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Letters
Opinions expressed in The Southern Cross, especially in Letters to the Editor, do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication or those of the Catholic hierarchy.
The path to Eden
T
HE BIBLE SHOWS HOW WE CAN enter the Garden of Eden. In the Book of Genesis (1:29), God says: “I have provided all kinds of grain and herbs and fruit for you to eat.” We humans are meant to be vegetarians. Our teeth are similar to those of horses and sheep, both herbivores. Lions and dogs, with their sharp teeth, are by nature meat eaters. Daniel’s diet suggests that only vegetables give excellent health: “At the end of the ten days, [those given only vegetables to eat and water to drink] looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food [meat and wine]” (Daniel 1:12-16). To that end, we must also give land, say 300 m², on a free leasehold for 30-50 years per homeless family. It will provide food and shelter. I pray at each meal: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in Bethlehem you were homeless and cold. Touch the hearts of our leaders to share land with the homeless so they can have food and shelter permanently.” Maria Joao, Cape Town
The look of Jesus
Y
OU SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE numerous accolades that your publication is receiving, and rightly so, not only for its quality but also its content which is world class. In your editorial of the June issue, you revisit a topic previously raised some years ago by one of your correspondents dealing with “The look of Jesus”. I recall being taught in catechism that God made humans in his own image and likeness. The fact that no two people look alike, except for identical twins, leads us to fairly assume that God intended all of us humans to
be in his image and likeness. The continual debate as to how Jesus looked seems to refer to depictions in art during the Renaissance period. In art circles, depictions are considered to fall under artistic licence, and they can be complimentary or downright ugly. There is nothing stopping a modern artist from using artistic licence, and we know that some artists have depicted Jesus as other than European. We also know that St Faustina, the Polish mystic nun, was given an image of Jesus in an apparition to replicate, and it is displayed in many Catholic churches. Bernard Moat, St Helena Bay
‘Power Hour’ in the first pew
I
WAS A TEEN IN THE 1970s AND consider myself an old-school Catholic. While I know that times have changed and a lot for the better, I am scandalised by the behaviour of some parishioners. I joined a small parish out in the country nearly 20 years ago. The resident priest was being transferred, but before he left, he made time to bless our home. I did hear a few negative comments said about him; one was even bluntly asking: “Has he gone yet?” Subsequently, new and very young
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26 The Southern Cross
priests have been assigned here, and I am saddened how certain “first families” treat them. The priests are literally bamboozled into doing things “their” way. The priests make their appeals through their homilies, saying, “Stop talking about what you’ve done and how much you contribute and how much it cost to have major repair work done to the church.” These parishioners will not listen or see reason. You know how bad things really are when the priest throws his hands up in despair during his homily and says: “This is your parish!” The families in question always sit in the front pews, stiff necks and all, and no-one ever dares sit there, unless it’s known they are away. I wish priests would tell these arrogant folk to try a new experiment and sit elsewhere. My husband calls the Mass their “Power Hour”, and refuses to return to church, as have many others. Name withheld
‘Uncatholic’ bishops?
I
N HIS LETTER ON ARCHBISHOP Desmond Tutu (April 2022), Cardinal Wilfrid Napier mentions the late Anglican archbishop’s divergence from Catholic teaching on issues like the use of condoms, homosexual acts, ordination of women, papal authority and so on. The cardinal forgot to mention the most important issue: abortion. But Catholics should be careful not to stigmatise Archbishop Tutu because of these uncatholic issues, as not a few Catholic bishops promote the same ideas as this Anglican archbishop once held. JG Goossens, Pretoria
MARIANELLA
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Marie Helen Lise
In loving memory of Marie Helen Lise Page, who passed away peacefully on the 5th of June 2022. Loving wife to the late Noel Page and caring mother to Claire, Bern, Patrick, and the late Niki. May her soul rest in peace.
