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BOARD OF DIRECTORS: R Shields (chair), Bishop S Sipuka, Bishop S David OMI (alt), S Duval, E Jackson, B Jordan, C Mathieson, N Mpushe, Fr H O’Connor, R Perrier, D Shikwambana, G Stubbs

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Welcome

The future of the Church

Dear Reader,

Our cover this month gives us an unusual view of St John Vianney National Seminar y in Waterkloof, Pretoria It is an aerial shot taken by drone, with Fr Mlungisi Mabe on the controls The young priest, an alumnus of the seminar y, is a talented photographer His work has featured before on the cover of The Southern Cross, in the May 2021 issue, to illustrate a feature on seminarians and their hopes

At that time, the rector of St John Vianney was Fr John Selemela, who is now the auxiliar y bishop of Pretoria Bishop Selemela will feature in our September issue, but this month we turn our focus on his successor, Fr Wellington Siwundla, and vice-rector Fr Aaron Gabela. Working with their dedicated staff, the two priests bear a great responsibility: to shape our future priests. As you read about Frs Siwundla and Gabela, keep them, their colleagues and the seminarians in your prayers.

On August 1, the city of Lisbon will welcome the world’s Catholic youth for that great festival of our faith, World Youth Day I was blessed to cover the last WYD, held in Panama City in 2019 If one wants to see the Catholic faith practised at its most effer vescent, one should see young people in action at a WYD. My abiding memor y of Panama City is of seeing hundreds of thousands of young people on their knees in prayer with Pope Francis during the vigil.

Over two issues, we will be revisiting all past World Youth Days, starting from the first gathering in 1984 The first part, in this issue, takes us up to 2005 Next month we will resume with WYD 2008, which was held in Sydney

Young people are also part of the focus on the future of the Church in Ireland, covered on pages 10-11 In few traditionally Catholic countries has the backlash against the Church been as severe as it has been in Ireland The rejection of the Church among many Irish people is the result of a histor y of excessive clericalism, social and political domination, and a variety of scandals and overreach apart from the rampant secularisation that is common throughout Western Europe

As a result, the Church in Ireland

must find new ways to live out its true mission of proposing Christ Its experience in finding such ways of evangelisation will be instructive for the Church in all places where secularisation is taking hold including South Africa

In May, the government awarded Nardini Sister Ann Thöle a posthumous award for braver y Sr Ann died in 2007 while rescuing people from a fire in KwaZulu-Natal On pages 12-13, we recall the life and sacrifice of this officially-declared national hero

At her funeral, a priest noted that Sr Ann should qualif y for canonised sainthood, as a martyr of charity But sainthood causes tend to be a great drain on resources, so we may not see the canonisation of Sr Ann But we can invoke her in our prayers, perhaps in petitions relating to fires especially in winter, when so many informal settlements are ravaged by infernos

This month’s cover might well have depicted St Ignatius of Loyola The founder of the Jesuits is our Saint of the Month, with a particularly striking poster, and our regular collection of quotes on the backpage are all by the great saint On top of that, our columnist Raymond Perrier reflects on St Ignatius

Although Raymond once studied as a Jesuit and previously directed the Jesuit Institute of South Africa, in his many years as a Southern Cross columnist, he has never written about this fascinating saint and his legacy This “oversight ” now finds remedy

The church of St Ignatius in Rome also features in our photospread on The Southern Cross’ “Saints of Italy ” pilgrimage, on pages 24-25. Next year, we will return to Rome, and the Holy Land, on a pilgrimage led by Mgr Simon Donnelly (see page 35).

Thank you for reading The Southern Cross, and please tell your friends about your monthly Catholic magazine God bless, Günther Simmermacher (Editor)

JULY 2023

8 The Men Who Train Our Future Priests

We interview the new rector and vice-rector of St John Vianney National Seminary

10 Will the Irish Church rebound?

12

14

There are signs of hope and renewal amid the dramatic decline of the Catholic Church in Ireland

A Heroic Nun Remembered

Who was Sr Ann Thöle, whom the state has recently honoured for saving lives in a 2007 fire?

The History of World Youth Day

The first in a two-part series reviewing previous World Youth Days, covering the years 1984 to 2005

21 A Visit to the Carmelites of Benoni

Mary-Ann Alho writes about her visit to the Benoni convent of the Carmelite Sisters

22

Catholics Among Classic Movie Stars

Nine legendary film stars who were Catholics

23 When the Church Ruled Hollywood

In the Golden Age of Hollywood, the Church decided what could be shown on screen and what not

24

The Saints of Italy Pilgrimage

A photo spread of the latest Southern Cross’ pilgrimage

EVERY MONTH

5 FROM OUR VAULTS

The Southern Cross 27 years ago

6 YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

You ask and we answer questions about godparents, banned books, and Mary and Joseph’s nuptials

17 SAINT OF THE MONTH

The life of St Ignatius of Loyola with pull-out poster

26

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Have your say!

27 POINT OF REFLECTION

Tlalane Manciya on planting trees

28

RAYMOND PERRIER

On the legacy of St Ignatius of Loyola

29 FR RON ROLHEISER OMI

Eight ways in which you can be prophetic 30 PRAY WITH THE POPE

Fr Chris Chatteris SJ reflects on the pope’s prayer intention for July, on the Eucharist and us

31 PRAYER CORNER

Your illustrated prayers, to cut out and collect

32 TWO PAGES OF PUZZLES

Two Crosswords, Wordsearch, Dropped Letters, Catholic Trivia Quiz, and Anagram Challenge

34 COOKING WITH SAINTS

Grazia Barletta tries out recipes inspired by saints

This month: St Agnes’ Lamb Schnitzel 36

...AND FINALLY

History in Colour, Inspiring Quotes by St Ignatius of Loyola, and a Last Laugh

The history of World Youth Day

14

Saints of Italy pilgrimage in photos

24

The new heads of St John Vianney 8

The life of St Ignatius of Loyola

17

With pull-out poster!

Hurley returns to lighthouse

A rc h b i s h o p D e n i s H u r l e y r e t u r n e d t o t h e l i g h t h o u s e o n R o b b e n I s l a n d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e i n 7 3 y e a r s T h e r e t i r e d a rc h b i s h o p o f D u r b a n s p e n t t h e f i r s t y e a r s o f h i s l i f e o n R o b b e n I s l a n d , w h e r e h i s f a t h e r w a s t h e l i g h t h o u s e k e e p e r

A rc h b i s h o p H u r l e y a n d a g r o u p w h i c h a l s o i n c l u d e d B i s h o p R e g i n a l d C a w c u t t ( w h o s e m o t h e r w a s b o r n o n R o b b e n I s l a n d ) , S o u t h e r n

C r o s s e d i t o r M i c h a e l S h a c k l e t o n , S r M a r g a r e t K e l l y O P, S y d n e y D u v a l a n d M i k e P o t h i e r w a s g i v e n a c o m p r e h e n s i v e t o u r o f t h e i s l a n d C a t h o l i c e d u c a t i o n s a f e ?

O n g o i n g n e g o t i a t i o n s b e t w e e n t h e C a t h o l i c C h u rc h a n d n a t i o n a l a n d p r o v i n c i a l e d u c a t i o n d e p a r t m e n t s h a v e p r o v i d e d h o p e f u l s i g n s t h a t C a t h o l i c s c h o o l s w i l l b e a c c o m m o d a t e d i n t h e f o r t h c o m i n g S c h o o l s ’ B i l l . A c c o r d i n g t o S r B r i g i d R o s e Ti e r n a n , d i r e c t o r o f t h e C a t h o l i c I n s t i t u t e o f E d u c a t i o n , t h e C a t h o l i c C h u rc h i s S o u t h A f r i c a ’s l a r g e s t p r o v i d e r o f e d u c a t i o n , a f t e r t h e s t a t e I n c u l t u r a t i o n n e e d s p a t i e n c e A d d r e s s i n g a M a r i a n n h i l l m e e t i n g o n t h e s u b j e c t o f i n c u l t u r a t i o n , F r S i e g f r i e d M a n d l a J w a r a n o t e d t h a t “ o u r C h u rc h i s s t i l l o n a p i l g r i m a g e o f p e r f e c t i o n We h a v e t o b e p a t i e n t a n d c a n n o t e x p e c t i n c u l t u r a t i o n t o b e a r f r u i t o v e r n i g h t . ” P r e v i o u s “ F r o m T h e Va u l t s ” a r t i c l e s a t w w w s c r o s s c o z a / v a u l t s

• President Nelson Mandela confirms that he will not stand for re-election in 1999 and issues his support for Deputy-President Thabo Mbeki as his successor

• Up to 15cm of snow falls in seven of South Africa’s nine provinces on July 8, the country’s heaviest snowfall in 15 years The lowest temperature is recorded at -12°C at Lady Grey in the Free State

• The 26th Summer Olympics open in Atlanta. Penny Heyns goes on to win two gold medals for South Africa in swimming, and Josia Thugwane wins the Men’s Marathon on the event’s final day.

• Boris Yeltsin is re-elected as president of Russia.

• TWA Flight 800 from New York to Paris and Rome explodes shortly after take-off, killing all 230 people on board

A b o v e :

D u t i e s o f g o d p a r e n t s

Q E x a c t l y w h a t d u t i e s d o g o d p a re n t s h a v e t o w a rd s t h e i r g o d c h i l d re n n o w a d a y s ?

IMAGINE YOU ARE A SECONDcentury Christian and a pagan friend wants to join you in your faith. You immediately introduce him to the Christian community They don’t know him as well as you, so they will rely on you to assure them of his suitability

Although they will give him some catechesis, you are the one who sponsors and vouches for him, so that after his baptism you undertake to be his supporter in faith, hope and love, unfailingly showing interest in his spiritual wellbeing

The duties of a sponsor in Christian initiation have not changed down the ages In our days, when Catholic parents ask for baptism for their baby, they themselves vouch for their own suitability to rear their child in the faith However, although the Church takes their word for it, it still wants godparents to sponsor the child in partnership with the parents This is because parental obligations towards the child’s Christian formation may run into difficulties and failings

It is the godparents who, by their promises, must stand by to give sympa-

thetic encouragement and help In holding the infant in their arms they also represent the Church itself welcoming the infant into its communion.

When this sort of support is not needed, you might think that the godparents’ obligations cease. This is not the case because the spiritual bond linking godparents to their godchildren remains even if they lose contact with one another The implication is that godparents will keep their godchildren in their daily prayers. The godchildren will likewise always keep them in their prayers and preserve their relationship by contacting them now and then, if possible

With the parents, the godparents promise to see that the new life given

to the infant at baptism will grow stronger so that everlasting life may be attained in heaven

In some countries, particularly in small communities and where it is customary, godparents will play a prominent role in the child’s development, such as at confirmations, weddings and graduations Where possible, they may also be involved in practical support, like giving financial assistance or providing a job and friendly advice

The modern world may not make it easy for the godparents to be good Christian role models, maintaining a keen interest in their godchildren and whether the parents need some kind of spiritual or practical guidance But the duty is still there as a result of the promises they made at the baptism

(Michael Shackleton)

Does the Church still ban books?

Q. The Catholic Church used to publish an index of forbidden books, but that seems to have faded away Does the Church still condemn books?

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH STOPPED p u b l i s h i n g i t s I n d e x o f F o r b i dd e n B o o k s , a l s o k n o w n a s t h e Index Librorum Prohibitorum, i n

1 9 6 6

T h e l i s t w a s f i r s t p u b l i s h e d i n t h e 1 6 t h c e n t u r y t o r e g u l a t e

C a t h o l i c t e a c h i n g s a n d b e l i e f s b y b a n n i n g b o o k s t h a t w e r e c o n s i d e r e d h e r e t i c a l o r d a n g e r o u s t o t h e f a i t h

T h e s e i n c l u d e d w r i t i n g s b y s u c h h i g h l y r e g a r d e d f i g u r e s a s J e a n P a u l

S a r t r e , V o l t a i r e , I m m a n u e l K a n t , J o h n M i l t o n , a n d G a l i l e o I t a l s o i nc l u d e d n o n - C a t h o l i c t r a n s l a t i o n s o f t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t a n d J e w i s h t e x t s C a t h o l i c s f a c e d e x c o m m u n i c at i o n f o r r e a d i n g , p u b l i s h i n g , s e l l i n g o r e v e n o w i n g t h e m

When Pope Paul VI abolished the Index in 1966, he said that it conflicted with the Church's principles of

freedom of thought and inquiry

W h i l e t h e C a t h o l i c C h u r c h n o l o n g e r m a i n t a i n s a n o f f i c i a l l y s a n ct i o n e d l i s t o f f o r b i d d e n b o o k s , t h e

C h u r c h d o e s c o n t i n u e t o m o n i t o r w r i t t e n a n d a r t i s t i c w o r k s t h a t c o u l d

b e c o n s i d e r e d c o n t r a r y t o C a t h o l i c d o c t r i n e o r t h a t m i g h t p o t e n t i a l l y h a r m t h e f a i t h o f i t s p e o p l e T h e C h u r c h n o l o n g e r b a n s p a r t i c u l a r b o o k s , b u t t h e V a t i c a n s t i l l r e s e r v e s t h e r i g h t t o c o n d e m n b o o k s t h a t a r e j u d g e d t o b e t h e ol o g i c a l l y e r r o n e o u s P o p e J o h n P a u l I I e s t a b l i s h e d t h e P o n t i f i c a l C o u n c i l f o r C u l t u r e i n p a r t t o o v e r s e e t h e m o n i t o r i n g p r o c e s s o f n o n - t h e o l o g i c a l b o o k s a n d t o p r ov i d e g u i d e l i n e s f o r t h e f a i t h f u l r eg a r d i n g t h e p r o p e r u s e o f s e c u l a r m e d i a , b u t a l s o t o e n t e r i n t o a d i al o g u e w i t h c o n t e m p o r a r y c u l t u r e , e v e n w h e n i t s e x p r e s s i o n i s a t o d d s w i t h t h e f a i t h . T h e c u l t u r e c o u n c i l i s

n o w p a r t o f t h e P o n t i f i c a l C o u n c i l f o r D i a l o g u e w i t h N o n - B e l i e v e r s .

