Mandela and his fellow African National Congress leaders made too many concessions to white power, in particular by not launching an economic transformation that would have seen a redistribution of wealth.

This critique must be engaged with, even as it falsely presumes that the ANC was unconstrained by political realities, rather than having to negotiate a transition with a regime it had not overthrown. That reality required concessions.

The policy of nation-building through reconciliation was necessary to preserve peace in the volatile 1990s. It created the foundation for our democracy— one which guarantees us the freedom to criticise the current president or those who preceded him.

It would be an injustice to reduce Mr Mandela’s philosophy to reconciliation alone. The next step in the freedom project had to be a transformation of power relations in South Africa—not to disempower whites but to empower those who, shackled by poverty, have no agency in shaping their lives.

As South Africa celebrates and gives tribute to Madiba, the nation must be committed to honouring his memory by effecting that transformation which he envisaged.

Catholics, too, are divided over the Mandela legacy, with some finding it impossible to forgive his part in the legalisation of

abortion in 1996.

It is indeed true that Mr Mandela presided over the adoption of the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act, and signed it. Mr Mandela was unambiguously prochoice, declaring: “Women have the right to decide what they want to do with their bodies.”

Catholics cannot concur with a philosophy which subordinates the unborn child’s right to life to the private rights of the mother.

For Catholics, the unborn life is a person in its own right, not a mere medical condition. We can therefore not agree with Mr Mandela’s sentiment.

But to honour Mr Mandela’s life, we do not need to agree with the totality of his worldview, and certainly not that part of it which didn’t regard the unborn life as a person.

One may fairly criticise Mr Mandela for not knowing what harm he was doing by backing legal abortion, but even then it must be acknowledged that he held that position in good faith, without seeking to do harm (in his view, to actually do good).

His legacy stands—even with that shadow cast on it, for whose legacy is free of shadows?

Mr Mandela is rightly revered around the world for his courage, his perseverance, his sense of justice and, above all, his unquestionable integrity.

His example of forgiveness and reconciliation stands as an example for the ages. Here Christians can discern God’s hand in the life of Nelson Mandela.

In his column this week, Fr Ron Rolheiser notes: “Forgiveness is the greatest miracle, the pan-ultimate miracle, which, along with everlasting life, is the real meaning of the resurrection of Jesus.

There’s nothing more godlike, or miraculous, than a moment of reconciliation, a moment of forgiveness.”

In our age of cruel populists and hate-mongers, Nelson Mandela—the freedom fighter who sought peace and justice, the honourable politician—provides a powerful counterwitness.

Mr Mandela’s great example of forgiveness, courage and generosity of spirit is worthy of emulation.

And to truly emulate and honour Mr Mandela, we must with passionate commitment fight the injustices—political and social— which afflict our country and the world.

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.

Why would anyone leave Church?

M

Y wife and I were travelling recently in the north of the Philippines. It’s still a mission territory but even though there is not always a priest around, the people gather every evening for the Rosary after they come in from the fields.

We joined them and couldn’t help but notice that most were old and most were women. This is a common sight here, as in the Western world, with mostly elderly women stoically bolstering the Church. I wonder why ?

Clearly the problem cannot be our origin. It is the Church started by the Lord himself. Its popes and bishops are successors of Peter and the Apostles. We don’t cater to shifting public opinion but retain authentic and unchangeable teachings.

The thing is, though, faith cannot really be taught, it must be caught.

And you can only catch it from someone who has it in the first place.

The early days of the Church set the tone for this: “These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover” (Mk 16:17-18).

The Acts of the Apostles lead us into this demonstration of faith, confirmed by heaven through signs and the wonders of the Lord’s love and mercy.

Why would anyone leave that Church? Those early Christians

Rejection of sodomy ancient

J

UNE Boyer (May 16) writes about the terrible suffering brought upon gay people. She suggests that the religions of the world are to blame for that suffering and supposes that one day those religions will have to apologise for it.

The advice by the Church to people with same-sex attraction to refrain from sex is a sincere warning not to act against human nature, because nature might strike back with STDs like HPV and HIV infections, and with cervical, anal and oral cancers which make life like hell.

People who act unnaturally have only themselves to blame for their terrible suffering, not any religion.

The Church is of course also concerned about any harm that might happen to the souls of such people.

That sodomy is a grave depravity is not an invention of the Church. It was that before the Church, and will be after the demise of the Church, for sodomy is against human nature.

Religions only affirm the eternal laws of human nature. So religions don’t have to apologise for anything.

Christians know that life can burden them sometimes with a cross.

Sometimes the cross we receive may be the cross we need.

Mrs Boyer says 2 000 years ago St Paul had no idea about evolution.

She wants to suggest his words are antiquated. Not true. St Paul’s words in the Bible are God’s words, which will never pass away.

JH Goossens, Pretoria Opinions expressed in The Southern Cross, especially in Letters to the Editor, do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or staff of the newspaper, or of the Catholic hierarchy. letters can be sent to PO Box 2372, cape town 8000 or editor@scross.co.za or faxed to 021 465-3850

Jesus Christ is depicted in a 13thcentury mosaic in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. A Dominican scholar has suggested that Jesus of the Gospels is in fact a mythical figure.

Did historical Jesus truly exist?

A

N Irish Dominican priest, Fr Thomas Brodie, in 2012 published a book, Beyond the Quest for the Historical Jesus: A Memoir of Discovery, querying whether the “historical” Jesus actually existed.

For his troubles, he was relieved of his post as editor of the Dominican Biblical Institute in Limerick by the Vatican’s Congregation of Doctrine of the Faith. At the time, Fr Brodie’s colleagues said he had resigned as his term of office had ended.

It appears Fr Brodie is an accomplished biblical scholar. Although he probably is the first Catholic priest to make such an assertion, the theory that the Jesus of the gospels is a mythical figure has been in circulation for ages.

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showed that Jesus was a living God, the source of everything we need, not just salvation but everything.

Faith became the very centre of their lives, an active one, a life of miracles. After all, it would be inaccurate to preach a God who is merely a historical figure, or a reclusive, remote Being.

After the Rosary, we shared some testimonies about miracles we had witnessed and my wife gave a talk about praying for healing and we prayed over many who were sick.

After that the participants couldn’t wait to go and pray for their sick friends and relatives: an immediate domino effect.

I think God is waiting as patiently to be introduced as his people are waiting to hear more about and receive him!

Stephen Clark, Manila, Philippines

What is food for thought is that, the crucifixion aside, there is no corroborating historical literature at all to support the claims made by the Gospel and New Testament writers.

For someone of the magnitude of Jesus, it just doesn’t make sense that no other historian of that era bothered to make note of Jesus or the miracles he performed.

