190213 by The Southern Cross

The

S outher n C ross

February 13 to February 19, 2019

New column by a future priest

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reg No. 1920/002058/06

No 5122

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SA’s political parties commit to ethics code By ErIN CarElSE

MAJOR part of the discussion at a January Electoral Code of Conduct meeting was impressing on political parties the need to exercise leadership that ensures their followers abide by and imbibe the ethics and rules they committed themselves to when they registered as parties. This is according to Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office director Fr Peter-John Pearson. Fr Pearson, who is part of the Electoral Code of Conduct organisation and was present at the meeting, explained that it was born of, and with the support of, the Electoral Commission of South Africa. So in provinces there are women and men who are leaders of faith communities, lawyers, media representatives, and heads of civil society organisations who can play a mediation role, exercise some leverage if needs be, and monitor the freeness and fairness not only of the election day and process but of the environment too. “We have the understanding that free and fair also pertains to the environment from the time an election is announced to well thereafter,” Fr Pearson said. “Because if the environment isn’t right, then obviously freeness and fairness have a procedural dimension and that’s not what we want, we want an environment that’s politically, socially, and emotionally conducive to people exercising their participation.” The Electoral Code of Conduct meeting, which took place in Cape Town, was with the provincial heads of the main political parties. Nine of the major parties were represented, and present. Fr Pearson said there is a commitment and joint understanding to abide by the code, and recognition of the importance of good leaders. “Leaders don’t go round tearing posters off walls,” he said. “Sometimes, in very contested situations, followers do, and that becomes a difficulty. So it’s also what kind of leadership parties offer the people.” Since 1998 a code of conduct on campaigning has been included in the Electoral Act. Political parties’ agents and candidates are

three Sisters of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood made their first profession at Sacred Heart Home in Ixopo, Kwazulu-Natal. the Sisters, carrying candles and wearing rosettes, are seen with members of the provincial council. (From left) Srs Mary Paul Makoa, Julitha Kijangwa, and Cynthia Mselule. (Submitted by Sr Marie-therese)

Fr Peter-John Pearson, of the Electoral Code of Conduct organisation, said parties understand their ethics commitments. (Photo: Keith Stober) required to subscribe to the code on submission of their nominations; and failure to adhere to the code is punishable by disqualification. Among the forbidden actions are: • Any form of speaking or behaviour that intimidates others, promotes violence, or plagiarises the emblems of other political parties. • Actions which deface, destroy or tamper with another party’s election material. “Hugely, the meeting was about engaging the political parties,” Fr Pearson said, “saying, ‘We are around, you are around, and together we need to provide the right kind of environment.’ We want to make it work as it is clearly going to be a contested election, and we need to ensure things don’t unnecessarily go awry.” Electoral Code of Conduct representatives were out and about on the final registration weekend at the end of January. Fr Pearson noted that there is a lot of vigilance and public support for the electoral system. “We were out checking registration venues were working, that everything was right, and there were no long queues,” he said. President Ramaphosa is expected to proclaim the election date sometime in February. The Southern Cross will be following up with Fr Pearson as the organisation will be meeting often in the upcoming weeks.

Abuse summit: ‘Action needed’ By Carol Glatz

T the upcoming meeting on protecting minors, Pope Francis wants leaders of the world’s bishops’ conferences to clearly understand what must be done to prevent abuse, care for victims, and ensure no case is whitewashed or covered up. “The pope wants it to be an assembly of pastors, not an academic conference—a meeting characterised by prayer and discernment, a catechetical and working gathering,” Alessandro Gisotti, interim director of the Vatican press office, told reporters. The meeting on the protection of minors in the Church runs from February 21-24. “The goal is that all of the bishops clearly understand what they need to do to prevent and combat the worldwide problem of the sexual abuse of minors,” Mr Gisotti said. “Pope Francis knows that a global problem can only be resolved with a global response.” The pope announced in September that he was calling the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences, heads of the Eastern Catholic churches, and representatives of the leadership groups of men’s and women’s religious orders to the Vatican to address the crisis. “It is fundamental for the Holy Father that when the bishops have returned to their countries, they understand the laws to be applied and take the necessary steps to prevent abuse, care for the victims and make sure that no case is covered up or buried,” Mr Gisotti said.

He acknowledged the “high expectations” surrounding the meeting and emphasised that “the Church is not at the beginning of the fight against abuse”. “The meeting is a stage along the painful journey that the Church has unceasingly and decisively undertaken for over 15 years,” Mr Gisotti said. The Vatican press office also said the meeting’s organising committee met Pope Francis. The committee members are Cardinals Blase Cupich of Chicago and Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, India; Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, adjunct secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; and Jesuit Father Hans Zollner, president of the Centre for the Protection of Minors at the Pontifical Gregorian University and a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The members informed the pope about their preparations for the gathering, which will include “listening to testimonies”. “Pope Francis has guaranteed his presence for the entire duration of the meeting,” the press office said. The organising committee has already informed bishops to prepare for the gathering by meeting survivors of abuse. “The first step must be acknowledging the truth. We urge each bishop to visit victim survivors of clergy sex abuse in their countries before travelling to Rome, to learn firsthand the suffering they have endured.”—CNS

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the Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2019

LOCAL

World’s women to join in prayer By ErIN CarElSE

AY women throughout the world and from all walks of life are invited to join in the Women’s World Day of Prayer (WWDP) to intercede for Slovenia, on March 2, starting from 9:00. The Republic of Slovenia in Central Europe is the recipient country for prayer intercession this year. Radio Veritas and Radio Pulpit, both in South Africa, are inviting all women to join in the event, to pray for peace and justice in Slovenia and South Africa. The event will be held at Regina Mundi Catholic church in Moroka-Soweto. The WWDP is a global ecumenical movement of Christian women. In more than 170 countries, they come together on the first Friday in March to join in prayer and action for peace and justice. The day brings together

women of various races, cultures, and churches in fellowship and understanding. This interdenominational setting will see women joining hands, praying together, giving physical support locally to women in need of it, providing spiritual upliftment and intercession for Slovenia and South Africa. Slovenia’s theme (based on Luke 14:15-24) will take people back to God’s invitation to his children with love: “Come—everything is ready.” In this invitation episode, many who attended the banquet were among those least expected to, and those most expected to were among the excluded. The World Women’s Day of Prayer has been active in South Africa for the past 88 years; calling women to be conscious of the needs of others and selfless in praying for them. The first World Day of

Prayer service was held in March 1930 in the Sea Point Congregational church. In 1946 a national committee for Southern Africa was established. Members of this committee are nominated by a variety of figures in Church leadership. The symbol for the Women’s World Day of Prayer was developed by the women of Ireland and adopted as the international logo in 1982. Its design (see left bottom corner in poster at right) is made up of arrows converging from the four points of the compass, persons kneeling in prayer, the Celtic cross, and the circle, representing the world and our unity through diversity. The attendance at the WWDP in South Africa has grown each year. In 2015 about 350 women came to the event, while last year about 3 000 gathered for this prayer day.

The WWDP has become more important as women are increasingly exposed to the needs of others and see the importance of reaching out to them. More than 100 000 women participate annually on this celebration day. Mahadi Buthelezi of Radio Veritas says: “For Radio Veritas South Africa and Radio Pulpit, going out to the community, actively working with it, to the people and hugging them—in reality loving thy neighbour—is the main reason why the two stations are committed to doing this event together”. “The event has been successfully held in the past three years in Pretoria and Johannesburg,” noted Ayanda Nenemba of Radio Pulpit. “Seeing the healing as well as the mindset change from women attending the day is worth every effort the team puts together to make this a reality,” she said.

Sleeping priest unscathed after fire destroys presbytery By ErIN CarElSE

the presbytery at Maria Mamohau church in orkney, Klerksdorp, caught fire late one night and was destroyed. Parish priest Fr tšoaeli adrian lelimo escaped unscathed but all his possessions were lost.

FIRE broke out at the presbytery at Maria Mamohau church in Orkney, Klerksdorp. Parish priest Fr Tšoaeli Adrian Lelimo escaped unscathed and is grateful to God for his grace. The fire, which completely destroyed the building, took hold late one night. Fr Lelimo recalls arriving home that evening around 20:00 after having been out all day. “After retiring to bed for the evening I woke up to screams and rushed to see what was going on. “When I tried to open my room door I was met with flames and couldn’t get out and instead ran out through the back door and outside. Glass and flames were everywhere.” The fire department arrived soon after the fire started but unfortunately couldn’t do much to put the fire out as the firefighters’ truck

quickly ran out of water. A second truck arrived with additional water but it was too late, at this point. The house was completely destroyed, the damage was done, and all they could do was put out the little flames remaining. Everything in the house was destroyed. Furniture, parish files, Fr Lelimo’s books, liturgical vestments, music instruments, and floor tiles and paint that were meant for the church, which is currently under renovation. Thankfully his car was not damaged as the garage is not attached to the house. However, the car keys were in the house and he couldn’t move his vehicle in time; some electric wires were affected, and one window was broken. Fr Lelimo suspects that the cause of the fire was an electrical fault. However, detectives and fire experts from Pretoria came to exam-

ine the house and the damage, and he is still waiting to hear from them. “I’m coping very well,” he said, “The laity from different parishes responded very quickly to this tragedy. “When I escaped the fire that night, all I had was a pair of jeans, one shirt and a pair of sleepers I was wearing, but by lunchtime on Tuesday, I had new shoes, toiletries, and some shirts,” Fr Lelimo said. “Now my wardrobe at Immaculate Conception parish in Orkney, where I came to seek refuge after the fire, is almost full. “ Fr Lelimo says he does not feel the loss anymore. “I’m grateful to God who has shown me so much love through his people. “As for the house, it will be built again, even though I do not know how, as the parish is busy with renovating the church. “I’m only grateful that I got out alive,” said Fr Lelimo.