A u t h o r s o f C a t h o l i c w o r k s c o nc e r n i n g s c r i p t u r e , t h e o l o g y , C h u r c h h i s t o r y , o r m o r a l i t y a r e a d v i s e d t o s u b m i t t h e i r b o o k s t o t h e l o c a l b i s h o p f o r a nihil obstat ( “ n o t h i n g f o r b i d s ” ) a n d imprimatur ( “ l e t i t b e p r i n t e d ” ) b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n , b u t i n p r a c t i c e o n l y a f e w d o , a n d o f t e n t h o s e w h o d o a r e a d v i s e d t h a t f o r t h e i r b o o k , n o p e r m i s s i o n f r o m t h e o r d i n a r y i s r e q u i r e d

The cover of the Librorum Prohibitorum of 1564. The Index was a list of publications which the Church censored for being a danger to itself and the faithful.

When did Mary and Joseph get married?

Q Yo u r S a i n t o f t h e M o n t h a r t i c l e o n S t J o s e p h ( M a rc h 2 0 2 3 ) s t a t e s : “ J o s e p h a n d M a r y a re n o t y e t m a r r i e d w h e n t h e y g o t o B e t h l e h e m w h e re s h e g i v e s b i r t h ” T h i s c a n n o t b e r i g h t ! M a t t h e w 1 : 2 4 s a y s : “ W h e n J o s e p h w o k e u p h e d i d w h a t t h e a n g e l o f t h e L o rd c o m m a n d e d h i m a n d t o o k M a r y h o m e a s h i s w i f e ” H e o b e y e d a n d m a r r i e d h e r I m m e d i a t e l y, a s c o m m a n d e d . T h e re f o re t h e y w e re m a r r i e d b e f o re g o i n g t o B e t h l e h e m M a r y w a s b e t ro t h e d t o J o s e p h S h e w o u l d n o t g o t o E l i z a b e t h u n m a rr i e d a n d p re g n a n t ( n o t y e t v i s i b l e ) a n d re t u r n t o N a z a re t h t h re e m o n t h s l a t e r, v i s i b l y p re g n a n t , a n d a d i s g r a c e P l e a s e g i v e m e y o u r o p i n i o n .

TH E Q U O T E I N T H E S A I N T O F T H E

M o n t h a r t i c l e d r a w s f r o m L u k e

2 : 4 - 5 , w h i c h r e a d s : “ S o J o s e p h s e t o u t f r o m t h e t o w n o f N a z a r e t h i n G a l i l e e f o r J u d a e a , t o D a v i d ’ s t o w n c a l l e d B e t h l e h e m , s i n c e h e w a s o f D a v i d ’ s H o u s e a n d l i n e , i n o r d e r t o b e r e g i s t e r e d t o g e t h e r w i t h M a r y , h i s betrothed, w h o w a s w i t h c h i l d ” ( o u r e m p h a s i s )

I t w o u l d h a v e b e e n b e t t e r t o o m i t t h a t s e n t e n c e i n t h e a r t i c l e , s i n c e i t d o e s i n d e e d r e q u i r e f u r t h e r c l a r i f i c a t i o n

The term used in the original Greek texts of Luke and Matthew which is often translated as

“betrothed” or “espoused” can be interpreted variously, but usually refers to a state before full marriage as we know it and different translation can create different conclusions

I n J e w i s h c u l t u r e a n d l a w , t h e r e w e r e t w o s t a g e s o f m a r r i a g e c e r em o n i e s : b e t r o t h a l a n d , u s u a l l y a f t e r a y e a r , t h e f u l l m a r r i a g e w h i c h w o u l d t h e n s e e t h e c o u p l e e n t e r c o n j u g a l l i f e T h e W e d d i n g F e a s t a t C a n a ( J o h n 2 : 1 - 1 1 ) i s a n e x a m p l e o f t h e s e c o n d c e r e m o n y

Being betrothed or espoused was not yet a full marriage, but also more than an engagement It indicated a binding contract, with the man having made a payment to the woman’s family The couple is considered man and wife, but they are still only espoused The marriage would be recognised as such only upon consummation

Luke 2:4-5 is usually interpreted to indicate a state of betrothal, and that is consistent with the state in which Matthew 1:24 locates the nuptial relationship of Mary and Joseph

M a t t h e w 1 : 2 3 - 2 5 , h o w e v e r , w o u l d s u g g e s t t h a t t h e p a i r w a s a l r e a d y m a r r i e d w h e n t h e y m a d e t h e i r w a y t o B e t h l e h e m , b u t w h e t h e r t h a t w a s s t i l l b y w a y o f b e t r o t h a l o r a l r e a d y f u l l m a r r i a g e , i n c l u d i n g ( i m p l i e d ) c o n s u m m a t i o n , i s n o t r e a l l y c l e a r

T h e i d e a t h a t J o s e p h a n d M a r y

M I S S E D A N I S S U E ?

w o u l d h a v e t o c o n s u m m a t e t h e i r m a r r i a g e c r e a t e s a p r o b l e m f o r u s C a t h o l i c s , w h o b e l i e v e i n M a r y ’ s p e r p e t u a l v i r g i n i t y H o w d o w e g e t a r o u n d t h a t ?

If Luke was right, and the couple is still only betrothed, perhaps the idea of “consummation” was implied when Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem, and when the Holy Family returned to Nazareth from their exile in Egypt Or if Matthew is right, Mary’s pregnancy after returning from her visit to Elizabeth implied consummation, and recognition of full marriage. Either way, neither Gospel mentions a wedding ceremony

T h e G o s p e l s h a v e a w a y o f l e a vi n g u s w i t h m a n y o p e n q u e s t i o n s o n t h e d e t a i l s U l t i m a t e l y , w h a t i s i m p o rt a n t i s h o w t h e s t o r y o f J e s u s ends!

(Günther Simmermacher)

N O P R O B L E M

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Catch up with Saint of the Month posters: St Teresa of Avila; St Martin de Porres; St John Bosco; St Josephine Bakhita; St Charles Lwanga; St Anne; St John Vianney; St Vincent de Paul; St John XXIII, St Oscar Romero, St Bernadette, St Anthony of Padua, St Maria Goretti, St Maximilian Kolbe, St Teresa of Kolkatta, St Francis of Assisi, St Elizabeth, St Nicholas, St Joseph, St Catherine of Siena and more...

T h e m e n w h o a r e f o r m i n g o u r f u t u r e p r i e s t s

I n Fe b r u a r y, F rs We l l i n gto n N c e d o S i w u n d l a a n d A a ro n G a b e l a we re i n sta l l e d a s re c to r a n d v i c e - re c to r o f S t J o h n V i a n n ey N at i o n a l S e m i n a r y. D a l u xo l o M o l o a nto a s p o ke to t h e t wo p r i e st s w h o, wo r k i n g w i t h t h e i r staff, l e a d t h e t ra i n i n g a n d fo r m at i o n o f f u t u re p r i e st s

THE TRAINING OF OUR DIOCESAN SEMINARIANS is guided b y t h e m i s s i o n s t a t e m e n t o f S t J o h n Vi a nn e y N a t i o n a l S e m i n a r y i n P r e t o r i a : “ To p r o v i d e t h e l o c a l C h u rc h w i t h h u m a n l y m a t u r e , p r a y e r f u l , i nt e l l e c t u a l l y e q u i p p e d , p a s t o r a l l y f o r m e d p r i e s t s w h o a r e p a s s i o n a t e l y c o m m i t t e d t o s e r v e a s w i t n e s s e s t o C h r i s t , t h e

G o o d S h e p h e r d ” I t i s a m i s s i o n w h i c h t h e s e m i n a r y ’s n e w l e a d e r s h i p h a s

c o m m i t t e d i t s e l f t o p u r s u i n g w i t h v i g o u r, s e n s i t i v i t y a n d p a s s i o n , w o r k i n g a s a t e a m F r We l l i n g t o n N c e d o S i w u n d l a i s S t J o h n Vi a n n e y ’s r e c t o r, a n d F r A a r o n G a b e l a h i s v i c er e c t o r T h e y w e r e a p p o i n t e d t o t h e i r p o s i t i o n s i n D e c e m b e r l a s t y e a r, a n n o u n c e d b y t h e Va t i c a n ’s D i c a s t e r y f o r E v a n g el i s a t i o n , a n d f o r m a l l y i n s t a l l e d a t a M a s s o n F e b r u a r y 1 9 . A s r e c t o r, F r S i w u n d l a s u c c e e d e d F r M a s i l o J o h n S e l e m e l a , w h o h a d b e e n a p p o i n t e d a u x i l i a r y b i s h o p o f P r e t o r i a i n J u n e 2 0 2 2 .

T h e n e w s o f t h e a p p o i n t m e n t s m i g h t h a v e c o m e a s a s u r p r i s e f o r b o t h p r i e s t s , b u t i t w a s n o t u n e x p e c t e d . B o t h F r s S i w u n d l a a n d G a b e l a c a n b e c o n s i d e r e d “ o l d h a n d s ” a t t h e i n s t i t u t i o n , a n d t h e y know the inner workings of the seminar y intimately

T h e y e v e n k n e w i t a s s e m i n a r ians Both took their final steps to becoming priests through studies at St John Vianney Between v a r i o u s p e r i o d s o f p a s t o r a l s e r v i c e i n d i f f e r e n t p a r t s o f S o u t h A f r i c a a n d f u r t h e r s t u d i e s i n R o m e , b o t h f o u n d t h e i r w a y b a c k t o t h e s e m i n a r y b e f o r e t h e y w e r e a p p o i n t e d t o l e a d i t

F r S i w u n d l a h a i l s f r o m a s m a l l v i l l a g e i n t h e E a s t e r n Cape diocese of Mthatha He joined the staff of the national seminar y 2010 as a formator before going to Rome for further studies in 2012 He rejoined the seminar y in 2015, and was appointed to head the liturgy and pastoral department He celebrated 15 years as a priest on December 1

L a t e l a s t y e a r, F r S i w u n d l a r e c e i v e d a c a l l f r o m B i s h o p Vincent Zungu of Port Elizabeth, the chair of the SACBC’s S e m i n a r i e s C o m m i s s i o n . “ W h e n h e d e l i v e r e d t h e m e s s a g e that I had been appointed as the new rector of the St John Vianney Seminar y, I could not respond for a few seconds I was asking myself: Was there no other to take on this noble responsibility?” Fr Siwundla told The Souther n Cross

A p p o i n t m e n t c a m e a s a s u r p r i s e

Fr Gabela also has a rural background He was born on a farm near Wartburg in the archdiocese of Durban. He became a formator, lecturer and communications officer at the seminar y in June 2021 He went on to become its financial administrator in Februar y 2022.

L i k e F r S i w u n d l a , h e w a s a l s o s t a r t l e d b y t h e n e w s o f h i s a p p o i n t m e n t “ I w a s t a k e n b y s u r p r i s e b y t h e n e w s , b ec a u s e t h e r e a r e s o m a n y m o r e c a p a b l e a n d e x p e r i e n c e d priests who were already part of the seminar y. However, I welcomed the c h a l l e n g e a n d u n d e r t o o k t o t a k e i t o n w i t h m y c o m p l e t e d e d i c a t i o n , ” F r G a b e l a s a i d . F r S i w u n d l a s e e s h i m s e l f a s a p r i e s t w h o i s t o t a l l y d e d i c a t e d t o t h e m a i n t e n a n c e o f o r d e r, a n d h a s set himself the goal of accomplishi n g t h i s a t t h e s e m i n a r y H e a l s o p l a c e s a s t r o n g e m p h a s i s on liturgical integrity as part of the necessities of moulding an upstanding priest

“ M y t h r e e y e a r s o f f u r t h e r s t u d i e s i n l i t u r g y i n R o m e opened me up to an intense understanding of where things started and ended in this respect It made liturgy to be more interesting and practical for me,” he said. “Liturgy is about order and principles Liturgical rites begin in a certain way and end in a certain way This trains one to have order in his life and surroundings. I will therefore maintain order and procedures in the seminar y ”

‘I want prayerful, pastoral and academic priests who are formed in human values’

L e f t : F r W e

F r G a b e l a a l s o t o o k u p t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o f u r t h e r h i s studies overseas, on the advice of his archbishop at the time, Cardinal Wilfrid Napier. “I thought that I would land up in England, but instead it was in Rome that I found myself,” he recalls “I had been asked to take up further studies in primar y formation and leadership I found myself doing more than this, and went on to take up a licentiate in formation and leadership.”