Unless one turns to people’s various mythological beliefs, prior to and at the time of Jesus, specifically those in close proximity to Judaea.

Common to the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, was a belief in a sun deity who was depicted in human form, Ra to the Egyptians, Helios to the Greeks and Sol to the Romans. Both Helios and Sol were depicted crowned with the aureole of the sun.

Although Greek philosophers such as Xenophanes and Heraclitus argued against so-called interference by the “gods” in the lives of human beings (500 BC), other learned men, and I’m sure women, had been studying the Septuagint, the Jewish Scriptures translated in Alexandria around 200 BC. In that city, the stage was being set for the birth of Christianity, based on the democratic principle of “knowledge for all”, spread in previous centuries by men such as Socrates and his disciple Antisthenes. Socrates was sentenced to death by poisoning, which Fr Brodie has fortunately avoided.

It is worth noting that in their mythology, the Southern African San “saw” their god Heitse-Eibib in the red of the dawn, which they held to be the blood of the wounds he had incurred in his everlasting battle in overcoming the darkness of the night.

Perhaps Fr Brodie should be taken seriously.

Patrick Dacey, Johannesburg

PUBlIc lectURe

“MINIStRY ON tHe MARGINS: A RADIcAl Re-tHINK ABOUt WHO IS MOSt IN NeeD OF OUR PAStORAl cARe

BY FR RUSSell POllItt S.J DIRectOR: JeSUIt INStItUte OF SOUtH AFRIcA tUeSDAY 17 JUlY At 7.30 PM

Venue: cK Storey Hall, Methodist church, Main Road, Rosebank, cape town. Parking and entrance via chapel Road.

We ARe All cHURcH SOUtH AFRIcA

The Southern Cross, July 11 to July 17, 2018

PERSPECTIVES

Hear the ancient voices of women S Raymond Perrier OMETIMES we don’t know what we don’t know. I realised this recently at the “Amaz!ng” National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.

For me this is an opportunity to enjoy more of what I know and like; but I also make a point of seeking out dance and music and theatre that I don’t know or recognise.

I was thus drawn to a musical programme that was advertised as featuring works by only female composers. The one name I did recognise was St Hildegard of Bingen, though even then I realised how little I knew about her. But I checked on Wikipedia!

She lived 900 years ago in an age when a widely respected male theologian, Hugh of St Victor, could write something like this: “Woman is made so she is not only inferior by obedience but by nature.”

Imagine if a priest tried to say that in a pulpit today!

Hildegard proved them wrong. She was an abbess, in charge of a major monastery, and author of a range and scale of works that would outshine most men of her age and ours.

That included three great volumes of visionary theology, a variety of musical compositions for use in liturgy, a musical morality play, one of the largest bodies of letters (nearly 400) to survive from the Middle Ages, records of many of the sermons she preached, two volumes of material on natural medicine and cures, an invented language and a Gospel commentary.

No wonder that her fellow-German polymath Pope Benedict XVI declared her a saint and a Doctor of the Church.

She was the starting point for this concert whose title came from the description that St Bernard of Clairvaux used when he first heard Hildegard’s music: “A feather on the breath of God”.

The programme was put together by Rhodes University honours student Emma Farquharson, who has been researching women composers. She not only compiled it but sang all the works with a beautiful voice that more than lived up to the title.

And it was performed in the Nun’s Chapel at Rhodes University, recalling not only the Anglican Sisters of the Community of the Resurrection who have served here, but all the women religious who have served humanity with such generos-

ity for almost 2 000 years.

For Ms Farquharson, Hildegard was key to unlocking this musical treasury and reflected the deep spirituality of all the works performed, liturgical and secular.

In the “Antiphon to the Holy Spirit”, for which Hildegard wrote the words and the music, we get a glimpse 900 years earlier of the modern-day idea of referring to the Holy Spirit as “she”: “The Holy Spirit is living and life-giving, creates, cleanses, frees us from guilt and heals us.” Certainly, attributes we more commonly associate with the female spirit than the male.

W

e were listening to long-silenced voices, but what was striking was how empowered the women were. I have often listened to and performed madrigals (songs of love) from the Renaissance.

What was different about these ones was that the women were not sad objects of pity (nor goddesses to be worshipped) but real human beings with real emotions.

Perhaps the most striking piece was the opening chant—which rang out to the audience across 12 centuries. In it we heard the voice of the fallen woman calling to God for forgiveness: not because a male priest has reprimanded her but because her own soul has realised her error and wants to be reunited with God. The concert prompted me to reflect on how rarely we hear the music—and thus the voices—of women composers. We have a few Church exceptions—from the 19th century C F Alexander, more recently Margaret Rizza or Bernadette Farrell—but generally in churches and in concert halls there is a big gap.

Emma Farquharson in the Nuns’ Chapel in Grahamstown where she performed songs by St Hildegard of Bingen and other women. (Photo: Perry-Mason Adams)

Visit to a Catholic land T HERE is always something salutary about visiting, if one can, a place with deep Catholic roots—especially if one comes from South Africa, where Catholicism has no significant presence in general life.

A visit to Bavaria last month brought home to me the comfort which is created by being surrounded by a Catholicism that is entrenched in daily life. It’s everywhere.

It’s right there in the salutations Bavarians, like most southern German-speakers, exchange when they encounter one another: “Grüss Gott” (Greetings in God).

On my last day in Bavaria, I hiked up the Herzogstand mountain. On its peak stood a cross; on an adjacent peak another cross. It’s a normal thing in that neck of the woods.

On the way there, we passed many of the roadside shrines that dot the countryside at random spots, inviting the weary traveller to rest awhile in the presence of God. In Bavaria many buildings feature murals on their outer walls, often of a religious nature, and statues of Mary are fixed to the facades of many buildings to protect them, in rural areas and in city streets alike.

And, of course, there’s an abbey around every corner. On that final-day outing we made a brief turn at the Salesian monastery of Benediktbeuren.

The Bavarian beer culture is marked by labels which recall the breweries’ monastic heritage. Most were nationalised (and later privatised) during the anti-clerical secularisation of 1803, but their religious names have remained: Augustiner, Paulaner, Franziskaner, Benediktiner and so on.

Weihenstephan, originally the beer of a Benedictine monastery of that same name, is believed to be the world’s oldest continuously operating brewery, having been set up before 1040 (oddly, I’ve never had that beer in Bavaria, but had a glass on draught

Munich’s St Peter’s church with its gravestones from the 17th and 18th century on the wall, and the tower of Holy Spirit church in the background. In Munich, the Catholic heritage is all-present. (Photo: Günther Simmermacher) in a Palestinian bar in Haifa, Israel).

I

n Munich—that city famous for its football club, the Oktoberfest and BMW— one can’t move for churches.