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the Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2019

LOCAL

CWL presents first badge for 70 years’ service By DEaNNa CaWDroN

70-YEAR service badge was produced for the first time in South Africa, as a Catholic Women’s League member celebrated her historic milestone. When the congregation’s standing ovation ended, the CWL’s Eileen York, 92, took her seat in the front row at Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Westville, Durban, with a tear twinkling in her eye. She wasn’t the only one. As one of her fellow CWL members whispered, wiping tears from her own eyes, “She touches my heart. She inspires me.” That was the consistent message of Ms York’s family, CWL friends, and fellow parishioners when they joined her at a Mass to honour her 70 years of CWL membership. Ms York, a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes, is an honorary life member of the CWL. She never sought office and was content to remain an ordinary member living the values of charity, work, and loyalty. She and her husband raised eight children, and the seven surviving were all present to see her receive her badge at Mass, having travelled

the Catholic Women’s league in South africa presented its first-ever badge for 70 years of service to Eileen york (centre). With her are (from left) national CWl president Bernice Cocci, Fr Desmond Nair, CWl Westville president theresa Mjenge, and CWl Durban diocesan president loretta Ndelu. from abroad and all over South Africa to be there. CWL national president Bernice

Cocci presented the badge to Ms York, with the support of Elaine Phillips, second vice-president;

Loretta Ndelu, Durban diocesan president; Linda Meeson, Durban diocesan vice-president; and Theresa Mjenge, Westville president. Ms Cocci later told the large group gathered at the post-Mass tea that it was “a privilege to be here and to share this with Eileen”. “I offer the deepest congratulations to her on her years of service. I want to thank her for always being there,” she said. “I read the citations, and know from them, and love, the story that even in a grocery shop, if you bumped into Eileen, and shared a concern with her, she would stop to stand and pray with you immediately. “Being a CWL member is not always easy,” Ms Cocci continued, “especially with a young family. Often potential members say they are too busy, yet Eileen raised eight children while fully participating in her branch. I think of our current theme, which is ‘Here I am, Lord.’ Eileen answered that call, and said, ‘Send me.’” Durban diocesan president Ms Ndelu commented: “She sets such an example of dedication to the CWL. As a diocese, we are over-

whelmingly proud of her. I was honoured to be the president who presented her with her honorary life membership, and delighted to see her at the cathedral last year for the cardinal’s blessing for those members.” Surrounded by more than 30 family members, and after expressing her thanks to all present, Ms York simply commented: “When I got married, I wanted to be the ideal wife, mother, and example. Oftentimes I failed, but looking around today I may have succeeded in a small way.” When asked what she would tell young women considering joining the league in 2019, she advised: “The lifelong friendships I still enjoy have added immeasurably to my happiness. Along with campaigning and fundraising, and being able to help the parishioners with compassionate work like assisting at funerals, it gives a wonderful structure to support your parish priest.” Finally, Ms York remarked: “I am so happy to be in this league; by letting me be of service to the CWL, and through the CWL to the parish, they have helped make me a better Christian.”

Young Christian Students group builds leadership skills By zUKo MaSaBalala

GROUP of students at Immaculata Secondary School in Diepkloof, Soweto, believe the experience they gained as active members of Young Christian Students was instrumental in their being elected to 2019 leadership positions at the school. I myself, as Immaculata headboy and a YCS member, believe the movement had an influence, for over half the students in the leadership are or were members of YCS, including both head prefects (headboy and headgirl) and their deputies. A team of 22 learners at Immaculata Secondary School were inaugurated as the new 2019 student leadership. Noticeably, 12 of the 22 are current or former YCS members.

At first, this discovery was seen as a rare case of coincidence, but upon further questioning prefects, many acknowledged that YCS had some role in their nomination and election. “YCS has helped me grow greatly over the past three years of my membership,” commented deputy headboy Kamohelo Qhala. “I have taken on a few leadership roles, especially in the executive of YCS as secretary,” he said. “This has assisted in building my communication skills and commitment, and developing a critical consciousness from using the See, Judge, Act method of YCS,” the young man explained. Many other student leaders also believe the movement helped them gain recognition within the school

community, as they had improved their communication skills with their parents,and the school and Church authorities. I believe that although it is still not 100% proven that membership of YCS played a significant role in being elected to school leadership teams, it is safe to say that this is an inspiring and encouraging development, not only for YCS members, but also for all other leaders and young people in South Africa. YCS is an international, ecumenical student movement. Members build the leadership themselves on a strong ethical basis regarding both their communities and society at large. The movement was started in South Africa in 1959. Immaculata Secondary School is

one of eight schools in Gauteng— situated in areas such as Soweto, the Vaal Triangle, Jo’burg CBD and Parktown—with a YCS group. Members of the Soweto, CBD and Vaal schools came together for the first time last month at St Charles Lwanga parish in Orange Farm south of Johannesburg. YCS is being revived in South Africa by Fr Mokesh Morar, who has tirelessly motivated and encouraged members to participate more in social, community-based, and constructive activities; be it countering bullying, cleaning up litter, or developing relationships. From April, all Grade 12 YCS will focus on their matric academic work, and younger members will take charge of carrying on building the movement in their schools.

Bishop thaddaeus Kumalo of Eshowe said Mass at KwaMalusi omuhle parish in Ulundi, KwazuluNatal, for all those who work with law enforcement and the welfare (spiritual and otherwise) of prisoners in the diocese. this service has become a yearly event in the alternate deaneries in the past four years.

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yOur uSED STAMPS can help in the education of South Africans for the PriESThOOD at St Joseph’s Scholasticate, Cedara, KwaZulu-Natal. Please send them to: OMi Stamps, Box 101352, Scottsville, 3209

Fr Mokesh Morar has been instrumental in building up the young Christian Students movement in South africa.

the Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2019

INTERNATIONAL

Pope: dialogue, war and religious abuse By CINDy WooDEN

OPE Francis told reporters he is more afraid of the consequences of not engaging in interreligious dialogue than he is of being manipulated by some Muslim leaders. He told reporters flying back to Rome with him from Abu Dhabi that people are always saying he’s letting himself be used by someone, “including journalists, but it’s part of the job”. “For me, there is only one great danger at this moment: destruction, war, hatred among us,” the pope said, explaining why he and Egyptian Sheik Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of al-Azhar, spent a year writing back and forth to finalise the document they signed in Abu Dhabi on promoting “human fraternity” and Christian-Muslim understanding. “If we believers aren’t able to extend a hand, embrace and also pray, our faith will be defeated,” the pope said. The Abu Dhabi “document is born of faith in God, who is father of all and father of peace”. In response to the story on the abuse of women religious in L’Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis said, “It’s true, it’s a problem,” especially in some newer Catholic communities and congregations. “There have been priests and even bishops who have done that,” the pope said. “And I would guess that it still happens today, because it is not something that ends just because people know about it.” “We have been working on this for a while,” Pope Francis said. “We have suspended some priests, sent them away for this, and—I’m not sure if the whole process has been completed—but we also have dissolved a few women’s religious con-

Pope Francis greets the crowd as he arrives to celebrate Mass at zayed Sports City Stadium in abu Dhabi, United arab Emirates. (Photo: Paul Haring/CNS)

Witness to Christ with love, pope tells UAE Catholics By CINDy WooDEN

EETING with tens of thousands of Catholics living in the United Arab Emirates, Pope Francis urged them to be meek, peaceful and express their Christian identity by loving others. The UAE Catholic community, which numbers close to 1 million, includes foreign workers from roughly 100 nations, but particularly India and the Philippines. They filled the stadium at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City and the open spaces around the complex for Pope Francis’ Mass. The United Arab Emirates is officially Muslim, but allows members of other faiths to worship according to their beliefs. The Muslim dignitaries at the Mass were led by Sheik Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the government minister of tolerance. In his homily, Pope Francis told the Catholics, “I like to quote St

Francis, when he gave his brothers instructions about approaching the Saracens and non-Christians. He wrote: ‘Let them not get into arguments or disagreements, but be subject to every human creature out of love for God, and let them profess that they are Christians.’” So “neither arguments nor disagreements” are called for, the pope said. In the 13th century “as many people were setting out, heavily armed” to fight in the Crusades, “St Francis pointed out that Christians set out armed only with their humble faith and concrete love”. “Meekness is important,” the pope said. “If we live in the world according to the ways of God, we will become channels of his presence; otherwise, we will not bear fruit.” The prayers of the faithful for the Mass were written in six languages: Korean, French, Urdu, Filipino, Konkani and Malayam.—CNS

Pope Francis and ahmed el-tayeb, Grand Imam of al-azhar, signed a joint declaration on human fraternity during an interreligious meeting in abu Dhabi, UaE. (Photo: Vatican media) gregations,” newer ones, where corruption and sexual abuse were found. “Must more be done? Yes,” he said. The Catholic Church owes much to the “courage” of then-Pope Benedict XVI for beginning to tackle the problem, Pope Francis said. As prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger tried to investigate a congregation where women were allegedly being abused, he said, but the investigation was blocked. The now-retired pope, he said, dissolved a congregation “because the slavery of women, including sexual slavery, had become part of it”. Pope Francis also was asked about the war in Yemen, where millions of people risk starvation because of four years of war. The pope said he raised the situation there with government officials from the United Arab Emi-

rates, an active member of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition fighting the Houthi armed movement. Pope Francis said he appreciated the openness of the country’s Muslim leaders and their willingness to host the human fraternity meeting and the signing of the dialogue document. Some Catholics may not appreciate the document and the respect it shows for Islam, but it is based on the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, the pope said, and he had several theologians, including the “theologian of the papal household, a Dominican”, read it to ensure it conformed to Catholic teaching. “The document was written in the spirit of Vatican II,” he said. “Freedom is a process,” Pope Francis said, one “which we must respect and accompany” as it expands in nations where there is goodwill and openness.—CNS

New Iraqi archbishop: Rebuilding of Mosul includes hearts By DorEEN aBI raaD

HE new Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Mosul, Iraq, faces a challenge of rebuilding, but not just structurally. What is also needed, he said, is a rebuilding of minds, hearts, coexistence and peace. One of the most important challenges facing his new mission, Archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa said, is “to give hope to our families—all Christian families, not only Chaldeans—to come back to Mosul”. He also said it was “important to rebuild the bridge” of coexistence between Christians and Muslims as well as with Yazidis and all minorities “and to rebuild the confidence and also peace”. “We have the same blood and the same tears. That’s why we should live together, to rebuild our

future together,” he said. “When we love each other, the confidence and also the future will be rebuilt.” “It’s very important to have good relationships among all the citizens and at the same time to protect our Christian rights,” added the archbishop. Rebuilding Mosul and the Ninevah Plain pertains not just to reconstruction and infrastructure, he said. Education also needs to be rebuilt, from the curriculum in the schools to the preaching in the mosques. Archbishop Moussa noted that “the population for the last four years has been influenced by ISIS” and “this kind of ideology is very dangerous for the future”. “That’s why we should start with the heart and the mind.” “It’s not easy,” the archbishop acknowledged, but he stressed that many Muslims in Mosul “are very