Ser ving others and altruism are uppermost in Fr Gabela’s m i n d f o r h i s t e n u r e a s v i c e - r e c t o r. “ I w o u l d l i k e t o f o r m priests who have modelled their priesthood on Christ, who came to ser ve and not to be ser ved. I hope to form priests w h o c a r r y t h e v i r t u e s o f u b u n t u , a n d a r e r e s p o n s i b l e a n d competent in their ministr y,” he said

P r o g r e s s a n d c h a l l e n g e s

The first six months of the new leadership were marked by a rapid growth in the seminar y’s ability to go beyond its m i s s i o n . “ I h a v e b e e n t r u l y a m a z e d a t t h e a m o u n t o f progress which my deputy, Fr Gabela, and the entire management team of the seminar y have managed to achieve,” Fr Siwundla said “The amount of work is vast But thanks to the strong team spirit among all of us, we have made it work exceptionally well For this I thank all of them, including the seminarians ”

For Fr Gabela, “it has been smooth sailing thus far except for the expected challenges that are inevitably present in any human endeavour”. Other challenges he sees include the need for funding to refurbish the seminar y’s main building. “One wing of the seminar y was refurbished before the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, but due to the lack of incoming funds as a result of the pandemic, we could not go on to work on the main building ”

Another present challenge concerns unannounced and unplanned visits to the seminar y, especially over weekends, by random visitors “Some people arrive at the seminar y on a F r i d a y e x p e c t i n g t o s t a y f o r t h e w e e k e n d t o a t t e n d o u r Masses or to get a taste of life in the seminar y We’re ver y much open to this. However, we would like those with such intentions to arrange with the seminar y office in good time s o t h a t w e c a n a l s o m a k e t h e n e c e s s a r y p r e p a r a t i o n s f r o m o u r s i d e , s u c h a s e n s u r i n g t h a t t h e r o o m s a r e c l e a n e d a n d ready to accept visitors for the weekend,” he explained V

i s i o n f o r f u t u r e p r i e s t s

For both leaders, ser ving at the helm of St John Vianney S e m i n a r y e n t a i l s d i f f e r e n t b u t p a r a l l e l i d e a l s F r S i w u n d l a

wishes to “produce missionar y diocesan priests who will ree v a n g e l i s e t h e f a i t h f u l P r a y e r f u l , p a s t o r a l a n d a c a d e m i c priests who are well-informed and formed in human values ”

Fr Gabela summarises his mission thus: “I aim to make my contribution in the formation of priests who have a deep relationship with Christ. Priests with efficient pastoral skills to meet the needs of society today I aim to lead by example in the attainment of these goals.”

For now, the training and formation of our future diocesan clergy is in the hands of these two priests and their dedicated colleagues at St John Vianney Seminar y.

Will the Irish Church rebound?

By Courtney Mares

FATHER OWEN GORMAN rem e m b e r s w h e n M a s s e s i n I r e l a n d w e r e s o c r o w d e d o n S u n d a y s t h a t p e o p l e h a d t o s i t o n t h e s t e p s o u t s i d e t h e c h u rc h “ I g r e w u p i n a t i m e i n t h e 1 9 7 0 s a n d ’ 8 0 s w h e n c h u rc h e s w e r e f u l l f o r S u n d a y M a s s I f y o u d i d n ’t c o m e e a r l y, y o u d i d n ’t g e t a s e a t , ” h e r ec a l l e d . “ T h a t h a s c h a n g e d n o w. ” I n 2 0 2 1 , a s u r v e y b y t h e A s s o c i at i o n o f C a t h o l i c P r i e s t s f o u n d t h a t

o n l y a b o u t 3 0 % o f C a t h o l i c s i n I r el a n d a t t e n d M a s s w e e k l y a s i g n i f ic a n t d r o p f r o m 9 1 % i n 1 9 7 5

Wi t h d e c r e a s i n g v o c a t i o n s , p r i e s t s i n I r e l a n d a r e a l s o s p r e a d t h i n , w i t h 2 1 1 6 p r i e s t s s e r v i n g a t 2 6 5 0 c h u rc h e s o r M a s s c e n t r e s A n d m o r e t h a n a t h i r d o f I r i s h p r i e s t s a r e o v e r t h e a g e o f 6 0 F r G o r m a n , 4 9 , s e r v e s f o u r p a r i s h e s a c r o s s t h e d i o c e s e o f C l o g h e r i n C o u n t y M o n a g h a n “ We j u s t h a v e o n e s e m i n a r i a n f o r o u r d i o c e s e , a n d w e h a v e n ’t h a d a n o r d i n a t i o n f o r s i x y e a r s n o w, ” h e s a i d “ I n 2 0 y e a r s ’ t i m e , w e w i l l p r o b a b l y h a v e a b o u t s e v e n p r i e s t s i n t h e w h o l e o f o u r d i o c e s e , o n c u r r e n t t r e n d s ”

T h e s c a n d a l o f c l e r i c a l a b u s e a n d i t s c o v e r - u p , t h e s o c i a l u p h e a v a l s i n c e t h e 1 9 6 0 s , m a t e r i a l i s m , a n d “ b a d c l e r i c a l i s m ” h a v e a l l c o nt r i b u t e d t o t h e d r a m a t i c d e c l i n e o f t h e C a t h o l i c C h u rc h i n I r e l a n d i n t h e p a s t 5 0 y e a r s , h e e x p l a i n e d

“ T h e C h u r c h h a d a t r e m e n d o u s a m o u n t o f p o w e r w i t h i n I r e l a n d t h a t c r e a t e d h u g e r e s e n t m e n t s , ” F r

G o r m a n n o t e d . T h e a b u s e c r i s i s c o nc e n t r a t e d m i n d s a n d a p o i n t w a s r e a c h e d i n w h i c h a l l t h e p e n t - u p g r i e v a n c e s b o i l e d o v e r, a n d “ t h e r e w a s j u s t r a g e a g a i

“There was definitely an overreach within Catholicism We were involved in ever ything. We were involved in all aspects of life,” Fr Gorman reflected. “I think we took our eye off evangelisation We kind of catechised the young people in school, and then we said, ‘OK, that’s it for life ’ So we never invested in them after that We never spent our time in an evangelistic capacity with the result that the faith suffered.”

u t h a l i g h t o f h o p e

In response to this crisis of faith, today in Ireland some movements and religious orders are pouring their energy into evangelisation and faith formation. Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan of Waterford & Lismore said that he sees this as a sign of hope for Ireland

“I see tremendous hope actually. I see little pockets of light all over the countr y. I see the Church as existing in small but wonderfully vibrant, loving pockets all around the place, like little candles, right around the countr y And someday they’re going to light a big fire,” said Bishop Cullinan,

are signs of hope and renewal amid the dramatic decline of the Catholic Church in Ireland

who is 64 and has led his diocese since 2015

“There are a few youth movements within Ireland that have definitely created waves Youth 2000 is one of them,” Fr Gorman said.

Youth 2000 has as its goal to “raise up a new generation of saints” through peer-to-peer ministry for young people from 16-35 years. The international initiative, which came to Ireland in 1993, seeks to “draw young people to a deep and lasting union with Jesus Christ by placing the Eucharist, ‘the source and summit of the Christian life’, at the centre of its mission”

Holy Family Mission in County Waterford is also working to form young people in the faith by giving them the chance to live together in a Catholic community, with daily Mass, eucharistic adoration, and missionar y formation.

S t a r t e d b y t h r e e y o u t h m i n i s t e r s , t h e n i n e - m o n t h “ g a p y e a r ” f o r p e o p l e a g e d 1 8 - 3 0 b r i n g s t o g e t h e r b o t h I r i s h a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l p a r t i c i p a n t s t o s t u d y t h e f a i t h w h i l e l i v i n g o n t h e g r o u n d s o f t h e 2 0 0 - y e a r - o l d G l e n c o m e r a g h e s t a t e , w h e r e t h e y a l s o h e l p t o o r g a n i s e r e t r e a t s t o s h a r e t h e f a i t h w i t h o t h e r s

Michael Tierney, a 27-year-old PhD student from County Offaly, is currently participating in the “gap year for God”. “For a lot of young people who are in the faith, it’s ver y countercultural It’s not like it was a few generations ago, so you really need to know your faith,” he said “Holy Family Mission is really needed now to produce a generation of young people to lead the renewal of the Church and who are really grounded in what the Church believes ”

A D o m i n i c a n r e v i v a l

In a countr y where at least ten dioceses do not have a single seminarian studying for the priesthood, many Irish Catholics point to the number of vocations in the Dominican Order as a sign of hope for Ireland

F r C o l m M a n n i o n , v o c a t i o n s d i r e c t o r o f t h e I r i s h D o m i n i c a n s , s a i d

t h a t a t t h e m o m e n t , t h e r e a r e 1 6 m e n i n f o r m a t i o n t o b e c o m e D o m i n i c a n s i n I r e l a n d S o m e o f t h e m l e f t b e h i n d c a r e e r s i n l a w, h e a l t h c a r e a n d o t h e r p r o f e s s i o n s t o j o i n t h e o r d e r

One of those who helped lead that

great learning and the wisdom and the philosophy and the beauty of our faith when people connect with that, they really want to be able to communicate that to other people ”

T h e D o m i n i c a n s f i r s t a r r i v e d i n

I r e l a n d i n t h e y e a r 1 2 2 4 , j u s t

t h r e e y e a r s a f t e r S t D o m i n i c d i e d .

“

W h e n y o u l o o k a t t h e h i s t o r y

way was Fr Philip Mulr yne OP, a former professional football player with Manchester United and Nor wich City who won 27 caps for Northern Ireland between 1997 and 2007 He was ordained a Dominican priest in 2017.

Part of the reason why young people are attracted to the Dominican Order is because of its charism of “studying the faith, dedicating our lives to learning truth with a view to be able to go off and share with other people,” Fr Mannion said “I think in Ireland, at the moment, there’s a real hunger for people to learn more about their faith And I think that is something we see a lot coming through in the younger generations ”

Many people in Ireland “have not really abandoned the faith, they’ve just kind of drifted”, the Dominican priest noted “And very often the reason they have drifted from the faith is because they never really understood it to begin with. So I think for a lot of younger people now, when they begin to see the richness of our faith and the great tradition that we have and the

o f t h e D o m i n i c a n O r d e r, a s y o u l o o k t o t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e C h u rc h i n I r e l a n d , t h e r e ’s a l o t o f u p s a n d d o w n s o v e r t h e c e n t u r i e s a n d p e r s e c u t i o n s A n d w e ’ v e e x p e r i e n c e d g o o d t i m e s a n d b a d t i m e s , b u t w e ’ r e s t i l l h e r e , 8 0 0 y e a r s l a t e r, ” F r M a n n i o n s a i d C a l l t o c o u r a g e M i c h a e l Ti e r n e y, t h e P h D s t ud e n t , l o o k s t o t h e B i b l e a n d f i n d s h o p e i n h o w “ i n s t o r i e s f r o m t h e B i b l e w e s e e h o w G o d u s e s j u s t a r e m n a n t , l i k e a s m a l l n u m b e r o f p e o p l e , t o a c t u a l l y s p e a r h e a d t h i s r e n e w a l o f f a i t h o r t o c o n v e r t a w h o l e t o w n o r v i l l a g e ” .

“ Yo u d o h a v e t o h a v e c o u r a g e b e c a u s e , y o u k n o w, G o d i s g o i n g t o c a l l y o u t o u n e x p e c t e d p l a c e s A n d y o u h a v e t o h a v e , I ’ d s a y, t h e c o u r a g e o f o p e n n e s s , t o o , a n d t o b e w i l l i n g t o g o w h e r e h e ’ l l l e a d y o u , ” h e s a i d

For Bishop Cullinan, the way for ward for the Catholic Church in Ireland will “always come down to personal holiness As Pope John Paul II used to say, there is a hole in the human heart which only God can fill And that is what I continually work from knowing that no matter what happens, Christ is the answer ” CNA

We’ve experienced good and bad times, but we’re still here, 800 years later

The nun who is a national hero

In 2007, Sr Ann Thöle died while saving people in a hospice fire in KwaZulu-Natal. Recently the South African government honoured her posthumously with a special award for bravery. We look at the life and legacy of the Franciscan Nardini Sister and national hero.

THE POSTHUMOUS AWARD OF the Order of Mendi for Braver y i n S i l v e r t o a S o u t h A f r i c a n n u n , b e s t o w e d b y P r e s i d e n t Cyril Ramaphosa in late April, has sent a s u r g e o f t h a n k s g i v i n g t h r o u g h t h e Catholic community.