The city’s main square, the Marienplatz (St Mary’s Square), features a gilded statue of the Madonna with child. Position the camera well, and you can photograph it framed by the two onion-domed towers of the cathedral, the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady).

Around the Marienplatz are two significant churches, St Peter’s and Holy Spirit.

Along the main pedestrian mall branching off the square, the Kaufinger Strasse, there are two Jesuit churches, St Michael’s and the Bürgersaalkirche (in both I remembered my SA Jesuit friends in prayer as they grieved the sudden death of their confrere, Fr Shaun Carls SJ).

I made it a point to pop into any church I passed by, revisiting many old favourites and making a few new discoveries. In every one of them I saw people kneeling there in

Fr Ralph de Hahn

Point of Evangelisation

Faith and Society

How the laity is called to mission

In her own research, Ms Farquharson has found over 150 women composers who had stature in their time but who have since been forgotten. She performed works by ten of them, from the year 800 AD to the present day, from modern-day Turkey across Europe to the USA. There were composers of Byzantine music, female troubadours (“trobairitz”), court musicians and concert hall artists.

But in almost every case their names— Kassiani, Strozzi, Caccini, Cheney Beach, Farrenc—have been lost while their male contemporaries (who may or may not have been more talented) are remembered. The only name that I recognised was that of Mendelssohn—but that’s because Felix is celebrated while his sister Fanny is overlooked.

Sadly, Fanny’s story is repeated in the lives of other women composers: she grew up as a highly-regarded composer and performer—often outshining her brother—but her father and then her husband prevented her from making it her profession.

Does this matter? I would argue that it does. There have been women throughout history who achieved great things but have then been written out by (male) historians; they need to be rediscovered and reclaimed. A few have come down to us but there are many whose names we do not know.

I was delighted to hear that my friend’s daughter chose the name Joan at her recent confirmation. When asked by the bishop why, she replied: “Because she is an early feminist.” But there were other strong women in Church history whose names are less well known.

Women from the past can inspire modern women (and men) and push us on to work harder to ensure that the gifts of half of the world’s population are recognised and given a chance to shine. We no longer are surprised, I hope, by women as presidents, CEOs, doctors, engineers and architects.

But women are still under-represented Continued on page 11

W

E have in our liturgical worship the “Proclaimers of the Word”. It is the Word of God they proclaim; it is proclaimed—not read like a book.

We can be thankful to God for a large number of excellent proclaimers in various parishes throughout our country. However, what about the rest of us? Have our people already forgotten the significance of their baptism by water, blood, fire and the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Mt 3:11; Acts 1:5)? It would appear so.

Surely the evangelists and Paul wrote the Good News for the lay people, not for the powerful synagogue of that day. And the laity, baptised and confirmed in the Spirit, are sent forth to live this new set of Christian values in a godless society, like sending lambs among the wolves.

Priests and religious are called to live their vocation; so are the lay people called to be ambassadors for Christ, to be his witnesses in a crazy world.

Of course, there is a cost to discipleship ((Mt 16:24; Lk 9:23), because nothing of real worth is ever achieved without sacrifice! He calls us by name, and the inner joy and peace promised is beyond measure.

All this is not about proselytising or converting the unbeliever—it’s all about attracting others by our kindness, self-confidence, deep faith and joy. These qualities are contagious. Speak to recent converts to the Church; they will tell you!

Of course, we are a sinful people and we ourselves are bruised and wounded; yet we are called to serve the millions who are even more sorely bruised, who are horribly abused, grievously wounded, hungry and thirsting for justice—in rich mansions as well as the poor, even in our very own neighbourhoods. No matter what their culture or origin, they will understand our language of love.

W

e have the perfect example in Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was a lay person: a virgin, a wife, a mother and a widow! She carried Christ into the world. That is what the Church is asking of her believing children. And with a faith that can move mountains.

Christians are foolish to bury this real joy under a litany of excuses!

We also share the powerful support of the sacraments, above all the Eucharist. Our people must understand that Christianity without conversion is meaningless, and without love for God and our neighbour it is certainly dead.

Pope Francis has spoke again and again about the joy of the Gospel. The heart goes first, he says, the rest will follow.

Serving the poor, the broken and vulnerable, the down-trodden and the hungry is a sign of the kingdom. We soon get to learn that poverty is power; humility is power.

The evangelist is a messenger of the Good News; he or she must believe that one’s life will blossom amazingly by giving of oneself and sharing this precious gift, because that power behind you and that power within you (Eph 3) is far greater than the task before you.

We desperately need lay messengers of the Good News.

Günther Simmermacher

Point of Church

prayer, some (like me) with shopping bags placed on the side. How nice it is to be able to pass a church and just drop in for a prayer in the middle of doing one’s daily chores.

At churches like St Peter’s, Holy Spirit and the implausibly ornate Asamkirche, tour groups were passing through (not always with the proper respect), showing just how much Catholicism is part of Munich’s cultural heritage.

So the recent instruction by Bavaria’s premier Markus Söder to have crucifixes nailed on to public buildings as a show of Bavarian culture is absurd.

As Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich has pointed out, it is an abuse of the Cross to use it for political purposes. And that is precisely Mr Söder’s goal: to appeal to antimigrant sentiments by reference to the region’s Christian heritage.

But the cross is not intended to exclude.

The cross, the symbol of Jesus’ sacrifice and love for all humanity, cannot serve as a message to non-Christian refugees that they don’t and never will belong.

As one Catholic theologian put it, if Mr Söder’s design is to express Bavarian culture, let him nail Lederhosen on his doors, referring to the traditional leather shorts.

Those migrants don’t need Mr Söder’s crosses to remind them of Bavaria’s heritage, or the central place of Catholicism in it. The Catholic culture is everywhere, even if diminishing numbers of Bavarians actually go to Mass.

And here is something else I noticed: in the popular churches I also saw several people of apparent Arab heritage. I can’t say whether they were tourists or migrants, but they certainly took an interest in Munich’s Catholic heritage—and the Church gladly welcomed them.

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The Southern Cross, July 11 to July 17, 2018

MADIBA@100

9

Catholics remember Nelson Mandela As South Africa prepares to mark the 100th birthday of the late President Nelson Mandela on July 18, ERIN CARELSE asked some Catholics for their memories of the Father of the Nation.

O

N July 18 South Africa will mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela. The centenary is commemorated under the theme “Be the legacy”.

Madiba, the clan name by which Mr Mandela was affectionately known around the world, was a fighter for freedom, a philanthropist and humanitarian, a political leader, and champion of reconciliation.

In this, Mr Mandela was also inspired by the Catholic Church’s involvement in social justice, which he acknowledged in a letter to the then Catholic Archbishop Stephen Naidoo of Cape Town in 1984.

