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Catholic charity shuts down STAFF REPoRTER

Pope Francis poses for a selfie as he makes a surprise visit to a free mobile health clinic to serve Rome’s homeless and poor in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Tourists and pilgrims in the square were caught off-guard by the pope’s arrival, immediately snapping pictures and reaching out to shake his hand. (Photo: Vatican Media)

Padre Pio prayers led to miracle

ATTEO Pio Colella was just seven years old when he contracted a deadly disease. Doctors believed there was no hope for the boy, but he made a full recovery. His cure was the miracle that paved the way for the canonisation of St Padre Pio by Pope John Paul II in June 2002. More than 16 years later, Mr Colella, now 27, has given an exclusive interview to the Spanish news agency ACI Prensa on the occasion of the pre-release of the film El Misterio del Padre Pío (The Mystery of Padre Pio) in Madrid. The documentary is directed by writer and filmmaker José María Zavala and includes Mr Colella’s testimony. On January 20, 2000, Matteo was diagnosed with acute fulminant meningitis, caused by bacteria. The disease had affected his kidneys, his respiratory system and blood clotting. He was immediately admitted to the hospital founded by Padre Pio, the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (Home for the Relief of Suffering), located in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, where the saint’s monastery is. The following day, the boy went into a coma. His health deteriorated drastically, and doctors considered him a lost cause, thinking he would die within a few hours. While he was in this critical condition, his mother Maria Lucia went to pray over the

Matteo Colella, whose inexplicable cure led to the canonisation of Padre Pio (right). tomb of Padre Pio to ask for her son’s healing. “During the coma,” Mr Colella recounted, “I saw Padre Pio in a dream on my right and three angels on the left. One with golden wings and a white tunic and the two others with white wings and a red tunic. Padre Pio, on my right, told me not to worry because I would soon be cured. In fact, my cure was like the resurrection of Lazarus.” And that’s exactly what happened. The doctors considered Matteo to be clinically dead, but he came back to life. The young man is grateful to Padre Pio for his intercession. He said he considers the saint to be like a grandfather in whom he can confide.—CNA

S a final act of caring before their retrenchment, the staff of Catholic Welfare & Development (CWD) have volunteered their time and labour to ensure that those even less fortunate than they can receive at least a little something this Christmas through the annual Buckets of Love campaign. CWD, the welfare agency in the archdiocese of Cape Town, is retrenching its entire staff as it is winding down because of an extreme lack of funding and mounting debts. “Our staff insisted on running the Buckets of Love campaign, even though they are being retrenched,” said Eugene Jackson, head of staff development at CWD. He assured funders and supporters of the popular campaign that “every cent donated will be used for the buckets and the groceries that go into them, and for nothing else”. CWD had served the poor in the archdiocese of Cape Town since it was set up in 1970. Just two years short of its 50th anniversary it is closing down. The financial crises that have led to the agency’s collapse can be ascribed to a combination of factors, including rapidly diminishing funding and strategic misjudgments. Graham Wilson, the financial administrator of the archdiocese who joined the CWD board to help oversee the settling of its affairs, emphasised that there is no suspicion of funds having been criminally misappropriated. Mr Wilson said that the retrenchment of the 49 staff members was unavoidable, emphasising that due process had been followed. “CWD has had no option but to retrench its staff in a phased manner because of an extreme lack of funding and mounting debts. Because CWD has little or no funds, the archdiocese of Cape Town has since October underwritten all salaries as well as the retrenchment packages that are now due to staff,” he told The Southern Cross.

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“Given the enormity of the lack of funding and mounting debts that the new board has found, they have had no alternative at all but to take the drastic steps they have,” he added. Mr Wilson acknowledged that the timing of the staff retrenchments so soon before Christmas is regrettable for “the impact it will have not only on CWD staff and their families but also on the beneficiaries of the various programmes that are affected”. The archdiocese’s ability to intervene directly in CWD was limited by the agency’s constitution, though Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town had “tried on numerous occasions to alert the board to the fact that CWD appeared to be in severe financial difficulty”, Mr Wilson said. Archbishop Brislin told The Southern Cross that he was “deeply shocked by what has happened at CWD” and expressed “regret action wasn’t taken sooner by CWD”. Mr Wilson noted that “the future of most of CWD’s programmes remains extremely uncertain” but added that in terms of welfare organisation the archdiocese “is planning for the future”. The agency leaves a great legacy, Mr Wilson said. “CWD does live on in the projects that had their genesis in the organisation. These have gone on to be welfare organisations in their own right, some more closely associated with the archdiocese than others.” Examples of these are such organisations as the Caring Network, the small-scale urban farming project Abalimi Bezekhaya, Neighbourhood Old Age Homes (NOAH), the Credit Union Movement, Rural Development and Support, Shackdwellers International (formerly the People’s Dialogue), Abbeyfield South Africa, Help the Rural Child, and the Goedgedacht Roman Catholic Trust. n To contribute to Buckets of Love e-mail info@cwd.org.za or deposit into Standard Bank account “CWD Buckets of Love”, number 070526052, Thibault Square Branch (020909)

5-17 May 2019

The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2018

LOCAL

Training guide dogs costs R100 000 each BY CHRISTEN ToRRES

T costs up to R100 000 to train a guide dog for the blind, and the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind (GDA) has various programmes to raise money for the training of the dogs. The GDA receives no government funding, and relies heavily on a variety of sponsorships from different individuals and organisations. Holy Rosary High School in Edenvale, Johannesburg, decided to help by raising funds for the GDA and creating awareness, and welcomed three guide and support dogs—Elizah, Eaton and Daisy—at the school with their trainers. Melanie Nel of the association educated pupils on the importance of guide and support dogs in enhancing the independence and mobility of people who have visual, physical and developmental needs in South Africa. The GDA is a registered nonprofit organisation and was founded in 1953 by Gladys Evans. Besides training guide dogs, a pro-

gramme started in 1990 also trains autism support dogs. Ms Nel explained that guide dogs are used to help specifically those who are visually impaired, while support dogs are used for people who are partially or fully disabled. “The support dogs are trained in special skills, for example to open and close doors, retrieve items, take off shoes, switch on lights,” she said. “They help with daily skills, for example how to make coffee with boiling water in a safe way, or how to identify different types of clothing, thus enabling people to live independent and mobile lives,” Ms Nel said. Support dogs for children with autism, she added, “act as companions, but also provide a way for family to manage going out of the house”. The GDA also trains visually impaired people on how to use their long white canes. “When dogs graduate [from their training], they are matched with our applicants based on personal-

Holy Rosary High School in Johannesburg hosted members of the SA Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind and guide dogs for a talk on the work of the association. The school also raised R3 000 for them. ity,” Ms Nel said. “We want working dogs to be available to any person, regardless of their financial position. Working dog owners need to be able to af-

ford to care for a working dog on a monthly basis,” she said. “The working dog owner is responsible for the feeding and routine veterinary care of the dog. The

working dog owner pays R205 which includes a trained working dog, the training/accommodation, and equipment.” Holy Rosary High hosted a civvies day and raised more than R3 000 for the GDA. Deidre Alcock, the school’s marketer, said that “it’s important to get involved with your community and to try to help people where you can”. “The guide dogs do so much, and the dogs can’t do it themselves— they need funding. It is up to our community to help them,” she said. Mmabatho Koena, in charge of marketing at the GDA, outlined the association’s fundraising initiatives. For example, in the “Sponsor a Working Dog” programme, a school, organisation or individual raises between R5 000 and R100 000 to sponsor a puppy or working dog for a “puppy scholarship”. Members of the public are also welcome to volunteer at GDA. “Every little bit counts,” Ms Koena said. n For more information or to donate see www.guidedog.org.za/

Bishops’ conference distances Church from journalist’s projects

HE Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference has issued an advisory distancing the Church from a “vocations expo” and a newspaper which is claimed to be endorsed by the archdiocese of Pretoria. The advisory, issued by SACBC general-secretary Sr Hermenegild Makoro CPS, tells Catholics and Catholic institutions that journalist Atta Sibetta has been contacting reli-

gious communities about a vocations expo which he says he is organising. “There is nothing like that,” the SACBC advisory states. Moreover, Mr Sibetta claims to be running a newspaper called Tshwane Catholic Voices, saying that this newspaper is published under the archdiocese of Pretoria but financed by himself. After an initial edition published in 2015, there is no such newspaper

published by or on behalf of the archdiocese of Pretoria. Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria, SACBC associate secretarygeneral Fr Patrick Rakeketsi CSS and Sr Makoro have met with Mr Sibetta and “made it clear that he has no right to operate his paper in the name of the Catholic Church without following correct channels”, the advisory says. In a brief communication to The

Southern Cross, Mr Sibetta denied any wrongdoing, saying: “I have nothing to hide.” By the time of going to press, Mr Sibetta had not responded to The Southern Cross’ questions. Mr Sibetta, a Catholic and former sports reporter at the SA Broadcasting Corporation, has in the past contributed a few news articles to The Southern Cross. According to Pretoria archdiocese sources, he was allowed to address

the local clergy before the first edition of Tshwane Catholic Voices was published. He was also interviewed on Radio Veritas at the time. Mr Sibetta canvassed for advertising for subsequent issues. One advertiser, who paid for the placement of an advert in an issue of Tshwane Catholic Voices scheduled to run in June, said Mr Sibetta has failed to meet repeated requests to send proof of the relevant edition.