Chaldean archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa of Mosul. (Photo: Chaldean archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa/CNS) helpful and understand that ISIS is not the solution for the future and violence is not the solution for humanity”. Before Mosul fell to Islamic State militants in 2014, it had a

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Christian population of around 35 000; now, “there are no more than maybe 10 families” living there, Archbishop Moussa said. Additionally, there are around 50-80 Christians attending college or working in Mosul, but they do not remain in the city at night. The city was liberated from ISIS in 2017, but today, in West Mosul, 85% of the houses are completely destroyed, the archbishop said. “Most of the families can’t go back to Mosul because they have no more houses,” he said. They also need jobs and want to give their children a future. However, Archbishop Moussa said: “Forgiveness is very important. God helps us. The Holy Spirit helps us.” Although there are no exact figures, he estimates that around 300350 families have returned to the nearby Ninevah Plain. That area

had Iraq’s largest concentration of Christians, but they, too, were uprooted by ISIS in the summer of 2014. For now, the archbishop is working from the nearby city of Karamlis. He noted that his counterparts—the Syriac Catholic and Syriac Orthodox archbishops—also hope to return to their seats in Mosul. Archbishop Moussa said the archbishops are working together as well as with the Assyrian and other Christian churches. He said he is hoping “for the help of the international community to help Mosul rebuild” and “to help us, especially, to support these families, to rebuild their future”. Noting that Iraqi Christians feel “very near to the Church around the world”, Archbishop Moussa said: “God bless all the people who try to help us with prayers and support.”—CNS

CAR bishops to UN: Lift arms embargo By BroNWEN DaCHS

S the Central African Republic’s government and the 14 militia groups that control most of the country meet for peace talks, the country’s bishops called on the United Nations to lift the arms embargo imposed on the nation. Violent groups continue to procure arms illegally, and the only effect of the embargo is that the army has been substantially weakened, the bishops said in a statement at the end of their January plenary meeting in the capital, Bangui. The UN imposed the embargo in 2013, and each year it has been extended. The bishops said the government “is absent in vast zones” of the country “which are now

under the control of armed groups. These armed groups repeatedly commit inhumane acts of violence and carry out grave violations of human rights”. The country has faced interreligious and intercommunal fighting since 2013. Thousands of people have been killed and onequarter of the Central African Republic’s population of 4,5 million have fled their homes. The country’s porous borders mean that weapons and mercenaries come in from countries such as Chad, Sudan, Uganda, Cameroon and Niger, the bishops said. “We call on the governments of these countries to show humanity by helping the Central African Republic to come out of the anarchical situation for the good of the subregion,”

they said. “We note with bitterness and consternation that our Church, its pastors and faithful is the subject of deadly and disturbing attacks,” they said. The bishops thanked Catholics for “the solidarity shown by gestures of generosity and prayer during this time of hardship” and urged them to “multiply your gestures of goodness”. The peace talks, brokered by the African Union, are the eighth bid in almost six years to forge peace. A persistent sticking point is amnesty for militia leaders, which is a precondition set by all groups for laying down arms. The government has always opposed this, saying that major abuses should be punished.— CNS

INTERNATIONAL

Twice-excommunicated bishop loses appeal

ICHARD Williamson has lost an appeal against his 2010 conviction for inciting hatred. His appeal was rejected by the European Court of Human Rights. The disgraced bishop, who has been excommunicated by the Vatican on two separate occasions, was convicted of incitement to hatred for his comments amounting to Holocaust denial during a television interview that aired in Sweden in January 2009. In the interview, Williamson denied that millions of Jews were murdered by the Nazi regime, and said that he did not believe gas chambers were used in the concentration camps. Following the airing of the interview, he was swiftly removed from his position as the head of an SSPX seminary in Argentina. Williamson holds the unique distinction of having been excommunicated by the Church twice. He was first excommunicated by the Catholic Church in 1988, following his illicit consecration as a bishop by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre against the orders of Pope John Paul II. Williamson’s excommunication was lifted in January 2009. Vatican officials said that they had not been aware of Williamson’s

the Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2019

‘Church must take clerical abuse of women seriously’ By CINDy WooDEN

T Former SSPX Bishop richard Williamson, convicted of hate speech, lost his appeal with the European Court of Human rights. views prior to lifting his original excommunication, and ordered him to recant. On October 4, 2012, Williamson was formally expelled from the SSPX after “refusing to show due respect and obedience” to his superiors following an unauthorised visit to Brazil. Williamson then joined an offshoot of the society called the SSPX Resistance, and said that he would continue ordaining priests. In 2015, he was once again declared excommunicated by the Church after consecrating a bishop in Brazil without Vatican approval. Since then, he has consecrated two other bishops, including one in 2017.—CNA

HE Catholic Church has been too slow coming to terms with the sexual abuse of women— particularly women religious—by priests, said the editor of the Vatican newspaper’s women’s magazine. Although scandalous, the delay in recognising the problem is not surprising for an “ecclesiastical institution with centuries of culture focused on women as dangerous and temptresses”, wrote Lucetta Scaraffia, editor of the “Woman-ChurchWorld” supplement to L’Osservatore Romano. While the Church has made progress in recognising the sexual abuse of children as a crime, Ms Scaraffia wrote, when dealing with the abuse of women “the subject is more complex” and goes to the heart of Pope Francis’ analysis of the abuse crisis as having much to do with an abuse of power. Even when the sexual abuse of a woman by a priest is condemned, it often is presented as “sexual transgression freely committed by both parties”, she wrote in the magazine’s February edition. If people took seriously Pope Francis’ point about abuse and its

Women religious are now openly discussing a subject that was once taboo—sexual harassment, abuse and rape of Sisters by clergy—in congregational motherhouses and national conference offices. (Photo: Susana Vera/CNS/reuters) coverups being the result of clericalism and abuse of power in the Church, Ms Scaraffia said, the sexual abuse of women religious by priests “could finally be recognised for what it is, an act of exploitation”. “The differences in power, the dif-

ficulty in reporting it out of fear — well-founded—of retaliation, not only against herself but also against the order she belongs to, explains the silence that has covered this exploitation for years,” she wrote. Ms Scaraffia pointed to “precise and detailed” reports of clerical abuse of women religious written in the 1990s by senior members of women’s orders, particularly Sr Marie McDonald of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa and Medical Missionary Sister Maura O’Donohue. After some media coverage of the report, she said, “silence fell on their statements and, as is well-known, silence gives security to the abusers”. “If we continue to close our eyes to this scandal—made even more serious by the fact that the abuse of women could lead to procreation and, therefore, is at the origin of the scandal of imposed abortion or of children not recognised by the priests—the oppression of women in the Church will never change,” Ms Scaraffia said. But, she wrote, finally “the veil is being lifted” on the truth of the abuse of women in the Church. It must be faced “with necessary tact, but also with the courage Pope Francis asks of us”.—CNS

Catholic doctor: UK group conducting sham poll on euthanasia By SIMoN CalDWEll

HE president of the Catholic Medical Association in the United Kingdom has accused the professional body for UK physicians of “rigging” a poll on euthanasia. Dr Dermot Kearney, CMA president, said the Royal College of Physicians was guilty of “gerrymandering” and of organising a “sham” survey so it could ditch its traditional opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide. Dr Kearney is among more than 1 000 doctors to express grave concerns about the way the college is

conducting a vote on its euthanasia policy. In January, the college announced it would declare a neutral position on assisted dying unless a “supra-majority” of members—at least 60%—said they wished to uphold the policy against it. The results of the poll will be published in March. The last poll, conducted in 2014, found that more than 58% believed the royal college should continue to oppose assisted suicide and euthanasia. Less than a quarter of members were in favour of a change in the law.

Dr Kearney, a cardiologist, said he believes that the new 60% threshold was chosen deliberately so the college could abandon its anti-euthanasia position. “It is gerrymandering, rigging,” he continued. “It will come out as a sham result and it is one that is highly predictable before the poll begins.” He said he suspected that the poll was being advanced by individuals within the royal college council who had an “ideological agenda”. Dr Kearney was also one of more than 1 300 doctors to sign an open letter delivered to Andrew Goddard,

Vatican: China policy not a competition between two sides

HE Catholic Church’s process of reconciliation and rapprochement in China is not a “competition for who is right, but of brothers and sisters in the faith, who all find themselves in a common house”, said Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. In a lengthy interview published by L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, Cardinal Filoni likened the unique nature of the division—which came after the Communist Party established the People’s Republic of China in 1949—to “a large boulder” falling from a mountain and stopping the flow of water of the Catholic faith. “One part of the water flowed underground, while the other part continued to twist and turn on the surface,” he said. The Vatican’s work has been about rediscovering “the unity of the two currents”, but it was not and “is still not easy”. For the Vatican, “it has always been held that in China there are not two Churches, a ‘patriotic Church’ and a ‘faithful Church’,” he said. The Church in China is one and it has been the faith of the people that has saved it from schism, he added. The cardinal, whose congregation is responsible for accom-

Chinese Catholics attend a Christmas Eve Mass in Shanghai. the Church’s process of reconciliation and rapprochement in China is not a “competition for who is right, but of brothers and sisters in the faith”, said Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. (Photo: aly Song, reuters/CNS) panying the Church in China, said the Vatican has spent decades trying to foster reconciliation between two Catholic communities. Those that have refused to register with the government and refused to follow government-appointed bishops commonly are referred to as the underground Church. Many communities, though, have bishops who were elected locally but who pledged their unity with and fidelity to the pope, which in effect meant they were recognised by both the government and the Vatican. The issue, Cardinal Filoni

said “is not about the ‘underground’ surrendering to the ‘official’ or to the civil authorities, regardless of the appearance, nor of a victory over the non-official community”. In September, the Vatican and China signed a provisional agreement over the appointment of bishops. The agreement allowed, for the first time in decades, for all of the Catholic bishops in China to be in full communion with the pope. The pope received into full communion seven bishops who had been ordained with government approval, but not the Vatican’s consent.—CNS

president of the Royal College of Physicians of London, to express alarm over the poll. The doctors told Mr Goddard that the conduct of the college was “extraordinary and deeply troubling”. “By leaning toward a ‘neutral’ position, the college is effectively stating that it is not formally opposed to doctors prescribing lethal drugs so patients can end their lives,” said the doctors. “In simple terms, neutrality is a misnomer and nothing more than tacit support for assisted suicide.” Lord Alton of Liverpool, a