In his neatly handwritten letter (see below), which was first published in The Southern Cross of July 9, 2008, Mr Mandela commends the Catholic Church’s engagement in social justice issues and expresses his appreciation for the pastoral care provided by Catholic priests on Robben Island.

Mr Mandela also expressed that he was “pleased beyond words” at the 1984 appointment of Bishop Naidoo as the archbishop of Cape Town.

“For one thing, it will remove a sensitive problem which has repeatedly rocked South African churches, kept each congregation divided against itself, and generated strong and even violent passions not compatible with the teachings of the Scriptures,” he wrote.

Sadly, Archbishop Naidoo died suddenly on July 21, 1989, just half a year before Mr Mandela’s release from jail in February 1990.

In his letter, Mr Mandela also inquired about Archbishop Denis Hurley of Durban, “who is often in my thoughts, especially now. I would like him to know that”.

Archbishop Hurley, the champion of human rights who died at age 88 in February 2004, was also present as a special guest when Mandela was inaugurated as the first democratically elected president of South Africa in 1994.

Paddy Kearney, a long-time associate and biographer of Archbishop Hurley’s, said the archbishop regarded this “as the second great highlight of his life, after Vatican II”.

Mr Kearney noted that the celebration of Mr Mandela’s 100th birthday comes at a critical time for South Africa as it gears up for national elections in 2019.

“Madiba’s vision for South Africa was that this country, in the words of the Freedom Charter, ‘belongs to all who live in it’. For that vision, he was incarcerated for 27 years. In fact, he was prepared to die for it,” Mr Kearney told The Southern Cross.

“When released from prison to become South Africa’s first democratically elected president, he gave many practical demonstrations of how that vision could become a reality in our country and continued doing that until his death,” he said.

“We need to go back and drink deeply from what Madiba had to say about that vision: it is his legacy which we must pass on to our young people who are being gravely misled by populist voices proposing its rejection and replacement by a narrow ethnic nationalism,” Mr Kearney

were outmanoeuvred by big white monopoly capital in particular. But things are always clearer with hindsight—it probably would have been better to wait things out, for the apartheid regime to crumble into dust instead of inheriting its fleas.

But we were all impatient to see the new dispensation.”

noted.

“Madiba’s vision is questioned more than ever and also at risk because of xenophobia and racism.”

Advocate for forgiveness Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria recalls Mr Mandela as bringing “with him from prison an authority that no elected or government officials then possessed in South Africa”.

“Mandela combined a great firmness of purpose and yet a great gentleness and respect for all people,” Archbishop Slattery said.

After the murder of Chris Hani in April 1993, Mr Mandela held the country together, he said. “His authority alone calmed what was a very sensitive moment.”

Archbishop Slattery said: “Contemplating the personality and the life of Nelson Mandela gives one a confidence in humanity after all. “ Bishop Victor Phalana of Klerksdorp has a great love and respect for the late president.

“He assisted our country to look at its past and to come to terms with the painful truth of atrocities that were committed during the time of the struggle,” he said.

“He envisioned a South Africa where reconciliation would replace our divisions and mistrust. He wanted to promote national unity, nation-building and reconciliation, for the sake of our past, and for the sake of the future of our country.”

Bishop Phalana said that what he respected about Mr Mandela was that he wanted the truth concerning the gross violations of human rights under apartheid to be acknowledged.

“He wanted perpetrators to be given a chance to ask for forgiveness, and many did.

He wanted to give victims of apartheid an opportunity to forgive and to open themselves to the possibility of healing,” Bishop Phalana told The Southern Cross.

“Forgiveness, Mandela taught us, has a healing and restoring value.

The challenge is for all of us to protect our democratic gains like the apple of our eye. It is for those who have the means to contribute to the efforts to repair the damage wrought by the past,” he said.

“It is for those who have suffered losses of different kinds and magnitudes to be afforded reparation, proceeding from the premise that freedom and dignity are the real prizes that our sacrifices were meant to attain. Free at last, we are all masters of our destiny.”

Charismatic aura

Nelson Mandela is pictured on the cover of a Pretoria newspaper, and (inset) in 1993 at St Mary of the Angels church in Athlone, Cape Town. (Photos: Yves Herman/Reuters & Sydney Duval) Henry saw no other option but to administer Communion to Mr Mandela, which he reverently received.

Told later of his faux-pas, the future president was embarrassed but also said that he was seeking spiritual sustenance in the face of his great challenges.

A Catholic priest, Fr Brendan Long, provided Mandela’s spiritual sustenance for several years during his long incarceration on Robben Island. Their friendship extended to beyond Mr Mandela’s release.

Fr Long, who died in his native Ireland in April 2009, later recalled that Mr Mandela regularly attended the services the priest led. Sometimes Prisoner #1 would do the readings. “He read with great pride a psalm entitled ‘Let every creature praise the Lord’.”

The priest left South Africa for health reasons in 1996. In Ireland, he had a final opportunity to meet his old friend, “the humble, highly intelligent, very spiritual Mandela and the man with the very, very warm handshake”.

Everybody mattered “At the heart of his legendary impact lay a simple truth, at the core also of our public spirituality: and that is a sense of respect for the person in front of him, for the dignity of all,” said Fr Peter-John Pearson, director of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office.

“On the occasions I met him, I always came away feeling that for that moment I mattered to him. His gaze never left, his hand often rested on your shoulder, and he always sought to find a shared interest on which to base his few comments,” he said.

“He would inevitably talk about

the role of the Church in education and the challenge for the Church to bring its wisdom to the task of forming a new generation of leaders,” Fr Pearson said.

“His struggle was not only against the inhumanity of apartheid as a system, but it was also a struggle to assert the truth that everyone in this country mattered and belonged.

“We have every reason in our own times to keep his name on our lips and his memory in our hearts!”

Not a sell-out Southern Cross columnist Mphuthumi Ntabeni, an author and political commentator, recalled Mr Mandela as the embodiment and personification of common decency and ethics. His sense of empathy and justice were among his strongest qualities.

“Like the rest of us, he made mistakes. But even these came from his greater qualities of always willing to trust the other. He espoused the Rainbow Nation because he trusted in the goodness of our nation, especially those who were privileged under apartheid,” he said.

“He was, of course, wrong in that sense, perhaps even naive, because had that goodness been an overriding quality of our national psyche, then apartheid would not have taken that long to disassemble. But Madiba taught us that you don’t cease believing in goodness just because some, or most, people are bad,” he said.

Mr Ntabeni said it’s a pity that a historical revisionist tendency of painting Mr Mandela as a “sellout” is gaining traction among black people.

“I don't believe Madiba sold us out. Yes, as the ANC collective, they

Mandela and Catholicism Archbishop Slattery and Bishop Phalana both noted that unlike some other political leaders, Mr Mandela had an affinity for the Catholic Church.