The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2018

LOCAL

Priest: Church must act on climate change BY CHRISTEN ToRRES

AITH communities must change the way they speak about climate change, and hold those who contribute to it accountable, a priest told religious leaders. “If we want to change the situation, we need to name it. Name it and shame it as sin,” Jesuit Father Ngonidzashe Edward told a People’s Power Learning Fest on Energy Justice event hosted in Cape Town by the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute. Fr Edward called on the Church and Catholic communities to mobilise against climate change and advocate for energy justice. “The kind of space the Church occupies is important. We need to be more a part of the social justice ministry,” the Zimbabwean-born climate activist said. “The cry of the earth is the cry of the poor. It’s time to connect the dots.” The SAFCEI is a “multi-faith organisation committed to supporting faith leaders and their communities in Southern Africa’’

on issues regarding the earth and the environment, according to the institute’s website. It aims to promote ‘’awareness, understanding and action on eco-justice, sustainable living and climate change”. The conference aimed to raise awareness among faith leaders and community activists across the region on the importance of energy as well as energy injustice. It included speakers from different faith groups. Ndivile Makoena, a Catholic and project coordinator of GenderCC, a women’s climate-justice organisation, called politicians and communities to action on climate change. “Proper climate action is guided by politicians. But I think that we give politicians too much power. It’s time we take it back,” Ms Makoena said. “We always say it’s a justice and economic issue,” she said, but added: “Now it’s time to add the spiritual part.” Ms Makoena noted that people “have a spiritual connection” with

The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute hosted an event in Cape Town, attended by Jesuit Father Ngonidzashe Edward, among others. SAFCEI media coordinator Natasha Adonis (seated right) speaks at the meeting. Alongside her is SAFCEI communications coordinator Tamzyn Pamplin. nature. “And if you destroy Mother Earth, you will destroy people’s spiritual connections,” she said. Ryan Fortune, a member of the

African Climate & Development Initiative at the University of Cape Town, echoed the call to hold those who are responsible for continually

contributing to climate change accountable. “People who have got us to this place have names and addresses: call them out!” he said. Mr Fortune pointed out that it is going to “require unprecedented changes” to fight climate change: “You have to change a political system that no one wants to change.” Noting the planet’s fluctuation in temperatures, he explained: “The degree of carbon emissions in the past 200 years has increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and make the earth warmer. If this continues, the oceans will rise in temperature and once their current temperature moves over 2°C, climate change will take place.” Mr Fortune, a Seventh Day Adventist, also emphasised the importance of nature in spirituality. “Society has successfully broken our link with nature,” he said. “Nature is God’s second book. Even if you don’t read the Bible, you can always feel God’s presence in nature.”

How Catholic organsation helps abused sailors STAFF REPoRTER

HILE Apostleship of the Sea has as its primary purpose the pastoral care of seafarers, the international Catholic organisation also engages itself for the rights of those who spend their lives at sea. These rights are often violated, said Nicholas Barends, the national coordinator of AoS in South Africa. Mr Barends told The Southern Cross about two recent cases of AoS intervening on behalf of exploited seafarers. One concerned a Filipino fisherman who had been working for 23 months on a Japanese vessel. His hands were badly calloused and frostbitten because of a lack of proper safety clothing, including gloves, when working in ice in the freezer-hold of the vessel. Usually, he and his colleagues

A Filipino seafarer, whose damaged hands are pictured, approached Apostleship of the Sea for legal help. would work 18-hour shifts, which at times would extend to 24 hours, as the captain and owner of the vessel always promised them overtime on top of their salaries. That promise was broken, and they received only their basic salaries. “Some of the crew came to us for help in getting the owner to pay

their overtime of 23 months,” Mr Barends said. “As only four of the crew were willing to speak out, it wasn’t possible to have the vessel arrested as 23 of the crew opted to go home.” The four crew members also did not remain in Cape Town for the complaint to be resolved through official channels, because they were

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missing their families. In the short period of two days between the crew members conveying their complaint to AoS and their departure to the Philippines, AoS intervened as much as was possible. “I managed to at least get a guarantee letter from the owner, which stated that he had paid all their overtime,” Mr Barends said. “Without the help of AoS, these kinds of cases go unnoticed. The salary and stipends paid for by AoS are so necessary as these seafarers have someone to turn to as we are immediately contactable in the harbours,” Mr Barends explained. Another case concerned two Tanzanian seafarers who had been repeatedly beaten for nine months on board a Far East Asian ship. Within four days of AoS hearing of the abuse and intervening, the two men were on a flight back

home to Tanzania, paid for by the owner of the vessel, having received $2 000 (about R29 000) each as part of their salaries and compensation. “Here again, Apostleship of the Sea was needed immediately,” Mr Barends said. He explained that the ITF Seafarers’ Trust—a charitable maritime organisation, established in 1981 by the International Transport Workers’ Federation—is not active in South Africa “to help these fishermen quickly before the vessel sails”. Without the intervention of AoS, the abuse of the two Tanzanian seafarers “would have continued unabated”, he said. “We need the funds to keep someone employed full-time, so that these types of cases are dealt with, for the sake of the lives of these seafarers who have nobody else to turn to for help,” Mr Barends said.

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The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2018

INTERNATIONAL

Jesuit murdered in S. Sudan

HE local government of the South Sudanese region of Western Lakes State declared three days of mourning in recognition of a murdered Jesuit priest. Fr Victor-Luke Odhiambo, a Jesuit from Kenya, was shot and killed in Cueibet, near Rumbek, by gunmen while at home. The attackers had broken into the Jesuit home in Cueibet while Fr Odhiambo was watching TV. Three other priests were at the home during the attack, but had been asleep. The gunshots woke them up, and they set off the alarms, causing the criminals to flee. Fr Odhiambo was the principal of Mazzolari Teachers’ College and the local Jesuit community’s acting superior. Born on January 20, 1956, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1978 and was ordained a priest in 1987. He had worked in South Sudan for about ten years, having served in Kenya and Tanzania previously. Fr Arturo Sosa, superior-general of the Society of Jesus, in a letter of condolence, described Fr Odhiambo “a very courageous man, intelligent, caring, a creative administrator and above all a believer in the value of education. He was not afraid of venturing into the unknown, even into the most dangerous of places, once he was convinced it was the Lord’s mission.

BY JUNNo ARoCHo ESTEVES

A Fr Victor-Luke odhiambo, 62, a Jesuit priest from Kenya, was killed when armed men stormed a church compound where he lived in central South Sudan. The priest had been the director of a Catholic Churchrun training centre for teachers. (Photo: East Africa Jesuit Province) “His example of selfless dedication as a school principal remains a challenge to many of our younger brothers in the Society of Jesus. He is a light, which has been extinguished, after enlightening other lights. Like a grain of wheat that dies in order to bear much fruit. And this is our consolation.”—CNA

Italian bishops update the Lord’s Prayer BY CARoL GLATz

HE Italian bishops approved an updated translation of Mass prayers, including a change in the translation of the “Our Father”, and they passed a proposal to create a national office dedicated to serving dioceses in safeguarding minors and vulnerable adults. During the general assembly of the Italian bishops’ conference, at the Vatican, the bishops approved the translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal and included changes to the text of the “Our Father” and the “Gloria”. Instead of ending, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” the new version is the Italian equivalent of “Do not abandon us to temptation but deliver us from evil.” The bishops had approved the same translation in 2002 when they approved a new translation of the Bible for use in the liturgy. With the “Gloria”, instead of beginning with “Glory to God in

Trappist martyrs to be beatified in Algeria

the highest, and on earth peace to people of goodwill,” the new version is the Italian equivalent of “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people, beloved by the Lord”. The text of the new edition of the missal must still be approved by the Vatican. The bishops also approved two proposals made by their safeguarding commission concerning the protection of minors and vulnerable adults. One proposal is to create at the bishops’ conference a “national service” office dedicated to safeguarding. The office would have its own statutes, norms and permanent secretariat staffed by lay, ordained and religious experts available to help bishops nationwide. The second proposal would be to choose one or more representatives from every diocese to take part in a regional or inter-regional course on safeguarding with the help of the Pontifical Gregorian University’s Centre for Child Protection.—CNS

FTER Islamic terrorists stormed the Algerian monastery he called home, Trappist Father Christian de Cherge— who with 18 others will be beatified on December 8—felt compelled to put pen to paper and write down his testament. Fr de Cherge, prior of the Monastery of Notre Dame de l’Atlas, said he held no ill will to those who would eventually kill him. In his letter, written between December 1, 1993, and January 1, 1994, he said he knew extremists in the country followed a “caricature of Islam” and urged his loved ones to not confuse Muslim “religious tradition with the all-or-nothingness of the extremists”. “I do not see how I could rejoice that this people that I love should be globally blamed for my murder,” the Trappist monk wrote. The sense of impending doom felt by Fr de Cherge would prove correct when he and six of his fellow Trappists—Frs Christophe, Bruno and Celestin, as well as Brothers Luc, Michel and Paul—were murdered in 1996 by members of the Armed Islamic Group in Tibhirine, Algeria. More than 20 years after their martyrdom, the seven Trappist monks will be beatified along with 12 of their fellow martyrs who were killed from 1993-96, while Algeria was locked in a ten year armed conflict between government forces and

BY CINDY WooDEN

N unbalanced focus on the word “rights” without a primary focus on the word “human” can lead to situations where the interests of the powerful or the wealthy prevail over the good of all human beings, which is what the Universal Declaration of Human Rights attempted to promote, said the Vatican secretary of state. The 70th anniversary of the declaration on December 10, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, said the rights of all are threatened when human life is treated as “property” rather than as a gift and when the focus is only on an individual and not what is common to all human beings. “Unfortunately, it is the right to life that seems most exposed to the individualism that particularly char-

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How pope plans to ‘fix’ the curia BY JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES

NEW constitution to rule the Roman curia, as the bureaucracy of the Vatican is known, will reflect Pope Francis’ call for a missionary Church that is focused on preaching the Gospel. This is according to Bishop Marcello Semeraro, the secretary of the pope’s international Council of Cardinals. Addressing students and staff at Rome’s Pontifical Lateran University, Bishop Semeraro said that the document will also focus on the need for subsidiarity and “a healthy decentralisation”, which will strengthen the Church’s mission to serve others. “Subsidiarity” is the principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralised competent authority where that is possible. “The Roman curia is not only an instrument at the service of the Roman pontiff, but also an instrument of service to the particular churches,” Bishop Semeraro said. The current draft of the document, titled Praedicate Evangelium (“Preach the Gospel”), was reviewed by the international Council of Cardinals—the so-called C9—and a final draft was given to Pope Francis in June. Currently, Bishop Semeraro said, the draft is undergoing “stylistic revision” and a “canonical re-reading”, which are two necessary stages of development before its release. The bishop did not say when its publication is expected. “A stylistic revision means giving the text the best ‘literary’ coherence possible after the work has been completed. The same can be said for the canonical re-reading, given the legal nature of the document,” he explained. The Italian prelate said that the key to understanding the pope’s vision of the reform of the Roman curia lies in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”), in which Pope Francis called for a “missionary option” in the Church that is