Sr Ann Thöle, a Franciscan Nardini o f t h e H o l y F a m i l y S i s t e r, d i e d a t t h e age of 35 while trying to save bedridden patients still trapped in a fire that killed four people at Duduza Hospice at Maria R a t s c h i t z , n e a r D u n d e e i n K w a Z u l uNatal, in the early hours of Passion Sunday 2007

J u s t a f t e r m i d n i g h t o n A p r i l 1 , 2007, Sr Ann was one of four Sisters on the scene of the fire, which was started b y a d i s c a r d e d c i g a r e t t e . T h e S i s t e r s m a n a g e d t o r e s c u e f i v e p a t i e n t s f r o m the flames Despite the impossible dang e r, S r A n n r a n i n s i d e t h e b u r n i n g building to rescue others She did not return as the burning roof came crashing down Her last words before going b a c k i n t o t h e f l a m e s r e p o r t e d l y w e r e : “We can save one more life ” Sr Ann, who often communicated with The Southern Cross on behalf of the Nardini Sisters and who regularly submitted photos for publication, was born

o n D e c e m b e r 1 2 , 1 9 7 1 , a s R o s a n n e T h ö l e i n M a n z i n i , E s w a t i n i . S h e g r e w u p m o s t l y i n E m p a n g e n i , K w a Z u l uN a t a l , w h e r e s h e a t t e n d e d S t C a t h e ri n e ’s C o n v e n t S c h o o l , r u n b y t h e Oakford Dominican Sisters She matriculated in 1988, and planned to become a teacher

S h e w a s i n h e r f i r s t y e a r a t E d g ew o o d C o l l e g e o f E d u c a t i o n i n 1 9 8 9 when she first discerned her calling to join the Nardini Sisters She entered the novitiate in 1994, made her first vows in 1996, and her final vows on July 21, 2 0 0 1 S r A n n t a u g h t a t N a r d i n i C o nv e n t S c h o o l i n Vr y h e i d f r o m 1 9 9 6 t o 2 0 0 4 I n J u n e 2 0 0 5 s h e b e c a m e t h e n o v i c e m i s t r e s s o f h e r c o m m u n i t y a t Maria Ratschitz, where she trained the novices and postulants with great care, efficiency and love

On October 22, 2006 only a few months before her death Sr Ann attended the beatification in the Vatican of Bl Paul Joseph Nardini (1821-62), the G e r m a n p r i e s t w h o f o u n d e d h e r c o ngregation Those who knew Sr Ann believe that her decision to rush into the inferno to “save one more life” was a ref l e c t i o n o f N a r d i n i ’s m o t t o , “ C a r i t a s C h r i s t i u r g e t n o s ” , w h i c h m e a n s “ T h e love of Christ urges us ”

Order for heroes

The Order of Mendi for Braver y recognises ordinar y S o u t h A f r i c a n s f o r e x c e pt i o n a l a c t s o f c o u r a g e I t i s n a m e d a f t e r a Wo r l d Wa r I t r o o p s h i p , t h e S S M e n d i , which sank after a collision i n 1 9 1 7 , w i t h t h e l o s s o f m o r e t h a n 6 0 0 b l a c k S o u t h African troops.

This year was the first time in four years that it was awarded, to three recipients, all posthumously Since it was initiated in 2003, there have been only 40 recipients

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p h b he Sh d e ond t rob b h t m g T ö h h Th h o he N d

h y d ph h p e b and h y an e K Z -NC h y h O kf d gh Thö y E g d C d h d d h a d n g g Sh wh h h e h y wh h h ng y ha c h dp e nd d dd d n a b d - p M h R d p on h p p H V A d Th y p n h p y s d y h M h h o h h d vd d e

BY M CHA OOL & UNYARADZ MAKON T Ca h B h e ACBC h d Ca h d Ch g Z b y w h d p p e ou d Me h h Z b p a - d p w r d h t h g wa t p n h SAC C d p u T h e c b h b w d h p wh h b d by o Z b b y gethe d p on th and t a n d h A h p g a d Th c g n h d Z b s o G d h Z b ha G d h g p e E h a h h h W k G d d h p o T h k d h r y P on h eve M ng A H d h n h f p w k h G d f r m b d o b b o d y and h d g h pp o Ch h d abwe b b d g gTh w dthe b b b h penc I h s th C h pp b ho f Z b b o e b h d t h g p o h Z b g ve d h p y h b h d h ncy e gen h b h d a h e ar th ce h h d b k p o- ct h th Ch h p p n e a h p c h be d t p Ch h H y u [Chr t pn an d p d d o o Z b y a r d d % o o

de d an u b d po t h p W e tu d y bu th un e e h b h p g t the u o p -

S r A n n w a s n o m i n a t e d f o r t h e a w a r d b y D e i r d r e B e v a n , a c l o s e f a m i l y f r i e n d f r o m h e r s c h o o l d a y s a t S t C a t h e r i n e ’s A s t h e c h a i r o f t h e s c h o o l ’s P a s t P u p i l s ’ A s s o c i a t i o n , s h e n o m i n a t e d S r A n n t o s e r v e a s a r o l e m o d e l f o r p u p i l s , s a y i n g : “ I n a w o r l d f i l l e d w i t h K a r d a s h i a n s , b e a S r A n n ” D e i r d r e a c c o m p a n i e d S r A n n ’s b r o t h e r K a r l t o t h e a w a r d c e r e m o n y, w h e r e P r e s i d e n t R a m a p h o s a p r e s e n t e d t h e a w a r d s .

“

To g i v e y o u r l i f e t o s a v e p a t i e n t s in a hospice says something about your p e r s o n a l i t y T h e s c h o o l i s a l s o v e r y proud of Sr Ann So I thought it would be apt that she be recognised by South Africa for her braver y and selflessness,” Deirdre said

Sydney Duval, a long-time collaborator with the Nardini Sisters who knew the late Sister, noted that “Sr Ann did not utter dramatic words when she heard the cries of those still trapped in the burning hospice Unassuming and modest in her personal and religious life, her advice to those around her at the end of it was simple, practical and

down-to-earth ‘Just make sure you take a deep breath,’ she said before entering the building ”

T h a t d e c i s i o n t o e n t e r t h e burning building “gave perfect witn e s s t o h e r f a i t h a n d v o c a t i o n the formator showing the way”, he said “Regardless of the danger facing her, she gave herself to Christ on the cross, which is a sign of Christ i a n c o m p a s s i o n a n d h o p e w h e r e v e r there is human suffering ”

A lasting legacy

Sr Ellen Lindner, leader of the Franciscan Nardinis in South Africa, sees the Mendi award as a resounding call to her congregation to reflect on the life and d e a t h o f S r A n n , g u i d e d b y M a t t h e w 2 2 : 3 7 - 3 9 : “ L o v e t h e L o r d y o u r G o d w i t h a l l y o u r h e a r t a n d w i t h a l l y o u r soul and with all your mind ” This was t h e f i r s t a n d g r e a t e s t c o m m a n d m e n t . And the second was similar: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

S r A n n ’s c o u r a g e o u s a c t r e m a i n s h e r l e g a c y t o a l l w h o k n e w h e r. “ We , t h e F r a n c i s c a n N a r d i n i S i s t e r s , k n e w this young life and this beautiful vocation so well We were privileged to witness it unfold and blossom in front of o u r e y e s A n d t h e n w e a l s o h a d t o w a t c h i t p e r i s h t r a g i c a l l y t h a t A p r i l 1 , 2007 none of us was able to follow her into the raging fire that night ”

Sr Ellen, a medical doctor engaged in comprehensive and holistic care for vulnerable families infected and affected by HIV/Aids, added: “Looking back, we continue to cherish Sr Ann as a truly authentic Franciscan Nardini, remembering how she demonstrated Franciscan values to us through her warm and kind approach to ever yone, young and old alike, and especially towards her pupils and candidates in formation

S r E l l e n d o e s n o t s e e S r A n n a s a b o r n h e r o T h e y o u n g S i s t e r c o u l d show ner ves in ordinar y times, even to t h e e x t e n t t h a t h e r h a n d s w o u l d d r i p with sweat when confronted with new, unfamiliar tasks In that light, her selfless courage in running into the burning building to “save one more life” is all the more remarkable

“ W h i l e S t F r a n c i s w a s c h o s e n t o carr y Christ’s stigmata on his body, Sr A n n w a s c a l l e d b y G o d a s a b u r n i n g s a c r i f i c e We p r a i s e h i m f o r t h i s p r ecious human being he gifted us with as h i s s i g n o f l o v e . S r A n n l i v e d t o s e r v e o t h e r s a n d s h e d i e d s e r v i n g , ” S r Ellen told The Souther n Cross

“Sr Ann exuded joy that welled up from deep within her heart Her famili a r d e e p , h e a r t y s t a c c a t o l a u g h t e r w i l l r e m a i n f o r e v e r i n o u r e a r s H e r c o n t e n t m e n t i n h e r v o c a t i o n , h e r h u m i l i t y a n d s p o n t a n e o u s c o nnectedness to God, so characterist i c f o r S r A n n , n o w s e e m s t h e s i g n a t u r e t u n e f o r h e r, o u r i n t e rceding martyr in heaven.”

T h e n o t i o n o f S r A n n a s a m a r t y r w a s r a i s e d i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r h e r d e a t h . B e n e d i c t i n e F a t h e r P i u s P a u l o f I n k a m a n a A b b e y n o t e d a t t h e t i m e o f h e r m e m o r i a l s e r v i c e : “ S r A n n ’s d e a t h i n v o l v e d q u a l i t i e s o f h e r o i c s e l f - s a c r if i c e t h a t c o u l d m e r i t a d e c l a r a t i o n o f s a n c t i t y ”

T h e R e p u b l i c o f S o u t h A f r i c a rightly sees Sr Ann as a national hero, a s h e r a w a r d c o n f i r m s I n a d d i t i o n , Catholics may see her also as a Martyr of Charity.

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‘In a world filled with Kardashians, be a Sr Ann’

A History of World Youth Day

THE INTERNATIONAL

Wo r l d Yo u t h D a y w i l l b e h e l d i n

L i s b o n , P o r t u g a l I n p r e p a r a t i o n

f o r t h i s m a s s i v e e v e n t , l e t ’s l o o k b a c k a t f o r m e r Wo r l d Yo u t h D a y s ,

f r o m 1 9 8 4 t o 2 0 1 9

Wo r l d Yo u t h D a y i s a b i t l i k e t h e O l y m p i c s o f o u r f a i t h : a t i m e e v e r y t h r e e o r s o y e a r s w h e n t h e g l o b a l C a t h o l i c y o u t h a n d y o u n g p e o p l e o f o t h e r f a i t h s o r n o n e , w h o a r e a l s o i n v i t e d c o m e s t o g e t h e r S o f a r t h e r e h a v e b e e n 1 6 W Y D s ( o r 1 4 , i f y o u d i s c o u n t t h o s e i n 1 9 8 4 a n d ’ 8 5 a s p r e c u r s o r s ) . S e v e n o f t h o s e 1 4 h a v e b e e n h e l d i n E u r o p e , t w o each in South and North America, and o n e e a c h i n A s i a , A u s t r a l i a a n d C e nt r a l A m e r i c a a n d n o n e i n A f r i c a

1984: Rome

Some of the youth who will come to Lisbon may well be the grandchildren of participants in the inaugural Youth Day The first event had no scriptural theme yet: it just commemorated the Holy Year of Redemption. It also had no anthem, and was a youth meeting rather than the fully-packed event we have come to know since Pope John Paul II, in a speech in Milan, simply called the youth to come to Rome “for a prayer meeting” and “for sharing, conversion and joy” And they came, in numbers: 300 000 young people took part in a Mass in St Peter’s Square on April 15 that year. It inaugurated the 3,8m-high Youth Cross, which makes a worldwide journey before it arrives in the host city

What Was Hot Then:

Music: “Weekend Special” by Brenda Fassie & The Big Dudes

Movies: Footloose

On TV: Vyfster

1985: Rome

The first Youth Day had been a success The United Nations had declared 1985 a “Year of the Youth”, and Pope John Paul issued an invitation to the world’s youth to come to Rome on Palm Sunday The theme for the second WYD was “You are called upon to build peace”. It was the first Youth Day to have its own anthem, “Resta qui con noi” by the group Gen Rosso This time 450 000 people attended the Youth Day Mass in St Peter’s Square This impressed the pope who in December that year formally proclaimed that a World Youth Day would be held regularly. In his 1994 book Crossing The Threshold of Hope, Pope John Paul wrote: “No one invented the World Youth Days It was the young people themselves who created them ”

What Was Hot Then:

Music: “I’m In Love With A DJ” by Yvonne Chaka Chaka

Movies: The Breakfast Club On TV: Cheers

1987: Buenos Aires

The first proper, formally proclaimed World Youth Day took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina a signal by Pope John Paul II that this

was intended to be a truly global event.

In keeping with the original idea, the WYD Mass was celebrated on Palm Sunday, April 12, with activities and the vigil the day before Several dioceses in South Africa tied local celebrations to the event in Argentina

WYD 1987 was themed “We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves” (1 John 4:16). It attracted 900 000 young people.

Pope John Paul combined the WYD celebration with visits to two other South American countries, Uruguay and Chile.

What Was Hot Then:

Music: “With Or Without You” by U2 Movies: The Mission

On TV: Zap Mag

1989: Santiago de Compostel a

For World Youth Days, the accent is on the virtuous practice of pilgrimage, so in 1989 WYD was held at one of Europe’s most ancient pilgrimage shrines Spain’s Santiago de Compostela, where the relics of the apostle James are said be kept (Santiago is Spanish for St James).

The theme for the fourth international WYD was from John 14:6: “I am

o r l d Y o u t h D a y ( o r 1 5 t h , d e p e n d i n g o n h o w y o u a r e c o u n t i n g ) . I n a t w o - p a r t s e r i e s , G ü n t h e r S i m m e r m a c h e r l o o k s a t a l l W Y D s s i n c e t h e f i r s t i n 1 9 8 4 .

the Way, the Truth and the Life”, a reminder to the youth of the world that Christ always leads to the Father For the first time, the WYD event was not held around Palm Sunday but in August, the northern summer.