“When I met him he spoke with great admiration for what the Catholic Church had done for his people over the years,” Archbishop Slattery said.

Responding critically to the absence of representation from the government at a national, provincial and local level at last month’s bicentenary celebrations in Cape Town, Bishop Phalana noted that Mr Mandela was different.

The late president “appreciated the Church and the support he received while he was on Robben Island. He respected the bishops; he attended their functions and responded to the invitations of the Catholic churches,” the bishop said on Facebook.

One such invitation resulted in controversy. At Mass in a church in Athlone, Cape Town, in 1993, Mr Mandela—a Methodist—suddenly presented himself for Communion.

The late Archbishop Lawrence

Retirement Home, Rivonia, Johannesburg Tel:011 803 1451 www.lourdeshouse.org

Southern Cross editor Günther Simmermacher regrets that he never met Mr Mandela personally, but experienced the charisma of the man.

“In 1993 I was covering for a newspaper a visit by Mandela on the Cape Flats. At one point I was walking about a metre and a half behind him—security was a bit lax back then—and I could feel Mandela’s incredibly powerful presence. I’ve met many famous people, but that was something I’ve never felt before or since. It was the same when he addressed us reporters, who were standing in a scrum before him during an impromptu press conference—that aura of greatness.”

Mr Simmermacher was at the Grand Parade in Cape Town on February 11, 1990, when Mr Mandela made his post-release speech from the balcony of the City Hall.

“He looked good in his suit and tie, with that ramrod-straight posture. All the way the leader we had imagined him to be—remember, there had been no photos, or recordings of him available since he had been banned, so we didn’t even know what he sounded like,” Mr Simmermacher recalled.

“Then he greeted us: ‘My friends, comrades and fellow South Africans, I greet you all in the name of peace, democracy and freedom for all’— and I was a bit disappointed. I had expected a man with a booming voice, and here was this guy with a funny voice and what sounded like a Japanese accent!”

But the words that followed were “a manifesto of hope”, Mr Simmermacher said. “On the day of his release, Mandela said: ‘The need to unite the people of our country is as important a task now as it always has been.’ These words remain true today.”

Mr Kearney says it is important to remember that the Madiba vision, which comes from the Freedom Charter, is in complete harmony with our Christian beliefs, and indeed with the vision of each of the world’s great religions.

“Our country is desperately in need of the harmony and peace the implementation of that vision could bring to us. The best 100th birthday present we could give to Madiba is to make every effort to implement that vision of an inclusive society.”

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10

The Southern Cross, July 11 to July 17, 2018

CHURCH

How we can renew our parishes In August Canadian Father James Mallon will visit South Africa to speak about how to reform parishes to evangelise better. FR BRUCE BOTHA SJ looks at the book Fr Mallon wrote, and how it suits the African context.

Fr Mallon in SA in August

F

ATHER James Mallon will come to South Africa in August to present “Divine Renovation” conferences which will explore key themes from his book Divine Renovation: From a Maintenance to a Missional Parish.

“The conference will inspire, equip, and empower you to bring transformation in your church,” according to the organisers.

The conferences will be held in: Johannesburg: August 13-14 (over two days at a cost of R350).

Durban: August 16 (one day at R150).

Cape Town: August 18 (also one day at R150).

For more information, e-mail info@maintenancetomission.co.za.

To register and book, visit www.divinerenovation.co.za.

F

ATHER James Mallon, a priest from Nova Scotia in Canada, has written an important book about parish ministry, and is coming to South Africa in August to share his experiences.

In his book, Divine Renovation: From a Maintenance to Missional Parish, Fr Mallon shares his lessons learnt over his 17 years in priestly ministry as a parish priest in Halifax, Canada. In short, Divine Renovation is a description of a process whereby parishes renew themselves by discovering their true identity.

Fr Mallon puts forward that the Church is in danger of shrinking to irrelevance as we turn inwards and become obsessed with liturgical exactness and doctrinal rigidity, instead of focusing on the core Fr James Mallon, who with his parishioners in Canada developed a successful model for an evangelising parish mission of the Church which is to which aims to attract those who fall away from the Church. He put down his insights in a book, titled Divine Renoevangelise. of a meaningful leadership team. vation (inset), and is coming to South Africa next month to share his experiences.

Put more simply, that mission is The overarching theme throughto bring people into a relationship out the book is that of forming miswith Jesus Christ.

The House of Pain covers the sionary disciples and is brought as Fr Mallon describes in the book. yond comfortably full.

The Church exists to form misYes, on some Sundays we have But most importantly, Divine maintenance church. In this case about what the team at Fr Mallon’s sionary disciples, that is, followers to bring in chairs to cater for the Renovation also excites and fills me it’s from a northern hemisphere parish calls “The Game Plan”. of Christ who have been empow“The Game Plan” refers to what extra people, but more often than with hope. It fills me with hope perspective, the sex scandal, ered by their encounter with not our parishioners have a little because what is described is a falling vocations, giving up insti- an invitational Church would look Christ to leave the safe confines of like, its mindset and openness to elbow room. Our church is full, process whereby my own parish tutions. church and community so that others.

Clearing Out the Junk: What and it has stayed full, but it is community can rediscover our they may bring the good of Jesus Fr Mallon refers to the Alpha needs to happen if we are going to never growing—and that is the identity and purpose, and is now to the margins of our society. course as the on-ramp by which rebuild.

This touches on problem. able to lead others into a deeper reThe question arises of how this the parish offers to help three areas relating to lationship with Christ. applies to South Africa—after all, people encounter the Is growth real growth?

Jansenism, Pelagianism I submit that we can possibly Africa is not Europe or North For the clergy Gospel in a fresh way, Consider this, then, from a dio- read Pope Francis’ new exhorta- and clericalism.

America. encounter Jesus, experiLaying the Foundaand laity, Yes, it is true that the Church in cese’s point of view. If the diocese tion, Gaudete et exsultate (“Reence the Holy Spirit. was growing at the same average tion—How to transjoice and Be Glad) alongside Fr Africa is growing, if we count the From here guests berate as the South African form the culture of the it’s not Mallon's Divine Renovation, and in people who are bapcome helpers and hosts population, then we them see a way of living more parish community retised. But we could be and then are encourabout doing would be growing by visits the priority to the deeply our baptismal calling as lulled into complaOur church is about 9 000 Catholics a Catholics, to a life of holiness or weekend, hospitality, everything at aged in “Connect” cency by those reassurgroups. Ministry disciing figures if we say: full and it has year. Assuming that they blessedness. For it is in living the uplifting music, homipleship groups focus on all went to church, we lies, meaningful comonce but rather Beatitudes that we truly fulfil our “After all, our churches service and learning would be building at least munities, clear mutual identity. are full, aren't they?”. stayed full, but content which then about starting three churches every year. expectations, strengthIn my own experireaches its true potential it is never What we find in the book This is why I was based ministry, formaence as parish priest in somewhere as the “source and sumgripped by Fr Mallon's tion of small Christian The book Divine Renovation covOrlando West, Soweto, growing – and mit”, when fullness of book. It speaks to my ex- ers seven chapters, with the intro- communities, the expeI baptised 100 babies, Christian life is being perience of a Church that duction subtitled “House of Cards” rience of the Holy Spirit our parish joyfully rethat is the is beginning to die with- and a conclusion subtitled “House and becoming an inviting lived. ceived ten into the Clergy and laity are encouraged out even realising it. problem of Prayer”, which tells the story of Church.