The choir at Durban’s Emmanuel cathedral was joined by a special children’s choir at a High Mass celebrated by Cardinal Wilfrid Napier. The Pueri Cantores choir is a group of boys and girls being trained by world-famous choirmaster John Tungay, who is seen here conducting the two choirs. The children come from villages near Cedara, outside Pietermaritzburg, where there is a Catholic seminary as well as the Drakondale Girls Choir School founded by Mr Tungay. (Photo: Illa Thompson) Pope Francis speaks during his annual preChristmas meeting with top Vatican officials last year. The pope is preparing to issue a new apostolic constitution which is intended to change the culture of the Vatican’s bureaucracy. (Photo: Claudio Peri/Reuters/CNS) geared towards “the evangelisation of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation”. Changes to the structure of the Roman curia are made in the light of Church tradition and must be in keeping with “the principle of fidelity to history and continuity with the past”, the bishop emphasised. “It is precisely according to this principle that it would be misleading to think of a reform that would upset the entire structure of the curia,” Bishop Semeraro said. While the existence of the various dicasteries must be preserved, like any “structure of service, it always needs a permanent sort of maintenance”. For Pope Francis, he said, the path towards curial reform “is much more than any structural change”. Reform, Bishop Semeraro said, is about doing what “is necessary so that in the course of time and in changing situations, the Church may preserve her ‘sacramentality’, that is, her transparency towards God who makes her exist and dwells in her”.—CNS

Vatican stamps painted in jail BY HANNAH BROCKHAUS

HE artwork featured on the Vatican’s postage stamps for Christmas 2018 were painted by a man serving a life-sentence in a Milanese prison. The two stamp designs, painted by Marcello D’Agata, depict the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Nativity of Christ. The postage stamps were unveiled by Archbishop Mario Delpini of Milan at a presentation in the city’s Opera Prison and can be bought at the Vatican City post office. They are available in denominations of 1,15 or 1,10 euro, which is the postage required to mail directly to Europe and the Mediterranean region. An Italian journalist had the idea for the Vatican stamps after having followed a philately initiative within the Milan prison for several years. According to the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, D’Agata was drawn to art from an early age. “I confess that as a child, as soon as a blank paper appeared before me, I never failed to draw on it,” he told the newspaper. “Of course, they were just scribbles, but I

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liked it so much, because on those papers I gave shape and colour to my emotions and, most of all, to my dreams.” D’Agata said he had fallen away from artistic expression until a few years ago, when the director of the prison allowed a group of prisoners to take part in a drawing course, which served as a “source of inspiration and the dormant talents came back to life”.—CNA

Feed your soul with

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CATHOLIC FRANCE Led by Bishop Joe Sandri

Prisoner Marcello D’Agata paints an image of the Annunciation for use as one of the Vatican’s 2018 Christmas stamps, at the Opera Prison in Milan. (Photo courtesy of Danilo Bogoni via CNS)

The

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IT’S WORTH IT!

extremist Islamic rebel groups. Cardinal Angelo Becciu, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, will preside over the December 8 Mass and beatification for the six women and 13 men in Oran, Algeria. In anticipation of their longawaited canonisation, the Vatican publishing house, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, presented a new book on the lives of the Trappist martyrs: Simply Christians: The Life and Message of the Blessed Martyrs of Tibhirine. The book, written by Trappist Father Thomas Georgeon, postulator of the monks’ canonisation cause, and Francois Vayne, communications director for the Knights of the

Holy Sepulchre, details the lives of the monks before their martyrdom. Cardinal Becciu, who wrote the book’s preface, said that the example of the Trappist martyrs teaches Christians today to be “strong, courageous, faithful and coherent” in the face of persecution and to give “themselves to the cross, even though going to the cross brings extreme consequences”. Recalling Fr de Cherge’s final testament, Cardinal Becciu said the martyred prior knew until the day he died how to distinguish between “the Islam that he knew and he experienced” and the beliefs of extremists who “betrayed Islam in its essence”.—CNS

Vatican: There are no rights’ without ‘human’ attached

PRICE CHECK T he

(Left) Br Paul Favre-Miville works with metal at the monastery of Notre Dame de l’Atlas near Medea, Algeria. (Right) Fr Christophe Lebreton at work in the monastary where he and six other Trappist monks were murdered in 1996 by members of the Armed Islamic Group. The martyrs will be beatified on December 8 in oran, Algeria. (Photo: Vatican Dicastery for Communication/CNS)

acterises Western society,” the cardinal said at an international symposium sponsored by the Joseph Ratzinger-Pope Benedict XVI Foundation. Looking at the history of the declaration, Cardinal Parolin acknowledged that in 1963 John XXIII was the first pope to publicly praise the declaration in a papal document. Previously, the cardinal said, the Church insisted that “real human rights consisted in obeying, according to the dictates of the Church, the obligations instilled by natural and divine law”. The Second Vatican Council formally recognised the right to religious freedom for all people, not just Catholics, and opened the way for the Catholic Church to become one of the strongest, most consistent proponents of human rights globally, he said.

Mary Ann Glendon, a professor at Harvard Law School, told the conference that the 70th anniversary of the declaration “takes place amid a rising tide of scepticism that threatens to engulf the very idea of universal rights”. Much of the symposium focused on discussing which rights are “fundamental” and belong to all people and which are relative rights or even fake “rights” that, when granted, prevent others from enjoying their fundamental rights, particularly the right to life. People should remember, she said, that “the men and women who brought the human rights project to life in 1948 were not starry-eyed idealists. Nearly all of them had lived through two world wars and severe economic crises. The events of their times had shown them human beings at their best and worst.”—CNS

Persecution: World looks away BY JUNNo ARoCHo ESTEVES

OVE for neighbour means being close to people, especially those facing oppression and violence for being Christian, and engaging in charitable work that reflects Christian values and promotes interreligious dialogue, Pope Francis said. Meeting with members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, the pope said that “the tragic situations of Christians who are persecuted and killed in ever-increasing numbers” is plain to see, even if the world “too often turns and looks away”. Christians face not only “martyrdom in blood” in countries where they are persecuted and killed for the faith, but also a “white martyrdom” in democratic countries that try more subtly to stifle religious freedom and expression. The knights and dames of the

Pope Francis blesses an icon of our Lady Help of Persecuted Christians at the Vatican with members of the Equestrian order of the Holy Sepulchre. (Photo: Vatican Media/CNS) Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem dedicate themselves to supporting the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and to responding to the needs of Catholics throughout the Holy Land. The order’s work covers Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Cyprus, and includes funding seminaries, schools, hospitals and social centres. Every five years, leaders of the

order from around the world gather for their general assembly, called a “consulta”. Pope Francis thanked members for their commitment to helping the Church respond to the refugee crisis in the region. “It is a good sign that your initiatives in the field of training and health care are open to all,” the pope said. “In this way, you help to pave the way for the knowledge of Christian values, the promotion of interreligious dialogue, mutual respect and mutual understanding.” However, the pope also emphasised that members of the order are not called to provide social and material improvements like “a philanthropic institution”, the pope said, but are called to “place at the centre and as the final goal of your works the evangelical love for your neighbour to bear witness everywhere to the goodness and care with which God loves everyone”.—CNS

INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2018

‘Oldest nun in the world’ who helped save Jews dies at 110

(Left) “Life is Everywhere” (1888), by Nikolay Yaroshenko, and (above) “The Crucifixion” by Dionysiusis, are part of a collection of 54 Russian masterpieces loaned to the Vatican for a special exhibition. (Photos: Tretyakov Gallery/CNS)

Vatican hosts Russian ‘spiritual’ masterpieces’ BY CARoL GLATz

N another example of the “diplomacy of art,” the Vatican inaugurated a landmark exhibit of “spiritual” masterpieces from Moscow’s famed Tretyakov Gallery and other state galleries in Russia. Some of the pieces, particularly a number of precious icons, have never been shown before outside of their home galleries, Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museumssaid. “It is an exhibit on Russian spirituality, the Russian soul,” she said at the Vatican news conference together with the show’s two curators—Arcady Ippolitov of The State Hermitage Museum and Tatyana Udenkova—and the head of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Zelfira Tregulova. “This exhibit offers an exceptional opportunity to show the Vatican, Rome and the whole world, Russian art and spirituality,” Ms Tregulova said. The exhibit, “Pilgrimage of Russian Art: From Dionysius to Malevich”, is open and free to the public in the Vatican’s Braccio di Carlo Magno hall, just off St Peter’s Square until February 16. It showcases 54 masterpieces

spanning from the 1400s to the 20th century, including Wassily Kandinsky’s “Red Square in Moscow”, Ivan Kramskoi’s “Christ in the Wilderness”, and Dionysius’ 16th-century icon “The Crucifixion”. Loaning so many exceptional pieces to the Vatican was a way the Moscow gallery wished to reciprocate the Vatican Museums’ landmark exhibit in Moscow in 2016, Ms Jatta said. That show, “Eternal Rome”, took 42 masterpieces from the museums’ collections to Moscow’s Tretyakov Gallery—pieces by Caravaggio, Raphael, Pietro Perugino, Giovanni Bellini, and others. Some 200 000 people, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, visited the threemonth-long show. The Vatican’s nuncio to the Russian Federation, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, told Russian television in early November that in the wake of that huge art show success in 2016, “cultural diplomacy continues to win” with the new show opening at the Vatican. “Beauty creates bridges,” Ms Jatta said, “It brings different cultures closer together and reminds people they all belong to one human family.”—CNS

ELIEVED to be the “oldest nun in the world”, Polish Dominican Sister Cecylia Maria Roszak died at the age of 110 on November 16, the archdiocese of Krakow announced. Sr Cecylia was born Maria Roszak on March 25, 1908, in the town of Kielczewo in west-central Poland. After graduating from trade school at the age of 21, she entered a cloistered convent of Dominican sisters in Krakow, at the On Gródek monastery, as it is commonly called. In 1938, she travelled with a group of sisters to Vilnius where the nuns were hoping to establish another convent. However, the outbreak of World War II prevented them from doing so. For two years, Vilnius was under Soviet occupation, and then under German occupation after the invasion of the Nazis. During this time, Sr Roszak and the sisters, led by their superior, Mother Bertranda, hid 17 members of the Jewish resistance in their convent, risking their lives to do so. According to The World Holocaust Remembrance Centre, the Jewish people who found refuge in the convent were members of illegal