Catholic, told CNS that “for the RCP to adopt a neutral position on assisted suicide by way of a sham poll—with a distorted and contrived formula for declaring a majority— would have anything but neutral consequences”. “Such an outcome would be represented as a shift in the views of doctors on assisted suicide and would be used as a vehicle to push for its legalisation in the UK,” he said. Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth called the poll “flawed”. “It loads the dice,” he told CNS. “That, to me, shows there is something wrong with it.”—CNS

the Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2019

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Sr Wendy recalled with delight E

Editor: Günther Simmermacher Guest editorial: Michael Shackleton

The Church inside and out

IKE a coin, there are two sides to the Church. One side faces the world around it. The other side is seen and experienced by its faithful people in their worship, charity and discipline. Pope John XXIII, who convened the Vatican Council of the 1960s, said he wanted to “throw open the windows of the Church and let the fresh air of the Spirit blow through”. His idea was that after the destruction and confusion caused by World War II, the Church would again implore the gifts of the Holy Spirit to reanimate it. It was a time when the repercussions of that cruel war had tempted Catholics to sit back and wait for things to settle down again peacefully. Pope John’s initiative prompted the Church to recall its immediate and essential task of proclaiming in all seasons its Good News to the world, and shepherding its flock in holiness of life, faith and good works. The council’s documents began to mirror the two sides of the Church. The distinction was made between the Church ad extra and the Church ad intra, the Church as the world sees it and the Church as experienced by its own faithful people. This can be recognised in the contents of documents such as the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (ad extra) and the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (ad intra). In its relationships with outsiders, the Church is willing to work with religious, charitable and humanitarian undertakings to spread its Christian message of peace and hope for humanity. In so many ways, acknowledged or not, the Church has a

positive public face, evidenced by its capacity to influence universal attitudes to poverty, global warming, destructive capitalism and even capital punishment. Only a week ago, during a global conference in Abu Dhabi, Pope Francis joined the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Ahmed elTayeb, to sign “A Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together”. Heroic clergy, religious and lay folk operate in atrocious conditions globally to bring support and comfort to refugees, addicts of all types and those in need. They do so because they love Christ and serve him by serving others. Today’s Church is not shirking its ad extra mission. It is therefore not a pleasant thing to admit that in recent years the Church ad intra has been seen through Pope John’s “open windows” to have many skeletons in its cupboards. There have been protracted cases of bad blood between conservatives and progressives that have raised the spectre of scandal in the halls of power. Worse, there is the heart-rending history of innocent individuals who, in alarming numbers, have been abused sexually by clerics, religious and others who apparently have lost their sense of vocation in service of God’s people. This is our Church, the Body of Christ, human yet living with divine life. It has the ability under the power of the Holy Spirit always to revitalise itself ad intra as an imperative. Our dioceses, parishes, schools and homes are where this happens. It is here that the Church’s interior life thrives and spreads. We know this. Let us get on with it.

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Marriage prep refusal an outrage

REFER to the letters from Damian McLeish (January 16) and Cecil Cullen (February 3) on marriage preparation classes. I was shocked and outraged by Mr McLeish’s letter. As a member of the Catholic Engaged Encounter ministry involved in preparing couples for marriage, I am intensely aware of differences in individual circumstances and the need for openness and a welcome to be extended to every participant. While the programme is indeed “Catholic” Engaged Encounter, not everyone who attends is Catholic. What would Mr McLeish say to the many Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and those with no religion, who wish to prepare for marriage with their Catholic fiancé? Are they to be denied? More significant yet, how does Mr McLeish propose to treat those who are already united by customary marriage and are now preparing for marriage in the Church? Obviously, they are living together: must they accordingly be precluded from the programme? Must they be condemned as sinful? How dare Mr McLeish reach the conclusion without any evidence other than his own prejudice that all who live together are living sinfully and practising chemical contraception? Are these conclusions he is entitled to reach, or should we, as Mr Cullen more sensibly concludes, allow this to be a function better left to our Lord Jesus Christ? As a final point, many dozens of Catholic Engaged Encounter weekends are held all over South Africa

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and in neighbouring countries, and the bishops seek to extend the programme’s reach each year. Every single weekend is attended by a Catholic priest, and I have never yet heard any priest say, “Any couple already living together, please leave now.” Would Mr McLeish call any of these priests to their face weak in faith and lacking in courage? Thank you, Mr Cullen, for your sensible comments on the matter. I too am a product of the 1950s Catholic era and am intensely grateful for the enlightenment and compassion of modern times. Michael Hennessy, Johannesburg

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To say she was “unusual” and very different from all the other Notre Dame teachers or community members, is an understatement. Her palpable relationship with God often left me, a spiritual neophyte, awestruck. Sr Wendy’s “oddity” as she herself termed it, according to Sr Rachel Gregory’s obituary in The Tablet, made her vulnerable to sometimes unkind remarks by other community members. I never once heard her respond to these except with true charity and forbearance. Seven years ago, I had the delight of spending three days at Quidenham, Norfolk, collecting her story for a volume I was putting together for the Sisters of Notre Dame. It was again a rich experience to meet Sr Wendy after more than four decades of a public contemplative life, to find in her the same mannerisms, gestures, humour and quick turn of

DITOR Günther Simmermacher’s response to Neil Pendock’s letter (January 23) refers. We Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in Southern Africa have been thrilled and moved by the many public tributes worldwide to Sr Wendy Mary Beckett (RIP). And her former students, now dispersed around the world, sent in their memories too. These were from classrooms in Constantia, Kroonstad and Venterspost West, during the 17 years she taught in South Africa, before she left the apostolic religious life for a contemplative one. I myself have always been grateful for the three years I was a pupil in Sr Wendy’s enthralling English and history classes. Ten years later, returning from the novitiate and a year of study in Britain, I was privileged to have her as my first religious superior.

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Abortion clinic head turns pro-life

N upcoming movie, Unplanned, due for release in the US in March, is an important account of repentance. It’s the true story of Abby Johnson, a former director of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in America, and based on her autobiography. It was only when Ms Johnson assisted at an abortion herself that the light dawned on her. She was also pregnant at the time and was watching the ultrasound monitor being used to guide the abortionist. As the implements of abortion were inserted into the womb of the mother, the baby could be seen 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

phrase, but an even deeper relationship with the divine. In conclusion, I have to say your description in the response referred to above, of Notre Dame, Constantia, as “defunct” left us feeling disturbed. There certainly is nothing defunct about the building that housed that Notre Dame school until 1974. It has served several educational groups, and now is the thriving American International School of Cape Town. Nor is there anything defunct about the former students, who continue to meet and energise each other, making a positive contribution in many cases to the communities in which they live. Events like Sr Wendy’s BBC TV series, and now her death, have demonstrated again their vibrancy, connectedness and abundant life: the antonyms of being defunct! Sr Brigid Rose Tiernan, Johannesburg

scrambling away, seeking safe haven...running for its life. But to no avail; it was crushed and suctioned out of the womb. Ms Johnson was horrified, quit soon after, and has since become a Catholic and runs a charity to help abortion workers exit the industry. The actress playing the part of Abby told her mother about her role and was met with a flood of tears. Her mother had been pregnant with her at a young age and had gone for an abortion, backing out at the last minute. Unplanned is an independent film from the makers of God’s Not Dead, so hopefully it will be screened widely. Stephen A Clark, Manila, Philippines

ACDP fraud case counts them out

ERNARD Moat’s letter (January 23) submits that Christians consider the ACDP in the upcoming elections. Sadly, the party’s ethics have been found wanting, for it committed electoral fraud in a recent Ward 31 by-election by promising poor Cape Flats residents a “food blessing” in return for their votes. The DA has since lodged a complaint with the IEC. The ACDP’s behaviour is deeply unChristian and uses the hunger of the poor as a bargaining chip. For this and other reasons I will no longer vote ACDP, and would like to suggest fellow conservatives consider another party founded on Christian (albeit Protestant) principles: the Freedom Front Plus. Shelly Mouton, Cape Town

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Little Eden story: How Danny met Domitilla

Fr Townsend: Why we must revisit the past

Page 7

Bishop Setlalekgosi dies at 91

Page 9

Page 8

Pope: Go forth and bear witness STAFF REPORTER

Four-p ag WYD e roun d-up

ERVING God and his mission is not a passing fad, but can and should be pursued right now in the present, with one’s entire life, Pope Francis said at the closing Mass for World Youth Day in Panama City. “Brothers and sisters, the Lord and his mission are not a ‘meantime’ in our lives, something temporary; they are our lives!” the pope said. “Not tomorrow, but now, for wherever your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” Jesus “wants to be our treasure, because he is not an interval in life or a passing fad; he is generous love that invites us to entrust ourselves,” he continued. “You, dear young people, are not the future but the now of God.” The previous evening, despite sweltering temperatures in Panama City, an estimated 600 000 young men and women made their way to St John Paul II Park on the penultimate day of WYD. They brought sleeping bags and tents, preparing to spend the night at the field, for a vigil, the rosary, and making new friends, before the final 8:00 morning Mass with Pope Francis.

Saying Mary’s ‘Yes’ to God The pope led that evening’s Eucharistic adoration vigil, and later pilgrims prayed the joyful mysteries of the rosary. At the vigil, young adults from Panama and the Palestinian territories gave their experiences of finding faith and hope amid doubt, sickness, and addiction. After listening to them, Pope Francis addressed the youths, saying that these reflected the risk Mary took to say “yes” to God. Although Mary would not be considered an “influencer”, like many social media personalities, she still became the most influential woman in history by trusting “in the love and promises of God, the only force capable of making all things new”, the pope said. “Are you willing to be an ‘influencer’ like Mary, who dared to say, ‘Let it be done?’” he asked. “Only love makes us more human and fulfilled; everything else is a pleasant but useless placebo.”

Enthusiastic welcome for pope The exuberance and enthusiasm of pilgrims was evident from the start of WYD as Pope Francis was welcomed by an estimated 250 000 young people waving their countries’ flags as the popemobile passed. Five young people, representing each of the five continents present at the gathering, greeted the pope. Taking those near him by the hand, the pope walked toward the main stage as young people processed, carrying the WYD cross. Interspersed with festive music and danc-

stant freshness and youth” that happens only by listening, sharing, and serving others.