Pope John Paul presided over prayers at St James’ tomb, a prayer ser vice for the disabled and infirm, as well as the night vigil and the closing Mass the next day, both on Monte del Gozo, with about 400 000 in attendance

What Was Hot Then:

Music: “Special Star” by Mango Groove

Movies: When Harr y Met Sally

On TV: Orkney Snork Nie

1993: Denver

With successive World Youth Days in Santiago de Compostela and Czechostowa, Pope John Paul II established the notion of these gatherings as a pilgrimage Those taking part in it were to be not just participants but pilgrims. That point made, the next WYD was in Denver, a city perhaps more famous as the setting for the materialistic ’80s soap opera Dynasty than as a place of pilgrimage But that choice made a point too: WYD should be seen as a journey of faith The choice of Denver as a host symbolised that not ever y pilgrimage needs a holy shrine as an endpoint.

1991: Czechostowa

When the globe’s youth gathered in 1991, the world was no longer the same as it had been at the previous World Youth Day just two years earlier.

In the interim, South Africa had effectively dumped apartheid, and communism had suddenly collapsed in Eastern Europe a domino effect that had started in Poland. In August 1989, as WYD was held in Spain, the communist regimes of Eastern Europe were still in charge. By August 1991, they were all gone, with even the Soviet Union communist in name only

So this was the first time that young Catholics from the formerly communist countries were able to take part in a WYD An incredible number of 1,6 million participated in the event four times as many as in 1989 The theme for WYD ’91 was “You have received a spirit of sonship” (Romans 8:15).

For Pope John Paul it was not his first visit to his homeland as a free countr y: he had travelled to Poland just two months earlier.

What Was Hot Then:

Music: “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

Movies: Silence Of The Lambs

On TV: Full House

The pope’s schedule in Denver was packed still, he was able to squeeze in a hike in the Rocky Mountains The highlights of WYD, as always, were the night vigil and closing Mass the following morning, attended by 750 000 in Denver’s Cherr y Creek State Park

Writing in The Southern Cross about the event, South African pilgrim Simon Donnelly (now a priest in Johannesburg) described the uninhibited yet faith-filled atmosphere in Denver: “Downtown, Catholics were ever ywhere: singing, praying and waving banners ”

It is perhaps not surprising that a WYD in the United States land of conspicuous profiteering and overeager lawyers would become subject to litigation over the sale of memorabilia

What Was Hot Then:

Music: “It’s About Time” by Boom Shaka

Movies: Jurassic Park

On TV: America’s Funniest Home Videos

1995: Manila

The previous three World Youth Days and ever y WYD from 1997 until 2016 had taken place in the northern hemisphere’s summer months (when schools and institutions of higher learning are closed) The 1995 version, in Manila in the Philippines, was held in Januar y.

It turned out to be one of the world’s biggest-ever single gatherings

The headliner was not a big rock star

but a 74-year-old man in a gown In Denver, three-quarters of a million had participated in the WYD Mass. In Manila, at least 5 million people were at the closing Mass in the city’s Luneta Park Considering that Manila is pretty far-flung on the map, 5 million is all the more an astonishing figure.

But huge crowds can bring trouble

There were some unsavour y rivalries at Luneta Park as local Catholics began to jostle for space with WYD delegates occupying their allocated spaces

Almost exactly 20 years later, Pope Francis broke the record for biggest papal event set in 1995 by attracting 6 million people to his Mass also in Manila

What Was Hot Then:

Music: “Zombie” by The Cranberries

Movies: Dumb And Dumber

On TV: The X-Files

1997: Paris

registered participants from outside France, but only 100 000 French youth

One of the reasons for that, of course, was France’s location: a Catholic countr y itself, its neighbours also had strong Catholic populations

But the pilgrims did not come just from Italy, Spain and Germany More than 140 countries including South Africa, with a contingent of 200 participants were represented in Paris.

While Paris could not match Manila’s incredible numbers (tr y to fit an extra five million people into Paris!), the organisers’ expectations were still far exceeded. Some 800 000 were at the vigil, and 1,2 million at the closing Mass at the Longchamp racecourse

South African pilgrims travelled to Taizé and spent time in Bayonne (where they reportedly moved the locals to tears by singing the national anthem). At a catechism session in Paris, youth coordinator Paul Hooper recalled at the time, a US bishop pointed to the South African delegation as a symbol of hope, three years after the first fully democratic elections.

What Was Hot Then:

Music: “Vulindela” by Brenda Fassie

Movies: Men In Black

On TV: Home Improvement

2000:

In t h e g r e a t J u b i l e e Ye a r, i t s e e m e d r i g h t t h a t t h e Wo r l d Yo u t h D a y g a t h e r i n g s h o u l d b e

h o s t e d b y t h e E t e r n a l

C i t y A c k n o w l e d g i n g

t h a t t h e J u b i l e e Ye a r c e le b r a t e d t h e b i r t h o f t h e S o n o f M a n , t h e t h e m e

f o r W Y D 2 0 0 0 w a s “ T h e Wo r d b e c a m e f l e s h a n d d w e l t a m o n g u s ” ( J o h n 1 : 1 4 )

M a n y p e o p l e b e l i e v e t h a t C a t h o l ic i s m i n E u r o p e i s a d y i n g f a i t h . S t i l l , s o m e 2 m i l l i o n y o u n g p e o p l e p a r t i c ip a t e d i n t h e M a s s a t R o m e U n i v e r s i t y ’s

To r Ve r g a t a c a m p u s a p p a r e n t l y E u r o p e ’s l a r g e s t - e v e r s i n g l e r e l i g i o u s g a t h e r i n g o f p e o p l e

D e s p i t e t h e o p p r e s s i v e A u g u s t h e a t t h r o u g h o u t t h e f i v e - d a y e v e n t w i t h t e m p e r a t u r e s o f u p t o 3 8 ° C t h e 8 0 - y e a r - o l d P o p e J o h n P a u l w a s i n g o o d f o r m . A c c o r d i n g t o a n e w s r e p o r t a t t h e t i m e , h e “ j o k e d , l a u g h e d , s h e d a f e w t e a r s , a n d e v e n s a n g a n i m p r o m p t u p r a y e r ” a t t h e c l o s i n g M a s s

D u r i n g t h e v i g i l , t h e p o p e l i s t e n e d t o d e l e g a t e s f r o m c o u n t r i e s w i t h p o o r h u m a n r i g h t s r e c o r d s t e l l t h e i r s t o r i e s S i g n i f i c a n t l y, t h e c r o w d s t h r o u g ho u t W Y D a p p l a u d e d a n d c h e e r e d t h e p o p e a t a l l t h e r i g h t p l a c e s , g i v i n g l i e t o t h e i d e a t h a t t h e y w e r e t h e r e o n l y t o b a s k i n t h e g l o w o f p a p a l c e l e b r i t y

What Was Hot Then:

M u s i c : “ N k a l a k a t h a ” b y M a n d o z a M o v i e s : T h e F i g h t C l u b O n T V: To u c h e d B y A n A n g e l

What Was Hot Then:

M u s i c : “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne

M o v i e s : I c e A g e

O n T V: D a r k A n g e l

Th e t h e m e f o r Wo r l d Yo u t h D a y i n

To r o n t o , C a n a d a , p r o v i d e d y o u n g C a t h o l i c s w i t h a d e f i n i t i o n f o r t h e i r i d e n t i t y w i t h i n t h e C h u rc h : “ Yo u a r e t h e s a l t o f t h e e a r t h … y o u a r e t h e l i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ” ( M a t t h e w 5 : 1 3 - 1 4 ) .

The closing Mass attracted a creditable 800 000 people despite rain and a temperature of 33°C while organisers catered for 400 000 people taking part in the different WYD events Feeding the pilgrims is a perennial WYD challenge In Toronto, packaged meals were prepared for six people, which meant that pilgrims had to share the parcels in groups of six The feeding-ofthe multitudes plan worked well: food queues were reduced, and pilgrims had to eat together, sometimes with strangers who might become new friends

A s i t w a s o n p r e v i o u s W Y D s , S o u t h

A f r i c a a n d B o t s w a n a w e r e r e p r e s e n t e d b u t m a n y A f r i c a n C a t h o l i c s w h o w a n t e d t o g o w e r e d e n i e d v i s a s b y t h e C a n a d i a n a u t h o r i t i e s

A m o n g t h e S o u t h A f r i c a n s w h o t r a v e l l e d t o To r o n t o w a s G r a c e G r i f f i t h s f r o m K l e r k s d o r p G r a c e t h o u g h t s h e h a d n o c h a n c e o f g o i n g u n t i l s h e w o n a c o m p e t i t i o n f o r a p r i z e o f h e r o w n c h o o s i n g o n 5 F M D J M a r k G i l l m a n ’s m o r n i n g s h o w S h e l a t e r w r o t e a b o u t h e r j o u r n e y “ T h e e x p e r i e n c e w a s a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o m e e t a m a z i n g p e o p l e f r o m a r o u n d t h e w o r l d , a n d p u b l i c l y e x p r e s s o u r f a i t h a n d t h e f a c t t h a t

‘ I a m C a t h o l i c ’ ”

It s e e m e d p r o v i d e n t i a l t h a t P o p e B e n e d i c t X V I , e l e c t e d j u s t f o u r m o n t h s e a r l i e r, w o u l d m a k e h i s f i r s t p a p a l t r i p t o h i s n a t i v e G e r m a n y, f o r Wo r l d Yo u t h D a y 2 0 0 5 i n C o l o g n e a n e v e n t a n n o u n c e d t h r e e y e a r s e a r l i e r b y P o p e J o h n P a u l I I

A s h e t r a v e l l e d t o G e r m a n y, t h e e y e s o f t h e w o r l d w e r e o n t h e n e w p o p e ; e v e r y g e s t u r e a n d e v e r y m e e t i n g w a s a n a l y s e d T h e o t h e r b i g q u e s t i o n w a s h o w t h e n e w p o p e , s h y a n d b o o k i s h , w o u l d r e l a t e t o t h e y o u t h . W h e r e P o p e J o h n P a u l I I ’s p r e s e n c e a n d f r e e b a n t e r c r e a t e d f e r v o u r, P o p e B e n e d i c t ’s a p p r o a c h w a s r e s e r v e d a n d q u i e t l i t e r a l l y a t t i m e s , w h e n h e a s k e d f o r t h e y o u t h ’s c o m p l e t e s i l e n c e F o r t h i s h e r e c e i v e d t h e c r o w d ’s r e s p e c t A n d t h a t c r o w d w a s b i g A b o u t 4 0 0 0 0 0 r e g i s t e r e d p i l g r i m s f r o m a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d a t t e n d e d t h e w e e kl o n g e v e n t s ; a n d a m i l l i o n w e r e a t t h e c l o s i n g M a s s o n t h e h u g e M a r i e n f e l d , j u s t o u t s i d e C o l o g n e

T h e s e n u m b e r s s h o w e d t h a t , c o n t r a r y t o t h e c r i t i c s ’ v i e w, t h e y o u t h h a d n o t c o m e i n s u c h g r e a t n u m b e r s t o p r e v i o u s W Y D s j u s t t o s e e “ J o h n P a u l S u p e r s t a r ” , b u t t o c e l e b r a t e a n d d e e p e n t h e i r f a i t h i n c o m m u n i o n w i t h o t h e r y o u n g C a t h o l i c s , t o f e e l t h e u n i t y o f t h e U n i v e r s a l C h u r c h . Wr i t i n g i n T h e S o u t h e r n C r o s s a b o u t t h e i r e x p e r i e n c e s a t W Y D ‘ 0 5 , K e l s a y H y a m s a n d G u s t a v o C o r r ê a n e a t l y s u m m e d u p t h a t p u r p o s e : “ U n i v e r s a l C h u rc h : t h a t w a s a c o n c e p t t h a t w e a l l g r a s p e d i n a v e r y s p e c i a l m a n n e r ! ”

What Was Hot Then:

M u s i c : “ D o o B e D o o ” b y F r e s h l y g r o u n d

M o v i e s : S t r a i g h t O u t t a B e n o n i

O n T V: D e s p e r a t e H o u s e w i v e s

See next month’s issue for more!

Rome

2002: Toronto

2005: Cologne

H o w a c a n n o n b a l l

c h a n g e d t h e w o r l d

S o m e s a i nt s l i ve u n h o l y l i ve s u nt i l t h ey l et G o d i nte r ve n e . G ü nt h e r S i m m e r m a c h e r l o o ks at o n e s u c h l i fe t h at o f t h e fo u n d e r o f t h e J e s u i t s .

SOMETIMES GOD CALLS PEOPLE

to their vocation with a cannonball. That is how St Ignatius of Loyola began his journey to founding the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits.