Church over Easter, to get in the game—it’s not about I recognise the people The final two chapters—The travelling card players which reand then confirmed and priests that are spo- members our identity and pur- Front Door and The Leader of the doing everything at once but another 40 young rather about starting somewhere.

House—speak to the sacraments as adults. With statistics like this, my ken about in the book because pose. n Fr Bruce Botha SJ is the episcopal they are our parishioners, my colour greatest opportunity, with parThe other chapters are: parish must be busting at the leagues, and me. I recognise the seams.

Rebuild my House: From Vati- ticular emphasis on those who oth- vicar for evangelisation in the archHowever, what I have noticed is same battle to simply maintain the can II to Pope Francis remember- erwise never come to church, and diocese of Johannesburg. Divine Renthat no matter how many babies I physical condition of the church, ing the universal call to holiness secondly the role of the clergy as ovation is available in Catholic baptise, the church never goes be- to simply pay the bills and salaries, and the universal call to mission. central animators and the function bookshops.

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CLASSIFIEDS

Mother Paula: Abott Pfanner’s ‘right hand’ and key Precious Blood leader

M

UCH has been written about Abbot Franz Pfanner, founder of Mariannhill monastery outside Pinetown in KwaZulu-Natal in 1882. Yet few know of the importance of Mother Paula Emunds CPS, whom he called his “right hand”, and who became the first canonical superiorgeneral of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood.

Finding the need of a sisterhood to teach women and girls, Abbot Pfanner advertised in German Church magazines for young women to work sideby-side with the Mariannhill Trappists.

Twelve young women heeded the call and came out to South Africa, and, with founder Abbot Pfanner, chose the name for their order as the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood, which was established in 1885.

Their uniform was a red skirt, black bodice, apron and cape, and a white bonnet. The colour red was to remind them always of the blood of Christ.

At that time there was no regular novitiate yet, so Abbot Pfanner gave the first instructions himself. After several years he admitted to private vows two young women, one of them being Paula Emunds.

As a token of their profession, the new nuns each received a small brass cross, attached to a red ribbon.

Mariannhill artist Margaret Mkhize produced a woven portrait of Mother Paula Emunds, co-founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood.

The new missionary congregation increased rapidly, and at the end of 1888 there were 117 members.

In 1906 Pope Pius X approved the constitution of the

Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood, and following this, the first general chapter of the Congregation took place, at which Sr Paula was unanimously elected first canonical superior-general.

Mother Paula was a disciple of Abbot Pfanner, but had the inner strength to disagree with him if necessary. Contrary to the abbot, she insisted on proper spiritual training of Sisters. Also, she withstood the attempts of subsequent abbots to make Trappistines out of them.

Mother Paula, from the beginning of her 24 years leading the CPS congregation, managed to consolidate its internal and external independence.

“A Missionary Sister of the Precious Blood must be a heroic soul,” she said, inspiring many young women. CPS Sisters consider her the cofounder, with Abbot Pfanner, of their order.

Mother Paula encouraged the establishment of a teachers’ college in Mariannhill in 1915, with a view that her Sisters could be trained there too. She started a mission school in 1926.

When Mother Paula left office in 1931, her Sisters were working on over 100 stations or houses in South Africa, the Netherlands, Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Germany, Denmark, Mozambique and America.

She died in 1948.

Hear ancient voices of women Continued from page 7 in all these areas and completely excluded from some areas of life and certain institutions.

And yet, when given the chance, women are clearly capable of at least as much as men—if not more.

A few years ago in Britain, for the first time there were more women than men graduating as doctors, lawyers and even (Anglican) priests.

The words of one of the composers, Maddalena Casulana from 500 years ago, are sadly still relevant today: “I want to show the world the

vain error of men that they alone possess the gifts of intellect and artistry and that such gifts are never given to women.”

To suggest that parts of humanity are excluded from certain gifts because of their gender (or their colour or their birth) is to insult the very living and lifegiving Holy Spirit whom Hildegard’s poignant notes were praising. n Emma Farquharson would be keen to hear from anyone who wants to know more about her research. Contact her at forestsong@gmail.com

Word of the Week Acolyte: A clergy member in the highest of the four minor orders, or a lay person who performs some or all of the same duties, which include lighting altar candles, preparing wine and water for Mass.

Chasuble: Priest’s outermost vestment at Mass, coloured according to liturgical feast or season.

Our bishops’ anniversaries

Southern CrossWord solutions

This week we congratulate: July 17: Bishop Emeritus Francisco de Gouveia of Oudtshoorn on the 8th anniversary of his episcopal ordination July 19: Bishop Emeritus Michael Wüstenberg of Aliwal on his 64th birthday

SOLUTIONS TO 819. ACROSS: 1 Ends, 3 Thoughts, 9 On a call, 10 Idles, 11 Chapel of ease, 13 Starts, 15 Asleep, 17 Imperial Rome, 20 Lance, 21 Untried, 22 Perisher, 23 Bead.

DOWN: 1 Exorcism, 2 Diana, 4 Hallow, 5 Universality, 6 Holy See, 7 So-so, 8 James the Less, 12 Splendid, 14 Almoner, 16 Dilute, 18 Opine, 19 Slap.

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)

JOHANNeSBURG: St Anthony’s church in Coronationville is calling for donations of tinned fish, peanut butter, jam, butter and juice for their soup kitchen.

Contact Faried and Nadine Benn on 073 906 6037 or 083 658 2573. cAPe tOWN: Retreat day/quiet prayer last Saturday of each month except December, at Springfield Convent in Wynberg, Cape Town. Hosted by CLC, 10.0015.30. Contact Jill on 083 282 6763 or Jane on 082 783 0331.

Perpetual Adoration chapel at Good Shepherd parish, 1 Goede

Hoop St, Bothasig, welcomes all visitors. Open 24 hours a day. Phone 021 558 1412.

Helpers of God’s Precious Infants.