Pope celebrates with prisoners The next day, the pope brought WYD to Panama’s juvenile prisoners, celebrating an emotional penitential liturgy inside the country’s main youth prison. Fulfilling his belief that no one should be separated from God’s mercy, Pope Francis also heard the confessions of five inmates at the Las Garzas de Pacora detention centre. “There are no words to describe the freedom I feel in this moment,” inmate Luis Oscar Martinez told the pope at the start of the service inside the detention centre. It was an emotional highlight of the pope’s four-day trip to Panama and a hands-on demonstration of his belief that prisoners deserve the same dignity as everyone else—as well as hope. Pope Francis also presided over the Way of the Cross procession—a rite of all WYDs that re-enacts Christ’s suffering and death on the cross. The prayers recited during the Way of the Cross reflected issues of particular concern for Central America, including the plight of indigenous peoples, women, the unborn, and the Church’s martyrs, with reference to El Salvador’s new saint, Oscar Romero. The prayers also touched on pressing political issues of migration and the upheaval in Venezuela.

‘Neighbours wonderfully inconvenience us’

The altar of the World Youth Day opening Mass at Panama City's Cinto Costera peninsula is bathed in the light of the setting sun. (Photo: Günther Simmermacher) ing, the opening ceremony celebrated the universality of the Church as young people dressed in the traditional outfits of their native countries entertained the multitude. Those from Panama presented the pope with a stole made of “mola”, a handmade textile featuring ornate designs that are part of the indigenous Guna people of Panama. In his speech, Pope Francis thanked the young people for coming to Panama and en-

couraged them to be witnesses of the Gospel. While WYD is usually marked by festive celebrations, its goal is not to “create a parallel Church that would be more ‘fun’ or ‘cool’,” the pope said. “That way of thinking,” he said, “would not respect either you or everything that the Spirit is saying through you.” Instead, the pope continued, WYD is an opportunity to reawaken “the Church’s con-

S o u t h e r n C r o s s Pilgrimage

On the final day of WYD, Pope Francis met with people at the Good Samaritan Home for those with HIV/Aids, reflecting on a question Jesus was asked in the Gospels: “Who is my neighbour?” When Jesus was asked to describe a neighbour, he did not respond with “theories, or give a fine, lofty speech”, the pope said at the home. “Instead he told a story—the parable of the Good Samaritan—a concrete example drawn from the real life.” He explained that a neighbour is the person who moves you to stop and “make room”, a person who “wonderfully inconveniences our lives, because this neighbour reminds us and points us towards what is really important, freeing us from all that is trite and superficial in the way we follow the Lord”. Pope Francis also met with WYD volunteers on his final day, to thank them. “Now is the moment when you are sent forth: go out and tell, go out and bear witness, go out and spread the word about everything you have seen and heard,” he told them. “Dear friends, let everyone know about what happened during these days.”

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PERSPECTIVES

We are all of us deaf T HE Catholic Church last year celebrated the bicentenary of its foundation, existence, growth and mission in Southern Africa. The celebration’s theme, attributed to St John Paul II, was: “Let us remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm, and look forward to the future with confidence.” Remembering the past offers us an opportunity to celebrate successes, acknowledge failures, and resolve to do better as we move forward. Some of the areas in which the local Church historically contributed to the progress of the country’s people include education and health care, especially among the vulnerable, poor and destitute of society regardless of their race or creed. Countless religious men and women laboured in schools, training centres and hospitals across the country. Even though their numbers have now declined and their direct involvement has diminished, the institutions which they established continue to thrive, some against all odds. One such ministry, perhaps less known, is the education of the deaf people. I was privileged to discover this interesting bit of local Church history when I carried out my pastoral internship three years ago in the parishes near St Thomas’ School for the Deaf. Hidden among the woods on a remote hill between King William’s Town and Stutterheim, on the border shared by the dioceses of Port Elizabeth and Queenstown, this school was opened in 1962 to care for the needs of hearing-impaired Xhosa children, taking into consideration the individual needs of each pupil. It was the initiative of Bishop Ernest Green of Port Elizabeth who, as a priest in Cape Town, was chaplain to a school for the deaf before his appointment as bishop.

NEW COLUMN

Bishop Green was renowned for acting as interpreter for deaf people in court cases. His genuine affection for the deaf inspired the construction of St Thomas’ school. It was run by the King Dominican Sisters as a diocesan school until it became a public one a few years ago and was eventually incorporated into the provincial department of education. From its humble beginnings of just 17 pupils, the school now serves about 250 pupils every year, from Grade 1 through to matric, coming from all corners of the Eastern Cape. Given their long-standing relationship, the pupils are free to join the parish community for Mass on Sundays. It is a moving experience to see all the children of God worshipping together, each according to their capacity.

ncidentally, on one Sunday when the gospel of the healing of the deaf and dumb man was read (Mark 7:31-37), a celebration of the sacrament of baptism took place during Mass. A catechetical moment naturally provided itself in reference to the “Ephphatha/Be opened” ritual when the priest/deacon traces the sign of the cross

learners at St thomas’ School for the Deaf in King William’s town.

Rev Runaine Radine

Paths of Vocation

over the mouth and ears of the newly baptised with the formula: “The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May he soon touch your ears to receive his word, and your mouth to proclaim his faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father.” A bond between parishioners and the community of the deaf was forged—signalled by a crossing over during the sign of peace—because it was explained that we all are deaf in some way when we do not listen and respond to the Word of God. An encounter like this is important to the children at St Thomas’ because they often feel isolated, being away from family and friends for the whole academic year. And it is important also for the nondeaf so that we understand better the needs of the deaf in our society. It is hard to calculate the rate of success, or trace the personal histories of the countless pupils who have passed through the school, with some having emerged as skilled artisans. But the very existence of this school and like institutions indicates that the Catholic Church is concerned about the integral formation of all people. A solid foundational education profits the individual and in turn has a positive influence on society at large. Such initiatives by the local Church should not be forgotten and must continue, even in this next phase of evangelisation. n Runaine Radine is a transitional deacon currently awaiting ordination in the diocese of Port Elizabeth.

Lessons from a virtual reality game Sarah-Leah I Pimentel PLAYED a virtual reality game for the first time at a recent team-building event at work. At first it was really strange putting on the headset which immerses you in the virtual reality world, blocking out both the sights and sounds of the real world. The next tricky step was to figure out how to use the controls attached to your hands, which in this game were meant to be Star Wars-like lightsabers. The next challenge was entering the world of the game. My mission was to destroy red and blue blocks, which you had to smash by swatting the correctly coloured lightsaber in the right direction (as if you were holding a real sword in your hand), all the while dodging walls coming at you down a long corridor. My first attempt was a disaster. So was the second. And the third. By the fifth attempt, I was starting to get the hang of it. Several hours later, my colleagues had tired of the game, but I was still going, completely immersed and hooked on beating my own high score. Totally addicted to the feeling of achieving something, of winning. I’ve never been a gamer, but I can completely understand how it sucks you into a world where you can leave your real life problems behind and completely unwind. Virtual reality is even more so. The world that you see from inside the headset is brighter and more vivid than the real world. The real world often seems to be one meaningless episode after another. We go to the same places each day as we drive on autopilot to work, to drop and pick up the kids, shopping, the gym, school, Mass, the weekly park run. Sometimes the monoto-

the Mustard Seeds

Playing a virtual reality game immerses one in an alternative reality, alluring, but finally without fulfilment. nousness loses all appeal and even when something happens to break the daily routine—like a burst pipe, a visit to the mechanic or some unexpected event in the daily ennui, it’s often more of an annoyance than an event to wake us out of our tedium. In order to feel alive, we constantly search for new “highs”. For some it is buying a new shirt, a new car or a new house. For others it is travelling to exotic locations and experiencing new cultures and cuisines. Taking up skydiving, or moving on to a new relationship, or playing virtual reality games. Why do we do this? Because we are searching. We are searching for that one experience that will fulfil us, complete us, make us feel united to something greater than ourselves and to find our purpose. For Christians, this is to search for God, the search for peace, the search for Love. Irrespective of whether we are religious people or not, this is a search that never

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ends as long as we have life in us. But yet, it often seems that our Church is the last place we go looking for this unity and completeness. Is it because our hearts have become so dulled to the presence of Christ, present in every Mass, in the liturgy and in the sacrifice of the altar? Do we enter Mass on autopilot, completely unaware of the incredible reality that our human eyes cannot see? Are we too irritated by the poor homily, the bad singing, the things that haven’t been done properly, that we miss the very reason we’ve come to Mass in the first place? Last week I told my RCIA group that if we truly believe the claim we make that Jesus is fully present in the Eucharist—body, soul and divinity—then it should change everything about the way we come to and participate in the Mass! Then it should change everything about the way we live our lives. That thing, that Person we have been searching for in all our efforts to reach that new plateau of newness and excitement, is right there. That Person is our God, the only one who completes us, and he is right there at the consecration on the altar, right there when we receive him in Holy Communion, right there as we leave the Mass with Christ in our hearts. It should change everything. Continued on Page 11

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the Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2019

Chris McDonnell

Point of Church

Tear down those walls!