He was born as Iñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola on October 23, 1491, the youngest of the 13 children of a noble family in Azpeitia, in the Basque region of what now is in Spain, about 40km south-west of San Sebastian

At 16, Iñigo was sent to ser ve as a page in the court of the duke of Nájera, the treasurer of the kingdom of Castile There he took up dancing, fencing, duelling, horsemanship, as well as gambling A sharp dresser, he pursued young women and relied on his privilege to escape prosecution for various acts of violence This conduct was a far cr y from the priesthood which his father, Don Beltran, had envisaged for his son

But Íñigo had no interest in religious pursuits; his dream was to become

b e r 2 3 , 1 4 9 1 , i n

A z p e i t i a , C r o w n o f C a s t i l e

( S p a i n )

D i e d : J u l y 3 1 , 1 5 5 6 , i n R o m e

B e a t i f i e d : 1 6 0 9

C a n o n i s e d : 1 6 2 2

F e a s t : O c t o b e r 1 5

P a t r o n a g e s : R e t r e a t s ; s p i r i t u a l e x e r c i s e s a n d

d i s c e r n m e n t ; e d u c a t o r s a n d l e a r n e r s ; m i l i t a r y

p e r s o n n e l ; S o c i e t y o f J e s u s

a famous soldier, a chivalrous knight like El Cid! So when he turned 17, Iñigo joined the army of Castile. For a dozen years he fought in many battles and emerged unscathed. That changed on May 20, 1521 That day, during the defence of the fortress of Pamplona, a French cannonball shattered his leg. Ignatius at some point he latinised his name was taken to his father’s castle at Loyola. There he endured a series of excruciating and botched operations to reset the leg, leaving him with a lifelong limp

A spiritual awakening

A ricochet of a cannonball had ended his militar y career Now, during his long and painful recover y, Ignatius began to read books on the lives of the saints and the teachings of Christ, given to him by his sister-in-law, Magdalena de Araoz, instead of the books on chivalr y he really wanted to read. But

these books sparked a spiritual transformation in Ignatius He began to live a deeply ascetic lifestyle and started to practise deep meditation and reflection as part of his daily routine.

After his recover y, he made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat in Catalonia, where he experienced a profound spiritual awakening He spent several months in prayer and meditation, and made a vow to devote himself to God and live a life of poverty, chastity and obedience. For a year he lived in the nearby town of Manresa, working at a local hospital for food and lodging. During that time, he spent a long spell living in a cave on the outskirts of the town, where he prayed for seven hours a day, and conceived what would become his Spiritual Exercises

In 1523, Ignatius travelled to the Holy Land, hoping to settle in Jerusalem with plans to convert the Muslims After three weeks, the Franciscans there sent

C l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p l e f t : T w o p a i n t i n g s f r o m t h e 1 6 t h c e n t u r y p o r t r a y i n g S t I g n a t i u s a s a p r i e s t a n d a s a y o u n g s o l d i e r • A d o c u m e n t w r i t t e n a n d s i g n e d b y S t I g n a t i u s , h i s r o b e , a n d h i s s h o e s , d i s p l a y e d i n h i s l i v i n g q u a r t e r s a d j a c e n t t o t h e c h u r c h o f t h e G e s ù i n R o m e • T h e c h a p e l i n t h e C a v e o f S t I g n a t i u s a t M a n r e s a , S p a i n , w h e r e h e f i r s t c o n c e i v e d w h a t w o u l d b e c o m e h i s S p i r i t u a l E x e r c i s e s

Photos: Günther Simmermacher (3)

A Timeline of St Ignatius

1 4 9 1

B o r n i n to n o b i l i t y a s I ñ i g o L ó p ez d e O ñ a z y L o yo l a o n O c to b e r 2 3 , 1 4 9 1 , i n L o yo l a c a st l e a t A z p e i t i a , m o d e r n - d ay S p a i n

1 5 0 7

B e c o m e s a p a g e i n t h e c o u r t o f t h e t re a s u re r o f t h e k i n g d o m o f C a st i l e

1 5 0 9 J o i n s t h e a r my o f C a st i l e

1 5 2 1

I s b a d l y i n j u re d i n t h e B a tt l e o f Pa m p l o n a H a s a s p i r i t u a l a wa ke n i n g d u r i n g h i s re c o ve r y i n L o yo l a c a st l e .

1 5 2 2 - 2 3

Trave l s to t h e M a r i a n s h r i n e o f M o n t s e r ra t i n C a ta l o n i a a n d s p e n d s a ye a r i n a n d a ro u n d M a n re s a , w h e re h e d e ve l o p s t h e b a s i s fo r h i s S p i r i t u a l E xe rc i s e s .

1 5 2 3

M a ke s a p i l g r i m a g e to t h e H o l y L a n d

1 5 2 6 - 2 7

S t u d i e s t h e o l o g y a n d L a t i n a t t h e U n i ve rs i t y o f A l c a l á i n S p a i n

1 5 2 8

M o ve s to Pa r i s fo r f u r t h e r u n i ve rs i t y st u d i e s

1 5 3 4

M a ke s a v o w o f l i fe l o n g s e r v i c e to G o d , a l o n g s i d e s i x f r i e n d s w h o fo r m t h e c o re o f t h e f u t u re S o c i e t y o f J e s u s

1 5 3 8

G ra d u a te s w i t h a m a ste r ’s d e g re e

C e l e b ra te s h i s f i rst M a s s

1 5 3 9

Fo u n d s t h e S o c i e t y o f J e s u s , o r J e s u i t s , w i t h o t h e rs , i n c l u d i n g S t F ra n c i s X av i e r a n d S t Pe te r Fa b e r

1 5 4 0

Po p e Pa u l I I I a p p ro ve s t h e S o c i e t y o f J e s u s a s a re l i g i o u s o rd e r I g n a t i u s , t h e f i rst s u p e r i o r g e n e ra l ( o r Fa t h e r

G e n e ra l ) o f t h e S o c i e t y o f J e s u s , m o ve s to Ro m e to e sta b l i s h t h e n e w o rd e r ’s h e a d q u a r te rs t h e re

1 5 4 8

T h e S p i r i t u a l E xe rc i s e s a re o f f i c i a l l y a p p ro ve d .

1 5 5 3

T h e J e s u i t C o n st i t u t i o n i s a d o p te d

1 5 5 6

D i e s o n J u l y 3 1 i n Ro m e , a g e d 6 4 , a n d b u r i e d i n t h e c h u rc h o f M a r i a d e l l a S t ra d a

1 5 7 8

I s re b u r i e d i n t h e n e w l y- b u i l t c h u rc h o f t h e G e s ù

1 6 0 9

B e a t i f i e d b y Po p e Pa u l V

1 6 2 2

C a n o n i s e d b y Po p e G re g o r y X V, a l o n gs i d e S t F ra n c i s X av i e r, S t Te re s a o f Av i l a , S t P h i l i p N e r i , a n d S t I s i d o re t h e Fa r m e r

him home. Back in Spain, he completed his education, and studied theology and Latin at the university He also attracted the attention of the Inquisition for his unauthorised preaching

New friends in Paris

Ignatius then moved to France to study for a master’s degree at the University of Paris. Soon Ignatius had gathered around him a group of fellow students. These included his fellow Basque Francis Xavier de Jasso and Peter Faber (or Pierre Lefebvre) On August 15, 1534, these three and four companions gathered in the church of St Peter at Montmartre to make solemn vows of their lifelong work for God and his Church

Five years later, in 1539, Ignatius, Francis Xavier and Peter Faber formally founded the Society of Jesus The Society was dedicated to the service of God and the Catholic Church especially at a time of the Reformation and its members took a vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the pope The order was approved by Pope Paul III in 1540, and Ignatius moved to Rome to establish the headquarters of the Society of Jesus there.

The Jesuits quickly gained a reputation for their educational and missionar y work, and spread their influence throughout Europe and the world. They established schools, universities and seminaries, and sent missionaries to Asia, Africa, and the Americas

Ignatius was the Jesuits’ first superiorgeneral, or Father General, and served in this position until his death His Constitution for the order was adopted in 1553 It outlined the centralised structure of the order, the practice of obedience within its hierarchical lines, its loyalty to the Church, and its focus on education The Constitution also guided individual Jesuits in their spiritual life through instructions on meditation, prayer, and discernment

A prayer aid even today

He wrote the Spiritual Exercises, a series of meditations and contemplations designed to help people deepen their relationship with God, which became a cornerstone of Jesuit spirituality The Spiritual Exercises remain in wide use to this day as a guide to prayer and meditation

Ignatius died on July 31, 1556, at the age of 64 Dressed in his priestly robes, he was buried the following day in the crypt of the church of Maria della Strada, next to his living quarters in which he had died.

Two years later that church was demolished to make way for the magnificent church of the Gesù. Ignatius had planned that church since 1551 as the Jesuits’ mother church; construction started in 1568 and it was completed 12 years later It now holds the tomb of the leading founder of the Society of Jesus

St Ignatius was canonised in 1622 by Pope Gregor y XV, alongside his friend St Francis Xavier, contemporaries St Teresa of Avila and Philip Neri, and Isidore the Farmer His feast day is on July 31

Next month: St Clare of Assisi

A statue of St Ignatius above his tomb in the church of the Gesù in Rome, the mother church of the Society of Jesus It is usually concealed by a painting which is lowered by a Macchina Barocca (baroque machine) every day at 17:30 to reveal the statue

A visit to the Carmelite Sisters of Benoni

July 15 marks the feast day of the Order of Discalced Carmelites.

Mary-Ann Alho writes about her visit to the Carmelite Sisters of Benoni.

TH E C A R M E L I T E S I S T E R S O F B E N O N I , E A S T O F

J o h a n n e s b u r g , a r e a n e n c l o s e d c o m m u n i t y o f r e l i g i o u s w o m e n w h o s e o r d e r i s c o n t e m p l a t i v e B e i n g “ c o n t e m p l a t i v e ” a n d “ e n c l o s e d ” a f f o r d s t h e c o m m u n i t y t h e t i m e t o c r e a t e a s p a c e f o r “ u n i o n w i t h G o d ” , c o n s i s t e n t l y a n d w i t h u t m o s t d e d i c a t i o n .

Sr Therese OCD explained that the nuns’ hearts are enclosed to the Presence of God in their own lives “a sacred space where we can pursue our contemplative life and our constant seeking of the face of God”.

The Sisters follow the Order initiated by St Teresa of Avila, who founded the Discalced Carmelites almost 500 years ago. St Teresa adhered to the value of enclosure, per vasive at the time in the Catholic Church However, she was also a woman with a good deal of common sense and flexibility

The Sisters of Benoni are no less astute and show common sense in transitioning, to some degree, to the modern world in which they live They live their enclosure in a different way one which does not preclude contact with the outside world while still holding on to the value of enclosure and minimal material expression. For example, they do not usually leave the confines of their convent It would therefore be inaccurate to say that the Carmelite Sisters have relaxed certain Rules regarding separation from the outside world

60 years in Rivonia

F o r 6 0 y e a r s f r o m t h e e a r l y 1 9 3 0 s , t h e C a r m e l i t e s o f B e n o n i l i v e d i n t h e i r f i r s t c o n v e n t , k n o w n a s T h e C l o i s t e r s , i n R i v o n i a , a n o r t h e r n s u b u r b o f J o h a n n e s b u r g F r o m t h e r e , f o u r S i s t e r s w e n t o f f t o f o u n d t h e C a r m e l o f Wy n b e r g i n C a p e

To w n i n 1 9 5 2

I n 1 9 9 0 F r C a m i l o M a c c i s e , t h e g e n e r a l o f t h e g l o b a l C a r m e l i t e O r d e r, v i s i t e d t h e c o m m u n i t y a n d t h e i d e a w a s r a i s e d t o m o v e f r o m R i v o n i a , s i n c e t h e p r e m i s e s w e r e t o o b i g a n d i t s i n f r a s t r u c t u r e o u t d a t e d S o m e t r a u m a f o l l o w e d a s t h e c o m m u n i t y w a s d i s p e r s e d , b u t t h e C a r m e l o f S t T h e r e s e i n B e n o n i s o o n b e c a m e a n e w h o m e

The political and social background of South Africa at the time was divided, and the nuns felt that more division seemed to be incongruent with the core ethos of the Carmelites S o t h e y d e c i d e d t o d i s c a r d t h e m o r e v i s i b l e p h y s i c a l e l e m e n t s o f s e p a r a t i o n , s u c h a s t h e g r i l l e s They retained only a simple separation in their chapel. “It doesn’t impede the witness of a united participation of the Sisters and the people at the Eucharist and the Liturgy of Hours,” Sr Therese explained.