Mass on last Saturday of every month at 9:30 at Sacred Heart church in Somerset Road, Cape Town. Followed by vigil at abortion clinic. Contact Colette Thomas on 083 412 4836 or 021 593 9875 or Br Daniel SCP on 078 739 2988.

DURBAN: Holy Mass and Novena to St Anthony at St Anthony’s parish every Tuesday at 9:00. Holy Mass and Divine Mercy Devotion at 17:30

on first Friday of every month.

Sunday Mass at 9:00. Phone 031 309 3496 or 031 209 2536.

St Anthony’s rosary group.

Every Wednesday at 18:00 at St Anthony’s church opposite Greyville racecourse. All are welcome and lifts are available. Contact Keith Chetty on 083 372 9018.

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

The Southern Cross, July 11 to July 17, 2018

clASSIFIeDS

11

Births • First Communion • Confirmation • Engagement/Marriage • Wedding anniversary • Ordination jubilee • Congratulations • Deaths • In memoriam • Thanks • Prayers • Accommodation • Holiday Accommodation • Personal • Services • Employment • Property • Others Please include payment (R1,80 a word) with small advertisements for promptest publication.

IN MeMORIAM

AleXANDeR—Ralph. In loving memory of my beloved husband Ralph, our father and grandfather, who passed away on July 12, 2011. May his soul rest in peace. Always fondly remembered by your wife Evelyn, children Blaise, Imelda, Mark, Celesta, Delia and Rowen, daughters-in-law Sandra and Mary-Ann, sonin-law Martin, and grandchildren Blayke, Reece, xavier and Cleeve.

PeRSONAl

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HOlIDAY AccOMMODAtION

cAPe tOWN: Looking for reasonably priced accommodation over the December/January holiday period?

Come to Kolbe House, set in beautiful, spacious gardens in Rondebosch, nestled just under Devil’s Peak. Selfcatering, clean and peaceful,

with spacious gardens. Safe parking. Close to all shops and public transport. Contact Pat on 021 685 7370, 073 263 2105 or kolbe.house@ telkomsa.net MARIANellA guest house, Simon’s Town: “Come experience the peace and beauty of God with us.” Fully equipped with amazing sea views. Secure parking, ideal for rest and relaxation. Special rates for pensioners and clergy. Malcolm Salida 082 784 5675, mjsalida@ gmail.com

AlMIGHtY GOD, from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed, kindle in the hearts of all men the true love of peace, and guide with Your pure and peaceable wisdom those who make decisions for the nations of the earth; that in tranquility Your kingdom may go forward, till the earth be filled with the knowledge of Your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYeRS

MOSt HOlY lORD, I see your works here on earth. I stand amazed at the beauty and magnificent scenes before me. Thank you for my joy that is not claimed by life’s sadness and disappointments. I thank you for keeping me in your wings of love. You are so very precious to me and I will forever be yours in faith and hope.

Blessed be your name in all of the earth, I pray. Amen.

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

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

Liturgical Calendar Year B – Weekdays Cycle Year 2 Sunday July 15, 15th Sunday of the Year Amos 7:12-15, Psalm 85:9-14, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:7-13 Monday July 16, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Isaiah 1:10-17, Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23 Tuesday July 17 Isaiah 7:1-9, Psalm 48:2-8, Matthew 11:20-24 Wednesday July 18 Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16, Psalm 94:5-10, 14-15, Matthew 11:25-27 Thursday July 19 Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19, Psalm 102:13-21, Matthew 11:28-30 Friday July 20, St Apollinaris Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8, Responsorial psalm Isaiah 38:10-12, 16, Matthew 12:1-8 Saturday July 21, St Lawrence of Brindisi Micah 2:1-5, Psalm 10:1-4, 7-8, 14, Matthew 12:14-21 Sunday July 22, 16th Sunday of the Year Jeremiah 23:1-6, Psalm 23, Ephesians 2:13-18, Mark 6:30-34

Neighbourhood Old Age Homes

We can use your old clothing, bric-a-brac, furniture and books for our second-hand shop in Woodstock, Cape Town.

Help us to create an avenue to generate much needed funds for our work with the elderly.

Contact Ian Veary on 021 447 6334 www.noah.org.za The

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16th Sunday: July 22 Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6, Psalm 23, Ephesians 2:13-18, Mark 6:30-34

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HE image of a shepherd is a lovely and an ancient one, and it occurs several times in next Sunday’s readings, where it has to do with properly looking after God’s helpless ones.

In the first reading, Jeremiah is expressing his wrath (or, to be accurate, God’s wrath), with the “shepherds” who “scatter and mislead the flock of my shepherding”.

It is expressed in a very solemn prophetic formula: “Therefore thus says the Lord the God of Israel to the ‘shepherds’ who shepherd my people.”

Then comes the terrible accusation (and we, as well as our politicians, should tremble as we listen): “You did not visit them; but I am going to take care to visit all your evil deeds upon you.”

And God is going to do what we should be doing: “I am going to gather the remnant of my flock, and bring them back to their meadow; and they shall increase and multiply”. And the incumbent shepherds are going to be sacked: “I shall raise up shepherds over them…and they shall not fear and tremble,”

S outher n C ross

We are shepherds too says the Lord.

Then he looks forward to another era: “Look! The days are coming…I shall raise up a righteous root to David: he will be just, and reign as a king and govern wisely and perform justice and right in the Land.”

So all is not lost; all that is required is for us shepherds to start doing our jobs.

Inevitably, the psalm for next Sunday is that loveliest of all psalms, imaging God as “shepherd”, who leads us “in green pastures”, a beautiful picture in a dry country, “by waters of rest”. And this God allows us great confidence, even in the most unpromising circumstances: “Even if I walk in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I shall not fear.”

Then the poet sighs, audibly, “Ah! Goodness and loving kindness shall pursue me, all the days of my life; and I shall live in the House of the Lord for ever.”

The second reading does not mention shepherds; but the effect is much the same.

“You who were once a long way off became near in the blood of Christ.” So it is costly (de-

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Conrad

suggests that the greatest miracle is “that the freely given exists, that there is love that makes whole and that embraces what has been lost, that chooses what had been rejected, that forgives what has been found guilty beyond appeal, that unites what had seemingly been torn apart forever”.

The greatest miracle is that there’s redemption for all that’s wrong with us. There’s redemption from all we’ve failed to live up to because of our inadequacies.

There’s redemption from our wounds, from all that’s left us physically, emotionally and spiritually limping and cold.

There’s redemption from injustice, from the unfairness we suffer ourselves and from the hurt which we inflict knowingly or unknowingly on others.

There’s redemption from our mistakes, our moral failures, our infidelities, our sins.