N the Bible, Joshua brought the walls of Jericho tumbling down. There is considerable doubt regarding the accuracy of the event. It is, however, a story that goes beyond the necessity of historical accuracy; it is a story of faith in the power of God to achieve what was beyond the power of men. The Great Wall of China is certainly factual, with its building begun over two and a half thousand years ago. Snaking its way across the landscape, is construction was an amazing achievement in a hostile countryside. Walls were built primarily for security, to maintain the safety of a city by keeping would-be invaders at bay. Walled cities were commonplace in medieval times and remnants of them remain to this day. With their closely guarded gates and watchtowers, they ringed the populace and offered security. In the last century, the construction of the Maginot Line was intended to give France a secure defence against German invasion. It proved to be of little value, for when World War II broke out, Belgium provided a gateway around the northern end of France which was undefended. A more significant wall divided the city of Berlin in postwar Europe. Begun in August of 1961, it was to stand for nearly 30 years, its purpose being to restrict the movement of East Berliners seeking access to the West. Many lives were lost during those Cold War years as desperate attempts were made to scale the Wall, often after crossing open land protected by barbed wire. When US President Ronald Reagan visited Berlin in June 1987 he challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev: “Tear down this wall!” In November 1989 it finally fell, its graffiti-covered concrete blocks taken apart by Berliners themselves, reuniting the city and Germany.

hy all this talk about walls? Well, because we don’t seem to have learnt the lesson of history. In the Middle East, Israel built the West Bank wall during the Second Intifada that began in 2000. It remains in place to this day. In 2003, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution that stated: “The wall contradicts international law and should be removed.” The vote was 144-4 with 12 abstentions. That was 15 years ago. Now, in our own time, US President Donald Trump seeks to build a wall along the nation’s southern border with Mexico, an issue that has deadlocked the US Congress. The uncontrolled movement of peoples, whether driven by political threat, lack of work or hunger, will not be easily solved in our troubled world. The forceful exclusion of migrants might be a short-term response; in the long term a more reasonable solution has to be found to meet their needs. Speaking in Bari in July last year, Pope Francis made reference to walls when he said: “Truces maintained by walls and displays of power will not lead to peace, but only the concrete desire to listen and to engage in dialogue.” Seeking an imposed solution that lacks the substance of honest and sincere intention ultimately fails. Wherever walls are built, they can only be a temporary measure, after conversation has failed and exasperation wins the day. We shouldn’t just consider the physical walls between nations as a problem, for within friendships and families we erect barriers that divide and frustrate. Grudges are held, often over a long time, after perceived wrongdoing, and the anguished story continues with no apparent solution. The simple yet profound injunction of Jesus that we should “love God and our neighbour as ourselves” is too easily forgotten. Pause awhile, and tear down those walls. n This is an edited version of an article first published in the Catholic Times.

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the Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2019

COMMUNITY

the young adults class of 2018 at our lady of lourdes parish in rivonia, Johannesburg, was confirmed by auxiliary Bishop Duncan tsoke. (Submitted by Cliff Brooke) Grade 1 students at Marist Brothers linmeyer in Johannesburg started “big school”. (From left) Grade 1s alessandra antinucci, Caleb Blandford, adriano Campos, Marco de Moura, olivia Gaspar, Mia Haglich, liam Sewparsad, Mila-Jolie Saraiva, Carlo roberto, Keanu Pillay, Stella Pagnonsin, and tshimollo Mogudi.

the class of 2019 at CBC St John’s Parklands in Cape town attended a special ceremony to receive their personalised matric jackets and ties. the theme for 2019 is “together we can do great things.” the 2019 class, known as the Formidables, are seen with many of their parents in a group photo.

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pics@scross.co.za the high school heads at De la Salle Holy Cross College in Victory Park, Johannesburg, Jessica leeming and tristan Bond, welcomed the new Grade 1s to their first day of “big school”. De la Salle Holy Cross has introduced a Grade 00 this year. (Photo: Bonakele Sithole)

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Grades 1, 2 and 3 girls at St teresa’s School in Craighall Park, Johannesburg, returned to classes for the 2019 year, reuniting with old friends and meeting their new teachers. (From left) Grade 1 teacher tanja Peter, ariella Ingratta, liyabukwa Godlwana, and a joyous thato Manne.

Mahobe parish in Umzimkulu diocese in Kwazulu-Natal celebrated the Presentation of the lord. With a group of Mahobe children are parish priest Fr thokozani Masina SCP and visiting Polish priest Fr Christopher. (Submitted by Sr zithobile zondi lSMI)

Music pupils at assumption Convent School in Germiston, Johannesburg, were visited by world-famous boogie-woogie pianist Silvan zingg. Hailing from Switzerland, zingg took time out from his world tour to play at the school. He was brought to assumption Convent by South african jazz impresario anthony yoko.

the Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2019

LIFESTORY

The birth of Little Eden homes In part 3 of his four-partseries on the lives of Little Eden founders Domitilla and Danny Hyams, DalUXolo MoloaNtoa looks at the growth of what would be their two families.

N last week’s part 2 of the Domitilla and Danny Hyams Story, the young South African returned to Italy to marry his bride in the small village of Albenza, near Bergamo, on September 7, 1947. Exactly three months later the newlyweds left Albenza for South Africa. On December 15 they arrived to a warm welcome by the Hyams family. Soon a baby was on the way. On August 15, 1949, the Hyams couple welcomed their first-born child, Mary Theresa. The first in a brood of six, she was soon followed by Elizabeth in 1951, Veronica in 1952, Lucy in 1953, Agnes in 1954 and last-born Tarcisio Louis in 1957. A woman of profound faith, Domitilla turned to the Madonna every day in her prayers, and so all the children’s names included the name Mary in her honour. South Africa in the early 1960s was led by Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd, the architect of apartheid. Under his watch, new apartheid laws were introduced, and colonial-style racial classification turned into an all-pervasive ideology affecting all areas of national life. As a result of such repressive laws, public unrest, riots and strikes started to emerge, followed by arrests, banishments and harsher laws. So it was not surprising that during the family’s 1965 trip to Italy—a few days after the passing of Domitilla’s mother Elvira—and at the exhortations of Domitilla’s relatives, Danny was seriously considering settling there permanently with his family.

Message from inner voice Domitilla, however, had the last word. She later recounted that during their stay and while on a short walk through the forests, and down a mountain path to “Grumello”, the house in Albenza in which she

the Hyams children in the late 1950s. (Back from left) Veronica, Mary and Elizabeth, and (front from left) agnes, tarcisio and lucy.

Domitilla with little Eden resident Matthew at the official opening of the Edenvale home in 1976. (Photos courtesy little Eden Society)

was born, she became aware of a strong message, an inner voice. It told her that there was much work to be done in Africa. Later she would remember that this voice appeared to be that of her mother. Domitilla did not at the time understand the exact meaning of those words, but the die was cast: the family returned to South Africa. Some time during May 1956 Domitilla wrote: “The moment has come when I can express my ideas, my intentions, which have tormented me since I was a child: to be of help to Africa. “During this time, I discussed this with the authority, and the answer was pray, pray, and if it’s God’s will your desires will be realised. But we must plan for the future, to visit the sick in hospitals, clinics, private homes, the aged, the invalids, the abandoned. To gather children off the streets, so that they may return to their light-hearted innocence. To encourage adolescents to enjoy themselves in acknowledging true virtue and beauty. To visit prisoners bringing them the word of God. “To start, we must build these projects on solid ground.” The seed was planted. Being a woman of tremendous faith, Domitilla had initiated the formation of a small group of housewives named the “Angels of Mercy”, who would meet and pray the Rosary, and discuss the work to be done. Domitilla wrote in her diary: “The sudden death of my adorable mother opened the doors to my soul. I feel a strong drive to do good. This loss has worked on my soul; a great suffering that wounded me gravely, but reinforced my desire to help those who suffer. “Mother was a saint, an apostle, a martyr. Her life of sorrow, tears and virtue is the life I also must follow. My burning tears found favour in the heart of Jesus, and now will blossom into many flowers.”

new ideas. We decided on the name ‘Little Eden’, because it is what we aim to provide for the children. ‘Prayer and work’ must be our foundation. Thank you Lord.”

needy.” This is the first reference to the idea of establishing a home for the needy, and which would culminate in the establishment of the Little Eden Society six months later, in 1967. She later told The Southern Cross: “I first started with a Rosary prayer group in my home in Edenvale. One of the participants had a handicapped child whom she always brought along. I felt a great stirring within me to help the woman and her child”. Within a short period of time, she had enlisted the assistance of Danny, and spoken to various people who could provide financial assistance to begin. Danny made the first donation of R10. In November 1966, Domitilla organised several meetings with her local parish priest and a number of potential stakeholders. On February 1, 1967, a meeting took place at the Hyams home with a diverse group of people congregated with a common purpose: to assist handicapped children in their area, and as a consequence assist their families. The main objective of the meeting was to channel and organise the goodwill and enthusiasm of those present into a worthwhile cause that would receive the recognition of the relevant authorities, and the support of the public. Domitilla wrote of that first meeting in her diary: “Today is a great day. Our first group of 26 people are all interested in the proposal to create a home to accommodate mentally handicapped children. We met in our house; 10 St Anne Road, Edenvale. “We talked, discussed and heard

Genesis of Little Eden

Early little Eden resident Johanna in a 1967 photo of occupational therapy at the first premises at Edenvale Methodist church.

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Part of Domitilla’s drive to do good was to visit the sick. However, when she was prohibited by her parish priest from visiting bedridden males in hospitals, she was greatly disappointed, but complied with the instruction. She noted: “From this disappointment Jesus rewarded me with the idea to create a hospice for the

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Start in a single room Then followed a series of meetings which led to that Monday, May 15, 1967, when the Little Eden Society officially opened its doors. The first centre was no more than a single room loaned by the Edenvale Methodist Church. Domitilla wrote in her diary about the day: “Today at 9am we opened the doors to the room loaned to us by the Methodist church. “We have no means. We have nothing. But let us face the future with confidence. Divine Providence will assist us, and Little Eden will

Domitilla inspects what would become little Eden’s first part-time premises, in a room at the Methodist church in Edenvale, Johannesburg.

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open its doors to more of our lessabled little ones. “Their mothers will accompany these little angels to Little Eden, where they will pass the days learning to live and play together. “In the society we live in under apartheid, we must be able to break down the walls of indifference and injustice by caring, loving and, above all, saving disabled children of all races and backgrounds. The children will find love and understanding, and the parents some respite, and us contentment at having given a little of our time.” Respect, sanctity of life, and love are the values upon which Little Eden was founded. NEXT WEEK: The expansion of Little Eden and the Hyams’ legacy.

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the Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2019

MINISTRY

Giving help after piracy trauma When seafarers emerge from traumatic situations, such as piracy or armed stand-offs, they often don’t receive support. The Apostleship of the Sea, a Catholic initiative, helps crew members in their needs. GrEG WattS explains.