R e m a r k a b l y t h e S i s t e r s h a v e l a t e l y b e c o m e a m u l t i - c u lt u r a l c o m m u n i t y A s i d e f r o m t h e S o u t h A f r i c a n s , a t p r e s e n t t h e r e a r e S i s t e r s f r o m B a n g l a d e s h , D R C o n g o , E n g l a n d , K e n y a , R w a n d a , Z a m b i a a n d Z i m b a b w e T h i s h a s b e e n a n e nr i c h m e n t t o t h e i r c o m m u n i t y l i f e “ E a c h o n e b r i n g s h e r o w n g i f t s a n d i n s i g h t s , c h a l l e n g e s a n d w e a k n e s s e s I n o u r d i v e r s i t y w e a r e u n i t e d i n b e a r i n g w i t n e s s t o t h e v a l u e s o f t h e

C a r m e l i t e C h a r i s m a n d c u l t u r e , ” S r T h e r e s e s a i d

A n i n t e g r a l a s p e c t o f t h e C a r m e l i t e S i s t e r s ’ c h a r i s m i s t o

b e i n t e rc e s s o r s . T h e L i t u r g y o f t h e H o u r s i s a s p e c i f i c t i m e a n d s p a c e s e t a s i d e f o r p r a y i n g o n b e h a l f o f o t h e r s a n d f o r t h e n e e d s o f a l l h u m a n i t y. Wi t h i n t h i s a m b i t o f “ s o c i a l p r a y e r ” t h e y a r e i n s o l i d a r i t y w i t h p e o p l e o f a l l w a l k s o f l i f e T h e p r e s e n t a u t h o r c a n a t t e s t t o t h e p r i v i l e g e o f r e l y i n g o n t h e S i s t e r s t o p r a y w i t h d e p t h a n d s i n c e r i t y o n b e h a l f o f t h o s e w h o r e q u e s t t h e i r p r a y e r s a n d t h e i r n a t u r a l o f f e r o f f r i e n d s h i p t o t h o s e w h o t r u l y s e e k i t . B r e a d w i n n i n g f r o m a l t a r b r e a d “ We s h o w o u r l o v e f o r o n e a n o t h e r b y w o r k i n g g e n e ro u s l y a c c o r d i n g t o o u r s t r e n g t h s a n d a b i l i t i e s , b o t h i n h o u s eh o l d t a s k s a n d i n e a r n i n g w o r k , ” S r T h e r e s e s a i d A s i s t h e c a s e w i t h m a n y C a r m e l i t e c o m m u n i t i e s , t h e S i s t e r s ’ m a i n s o u rc e o f i n c o m e i s t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f a l t a r b r e a d , a t a s k t h e n u n s t o o k o n s o o n a f t e r t h e y a r r i v e d i n R i v o n i a i n t h e e a r l y

1 9 3 0 s . T h e m e t h o d o f p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e h o s t s h a s c h a n g e d f r o m t h e p r i m i t i v e h a n d c u t t e r s a n d t i n y i r o n s o f t h e e a r l y y e a r s ; i n 2 0 1 7 a n e w, f u l l y a u t o m a t i c b a k i n g m a c h i n e a r r i v e d f r o m I t a l y.

T h i s i m p o r t a n t i n c o m e s t r e a m h a s k e p t t h e c o m m u n i t y i n t o u c h w i t h t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d a n d , t o s o m e e x t e n t , i n t h e p u b l i c e y e o f t h e g r e a t e r C a t h o l i c c o m m u n i t y o f S o u t h A f r i c a

E v e n a s e n c l o i s t e r e d c o n t e m p l a t i v e s l i v i n g i n t h e 2 1 s t c e n t u r y, t h e n u n s a r e n o t d e t a c h e d f r o m t e c h n o l o g y I n t e r n e t a n d s m a r t p h o n e s h a v e b e c o m e a n e c e s s i t y s i n c e b a n k i n g a n d o t h e r o p e r a t i o n a l f u n c t i o n s o f t h e a l t a r b r e a d o f f i c e o p e r a t e m o r e e f f i c i e n t l y b e c a u s e o f t h e m A n d t h e C a r m e l o f B e n o n i a l s o h a s a w e b s i t e ( w w w. c a r m e l b e n o n i . c o . z a )

The community welcomes and invites women who hear God’s call to ser ve him in this way to arrange visits or to experience a live-in opportunity, at the discretion of the Sisters The Sisters are aware of a deep thirst for God and advocate Carmelite spirituality as a means of attaining whatever spiritual help may be needed in this proposed journey

To contact the Carmelite Sisters of Benoni, call 076 286-1461 or email info@carmelbenoni.co.za

T h e m u l t i c u l t u r a l C a r m e l i t e s o f B e n o n i

Ri t a H a y w o r t h

Lived: Oct 17, 1918 – May 14, 1987

Seen in: Gilda, Only Angels Have Wings, The Lady From Shanghai Catholic angle: Was a lifelong Catholic even when the pope declared her marriage to the Aga Khan illicit; insisted on raising her children as Catholics

C a t h o l i c A c t o r s

S pe nc e r T r a c y

Lived: April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967

Seen in: Boys Town, San Francisco, Guess Who’s Coming For Dinner

Catholic angle: A lifelong Catholic who struggled with the Church’s teachings on adultery but refused to get a divorce Won an Oscar and a nomination for playing priests

C a t h o l i c A c t o r s

K i m No v a k

Born: February 13, 1933

Seen in: Vertigo, Picnic, The Man With The Golden Arm, Pal Joey Catholic angle: Raised Catholic, treasures rosaries received from her mother and Pope John Paul II; they were the first things she saved in a house fire

C a t h o l i c A c t o r s

Actors with Faith

In March we introduced nine actors who are practising Catholics. Here we look at nine C la s s I C H o lly wo o d thespians with a Catholic hook.

G a ry C o o pe r

Lived: May 7, 1901 – May 13, 1961

Seen in: High Noon, Meet John Doe, Sergeant York, For Whom the Bell Tolls

Catholic angle: Married to a devout Catholic, he converted to the faith in 1959 after long soul-searching, the impetus coming from an audience with Pope Pius II

C a t h o l i c A c t o r s

G ra c e K e l l y

Lived: Nov 12, 1929 – Sep 14, 1982

Seen in: High Noon, Rear Window, To Catch A Thief, High Society

Catholic angle: Raised in a devout Catholic family; after marrying Prince Rainier of Monaco she retired from the screen, returning only to pray the rosary with TV priest Fr Peyton

C a t h o l i c A c t o r s

G r e g o ry P e c k

Lived: April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003

Seen in: Roman Holiday, To Kill A Mockingbird, Guns of Navarone

Catholic angle: “I am a Roman Catholic Not a fanatic, but I practise enough to keep the franchise ”

Buried in a tomb in LA’s cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

C a t h o l i c A c t o r s

Ma u r e e n O ’ H a ra

Lived: Aug 17, 1920 – Oct 24, 2015

Seen in: How Green Was My Valley, Miracle on 34th Street, Rio Grande Catholic angle: Thought of becoming a nun (her sister did); prayed the rosary daily (”My rosary is more important to me than my Oscar”), and had a devotion to St Patrick

C a t h o l i c A c t o r s

B e l a L u g o s i

Lived: Oct 20, 1882 – Aug 16, 1956

Seen in: Dracula, The Raven, Ninotchka, Son of Frankenstein Catholic angle: Remained devoted to the Catholic faith throughout his life, despite five failed marriages Buried in a Catholic cemetery –wearing his Dracula cape

C a t h o l i c A c t o r s

L a na T u r ne r

Lived: Feb 8, 1921 – June 29, 1995

Seen in: The Postman Always Rings

Twice, Peyton Place, Imitation Of Life

Catholic angle: Converted to Catholicism at the of seven and attended a Catholic school; dropped the faith as an adult but resumed practising it in 1980

C a t h o l i c A c t o r s

When the Catholic Church ruled Hollywood

In the Golden Age of Hollywood, the Catholic Church exerted a huge influence on morality in movies. Günther Simmermacher explains.

THE HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD is tied closely to the Catholic Church, at least during the film capital’s socalled Golden Age that 25-year stretch from the early 1930s to the mid-1950s.

While the big studio owners, who produced virtually all movies, were mostly Jewish, in the background the Catholic Church decided what was allowed to be shown in those films and, more importantly, what not

During the “Roaring ‘20s”, the strict moral codes of previous ages loosened, and Hollywood reflected that evolution of standards. A series of scandals marked Hollywood out as a den of immorality and movies that, by the standards of the time, were libertine caused a public call for censorship.

In 1930, the studios reacted by instituting the Motion Picture Production Code, a self-censorship board headed by Will Hays, a past chairman of the Republican Party and a Presbyterian deacon His job, however, was not really to enforce morality in the movies but rather to ensure that films would pass the constraints of more conservative local censorship boards

After a couple of years of that, the Catholic Church was not happy with some hit movies, especially the wave of gangster films of the early 1930s, such as Little Caesar, Scarface, and The Public Enemy, which seemed to glamourise crime A group of lay people and Jesuit priests, acting with episcopal backing, had already compiled a list of impermissible content to Hays in 1930 Now they wanted those enforced.

And they had a potent threat in hand: a moral classification system run by the Catholic Legion of Decency would guide the Church’s faithful on the moral acceptability of all new movies these were reproduced even in The Southern Cross Going to see a condemned movie was declared sinful, and cinemas that would screen such denounced films would risk being boycotted by obedient Catholics Since the

studios owned all cinemas at the time, all their releases would thus be at risk of boycotts

List of prohibition

List of prohibition

The Catholic journalist Joseph Breen was put in charge of enforcing the Production Code in 1934 He did so strictly Some items on the proscribed list were predictable: nudity and sex, swearing, blasphemy and ridicule of religion, homosexuality, “excessive and lustful kissing” and so on Crime always had to be presented as an activity that does not pay

Some of the rules were absurd. Even married couples were not allowed to be shown in bed together (that’s why in films, and later on TV shows, many couples had separate beds) Interracial marriage and procreation was also banned, though Hollywood was so intrinsically racist that the studios presumably had no problem with that As the enforcer of morality, Breen became a supremely powerful Hollywood player

An unintended effect of censorship was that filmmakers had to find creative solutions to hint at the forbidden, rather than being able to simply show it The result was a wave of wonderfully scripted films which sidestepped Breen’s obstacles with wit and elegance Gangster films, besides preaching a crime-won’t-pay morality, now also looked at social issues For all his conservatism, Breen also helped usher through socially critical films such as 1940’s The Grapes Of Wrath

It can be argued that so many

films of the Golden Age of Hollywood were great because censorship forced not only the producers to be creative but also the viewers, who had to fill in the blanks themselves instead of being spoonfed every detail

Golden age of priests

Golden age of priests

In that environment, the Catholic Church and its priests were invariably portrayed positively Three actors won Oscars for playing good priests: Spencer Tracy for Boys Town (1938; he had been nominated two years earlier for playing a priest in the earthquake drama San Francisco), and Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald for Going My Way (1944) All three actors were also practising Catholics As was the unnominated Pat O’Brien, whose excellent priest provided the moral compass in the 1938 crime drama Angels With Dirty Faces

The 1930s and ‘40s saw a range of strong women on screen. Formidable actresses like Katherine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyk, Myrna Loy, Claudette Colbert, Rosalind Russell and their like would not allow themselves to be exploited or objectified and the Production Code helped them in that Actress Jane Russell later recalled that the Production Code “kept us [women] safe” from objectification Behind the screens, of course, there was plenty of exploitation and objectification, and independent-minded women like Hepburn or Davis had to fight their corner extra hard

Still, the Production Code was not always a good thing. It was excessively puritanical and undemocratic, it perpetuated racism, and it engendered hypocrisy in an industry that always was morally compromised

The Production Code and the studio system faded away in the 1950s, and with it the influence of the Catholic Church as a moral arbiter Soon the social revolution of the 1960s would change moral standards in the Western world, for better and worse At least married couples could now be shown together in their marital bed

R o m e : On any pilgrimage, the Mass is at the centre Here Fr Lawrence Ndlovu celebrates Mass in the church of St Ignatius in Rome, assisted by Fr Selwyn Francis of East London (left)

Another very special Mass was one in St John Lateran basilica, which was celebrated by Rome-based Mariannhill Missionaries

Father Vukani Masango, who exactly a year previously had been on The Southern Cross pilgrimage to Medjugorje and Turkey.

R o m e : W h e n i n R o m e O n e o f t h e f i r s t s t o p s a f t e r a r r i v a l i n I t a l y w a s t o s e e t h e C o l o s s e u m , b u i l t i n 7 2 A D

Vatican City: Maxine and Cecil Malebe wait in the rain for Pope Francis to arrive for his general audience in St Peter’s Square. When he came, they and many of the group had a front-row view of the pope

S i e n a : T h e g r o u p i n f r o n t o f t h e o r n a t e D u o m o ( o r c a t h e d r a l ) o f t h e T u s c a n c i t y o f S i e n a . I t w a s c o m p l e t e d i n 1 3 4 8 .

e S ai nts of Italy P ilgr image

I n M ay, a g ro u p o f S o u t h e r n C r o s s p i l g r i m s , l e d by F r L aw re n c e M d u d u z i N d l o v u o f J o h a n n e s b u rg , m a d e a p i l g r i m a ge to t h e S a i nt s o f I ta l y T h e j o u r n ey to o k t h e m to Ro m e , A s s i s i , S i e n a , S a n G i m i g n a n o, F l o re n c e , Pa d u a a n d Ve n i c e J o i n t h e m o n t h i s p i c to r i a l j o u r n ey P h o to s co u r te sy o f Fo w l e r To u rs a n d t h e p i l g r i m s

A T I C A N C I T Y : S o m e o f t h e g r o u p i n S t P e t e r ’ s S q u a r e , w i t h t h e b a s i l i c a i n t h e b a c k g r o u n d . T h e p i l g r i m s v i s i t e d a l l f o u r o f R o m e ’ s m a j o r b a s i l i c a s : S t P e t e r ’ s , S t J o h n L a t e r a n , S t M a r y M a j o r , a n d S t P a u l O u t s i d e t h e W a l l s A f t e r t o u r i n g S t P e t e r ’ s b a s i l i c a , s o m e p i l g r i m s t o o k t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o c l i m b t h e w i n d i n g s t a i r s t o t h e t o p o f t h e d o m e , f r o m w h e r e t h e y h a d b r e a t h t a k i n g v i e w s i n a s f a r a s t h e y s t i l l h a d s p a r e b r e a t h a f t e r t h o s e 5 4 1 s t e p s g o i n g u p !