There’s redemption from relationships gone sour, from marriages, families, and friend-

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final Reflection

ships that have been torn apart by misunderstanding, hatred, selfishness, and violence.

There’s redemption from suicide and murder.

Nothing falls outside the scope of God’s power to forgive, to resurrect and make new, fresh, innocent and joyful again.

Our lives, to a greater or lesser extent, all end up incomplete, broken, unfairly ripped away from us, and causing hurt to others because of our weaknesses, infidelities, sin, and malice—and still, ultimately, it can all wash clean again.

There’s redemption, new life after all the ways we’ve gone wrong in this world. And that redemption comes through forgiveness.

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Sunday Reflections

manding Jesus’ life), but has a real impact on us, because it is the work of reconciliation: “You see, he is our peace, the one who made both into one, and undid the dividing wall and its partition.”

The work, then, is the all-important one, in our divided situation today, of bringing about unity: “In order to create the two in him, into a single human person, bringing about peace.”

Again the author reminds us of the price that Jesus pays: “through the cross, killing hatred with it”. That is not a bad account of what real shepherds are supposed to do.

Then it goes deeper, and Jesus is described as “having come and gospelled peace to those who are far off, and those who are near”. So no one is excluded in this extraordinary act of shepherding that the Lord has performed for us.

And what is the outcome? The outcome is access: “Because we both have a right of approach, in the one Spirit, to the Father.” And “both” here refers to the two sides of the di-

This is the greatest miracle HE American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson called the stars in the night sky “envoys of beauty, lighting the universe with their astonishing smile”, and submitted that if they appeared for a single night only every thousand years, we’d be on our knees in worship and would cherish the memory for the rest of our lives.

But since they come out every night, the miracle goes mostly unnoticed. We watch television instead.

But, their beauty notwithstanding, shining stars are not the most prominent miracle which goes unnoticed. The greatest miracles have to do with love, with unfreezing a soul, with forgiveness. Our great poverty is that these go mostly unnoticed.

There are much more astonishing things than the stars for which to be down on our knees in gratitude, and there are more profound things to cherish in memory than a starlit night.

Belgian Benedictine monk and scholar Benoît Standaert

Nicholas King SJ

orgiveness is the greatest miracle, the pan-ultimate miracle, which, along with everlasting life, is the real meaning of the resurrection of Jesus. There’s nothing more godlike, or miraculous, than a moment of reconciliation, a moment of forgiveness.

It’s for this reason that when the gospels write up the resurrection of Jesus, their emphasis, again and again, is on forgiveness.

Indeed, Luke’s gospel does not distinguish the announcement of the resurrection from the announcement of the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness and resurrection are inextricably linked. Likewise, in the gospel of John, in Jesus’ first resurrection appearance to the assembled community (with them all hiding behind locked doors in fear) he gives them the power to forgive sins.

The message of the resurrection is that a dead body can be raised again from its grave. But this isn’t just true for our physical bodies, which die, but it’s also true, especially, for hearts that are frozen and dead from

disappointment, bitterness, anger, separation and hatred.

The miracle of the resurrection is as much about raising deadened souls to new life as it is about raising dead bodies to new life.

Despite being nearly overwhelmed by new inventions today—machines and gadgets that do everything, including talking to us—in truth, we see very little that’s genuinely new, that’s not the norm.

Sure, we see new innovations every day coming at us so rapidly that we have trouble coping with the changes they are bringing about. But, in the end, these innovations don’t genuinely surprise us, at least not at a deep level, at the level of the soul, morally. They’re simply more of what we already have, extensions of ordinary life, nothing really surprising.

But when you see a woman forgive another person who has genuinely hurt her, you are seeing something that’s not normal, that’s surprising. You are seeing something that is not simply another instance of how things naturally unfold.

Likewise, when you see warmth and love break through to a man who has long been captive of a bitter and angry heart, you are seeing something that’s not just another instance of normal life, of ordinary unfolding. You’re seeing newness, redemption, resurrection, forgiveness.

Forgiveness is the only thing that’s new on our planet, everything else is just more of the same.

And so, in the words of Benoît Standaert: “Whenever we strive to bring a little more peace through justice here on earth and, in whatever form, change sadness into happiness, heal broken hearts, or assist the sick and the weak, we arrive directly at God, the God of the resurrection.”

Forgiveness is the most astonishing miracle we will ever see or experience this side of eternity. It, alone, makes for the possibility of heaven—and happiness.

vision that God in Jesus has overcome.

The Gospel gives us a clear picture of shepherding when it works. The “apostles” are back from their first missionary expedition, and ready to debrief about all their successes at performing and teaching. The shepherd is ready to listen attentively, and invites them a picnic and a rest: “Come here, you lot, privately to a desert place, and have a little bit of a chill-out.”

But, of course, it does not work out quite like that “and they didn’t even have time to eat”. So they went to the picnic spot, but “many people knew about it, and they came on foot from all the cities; they ran together to that place, and got there before him”.

And what was Jesus’ reaction? Well, he is a shepherd, of course, and so Mark tells us that “he saw a great crowd; and he was gutted for them. And he began to teach them many things”.

Southern Crossword #819

ACROSS

1. Keep out of debt when they meet (4) 3. They come from thinking (8) 9. Lola can be out using the telephone (2,1,4) 10. Does nothing with the slide (5) 11. Not the parish church in the parish (6,2,4) 13. Jumps with fright at the beginnings (6) 15. Fast to be dead to the world (6) 17. It ruled the world in Jesus’ time (8,4) 20. Spear that is partly balanced (5) 21. Not brought before the court due to inexperience?

(7) 22. One who is killed could prise her out (8) 23. Count on it in prayer (4)

DOWN

1. Rite for the priest who drives out (8) 2. Goddess of Ephesus (Ac 19) (5) 4. How all is included to make holy (6) 5. A general mark of the Church (12) 6. The pope’s diocese (4,3) 7. Neither good nor bad (2-2) 8. These jams Les concocts for an apostle (5,3,4) 12. Magnificent (8) 14. Role man takes on as a distributor of charity (7) 16. Do it when you add water to wine (6) 18. Some drop in esteem when you give your viewpoint (5) 19. Pals returning with a strike (4) Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

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FTER the priest’s first Mass in the parish, everybody was very kind—except one man.

“Father, your homily was boring,” he said. Taken aback, the priest was reassured by the next few parishioners who praised his preaching.

Then the man appeared again and said: “Father, you obviously didn’t prepare for your homily; you have no charisma.” The shaken priest was again relieved when the next parishioners praised his homily.

But then the same man appeared a third time: “Father, you really have nothing to say.”

Eventually the priest asked the deacon about that peculiar man.

“Oh, don’t worry about him; he’s a bit thick,” explained the deacon. “All he ever does is repeat whatever he hears other people saying.”

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