Sr Cecylia Roszak, who has died at 110. (Photo: Archdiocese of Krakow) Jewish underground movements. “Despite the enormous difference between the two groups, very close relations were formed between the religious Christian nuns and the left-wing secular Jews. The pioneers found a safe haven behind the convent’s walls; they worked with the nuns in the fields and continued their political activity. They called the mother superior of the convent Ima (Mother in Hebrew).” In 1941 the Jewish refugees decided to leave the convent and re-

turn to the Jewish ghetto to help establish the resistance there. Mother Bertranda helped her friends smuggle weapons and supplies inside. In September 1943, Mother Bertranda was arrested, the Vilnius convent was closed and the nuns were dispersed. Sr Roszak returned to Krakow, although due to the war, the sisters had been expelled from their motherhouse and were staying with some other nuns at the time. In 1947, Sr Roszak and her fellow Dominican Sisters returned to their motherhouse, where Sr Roszak would serve as porter, organist and cantor over the years, and as prioress several times. In 1984, Mother Bertranda and the nuns who had been at her Vilnius convent were awarded the honour of “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, which recognises non-Jews who risked their lives, freedom or positions to help Jewish people during the Holocaust. On March 25, Sr Roszak celebrated her 110th birthday at her convent, where she was visited by Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski of Krakow.—CNA

Cardinal: Antibiotic disaster looms BY ANNE CoNDoDINA

NTIMICROBIAL resistance poses a “great challenge” to global public health and puts the most vulnerable in our society at risk, said Cardinal Peter Turkson, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. “Our time is running out, and we must act to initiate the necessary behaviour change to strengthen awareness and action on infection prevention and control and to promote the appropriate stewardship of antimicrobials,” he said in a message for World Antibiotics Awareness Week. World Antibiotics Awareness Week aims to “increase global awareness of antibiotic resistance and to encourage best practice among the general public, health workers and policymakers to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance”, according to the official

An infant suffering from a drug-resistant typhoid receives treatment at a hospital in Pakistan. Antimicrobial resistance poses a “great challenge” to global public health, said Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana(Photo: Nadeem Khawer, EPA/CNS) website of the awareness initiative, organised by the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization says antibiotic resistance, also re-

ferred to as AMR, occurs when microbes, such as bacteria, become resistant to the drugs used to treat them. While antibiotics save millions of lives and alleviate much illness and suffering, “the persistent overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human and animal health has encouraged the emergence and spread of AMR”, it said. The problem is growing worse, and those most vulnerable to lifethreatening infections are at risk as it becomes difficult to safeguard their health and wellbeing, the cardinal said in his message. “Tens of thousands of Churchsponsored health care institutions and education centres, and other faith-based organisations, are wellpositioned to encourage ongoing support, mobilise individual and community action, and advance social and medical practices to combat the emergence and spread of AMR,” said the cardinal.—CNS

Kenyan president returns schools to churches BY FREDRICK NzWILI

ATHOLIC leaders applauded a presidential order requiring education ministry officials to return all the schools that religious denominations surrendered to the government five decades ago to the Churches. President Uhuru Kenyatta said he had given government officials one week for the restoration of the schools’ ownership to Churches, to return the land they occupy and for the re-establishment of full religious

sponsorship of the institutions. “There are a lot schools sponsored and built by the Churches,” Mr Kenyatta said, adding, “I want you to ensure that you restore that sponsorship.” Mr Kenyatta’s order comes amid persistent calls for more Christian involvement in schools, which have experienced strikes and violence, including the torching of some buildings. “We welcome the directive. We see it as a good move. The Church will take its special role in the school

as it used to be,” said Bishop Philip Anyolo of Kisumu, president of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops. “The state should respect what the Church has done in the past and work together as partners, not as competitors,” Bishop Anyolo added. Mr Kenyatta said that while the Churches and the state must be separate, the two can be interdependent and work together as they did in earlier days. “We need to get to back to the level where Christian-sponsored

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schools must be allowed to mentor our children,” he said. “Look at what is happening in our schools. Look at the level of indiscipline. Our school children are taking it upon themselves to burn schools. It tells you that there is something missing in their lives,” he said. The Catholic Church manages nearly one-third of the country’s schools. Church statistics from 2015, the most recent year available, reveal that the Church ran 5 821 primary schools, 1 756 high schools, 2 513 early children development institu-

tions, 220 vocational training centres and 21 teacher training colleges. Early missionaries started the schools, bringing a large segment of the country’s education under the management of the Churches by the time Kenya became a colony of Great Britain in 1920. They built schools, financed them, trained and recruited teachers, and approved new teaching approaches. The 1968 Education Act mandated the government takeover of schools formerly owned and managed by the missionaries.—CNS

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The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2018

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

How to survive the ‘secular Christmas’

HE tinsel in the shops and colourful catalogues in newspapers have alerted us for the past few weeks already that the “Christmas season” is upon us. But in what we might term the “secular Christmas season”, the presence of Christ is not always evident. Indeed, often Christ is excluded from the feast that takes his name. As Catholics, we must beware that this does not happen in our lives. In any case, for Catholics the real Christmas season begins with the feast of the Nativity on December 25 and lasts until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on the Sunday following the Epiphany. But Christians cannot easily divorce themselves from the social and commercial elements of the secular Christmas season. Like most people, we will shop for gifts, plan the Christmas lunch menu, celebrate workplace Christmas parties, dig out the decorations and dress the Christmas tree, and participate in other pastimes that fill our calendars in the weeks before Christmas. It is a time for good cheer and also huge stress, especially when tighter purses diminish our spending options for the season in which we have been conditioned to overspend. Provided that we Christians take part in the secular Christmas season responsibly and with due moderation, there is nothing wrong in spending it with Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman. We are, after all, in this world. At the same time, for all the stress and obligations and diversions of the pre-Christmas season—or, maybe, the distance from daily life while on holiday— we Christians must not lose sight of the penitential season of Advent, which covers the four weeks before Christmas as we await the birth of the Saviour. It is often forgotten that Advent is a season of penance which, much like Lent, calls us to practise prayer, fasting and charity as the means by which we renew our faith. It is a season of reflection, which should provide us with a welcome refuge from the relentless bustle of the secular Christmas season. Especially at a time when everything becomes a little fren-

zied, some reflective silence, perhaps in the glowing light of the candles on the Advent wreath, can serve as a sanctuary of peace in which we receive spiritual nourishment. If the silence must be broken, let it be so by reflective music, not by songs about reindeer or seasonal meteorological phenomena. There is no curriculum by which families and individuals accomplish the Advent requirements of prayer, fasting and charity. Pastoral advice tends to invite families to creativity in shaping these precepts, though it should also involve the sacrament of reconciliation in preparation for meeting Jesus on Christmas Day, which in itself is preparation for our encounter with him on the last day. In Advent, we ought to keep in mind the observation of St Bernard of Clairvaux that during this season we anticipate the arrival of Jesus in not one but three forms: his birth in Bethlehem, his entering into our lives in the present, and his final coming in glory on the last day. In families, Advent may have a catechetical element. For example, the feast of St Nicholas on December 6 can teach children about the saint who was the prototype for Santa Claus. Indeed, there are many great feast days in the season of Advent, including those of St Andrew (November 30) the Immaculate Conception (December 8), Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12), St Lucy (December 13) and St John of the Cross (December 14). Of course, we must not forget the need for sacrifice and charitable giving during Advent. Commit random acts of kindness: for example, by letting the taxi cut in before you in the traffic; taking time to speak to the car guard or a homeless person; visiting the lonely; forgiving somebody who has wronged you; delivering gifts for those who don’t receive gifts for Christmas; and so on. And if our best intentions fail us and we don’t get around to observing Advent well, we still have plenty of time to reconnect with a faith-filled time when the secular season is over and the real Christmas season begins. May your Advent season be filled with peace, love and graces.

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.

We men urgently need to evolve C ONGRATULATIONS to Sr Angelika Laub OP for a magnificent article on how capitalism hurts women most (October 24). I agree with her wholeheartedly. I think it’s time that we males of the species yank ourselves out of the age-old mindset of patriarchy, in which we have been stuck for a few thousand years. We have evolved magnificently in the search for the secrets of the world we live in, and without doubt have improved the lot of the human race in the process—but in the matter of treating women and children, there is still an enormous amount of deep understanding needed by men. We have always been in control of our families; witness the way women and children were treated right from the first book of Genesis. Women unfortunately have

Red robots? Time off to pray for SA

UST as Judith Sims (November 14) prays the Divine Mercy Chaplet in traffic, so I use red robots! Every time I am stuck at a red traffic light, I pray for our country in less than ten words, for example, “Almighty Father, save South Africa”, or “Loving Jesus, teach us respect”; or “Holy Spirit, open our hearts to love”. If you feel the call, please join me. Felicity Mullan, Pretoria

ligious and laity, to play a reconciliatory role, first by acknowledging that we are sinners. Secondly, we need to realise we have strayed from the foundation that the Lord Jesus laid down when he said: “Upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16: 16-19). We need to rise above our failings as mankind, and work hard to serve God’s people. Mduduzi Nkambule, Malelane, Mpumalanga

Valuing the priesthood

Jesuit response on RCHBISHOP Buti Tlhagale of JoA hannesburg, who called for the abuse no better excommunication of all priests who

S a Catholic who is enriched and revived by reading the Southern Cross every week, I feel I have to write regarding the letter by Fr David Rowan SJ (November 7) responding to questions on the sexual abuse case of William Segodisho. While we appreciate their response, it’s exactly the same as the Church’s in this whole sexual abuse narrative. Fr Rowan goes to painful lengths to disassociate the South African chapter of the Jesuit order from wrongdoing. What happened to collective ownership of the good, the bad, and even the ugly as the Body of Christ? When will we learn from Christ himself who, even though he had no sin, died for our sins that we may become whole? (2 Corinthians 5:21 and 1 Peter 3:18) In dealing with this matter, we are all guilty and have fallen short of the glory of the Lord. Indeed, we are in dire need of his grace (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). I humbly ask all of us, clergy, re-