HE storming of a cargo ship in the middle of the Thames estuary off the coast of England by heavily armed commandos of the Special Boat Service just before Christmas was the kind of incident you might expect off the coast of Somalia or Nigeria. What led to this dramatic rescue mission under cover of darkness was a report of the crew of the Italianregistered cargo ship Grande Tema being threatened with iron bars by four men who had stowed away on the ship, which had set sail from Lagos, Nigeria, on December 7 on the 7 000km voyage to Tilbury in Essex. Terrified, the crew had locked themselves on the bridge and the captain put in an emergency call to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Once the four men had been arrested by the Special Boat Service, who had abseiled onto the Grande Tema’s deck from helicopters, the ship continued to Tilbury. The media naturally focused on the drama of the event and the fact that the four men had stowed away on the ship in order to enter the UK illegally. But for Wojciech Holub, the

Wojciech Holub, who arranged for counselling and immediate needs after crew of the Grande tema emerged from their hostage trauma. Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) port chaplain in Tilbury, his focus was on the emotional wellbeing of the crew after such a traumatic experience. Mr Holub went on board the Grande Tema, which is a regular visitor to Tilbury, and spent time listening to the crew talk about their ordeal. “Firstly, when the crew discovered the stowaways hiding in the hold, their daily routine was disrupted, as they had to provide a watch on the cabin they had put the stowaways in,” said Mr Holub. “The crew weren’t scared of them at this point, as there are procedures for dealing with these situations on board. It was only when the stowaways escaped and threatened the crew and demanded the ship take a course close to the English coastline that the situation became dangerous. The stowaways then became bandits,” he explained. “That’s why the crew had to run to safety on the bridge, with three of

them staying in the engine room. You can imagine how they felt when they were threatened. They were very frightened,” Mr Holub said. All the crew, to some extent, were feeling tired because of a lack of rest, he added. “They were deprived of sleep, which in their business is crucial. No one asked them on their arrival in Tilbury how they were, because they had to carry on working when they arrived.” Mr Holub provided the crew with SIM cards, so they could contact loved ones back home, and invited them to come to the seafarers’centre in the port to relax. He also gave them Christmas presents. Mr Holub contacted the AoS chaplain at the next port the Grande Tema would visit to ask him to check on the crew’s welfare.

Roaming pirates While a crew being threatened on a ship off the coast of England might be rare, this isn’t the case in other parts of the world, where pirates roam in search of easy pickings. The vessels most at risk are, generally, oil tankers and container ships. They carry cargoes worth huge sums, and pirates believe that they have a good chance of forcing the insurance company to pay up. Last September, pirates attacked a Swiss ship in the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of Nigeria, and captured the 12 crew members while destroying most of the communication equipment. The crew were eventually released after negotiations between the ship’s owner and the pirates. It’s not known if a ransom was paid. A total of 156 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported to the ICC International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre in the first nine months of 2018, compared to 121 for the same period in 2017. The coast of Somalia, especially the Gulf of Aden, was up until fairly recently notorious for pirates. However, due to patrols by Britain, the US, China, France, and Russia, the waters are now much safer for vessels. The Gulf of Guinea has now become the piracy hotspot. On January 2, for instance, six Russian seafarers, including the captain, were kidnapped off the coast of Benin when pirates boarded and ransacked their ship, the MSC Mandy.

Traumatised seafarers

the cargo ship Grande tema, which was the scene of an armed stand-off.

Fr Herman Giraldo, AoS port chaplain in Durban, said when a ship is attacked by pirates it can leave the crew traumatised. “We’ve had a couple of cases of

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seafarers who were attacked by pirates off the coast of Guinea,” he said. “The experience really affected them psychologically. They told me that sometimes they wake up in the middle of the night worried that pirates might be attacking their vessel,” Fr Giraldo said. Seafarers are not allowed to carry weapons, so some companies hire armed guards to protect ships from attacks. “When you go on board some ships, they are like prisons. They have razor wire everywhere. And some will have bottles filled with petrol and a rag. If pirates attack, the crew will light these and throw them at the pirates,” Fr Giraldo said. The priest is part of a crisis response team to support seafarers who have been victims of pirates or

endured other traumatic experiences while at sea. The team consists of a network of trained port chaplains, drawn from a range of maritime welfare agencies, and provides a 24-hour service in South Africa, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Réunion. Piracy is not just confined to Africa. Waters such as the Celebes Sea around Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are particularly dangerous for seafarers. The dramatic rescue of the Grande Tema in England and the capture of the Russian ship off Benin’s coast are poignant reminders of how we all rely on seafarers. They might be invisible to us, but without them we wouldn’t have many of the goods we buy in our shops.

What is the AoS? T HE Apostleship of the Sea provides practical and pastoral care to all seafarers, regardless of nationality, belief or race. Its port chaplains and volunteer ship visitors welcome seafarers, offer welfare services and advice, practical help, care and friendship. The Apostleship of the Sea in South Africa is part of an international network known to the mar-

itime world as Stella Maris, with 216 port chaplains working in 314 ports around the world. In South Africa, the AoS is represented in the ports of Cape Town, Durban, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth and Richards Bay. It is also active in Walvis Bay, Namibia. The Apostleship of the Sea relies wholly on voluntary contributions. n Visit www.apostleshipofthesea. org.za for more information.

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Fr Herman Giraldo, port chaplain for the apostleship of the Sea in the port of Durban.

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the Southern Cross, February 13 to February 19, 2019

Arabian Peninsula has ancient Christian heritage By DalE GaVlaK

ITH Pope Francis having made the first-ever papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula, few may realise that the predominantly Muslim region carries an ancient Christian heritage. Christians worshipping there today have their antecedents in churches and monasteries hailing from the earliest times of Christianity. St Paul ministered in Arabia, as recorded in the New Testament. When the pope visited Abu Dhabi, one of seven emirates composing the United Arab Emirates, he walked in the welltrod footsteps of Christians in centuries past. The UAE boasts the historic Christian monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island, built about AD 600. The church there contained private cabins for monks and prayer rooms. Archaeologists found nearly 15 kinds of pottery and glassware, some of which was used in religious ceremonies. Another pre-Islamic Christian monastery and church were discovered at Marawah in southern UAE, dating from the seventh century. Both are thought to have been

a woman visits the ancient Jubail church in Saudi arabia. the ruins date back to the fourth century, making it one of the country’s oldest churches. (Photo: Dale Gavlak/CNS) built by the Assyrian Church of the East, formerly known as the Nestorian Christians. Although Islam is the state religion and the faith of almost all of the UAE’s citizens, numerous modern-day churches exist, and Christians are permitted to practise their faith. However, there are no bells rung to call the faithful to prayer and no crosses can be visible from the street.

In neighbouring Saudi Arabia, however, public worship of other faiths outside of Islam is prohibited, and Christianity can be practised only in private homes. This huge country, which dominates the land mass of the Arabian Peninsula, also hosted a number of Christian churches and bishoprics in centuries past. One of Saudi Arabia’s oldest churches, dating back to the fourth century, is found near the eastern town of Jubail. It, too, originally belonged to the Assyrian Church of the East. Discovered in 1986, the mudbrick structure was covered in sand when a dune buggy reportedly crashed into it, and subsequent digging found the ancient place of worship decorated with crosses. Although there are only partial walls remaining and the crosses have been covered over with cement, the Jubail church is an important part of the historical Christian presence in Arabia. There are numerous other church ruins in Saudi Arabia, including one outside the capital, Riyadh, and in Jeddah. Archaeologists have also discovered Christian monuments from the fifth and sixth centuries, and inscriptions in Najran.—CNS

Your prayer to cut out and collect

Lord, May everything we do Begin with your inspiration, Continue with your help, And reach perfection under your guidance.

Lessons from a virtual reality game Continued from Page 7 Many of us have experienced that moment of complete unity and love perhaps once or twice in our lives. Sometimes that clearness of vision comes as we are facing sorrow, or experiencing a moment of conversion, or have had a life-changing experience (like the birth of a child or the awareness of the fragility of life). It is a moment of grace, where God gives us a glimpse of eternity. For a moment, we have been allowed to see reality as it truly is. Instead of seeking refuge in virtual realities, how about trying something different this year? Put on the eyes of faith when you get up in the morning and encounter the world in a new way. Notice the sunrise as you drive to work; listen to the birds as you do your park run; gaze at your child with the eyes of new parents, even if they are old enough to try your patience; read the scriptures with a fresh understanding. Perhaps we’ll discover that we can find contentment and peace within the life we have been given. When we are truly present in our own lives and truly present in the life of Christ within and around us, then perhaps the virtual reality of the game world will have nothing on the incredible reality we discover within ourselves!

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Liturgical Calendar Year C – Weekdays Cycle Year 1 Sunday February 17, 6th Sunday of the Year Jeremiah 17:5-8, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20, Luke 6:17, 20-26 Monday February 18 Genesis 4:1-15, 25, Psalm 50:1, 8, 16-17, 20-21, Mark 8:11-13 Tuesday February 19 Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10, Psalm 29:1-4, 9-10, Mark 8:14-21 Wednesday February 20 Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22, Psalm 116:12-15, 18-19, Mark 8:22-26 Thursday February 21, St Peter Damian Genesis 9:1-13, Psalm 102:16-21, 29, 22-23,

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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. BrOKeN? restoration of statues, paintings, stations of the cross—expertly done! thirty years’ experience. Jade on 08139-86714 or 011 665-2921.

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PArISH NOtIceS

NeW PArISH NOtIceS MOSt WelcOMe: If any parish notices listed are no longer valid, call us on 021 465-5007 or e-mail us at m.leveson@scross.co.za so that we can remove them. also, we’d welcome new notices from parishes across Southern africa to run free in the classifieds. 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 Chetty on 083 372-9018.

1 Peter 5:1-4, Psalm 23, Matthew 16:13-19 Saturday February 23, St Polycarp Hebrews 11:1-7, Psalm 145:2-5, 10-11, Mark 9:2-13 Sunday February 24, 7th Sunday of the Year 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23, Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13, 1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Luke 6:27-3

employment very soon, so that this great burden of concern will be lifted from my heart and that I am soon able to provide for those whom God has entrusted to my care. Help me guard against discouragement, so that I may emerge from this trial spiritually enriched and with even greater blessings from God. amen.