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abuse minors (November 7), should be given the Nobel Peace Prize. His statement shows how much he values the priesthood, and fine priests, and sees those who abuse minors as having betrayed their priesthood. Among fine priests was Mgr Anthony Seba, who, on March 19, 1998, the 60th anniversary of his ordination, wrote words that still ring true. Mgr Seba started by quoting Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor from 161-180AD: “Think of what you have, rather than what you lack. Of what you have, select the best and then reflect how eagerly you would have sought it if you did not have it.” Mgr Seba then said: “For me, that is my priesthood. I cannot imagine what my life would have been without it. “It has given me, even on a human level, all that I prize most. “It has allowed me to develop as me. It’s been what has enriched my

mind, my heart, and my personality, as nothing else would have done. “I believe that without it my life would have been an Arctic waste.” How many seminarians take the priesthood truly seriously? I believe many have their own agendas, and are admitted to seminaries too easily, without a probation period. Peter Hendricks, Cape Town

Power of rosary

E should recite the rosary as often as we can, for it brings remarkable things. There is a video about Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme of Nigeria, whose area in the north-east of the country was taken over by the Islamist terror group Boko Haram, and who started a rosary crusade. Bishop Dashe was praying in 2014 when Jesus appeared to him, holding a steel sword in his hand. Jesus pointed to the bishop to take the sword, and as he touched it, the sword became a rosary. Jesus said three times to Bishop Dashe: “Boko Haram is gone.” After this, the bishop began rosary crusades, and peace has returned to his area. My urgent request is that we Catholics all over do the same, to wipe out the evil that surrounds us. Let us come together with our weapon, rosary crusades. Mary Bowers, Cape Town 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

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been, and still are, viewed principally as vehicles to satisfy uncontrolled male sexual urges, and children are treated as goods and chattels accordingly. Isn’t it now time to get our thoughts onto the same evolutionary path we have used in many other areas of life, and begin to see and treat women and children with the love and respect they are due? We have also treated our natural environment with little respect, and we urgently need to change our attitude and behaviour here, for the human species’ very survival depends on our environment. We are still too strongly under the influence of neoliberal capitalism, which sees the main pillars of the economy as an ever-increasing pillaging of limited resources, to produce and consume more stuff, for ever-increasing profits.

Capitalism, largely in the hands of us males, has to all intents and purposes nearly succeeded in destroying our life-supporting environment. Regarding women, why should they not give full expression to their innate spiritual and human qualities? Instead of us men treating women as inferior in many ways, how about if we personally evolve beyond our ancient, antiquated, socalled superior mindset? We will then realise that, apart from physical strength, we should be accepting women on the highest human levels of intellectual and spiritual leadership, the same as men. Rampant male aggression, over the aeons, has led to wars and destruction. Just maybe, the mysterious, life-giving, nurturing, compassionate qualities of the female of the species may save us from wiping us all off the face of the earth? Antonio Tonin, East London

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PERSPECTIVES

Go to the Holy Land, if you can R ECENTLY I had the most wonderful opportunity to visit the Holy Land. Friends of mine invited me and I did not have to think twice about it, because visiting the Holy Land was always on my list of things to do before I die. I wanted to know what it feels like to walk on the ground where Jesus walked; to be in the area where he was born and lived and preached. Just the anticipation of experiencing this was already too much for me at times. It was 13 months from the time I decided to go until the day we left. And every time, during this period, when I would think of walking where Jesus walked, I would experience a sense of disbelief. It was too much to anticipate and in the end I realised that looking forward to going to the Holy Land is not like looking forward to any holiday destination. The anticipation of going to the Holy Land is an inward spiritual experience. In my opinion, every Christian should visit the Holy Land. Why? The Holy Land is where it all started…it is a land of ancient history. It is the land which God promised to Abraham and his descendants. This is the land where Isaac, Jacob, Sarah and Leah lived. It is the land where David triumphed over Goliath, and where Solomon built his temple. Even now I struggle to fully realise that I set foot on that land. But above all, every Christian should visit the Holy Land because this is where Jesus was born, crucified and resurrected. Only in the Holy Land will you be able to walk where Jesus walked, to follow in his footsteps, to see and feel the places where the disciples walked with the Lord, where Jesus preformed his miracles and the place where he was nailed to the cross to forgive the sins of all Christians. As we read the Bible, we encounter the life of Jesus and his followers on the pages. But it is a completely different— some say life-changing—experience encountering the life of Jesus and his

followers in the Holy Land. Many pilgrims in my group said that the Scriptures came alive for them, for example when they read the Sermon on the Mount while standing on the Mount of Beatitudes. For me, to have prayed the Magnificat at the place where Mary met her cousin Elizabeth, in Ein Kerem, changed my relationship with Mary in a profound way. We visited the towns of Galilee, Nazareth, Jericho, Bethlehem and, of course, the beautiful city of Jerusalem. Each day was too short as we walked through the streets of these places where Jesus taught and performed his miracles. At each of these sites where Jesus lived and taught and died, there stand now huge churches and basilicas. And we were fortunate to celebrate Holy Mass every day in one of them. That indeed was a highlight.

nother highlight for me, one where I felt a deep connection, was our boat-ride on the Sea of Galilee. Our accompanying priest helped us do a meditation using all of our senses. He asked us to look, to smell, to hear and to feel everything around us on the boat and

The Sea of Galilee seen from the Mount of Beatitudes. In her final column, Judith Turner urges Catholics to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. (Photo: Günther Simmermacher)

Judith Turner

Faith and Life

the water as it glided across the Sea of Galilee. The sea was calm and the pilgrims were quiet. It was a short, but powerful and meaningful meditation. The pilgrims will remember this for a long, long time. Another highlight for me was the renewal of our baptismal vows at the River Jordan. I just wanted to wet my feet, but many pilgrims did a full body submersion in the water. Our accompanying priest went in first, and together with the deacon assisted other pilgrims to safely go under the water. For all the pilgrims, the experience was much more than what they had expected, and I think all of us have about 300 or more photos each to prove it. It was as if you wanted to capture every little moment and every experience. There are many destinations across the world to enjoy, but I believe Christians have to place a visit to the Holy Land on top of their bucket list, for sure. To see, feel, walk and pray every day where Jesus lived, taught, died and rose from the dead is impossible to describe to anyone—it is just to experience it! Every week in this newspaper, pilgrimages to the Holy Land are advertised. Organise a group in your parish or sodality, contact a reputable tour operator (some advertise in The Southern Cross every week), and set the ball rolling. An international trip comes at some financial sacrifice—but it is nothing compared to experiencing the places where the ultimate sacrifice was made for our souls. n After seven years, this is Judith Turner’s final column for now. Catch up with her past columns at www.scross.co.za/category/ |perspectives/turner/

There is a war within myself T HERE is a war within my soul where the gentle pitter-patter of rain is replaced by thunder and violent tempests. There is a war within my soul where the calm streams are interrupted by jagged rocks and an overwhelming mass of dead trees. There is a war within my soul where pointed icicles are swallowed by an inferno. Water and wind, fire and ice, the good and the evil roll the dice. It can be argued that in every great story ever told, the size of the hero is measured by the size of the villain. The triumph of David would not have been celebrated as highly as it was had Goliath been his own size. Harry Potter would not be praised as the valiant wizard he was if Voldemort were a small, troublesome mouse. Jesus would not have become the Christ if he had not defeated Satan. It is true that all can conquer small things but few can conquer the large, the frightening and the seemingly undefeatable. It is this that makes Joan now Saint Joan of Arc, Mother Teresa now Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Mary now Mary, Queen of Heaven. What is it about villains in TV shows, comic books and movies that makes us despise them so heavily? Is it their grand yet silly costumes? Is it their cacophony of laughter? Is it their chilling determination to succeed in their wicked schemes? At the heart of it, at the core, when the veiling has been stripped away, what sick-

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Would David have been celebrated as highly if Goliath had been his own the size? ens us the most about villains is that they represent everything that we wish not to be but could so easily become. They show us what pride will look like when humility is purged.

e tremble at the monster of wrath when patience is beaten and broken. The ghoul of gluttony now spooks the gentle nature of temperance. Is this not what disgusts Batman as he encounters The Joker? A human creature much like himself yet cruel and deeply twisted. And is this not what makes demons so terrifying? For once they were beautiful

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creatures who glowed in the light of Heaven. They abandoned its bright immaculateness for the putrid squalors of hell. Understand me now when I speak of the battle within me. There are raging rapids which will not give way to sacred stillness. Out of unrelenting spiritual boredom, there is a rebelliousness that wishes to gush out. Yet I desire so desperately to be an “angel” that I calm these waters with virtue. There is not always, in this life at least, any “fun” in doing the good. The lives of the holy seem so hollow but those of the evil seem so exciting. In the former there is dryness and self-denial; in the latter there is dancing and indulgence. I wish to shine with divine light but I fear I will be found to be a fraud. I will be a judge to be judged and one who condemns to be condemned. There is a war within my soul where the divine is in a duel with the diabolical. There is the locking of shields and the clamour of swords. There is Batman and The Joker, an angel and a demon, darkness and light. Amidst the loading of canons and the firing of rifles, may the sweet silence of virtue their banging stifle.