PrAYerS

MAY All I DO today begin with you, o lord. Plant dreams and hopes within my soul, revive my tired spirit: be with me today. May all I do today continue with your help, o lord. Be at my side and walk with me: be my support today. May all I do today reach far and wide, o lord. My thoughts, my work, my life: make them blessings for your kingdom; let them go beyond today. o God, today is new unlike any other day, for God makes each day different. today God's everyday grace falls on my soul like abundant seed, though I may hardly see it. today is one of those days Jesus promised to be with me, a companion on my journey, and my life today, if I trust him, has consequences unseen. My life has a purpose. I have a mission. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. God has not created me for naught. therefore I will trust him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. God does nothing in vain. He knows what he is about. John Henry Newman DeAr SAINt JOSePH, you were yourself once faced with the responsibility of providing the necessities of life for Jesus and Mary. look down with fatherly compassion upon me in my anxiety with my present inability to support my family. Please help me find gainful

Our bishops’ anniversaries We congratulate: February 14: Bishop Kevin Dowling of Rustenburg on his 75th birthday February 19: Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria on the 25th anniversary of his episcopal ordination February 20: Bishop Xolile Peter Mpambani of Kokstad on his 62nd birthday February 21: Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, Archbishop of Durban, on the 18th anniversary of his appointment as cardinal February 24: Retired Bishop Michael Wüstenberg of Aliwal on the 11th anniversary of his episcopal ordination

Mark 8:27-33 Friday February 22, Chair of St Peter

Southern CrossWord solutions SOLUTIONS TO 850. ACROSS: 1 Attila, 5 Option, 9 Guest of honour, 10 Susanna, 11 Padua, 12 Bless, 14 Usury, 18 Tenor, 19 Tombola, 21 Peaceful march, 22 Posits, 23 Banyan. DOWN: 1 August, 2 Thessalonians, 3 Latin, 5 Prompts, 6 In order to pray, 7 Norway, 8 Offal, 13 Serpent, 15 Step up, 16 Stoup, 17 Bashan, 20 Mamba.

O VIrGIN Mother, In the depths of your heart you pondered the life of the Son you brought into the world. Give us your vision of Jesus and ask the Father to open our hearts, that we may always see His presence in our lives, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, bring us into the joy and peace of the kingdom, where Jesus is lord forever and ever. amen. tHANKS be to thee, my lord Jesus Christ, For all the benefits thou hast won for me, For all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me. o most merciful redeemer, Friend, and Brother, May I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, For ever and ever.

GOD BleSS AFrIcA Guard our people, guide our leaders and give us peace. Luke 11:1-13 The

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7th Sunday: February 24 Readings: 1 Samuel 27: 2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23, Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13, 1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Luke 6:27-38

HAT do you do about your enemies? That is a question that we are invited to put to ourselves (and to God) in the coming week, according to the readings for next Sunday. In the first reading, we are offered David as a model of how to cope with those who are out to get us (and even kill us). Saul has been going through his usual paranoia, and is switched to thoughts of murder, hunting for David through the Ziph Desert. David, however, mounts a secret raid on Saul’s camp, and finds them all fast asleep; despite the urgent pleas of his co-raider Abishai, he refuses to do the obvious thing and kill Saul (“Who can lay hands on the Lord’s Anointed and remain unpunished?”). So instead they take the king’s spear and water-jug, then having made their escape, David bellows, to wake up Saul’s party. Saul says all the right things (“I have done wrong, my son David, I will not harm you again… Blessed are you my son David”); but David knows how unhinged the king is and will not trust him. But at least he did not kill Saul when he had the chance. The psalm, oddly enough, does not have much to say about enemies; but this outpouring of love for God would sit ill with a thor-

S outher n C ross

Dealing with our enemies oughgoing determination to destroy those who are out to get you. “Bless the Lord, my soul…do not forget all God’s gifts; he pardons all your sins…delivers your life from the pit.” And then when our God is commended as “merciful and gracious…slow to anger, rich in steadfast love…does not deal with us as our sins deserve”, we are not to expect divine encouragement to destroy all those who hate us, because “as a father has mercy on his children, the Lord has mercy on those who fear him”. Our God is uncomfortably merciful, and we do not always see things as God sees them. The fact is that God (and Jesus Christ) makes a difference; that is what Paul is saying as we come to an end of our journey through 1 Corinthians in the second reading. At this point, the apostle is trying to explain to the Corinthians, who are inclined to doubt Paul’s gospel of resurrection, what it means to say that God raised Jesus from the dead. So Paul draws a comparison between “the first man, Adam”, who became a “living soul”, and Jesus (“the last Adam”), who became “a life-giving spirit”. There is, I suppose, a certain degree of enmity here; at all events, it seems important to Paul to establish the order of things: “It was not the spiritual first, but the ‘soulish’, then the

that they are wrong and that we are right and of them returning to the true flock, namely, our particular denomination. In their view, that’s not the route forward, practically or theologically. The path forward needs to be, as Dulles puts it, the path of “progressive convergence”. What is this path? It begins with the honest admission by each of us that none of us, no one denomination, has the full truth, incarnates the full expression of church, and is fully faithful to the Gospel. We are all deficient in some ways and each of us is selective in terms of which parts of the Gospels we value and incarnate, and which parts we ignore.

nd so the path forward is the path of conversion, personal and ecclesial, of admitting our selectiveness, of recognising and valuing what other churches have incarnated, of reading scripture more deeply in search of what we have ignored and absented ourselves from, and of individually and collectively trying to live lives that are truer to Jesus Christ. By doing this, each of us and each church living the Gospel more fully, we will “progressively converge”, that is, as we grow closer to Christ we will grow closer to each other and thus gather together around Christ. And as we do that, we will eventually

Conrad

Sunday reflections

‘spiritual’.” Paul’s argument seems to rely on the chronological priority of the first Adam, who is “of the earth, made of clay”, over Jesus, the second Adam, who is “from heaven”. And human beings can be distinguished according to whether they are carrying the likeness of the “one made of clay” or “the likeness of the heavenly one”. The argument is not the easiest to understand, but clearly what is at stake here is that there are two different kinds of human, some on God’s side, and others not. With the Gospel, still in Luke’s Sermon on the Plain, we are back to the question of what to do with our enemies: “I’m telling you who are listening: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who abuse you.” We remember David in our first reading, and perhaps find ourselves saying that “he was just in it out of self-interest”, whereas Jesus is really inviting us to an almost intolerable level of self-sacrifice, especially when he continues: “When someone hits you on one cheek, offer him the other cheek; and if someone takes away your cloak, don’t stop them [from having] your tunic” (which means, Dear Reader, presenting themselves stark naked before the astonished gaze of their enemies).

Ecumenism: the path forward WAS very blessed during my theological formation to have taken classes from two renowned Catholic scholars, Avery Dulles and Raymond E Brown. The former was an ecclesiologist whose books were often prescribed in seminaries and theology schools. The latter was a scripture scholar whose work still stands out, 30 years after his death. They were in different theological disciplines but shared a passion for ecumenism, Both were deeply respected for their openness, friendship, and graciousness towards those who held religious views different from their own. Their books are today studied not just in Catholic circles, but in Protestant, Evangelical, Mormon, and Jewish training too. Indeed, Sulpician priest Brown spent his most productive years teaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York, even as he cherished his Catholic identity and priesthood. After losing his own father and mother, he spoke of the Church and his Sulpician community as “the family that still remains for me”. And what Dulles and Brown shared in their vision for ecumenism was this: The path towards Christian unity, the road that will eventually bring all sincere Christians together into one community, around one altar, is not the way of somehow winning the other over to our own particular denomination, of getting others to admit

Nicholas King SJ

And it gets worse: “Give to everyone who asks you” (including that homeless person whom you pretended not to see the other day), and do not refuse the person who takes what is yours.” Then Jesus offers us the “Golden Rule”: “Whatever you want people to do to you, you are to do the same to them” (which is not a bad rule, of course). Now the teaching gets even more demanding: “If you love [just] those who love you, where’s the good in that?” and “If you do good [just] to those who do good to you, where’s the good in that?” Then Jesus takes us a stage further into self-restraint: “If you lend to people from whom you’re hoping to receive in return, where’s the good in that?” The answer is, and we wriggle in discomfort, that this way, “You will become children of the Most High.” Or, put another way, we are to “become merciful as your Father is merciful”. The conclusion, then, is inevitable: “Give, and it will be given you: a good measure, pressed down, shaken up, and overflowing is what they will pour into your lap.” There is something for us to reflect on, this coming week.

Southern Crossword #850

Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI

Final reflection

find ourselves around one common altar and will see each other as part of the same community. The path to unity then lies not in converting each other over, but in each of us living the Gospel more faithfully so as to grow closer to each other in Christ. This doesn’t mean that we do not take our divisions seriously, that we simplistically assert that all denominations are equal, or that we justify our divisions today by pointing to divisions that already existed in the New Testament churches. Rather, we must begin by each of us admitting that we do not possess the full truth and that we are in fact far from being fully faithful. Given that starting point, Brown then gives this challenge to all the churches. “Recognition of the range of New Testament ecclesiological diversity makes the claim of any church to be absolutely faithful to the Scriptures much more complex. We are faithful but in our own specific way; and both ecumenics and biblical studies should make us aware that there are other ways of being faithful to which we do not do justice. “In short, a frank study of the New Testament ecclesiologies should convince every Christian community that it is neglecting part of the New Testament witness. “I contend that in a divided Christianity, instead of reading the Bible to assure ourselves that we are right, we would do better to read it to discover where we have not been listening. “As we Christians of different churches try to give hearing to the previously muffled voices, our views of the church will grow larger; and we will come closer to sharing common views. “Then the Bible will be doing for us what Jesus did in his time, namely, convincing those who have ears to hear that all is not right, for God is asking of them more than they thought.” Indeed: God is asking more of us than we think.

ACrOSS

1. Back inside a lit tallow candle shows up the Hun (6) 4. Catholic social teaching stresses the ... for the poor (6) 9. The most important invited person (5,2,7) 10. One of the women ministering to the Apostles (Lk 8) (7) 11. Italian city of famous Franciscan (5) 12. Invoke divine favour (5) 14. It’s lending money immorally (5) 18. Some listen or can see the singer (5) 19. It’s a lottery at the parish bazaar (7) 21. Paciﬁc demonstration for a month? (8,5) 22. Proposes for argument spots I change (6) 23. Ann Bay bends to ﬁnd a tree (6)

DOwN

1. Noble month of the year (6) 2. He loans saints corrupt Pauline letters (13) 3. Classic tongue (5) 5. Encourages the hesitant preacher (7) 6. Why the monk is there on his knees? (2,5,2,4) 7. Bishop of Oslo’s homeland (6) 8. Fellow taken in by Olaf for food (5) 13. The creeper in Eden? (7) 15. Ascend to the altar (4,2) 16. Holy water basin (5) 17. Oak trees grew here (Zech 11) (6) 20. Another creeper in Eden? (5) Solutions on page 11

CHURCH CHUCKLE

WO boys were talking after their catechism class. Said one: “Isn’t it strange? We can’t wait for catechism to end but all those old people voluntarily go to bible study groups?” The other boy replied: “Not so strange at all. They are swotting up for their final exam.”

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