The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2018

Cackie Upchurch

God And The Bible

The value of forgiveness A

NGER and bitterness have become epidemic in our world. Perhaps this is nothing new, but with the advent of social media and around-the-clock broadcasting, it is easier and easier to focus on perceived or real slights. We might allow injuries to fester, as individuals and as communities. The diseases of grudge-holding and vengeance are so prevalent that health care professionals, personal coaches and religious leaders seem to be in agreement: we are in need of a large dose of appreciating forgiveness. It’s good for our personal psychological health, we are told. It will lead to a longer and healthier life, we are assured. And there is plenty of data to back up these claims. The fact that science and psychology affirm what the Bible teaches at its core only serves to reinforce its importance. While it is true that there are wars and grudges and mean-spirited conniving found in the pages of our Bibles—and these same dynamics are sometimes at play in the name of religion today— the God we meet in these pages is much larger than our petty differences and stronger than our fears of our enemies. The God we meet in our Scriptures is a God who initiates a relationship of love with all that has been created, nurtures a people in the responsibilities of a covenant relationship, and demonstrates repeatedly the power of loving forgiveness. As in any relationship, time and attention and continuing renewal are required for the relationship to grow and for each party to truly know and love one another. Love has always been at the heart of God’s relationship with his people, the kind of love that persists in offering forgiveness over and over again to a sinful people. God’s forgiving nature can be seen throughout the divine relationship with Israel, consistently pursuing his people, forgiving their neglect and sinfulness and giving them opportunities to renew their commitment (for example Psalms 103:8-12 or 130:7-8). This ongoing relationship provides room for conversion. Israel’s prophets, in particular, are commissioned to announce God’s desire for the people to exercise justice and mercy. When they falter, as is the case with most of us who are in the process of conversion, the prophets remind them of God’s great love and tender forgiveness (Isaiah 1:18; 43:25; Jeremiah 31:34). Forgiven by God, Israel is then encouraged to carry on, sharing mercy with others. Jesus embodies the forgiveness of the Father, demonstrating the power of forgiveness in his teachings and his actions. He often instructed the crowds and his disciples about the necessity of forgiveness. He commanded those who would listen to forgive those who sinned against them (for example in Mark 11:25), to be reconciled to one another (Matthew 5:21-26), even to love their enemies (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-29). It’s a tall order and we cannot help but wonder how to do it and whether it is worth it. When pressed about how often he was required to be forgiving, Jesus let Peter know it was too numerous to count by saying he was to forgive “not seven times but 77 times” (Matthew 18:22). Jesus went on to tell him a parable about a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. The king was persuaded by one servant to forgive a huge amount of debt, and yet that servant refused to extend the same mercy to someone else who owed him a debt. He had not fully learned the lesson of forgiveness. Jesus also taught about the importance of forgiveness by including it in the simple but profound prayer we know as the Our Father (Matthew 6:9-15; Luke 11:2-4). We ask God to forgive us our sins, our debts, as we exercise forgiveness toward others in our own lives. This calls for more than a simple act of the will, though certainly we have to decide to take up the task of forgiveness. Indeed, true forgiveness requires ongoing conversion, a turning over of the heart to the things of God, asking God to give us the grace to be ready to offer mercy and accept mercy in return. The Scriptures demonstrate that forgiveness is a sign of strength, reflecting the very nature of God. Even from the cross, we are told that Jesus forgave those who crucified him (Luke 23:24). What a testament to the power of forgiveness. n This is the sixth in a ten-part series of articles entitled “Why We Should Bother With The Bible”, produced by Little Rock Scripture Study. This article first appeared in the Arkansas Catholic.

The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2018

The church of the Presentation in Montana, Pretoria, celebrated the confirmation of 12 young candidates. With them are Archbishop William Slattery, parish priest Fr Samuel Madza (back row right), and catechist Sally Moore (front row left.)

COMMUNITY

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The praise and worship group of St Pius X parish in Plumstead, Cape Town, which meets weekly, held a special event to thank Ronnie and Deanna Malan for leading the group for the past five years. Standing (from left) are Rhoda Goldstein, Goretti Teixeira, Bernadette van Tonder, Cathy Malaby and Allan Brooke. Sitting (from left) are Margaret Taverdale, Deanna Malan, Trooi Epnaar and Vicky de Gouveia, with Ronnie Malan on guitar (far right). (Submitted by JC De Gouveia-Meyer)

A group of young people from St Matthew’s parish in Bonteheuwel, Cape Town, are seen with catechist Monica Barnett (far left), Archbishop Stephen Brislin and Fr Peter ziegler, and catechist Alanza Abrahams (far right) after their confirmation. (Photo: Lan-Mar Photography) on World Day of the Poor, St Vincent de Paul members at Immaculate Conception parish in Pinetown, in the Durban archdiocese, served jam sandwiches to parishioners to remind them that many people in South Africa survive on bread only. In return, parishioners donated about 400 loaves for the poor. (Submitted by Leo van der Sandt)

Young people from the French chaplaincy parish of our Lady of Lourdes in City Deep, Johannesburg, joined the youth of St Augustine’s parish in Germiston to be confirmed by Auxiliary Bishop Duncan Tsoke. With the bishop and the candidates is St Augustine’s parish priest Fr Ron Houreld oMI.

The men’s prayer group of St Martin de Porres parish in Bishop Lavis, Cape Town, attended a Catholic Men’s Weekend Retreat at Bergkroon Faith Centre just outside Wellington. Pictured with them is their parish administrator Fr Jerome Aranes (back row in white) who delivered talks on Gnosticism and Pelagianism at the retreat. (Submitted by Martin Keith Julie)

Blessed Libarat parish in Newlands West, Durban, celebrated the First Communion of five youngsters. (Submitted by Michael Anderson)

Staff and pupils at Brescia House School in Bryanston, Johannesburg, elected new leaders for 2019. The headgirl is Melissa Papiyan (centre), with Tyler Marshall (left) and Rosa Pisanti (right) the two deputy headgirls.

At the end of every year the men of Sedgefield’s St Anthony’s parish in oudtshoorn diocese cook breakfast after Sunday Mass for all parishioners to thank them for their help. The cooks are (from left) Paul Marshall, John Laros, Martin Simonic, Dave Morgan-Smith, Dave Jones and Bernard Sheridan. (Submitted by Yvonne Morgan-Smith)

The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2018

FAITH

Why Mary was born without sin For the December 8 feast of Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception, MICHAEL oGUNU explains how Mary was immune to sin.

HE Immaculate Conception is, according to Catholic doctrine, the conception of the Virgin Mary without any stain (immacula, in Latin) of original sin. Hence Mary is sometimes called the Immaculata, or the Immaculate One. The Immaculate Conception was solemnly defined as a dogma by Pope Pius IX in his Ineffabilis Deus on December 8, 1854 (hence her feast day on December 8). “We decree, pronounce and define the doctrine which asserts that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, saviour of the human race, was preserved free from every stain of original sin is a doctrine revealed by God and, for this reason, must be firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful,” Pius IX decreed. The papally defined dogma declares that Mary possessed sanctifying grace from the first instant of her existence and was free from the lack of grace caused by the original sin at the beginning of human history. The Catholic Church teaches that the dogma is supported by Scripture. Thus, Pius IX primarily appealed to the text of Genesis 3:15, where the serpent was told by God: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed.” According to the Catholic understanding, this was a prophecy that foretold of a “woman” who would always be at enmity with the serpent—that is, a woman who would never be under the power of sin, nor in bondage to the serpent. Some Catholic theologians have also claimed the archangel Gabriel’s salutation to Mary at the Annunciation (Lk 1:28) as scriptural evidence for the Immaculate Conception. In 1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed herself to St Bernadette Soubirous at the grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes, France, as the Immaculate Conception, thus giving heaven’s approval to Ineffabilis Deus. In order to be born into this world, Our Lord could not take flesh from any mere human being. Our Lady was prepared from all eternity to be the Mother of God through this privilege of the Immaculate Conception. God, having decreed that Mary was to be the Mother of his Son, could not allow her soul to lack those graces that would make her a fitting shrine in which his Son was to take flesh and dwell.

An ancient belief The dogma of the Immaculate Conception developed throughout the history of the Church. Christians always believed in the holiness of Our Lady.

The feast of Mary’s Conception was celebrated in the Eastern Church as early as the 7th century and in the Western Church by the 11th century. But the belief in it precedes the feasts by many centuries, going back at least to the 3rd century. The writings of the Fathers of the Church on Mary’s purity abound. Hippolytus (170-235 AD) called Mary the tabernacle exempt from defilement and corruption. Origen (184-253) called her worthy of God, the immaculate of the immaculate, of the most complete sanctity and perfect justice, neither deceived by the persuasion of the serpent, nor infected with his poisonous breathings. Ambrose (340-397), that saintly bishop of Milan, said she was incorrupt, a virgin immune through grace from every stain of sin. Maximus of Turin in the 5th century called her a dwelling fit for Christ, not because of her habit of body, but because of original grace. Theodotus of Ancyra, also in the 5th century, termed her a virgin innocent, without spot, void of culpability, holy in body and in soul, a lily springing among thorns, untaught the ills of Eve, and, when not yet born already consecrated to God. In refuting Pelagius, St Augustine (354-430) declared that all the just have truly known of sin “except the Holy Virgin Mary, of whom, for the honour of the Lord, I will have no question whatever where sin is concerned”. And this is only a small sample of Church Fathers confirming Mary’s sinlessness. The belief in Mary’s immunity from sin in her conception was prevalent among the Fathers, especially those of the Greek Church.

Saints among sceptics There were, however, theologians such as St Thomas Aquinas and St Bonaventure who opposed this teaching, stating that it removes Mary from the rest of humanity as needing salvation, and detracting from the universality of the redemption won for us by Christ. Bl John Duns Scotus, a 13thcentury Franciscan philosopher, resolved the confusion on this matter and stated that Mary was free from sin from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, St Anne, only in anticipation of Christ’s redemptive death on the cross. The merits and graces of Jesus transcend time and space. This is how the Blessed Mother was able to partake in those merits at her conception, even though the Lord had not yet died on the cross. The Immaculate Mother of God is our mediatrix before the throne of her Divine Son. As our loving Mother, she is eager to shower down graces and blessings upon her children in order to help us remain faithful to our Catholic faith and to walk in the ways of righteousness. Protestants and other nonCatholic Christians assert that the Virgin Mary could not have been

tion. In this way, Jesus saved her from sin and the effects of sin. You and I and all mankind are liberated from the “fire” of sin and eternal death in hell through the saving grace of Our Lord Jesus. We receive this grace in baptism and if we fall into mortal sin, through sacramental confession. Baptism, so to speak, “pulls us out of the fire”. When we deliberately fall into the fire again through our deliberate mortal sins, the Lord rescues us through the sacrament of reconciliation. Mary, by Jesus’ grace, was preserved from ever falling into that fire.

Nature’s solitary boast

The Immaculate Conception, painted around 1652 by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, in the convent of San Francisco in Seville, Spain. immaculately conceived and that if she were conceived without sin, she would not have needed redemption, as she herself acknowledged that she needed in her own words in the Magnificat: “My spirit rejoices in God my saviour” (Lk 1:47). They also maintain that St John clearly states that “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 Jn 1:8). They therefore wonder how Catholics can claim that the Virgin Mary was sinless. Another biblical text which Protestants and other non-Catholic Christians often cite is found in St Paul’s Letter to the Romans: “Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin, death and this death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned” (5:12). These texts raise a question: Does the Catholic teaching on the Immaculate Conception indicate that Mary was not in need of salvation? The Church believes that God’s Son, who was to come into the world through Mary’s consent, was himself her saviour. Mary as a member of the human race was in need of salvation. However, her salvation was “singular” (unique). In order to help us understand

Mary’s need for salvation, theologians distinguish between a “liberative salvation” and a “preservative salvation”. Every member of the human race, with the exception of Mary, was liberated from sin and eternal damnation by the Cross of Jesus. In virtue of the Cross of Jesus, Mary was preserved from sin and eternal damnation.

Understanding salvation Two illustrations might be helpful in coming to understand the significance of this distinction: If you are wounded by a bullet and I remove it and help you to heal the wound, you might correctly call me your “saviour”. However, would I not be more properly your “saviour” if I had preserved you from being shot in the first place? Again, I might save you from being burned to death in a fire. I could liberate you from the flames and save your life. Would I be any less your “saviour” if I preserved you from even falling into the destructive flames? Every member of the human race, except Mary, is wounded by the sin of Adam. We are liberated from Adam’s sin by the grace of Jesus Christ. Mary, also by Christ’s grace, was preserved from being wounded by the sin of humanity in her concep-

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The Catholic Church does not deny that the Virgin Mary needed redemption, for she was a child of Adam together with the rest of humanity. However, her redemption was effected in another, “more sublime manner”, namely, “redemption by pre-emption”. Consequently, in reference to Mary, the Church strongly affirms these Scriptural truths: Mary is indeed saved from sin and Jesus is her saviour! The Church finds support for the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception in the words of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women” (Lk 1:28). She, who was to conceive the Son of God, the Holy of Holies, must herself be supremely holy, and therefore be preserved, not only from actual sin, but also from all stain of original sin. The angel’s words would not have been entirely truthful had the Virgin Mary, for even one instant, been deprived of grace. The Church, furthermore, asserts that God, immediately after Adam’s fall, cursed Satan and said: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head” (Gen 3:15). It was by the Virgin Mary’s seed—that is, Jesus Christ—that the kingdom of Satan was demolished. It was not fitting that she, who was to cooperate in the defeat of Satan, should ever be infected by his breath or a slave to his kingdom of sin. The enmity between the Virgin Mary and the serpent placed by God was her triumph over sin, her Immaculate Conception. The sinlessness of Mary, the Church holds, is total and without exception. Beginning with her conception, she was preserved free from the stain and effects of original sin, so that never for a moment of her earthly existence did she come under the dominion of the devil. All other human beings inherit the consequences of the sin of Adam and Eve, and come into this world separated from God until restored to his friendship through the sacrament of baptism. Hence, as the poet Wordsworth so beautifully puts it, Mary is “our tainted nature’s solitary boast”. n Prof Michael Ogunu is the coordinator of the World Apostolate of Fatima in Africa.

The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2018

INTERVIEW

My mission to bring Christ to young people Nqobile Ngcobo is the Africa coordinator for Alpha who recently spoke persuasively about her Catholic faith in an SABC documentary on the Church’s bicentenary in South Africa. DALUXoLo MoLoANToA spoke to her about life and faith.

QOBILE Ngcobo was born and raised in Durban, and after school studied geological science. A youth leader in her parish, she is now the coordinator of Alpha Africa, and was a driving force behind the Divine Renovations conferences in South Africa, presented by Canadian Fr James Mallon. What are your earliest childhood memories of growing up in the Catholic Church? My earliest memories of being Catholic are attending Mass as a child. I have a distinct memory of my first confession. I think I was nine years old. I know I was scared. Most of my memories are of the procession at Mass, the incense— the images that come to mind when you think of growing up in a Catholic church. You have served as a parish youth leader. How did this come about? At the start of 2013, I took a decision that just going to Mass on Sunday wasn’t enough, and I needed to become proactively involved in the life of my church. It was at this time that Life Teen was starting in our parish, and they were looking for core team members. I decided to join. A few years later I took over as the parish coordinator, and also became our parish youth minister, and served in this position for two years. You recently appeared in an SABC documentary about the 200 years of our Church in South Africa. You spoke of an encounter that you had, which re-

inforced and enriched not just your Christian faith, but your Catholicism in particular. Can you expound again on this encounter? I grew up going to Mass every Sunday and was taught that God loved me, and I would pray to God often. However, the relationship was always detached. God was somewhere over “there” and I was “here”. When I was 16 years old I went on a confirmation camp which changed that experience of faith. At that camp it was the first time I heard people giving their own personal testimony and witness of faith. Although their stories of encounter were different, they were all talking about a personal God. They were all joyfully sharing about a God that truly loved them! That was the first time I thought that a relationship with God could be more personal and that God was calling me to him. It’s also the first memory I have of people talking about the power of the Holy Spirit. I also experienced the Eucharist in a new way that weekend, during Mass and moments of adoration. That weekend changed me, and altered something in me, and I have not looked back ever since. You were among a number of young South African leaders at the last World Youth Day, in Krakow, Poland, in 2016. What did you take away from that pilgrimage? World Youth Day 2016 was another life-changing experience for me. It was just incredible. I truly experienced the universal Church in Poland. To be gathered with young people from around the world changed my outlook on the global Church. The four walls of my experience in my parish were burst open as I

Nqobile Ngcobo, the Africa coordinator of Alpha International realised that there were young people around the world, trying as I was to live out their Catholic faith in the world. It was truly a profound experience to be with people from different countries who were gathered as one Church. You are Africa coordinator for Alpha International. What does your position entail? At Alpha our mission is to serve and equip the Church in its mission to help people discover and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ. As Africa coordinator I support the work of Alpha in the youth and Catholic contexts. We always want to ensure that the tools we offer are representative of the local experience of faith. That’s why one of the projects we have been working on is the Alpha Youth Series, with African interviews.

This edition has new interviews filmed in East, West and Southern Africa, and therefore shares the faith experiences of young people in our home continent. I am really excited to see young people engage and getting involved in our project. What are the greatest challenges you’ve had in your work—and your victories? I suppose the greatest challenge is moving into a bigger organisation but maintaining the heart of someone working at the parish level. Although our work is now across Africa, I still want to serve the way that I would at the local Church level—to think of the local Church always. To think always of how I can best serve and equip the parishbased youth leader or youth minister in their mission to help young people discover and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s how I think I can best serve in this position. The greatest victories are always the stories we hear from churches which are seeing the fruit of creating an invitational culture in their parishes. The fruit of inviting people to experience Alpha and the ways in which those lives are changed. Those are the greatest victories, because it means we are actually making a difference. That’s our aim, ultimately. What is your opinion of young people today and their spiritual path, particularly young Catholics in South Africa? I have been fortunate to have experienced faith in community with other young Catholics. I come from a youth ministry background where the term “belong-believe-behave” is shared often and I believe that it’s a good basis to understanding the process of evangelisation. I think that young people—per-

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haps all people—are often brought into a deeper experience of faith when they are invited into it through community. Whether that’s though friendships formed in youth groups or through Alpha. I also think that young people today desire authenticity. I think we can’t be false about the radical nature of living out our Catholic faith, and our ability to be honest about our experience of faith is what makes it real, tangible and attainable through grace. So you see hope for young people in the Church? There is great hope for young people today. I think the fact that Pope Francis just spent a month hearing and discussing the challenges and ways to reach young people today means that the Spirit is still on the mission to grow the Church. I once heard a quote: “It is the job of young people to set the Church on fire, and it is the job of older people to make sure we don’t burn it down.” Although I think we all should be on a mission to set the Church ablaze with our faith and let it go out into the streets to transform society, I love the idea that we should be a Church that is ready to let young people encounter the life-altering love of Jesus Christ and everything that comes from that. We should be open to young people in places of leadership and be truly open to listening to them. I would love to see young adults serving on our parish councils as well. How do you see your future, professionally? I think the long-term goal is to serve churches as they use Alpha as a tool for evangelisation. I have a heart for the youth leader or youth minister who has a desire to lead young Catholic teens to our Lord Jesus Christ. I would love to serve them as best as I can. It is at the local parish level that we impact on how teens and young people view our rich Catholic faith. This is where I’d like to ensure that my input is felt, particularly with my mission and work at Alpha International.

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CLASSIFIEDS

Pope to visit Romania in 2019

OPE Francis will visit Romania in 2019, according to Archbishop Ioan Robu of Bucharest, president of the Romanian bishops’ conference. Archbishop Robu met the pope together with the bishops of Romania gathered in Rome for their ad limina visit. Although details of the meeting cannot be disclosed because they are part of a personal exchange between the pope and the bishops, the archbishop said that he could announce that Pope Francis will go to Romania next year. “The date and programme have not been set yet; the Holy See and Romanian administration will get to details in a further discussion,” he said. “Also, the Orthodox Church of Romania will be involved in the talks, as the majority religion in Romania.

As of 2011, there are 870 774 Catholics in Romania; 4,3% of the population. The Catholic Church is the secondlargest Romanian denomination after the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Romanian bishops’ conference is composed of 17 bishops, including both bishops of Roman Catholic dioceses and Greek Catholic dioceses, that is, dioceses of the Byzantine rite. Archbishop Robu said that relations between the Catholic Church and the Romanian Orthodox Church vary according to the rite. “There are no tensions,” he said, “between Orthodox and Catholics of the Latin rite, while the relations between Greek Catholics and Orthodox are living a sort of winter.” In 1948, when the Communist Party took over the coun-

try, the Greek Catholic Church was declared illegal and the property rights of as many as 2 500 Greek Catholic church buildings and other assets were transferred to the Romanian Orthodox Church. In 1989, in the wake of the Romanian revolution, the bill that declared the Greek Catholic Church outlawed was repealed, and the Romanian Greek Catholic Church could be restored. Ever since, the Greek Catholic Church has struggled to have its properties returned, and much of it has remained in Romanian Orthodox or government hands. Pope John Paul II visited Romania in 1999, and so an eventual visit by Pope Francis in 2019 will mark the 20th anniversary of the first visit of a pope to the country.—CNA

The Southern Cross, November 28 to December 4, 2018

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IN MEMORIAM

CLOETE—Samuel. Passed away on November 21, 1991.In loving memory of my husband, and a father, grandfather and greatgrandfather. You are always in the prayers of your wife Catherine, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

PERSONAL

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Prayer for Lighting of Advent Wreath Candle Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ: he is Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples, he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us, he is the Saviour of every nation. Lord God, let your blessing come upon us as we light the candles of this wreath. May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation. May he come quickly and not delay. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

ABORTION WARNING: The truth will convict a silent Church. See www.valuelife abortionisevil.co.za ABORTION ON DEMAND: This is legalised daily murder in our nation. our silence on this issue is the reason why it continues. Avoid pro-abortion politicians.

PRAYERS

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 tranquillity your kingdom may go forward, till the earth be filled with the knowledge of your love. Amen.

PARISH NOTICES

CAPE TOWN: Retreat day/quiet prayer last Saturday of each month except December, at Springfield Convent in Wynberg, Cape Town. Hosted by CLC, 10.00-15.30. Contact Jill on 083 282 6763 or Jane on 082 783 0331. 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 031309 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

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Monday December 3, St Francis Xavier Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122:1-9, Matthew 8:5-11 Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17, Luke 10:21-24 Wednesday December 5 Isaiah 25:6-10, Psalm 23, Matthew 15:29-37 Thursday December 6, St Nicholas

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Friday December 7, St Ambrose Isaiah 29:17-24, Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14, Matthew 9:27-31 Saturday December 8, Immaculate Conception of Our Lady Genesis 3:9-15, 20, Psalm 98:1-4, Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12, Luke 1:26-38 Sunday December 9, 2nd Sunday of Advent Baruch 5:1-9, Psalm 126, Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11, Luke 3:1-6

GOD BLESS AFRICA Guard our people, guide our leaders and give us peace. Luke 11:1-13

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Matthew 7:21, 24-27

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1 Thessalonians 3:2--4:2, Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

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Southern CrossWord solutions

Liturgical Calendar Sunday December 2, 1st Sunday of Advent

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2nd Sunday of Advent: December 9 Readings: Baruch 5:1-9, Psalm 126, Philippians 1:3-6, 8-11, Luke 3:1-6

S Advent goes on, there are grounds for increasing joy; but it comes in unexpected ways, and always brought upon us by our God of surprises. In the first reading for next Sunday, the author invites us to “take off the robe of mourning and mistreatment” and instead “put on the beauty that comes from the glory of God for ever”. The background here is that the disaster of the Fall of Jerusalem is no longer the whole story, and now we are to put on the “doublerobe for the justice that comes from God”. And why all this rejoicing? “Because God will show your brightness to all the land under heaven.” Then he gets really excited, and sings: “Arise, Jerusalem, and stand on a high place and look to the East, and see, your children gathered from the West to the East, by the word of the Holy One rejoicing at the name of God.” There is immense confidence here in the God who brings triumph out of disaster, and we watch the exiles return, “lifted up in glory, like a royal throne”. It is a wonderful picture, this, of the God who “will lead Israel with joy in the light of his glory, with the mercy and justice that comes from him”.

S outher n C ross

The psalm for next Sunday likewise reflects on that great moment of the return from exile: “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we thought we were dreaming; our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues rejoiced.” And why? Because “the Lord did great things for us, and we rejoiced”. And things are still not perfect, so the poet is not afraid to insist again, “Restore our fortunes, Lord”, and to make a great act of faith that “those who sow in tears will reap with cries of joy”, a lovely optimistic prayer that we shall do well to make our own. There is plenty of joy in the second reading, too, from the letter to the Philippians, which, although it was written inside a prison from which he might well not emerge alive, is by some way Paul’s most joyful letter. Here we listen to him praying for his beloved Philippians, in gratitude for their “solidarity for the Gospel, from Day One until now…[I am] certain that the one who started a good work among you will complete it up to the day of Christ Jesus”. Then we eavesdrop on Paul’s confident prayer for them: “That your love may overflow, even more, in knowledge and all kinds

prophets which warn us that what God wants from us is not sacrifice on altars but fair wages for the poor, not the recitation of prescribed prayers but justice for widows, and not the honouring of religious festivals but the giving of hospitality to strangers. It should be noted, of course, that, after the prophets, we have the great wisdom figures in Jewish history. For them, the essence of religion was neither faithful religious practice nor simple outreach to the poor, but having a wise and compassionate heart, out of which you would then be faithful to both proper religious practice and outreach to the poor.

Classic Conrad

his is the tradition that Jesus inherits. What does he do with it? He ratifies all three. For Jesus, true religiosity asks for all of these: faithful religious practice, outreach to the poor, and a wise and compassionate heart. For Jesus, you don’t pick between these, you do them all. He tells us clearly: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14); but he also tells us that we will ultimately be judged on the basis of how we treat the poor (Mt 25); even as he tells us that what God really wants from us is a wise, compassionate heart (Lk 6 & 15). For Jesus, we are true disciples when we have compassionate hearts out of which we keep the commandments, humbly worship our God, but make it a religious prior-

Sunday Reflections

of perfection, so that you may discern the things that matter…filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” There is joy here, even against a grim background. Then in the Gospel for next Sunday, we are given the only date in the entire New Testament, (“in the fifteenth year of the imperium of Tiberius Caesar”, or roughly 29AD), then a list of all the most powerful in Palestine in Jesus’ lifetime: Herod’s children and successors, and Annas and Caiaphas of the highpriestly family. At that point, just as we are reflecting that this is about as unwholesome a bunch of rogues as you could wish to meet on a dark night, Luke’s camera turns quite unexpectedly onto the virtuous figure of John the Baptist, whom we discover “in the desert”, and it is to him, not to any of the rich and powerful, that “the word of God came”. There is here a very surprising joy; and now we watch the start of his mission: “He came to all the area round about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (This last idea is a great theme of the gospel of Luke that we shall be

This is our path to heaven IDOWS, orphans and strangers— that’s code in scripture for the three most vulnerable groups within a society at any given time. And both the great Jewish prophets and Jesus himself assure us that ultimately we will be judged by how we treated these while we were alive. It’s interesting to look at any given book in the Bible and ask this question: “What did the author of this book consider as the very essence of religion?” You’ll get different answers. For example, if you had asked that question to the authors of Exodus, Deuteronomy or Numbers, they would have answered that what was central to their faith was proper religious practice, keeping the Commandments and being faithful to the other prescribed codes of religious practice of their time. However, when the great prophets—Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Joel—came along, they painted a different picture. For them, true religiosity was not identified simply with fidelity to religious practice; it was judged rather on how one treated the poor. For them, the quality of your faith is to be judged by the quality of justice in the land; and the quality of justice in the land is always to be judged by how “widows, orphans, and strangers” fare while you are alive. For the prophets, the practice of justice took priority over proper religious belonging and fidelity to religious practice. We see numerous sayings by the

Nicholas King SJ

Grounds for increasing joy

hearing in the course of this year). Then we learn that God is indeed in the story, for this is a fulfilment of what Isaiah wrote of “the voice of one shouting in the desert”: “Prepare the Lord’s way, make his paths straight; every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill brought low.” Then, and best of all, as we start to look forward to what lies at the end of our Advent season: All flesh shall see God’s saving power”. At this point we pick up the echo of what Simeon sang at the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, in the words of the hymn with which the Church sings itself to sleep every night: “My eyes have seen your saving power.” The point is that there really is joy waiting for us at the end of Advent, but it comes in surprising ways, and not in the orgy of eating and drinking, not to mention the buying of things we don’t need and can’t afford, that is on offer today in the shops out there. God is very much in charge; and God’s ways are very far from being our ways.

Southern Crossword #839

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final Reflection

ity to reach out to the most vulnerable groups in our society. Indeed, on this latter point, Jesus’ warnings are much stronger even than those of the great Jewish prophets. The prophets affirmed that God favours the poor; Jesus affirmed that God is in the poor (“Whatsoever you do to the least, you do to me”). How we treat the poor is how we are treating God. Moreover (and I doubt we’ve ever taken this seriously), Jesus tells us that, at the final judgment, we will be judged on the basis of how we treated the poor, particularly the most vulnerable among them (“widows, orphans, and strangers”). In Matthew 25, he lays out the criteria upon which we will be judged, for heaven or for hell. Notice that in these criteria there aren’t any questions about whether we kept the commandments, went to church, or even whether our sexual lives were in order. Here we’re to be judged solely on how we treated the poor. It can be rather frightening and confusing to take this at face value, namely, that we will go to heaven or hell solely on the basis of how we treated the poor. I highlight this because today so many of us, sincere, churchgoing Christians do not seem to have either an eye or a heart for the “widows, orphans, and strangers” around us. Who are the most vulnerable groups on our world today? Who today, as Gustavo Gutierrez defines the poor, does not have a right to have rights? Let me risk stating the obvious: Among the “widows, orphans, and strangers” in our world today are the unborn, the refugees, and the immigrants. Happily, most sincere Christians are not blind to the plight of the unborn. Less happily, too many of us are religiously blind to the plight of millions of refugees looking for someone to welcome them. Every newscast we watch tells us that we’re not welcoming the stranger. How soon we forget God’s warning in Deuteronomy: “You are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners” (10:18-19).

ACROSS

1. The point of astrology (4) 3. Told untruth in court of law (8) 9. Red Vera asserted as a fact (7) 10. Refuge place (5) 11. Faithful married couple (4,8) 13. About nice PT graduate (6) 15. Concerning the meat: display it (6) 17. Sombre funeral adornments (5,7) 20. Feudal lord in Belgium? (5) 21. Not a bright aspect of the Crucifixion (Mt 27) (4,3) 22. Gave evidence (8) 23. Colour of very rare steak in Paris (4)

DOWN

1. Cleric doing school ministry? (8) 2. Repository of the old maid? (5) 4. Put up with (6) 5. South Africa’s latest archdiocese (12) 6. Get into this gear for your retreat (7) 7. Take your main meal (4) 8. Labourers in the vineyard (5-7) 12. Sneezy wish (5,3) 14. Bring together for liturgical prayer (7) 16. Span (6) 18. Bird seen in carousel (5) 19. Napoleonic isle (4) Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

T was a Thursday, and the parish was going to have First Communion on Sunday, but the parish priest thought Little Jimmy wasn’t ready. So he visited the family to tell them he would postpone Jimmy’s First Communion by a year. “But, Father, you can’t,” Jimmy’s mom protested. “We have family coming all the way from Durban and Cape Town, and Bloemfontein, too.” “I’m sorry,” the priest explained, “but Jimmy didn’t even know that Jesus died.” Replied the mother: “But how could he? We don’t have Facebook. We didn’t even know Jesus was ill.”

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