P a d u a : A r r i v i n g i n P a d u a , p i l g r i m s D a v i d M a t h e ( l e f t ) a n d V u k a n i D l a m i n i ( s e c o n d r i g h t ) m a d e u s e o f f r e e t i m e t o s p o n t an e o u s l y j o i n a 1 0 k m f u n r u n T h e y a r e s e e n w i t h l o c a l r u n n e r s

A ssisi: The tomb of Bl Carlo Acutis, the teenage saint, in Assisi’s church of St Mary Major

S a n G i m i g n a n o : P i l g r i m s E l i s e P e t e r s e n , N o r m a M o o n s a m y a n d

M i l l y N a i d o o i n t h e m e d i e v a l T u s c a n t o w n o f S a n G i m i g n a n o

P a d u a : T h e r e l i q u a r y o f S t A n t h o n y b a s i l i c a i n P a d u a T h e r e l i c s o f S t A n t h o n y i n c l u d e h i s l o w e r j a w , h i s i n c o r r u p t t o n g u e , a n d c a r t i l a g e f r o m h i s l a r y n x A l l t h r e e o f t h e s e r e l i c s r e f l e c t t h e s a i n t ’ s g r e a t r e p u t a t i o n a s a p r e a c h e r

F l o r e n c e : P i l g r i m s i n t h e S a n t a C r o c e c h u r c h , w h e r e t h e y h a d M a s s T h e h i s t o r i c c h u r c h i n c l u d e s t h e t o m b s o f M i c h e l a n g e l o , G a l i l e o , M a c h i a v e l l i a n d t h e c o m p o s e r R o s s i n i

Assisi: T h e g r o u p o u t s i d e t h e b a s i l i c a o f S t C l a r e I n A s s i s i t h e g r o u p v i s i t e d s i t e s r e l a t e d t o t h e l i v e s o f S t F r a n c i s a n d S t C l a r e , a n d s a w t h e s a i n t s ’ p r e s e r v e d c l o a k s , t h e p l a c e s o f t h e i r d e a t h s , a n d t h e i r t o m b s

P a d u a : P i l g r i m s t o u c h t h e t o m b o f S t A n t h o n y i n t h e g r e a t b a s i l i c a n a m e d a f t e r t h e P o r t u g u e s eb o r n F r a n c i s c a n

V e n i c e : P i l g r i m s Z a n e t t a J a n s e n , M a d i n i A b r a h a m s , T h e r e s a D e Y o u n g , a n d N o l e e n A l l e n t r a v e l t h e c a n a l s o f V e n i c e i n a g o n d o l a

A s s i s i : P i l g r i m s w a l k i n a s t r e e t i n t h e o l d c i t y o f A s s i s i

S i e n a : F r N d l o v u i n S i e n a , w i t h t h e m a j e s t i c b a s i l i c a o f S t D o m i n i c i n t h e b a c k g r o u n d

J o i n F o w l e r T o u r s

P i l g r i m a g e s i n 2 0 2 3 / 2 4

Holy Land & Egypt: Led by Bishop Victor Phalana • 30 Aug to 10 Sept

V e n i c e : M e m b e r s o f t h e g r o u p i n S t M a r k ’ s S q u a r e

T h e g r o u p h a d t h e i r f i n a l M a s s i n t h e g r e a t b a s i l i c a o f S t M a r k

Holy Land: Led by Fr Peter Dladla • 11 to 20 September

Holy Land: Led by Fr Chris Townsend • 22 September to 1 October

Lourdes & Paris: Led by Fr Christopher Slater • 8 to 16 May 2024

Holy Land & Rome: Led by Mgr Simon Donnelly • 20 May to 1 June 2024

Holy Land: Led by Fr Solomon Mphela OFM • 24 June to 3 July 2024

Holy Land: Led by Fr Thabiso Ledwaba • 9 to 18 September 2024

C o n t a c t G a i l a t 0 7 6 3 5 2 3 8 0 9 o r i n f o @ f o w l e r t o u r s . c o . z a w w w . f o w l e r t o u r s . c o . z a

In illness, God does provide answers

YO U R “ Q U E S T I O N A N S W E R E D ” a r t i c l e “ M a y f e e d i n g t u b e s b e p u l l e d i f I ’ m b r a i n - d e a d ? ” ( J u n e 2 0 2 3 ) r a i s e s s o m e i s s u e s G o d e q u i p s u s w i t h i n t e l l i g e n c e a n d s k i l l s i n o r d e r f o r u s t o p r o v i d e f o r o u r s e l v e s , a n d o t h e r s , w i t h t h e n e c e ss a r y s u r v i v a l k i t s : m e d i c a l , e d u c a t i o n a l , s p i r i t u a l , a g r i c u l t u r a l , m a n u f a c t u r i n g a n d l i f e s k i l l s S o , w h e n a n e w b o r n b a b y p r e s e n t s w i t h c o l i c o r a f t e r a f e w w e e k s i t s t e e t h s t a r t t o p u s h t h r o u g h a n d h e o r s h e c r i e s w i t h a s s o c ia t e d p a i n , w e r u s h f o r t h e g r i p e w a t e r a n d t e e t h i n g p o w d e r We d o n ’t s a y : “ D o n ’t w o r r y, G o d w i l l p r o v i d e ” Ye t , w h e n s o m e o n e i s d y i n g , a n d s u f f e r i n g g r e a t l y, a n d t h e o n l y c o mp a s s i o n a t e s o l u t i o n i s a p e a c e f u l d e a t h , w e t h r o w u p o u r h a n d s a n d p l e a d t h a t “ i n t e r f e r i n g ” w i t h n a t u r e i s n o w s u d d e n l y “ p l a y i n g G o d ” R e c e n t l y, a p a t i e n t I k n o w w a s o n t h e c r i t i c a l l i s t f o r s o m e t i m e a n d t h e d o c t o r s d i d t h e i r b e s t t o s a v e h i m U nf o r t u n a t e l y, t h e m e d i c a l i n t e r v e n t i o n s b r o k e d o w n , w i t h a n u m b e r o f c o m p l ic a t i o n s s e t t i n g i n H i s l i f e w a s o n t h e e d g e a n d t h e f a m i l y w a s p r e p a r i n g f o r w h a t s e e m e d i n e v i t a b l e . H o w e v e r, h e i s s t i l l a l i v e a n d r e a s o n a b l y w e l l , h a v i n g b e e n s u p p o r t e d b y t h e m a n y p r a y e r s o f f a m i l y, f r i e n d s , p r i e s t s a n d f e l l o w c h u rc h p a r i s h i o n e r s T h e s u r g e o n s s a i d t h a t h i s r e c o v e r y w a s a m i r a c l e

H o w e v e r, w h e n a f a m i l y m e m b e r i n s i m i l a r c i rc u m s t a n c e s w a s d y i n g , w e

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w a t c h e d t h e t o r t u r e o f t h i s g r e a t l y d i s t r e s s e d p e r s o n f o r t h o s e l o n g l a s t w e e k s . We s u f f e r e d w i t h h i m , h o u r a f t e r h o u r, d a y a f t e r d a y a n d n i g h t a f t e r n i g h t T h e d o c t o r s h a d s a i d t h e r e w a s n o m e d i c a l r e a s o n w h y t h i s m a n s h o u l d s t i l l b e a l i v e h i s h e a r t k e p t b e a t i n g i n h i s a l r e a d y d e c a y i n g b o d y, e x a c e r b a t e d b y s o m e b o n e s p r o t r u d i n g f r o m h i s e m a c i a t e d f r a m e T h e r e w a s n o d o u b t t h a t h e w a s g o i n g t o d i e H e w a s c l e a r l y a n d r e as o n a b l y b e y o n d a m i r a c l e M a n y p r a y e r s w e r e o f f e r e d , b u t h i s t i m e w a s d u e a n d h e w a s r e a d y t o g o w h e r e w e a l l y e a r n t o b e . I t w a s s o s a d t h a t n o o n e w a s p r e p a r e d t o r u n f o r t h e r e q u i r e d “ g r i p e w a t e r o r t h e t e e t h i n g p o w d e r o r t h e h e a d a c h e p i l l ” T h e r e w a s l i t t l e o r n o a l l e v i a t i o n o f a n y u n n e c e s s a r y s u f f e r i n g b e i n g i n f l i c t e d o n h i m a n d h i s f a m i l y. N o c o m p a s s i o n , n o r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r a n y o n e .

G o d ’s p r o b l e m !

A f t e r “ p l a y i n g G o d ” a l l o u r l i v e s , w e t u r n e d a w a y a n d c o w a r d l y r e t u r n e d G o d ’s g i f t u n u s e d W h e r e t h e r e i s l i f e , o f c o u r s e , t h e r e i s a l w a y s h o p e , e v e n i f i t r e q u i r e s a m i r a c l e H o w e v e r, t h e r e a r e t i m e s t o a p p l y o u r m i n d s a n d i n t e ll i g e n c e a n d m a k e p r o f e s s i o n a l d e c is i o n s a s w e h a v e a l w a y s d o n e . W h e n o u r t o o t h h u r t s , w e g e t t h e d e n t i s t t o r e m o v e i t W h e n o u r a p p e n d i x i s i nf l a m e d a n d i n f e c t e d , w e g e t a s u r g e o n t o e x c i s e i t T h e s e d e c i s i o n s a r e m a d e a n d a c c e p t e d w i t h o u t q u e s t i o n W h e n t h e r e i s n o h o p e , i t ’s t i m e t o d o t h e r i g h t t h i n g a n d n o t t o b l a m e G o d f o r o m i t t i n g t o p r o v i d e u s w i t h a s u i t a b l e a n d c o m p a s s i o n a t e s o l u t i o n

Tony Meehan, Cape Town

What happened to Mass reverence?

FU R T H E R T O Y O U R C O V E R S T O R Y

“ T h e M a s s e x p l a i n e d ” ( J u n e 2 0 2 3 ) , a m I o n e o f t h e v e r y f e w w h o s e n s e t h a t s o m e t h i n g i s n o t r i g h t i n o u r m o d e r n a p p r o a c h t o t h e B l e s s e d E u c h a r i s t ?

G o n e i s t h a t d e e p r e v e r e n c e , t h e m e a n i n g f u l g e n u f l e c t i o n , t h a t s p i r i t o f a d o r a t i o n b e f o r e a R e a l P r e s e n c e y e s , a P e r s o n , n o t j u s t a “ s a c r a m e n t ” t h a t m y s t e r y a n d a w e a n d w o n d e r o f p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h e H o l y M a s s . We k e e p b l a m i n g t h e e f f e c t s o f t h e C o v i d p a n d e m i c f o r r e d u c e d M a s s a t t e n d a n c e , b u t w e n e v e r b l a m e o u r o w n l a c k o f f a i t h . D u r i n g t h e p a nd e m i c , f e a r t o o k o v e r f r o m f a i t h T h e a u t h o r i t i e s s o u n d e d t h e a l a r m . We h e a r d t h e i r p u b l i c v o i c e , b u t w e d i d n o t h e a r C h r i s t ’s s i l e n t v o i c e : “ F e a r n o t , i t i s I ” S o c h u rc h d o o r s w e r e s h u t n o m o r e g a t h e r i n g a r o u n d t h e E u c h a r i s t Te l e v i s i o n , r a d i o a n d m o d e r n t e c hn o l o g y w a s t h e “ a n s w e r ” , w i t h “ s p i r it u a l C o m m u n i o n ” s t a n d i n g i n f o r t h e B o d y a n d B l o o d o f C h r i s t . I h e a r J e s u s a s k i n g : “ I f I s h o u l d r e t u r n t o t h e e a r t h , w i l l I f i n d a n y f a i t h a m o n g m e n ? ” S u r e l y w e h a v e n o w r e t u r n e d t o o u r n o r m a l f o r m o f w o r s h i p . B u t h a v e w e r e a l l y ? W h a t i s “ n o r m a l ” t h e s e d a y s ?

I t i s s o e v i d e n t t h a t a l l N a t u r e i s r eb e l l i n g o r a r e w e b l i n d a n d d e a f t o t h e c r i e s o f m i l l i o n s ? O r a m I m i s r e a di n g t h e s i g n s o f t h e t i m e ?

I m u s t s p e a k p l a i n l y o f w h a t m y h e a r t i s s a y i n g . I f e a r G o d i s r e s p o n d i n g t o o u r d e s e c r a t i o n o f t h e C o n s e c r a t e d

Fr Ralph de Hahn, Cape Town

Why we need to plant trees

IHAVE MANY FOND CHILDHOOD

m e m o r i e s o f l a z i n g a b o u t o n s o f t grass, sitting in the pleasant shade o f a n o l d b a c k y a r d t r e e w h i c h a t times also offered shelter from rain. The agreeable shade it offered on a scorching day always made me gaze up at this g i a n t , m a g n i f i c e n t w o n d e r a n d w h i sp e r : “ T h a n k s t o G o d f o r t h o s e w h o planted these trees.”

T h e t r e e s I g a z e d a t w e r e n ’t o r d inar y trees They were large, with strong a n d t h i c k b r a n c h e s a rc h i n g o u t w a r d b e a u t i f u l l y, f o r m i n g a n a t u r a l r o o f o f sheltering leaves The kind of trees that t a k e a n y w h e r e f r o m 3 0 t o 5 0 y e a r s t o reach maturity.

Tr e e s i n t h e i r m a j e s t i c f o r m p r ovide an essential part of life for all livi n g t h i n g s T h e y p r o v i d e s h a d e , p r o d u c e o x y g e n , s h e l t e r b i r d s a n d o t h e r a n i m a l s , a n d g i v e m a n y o t h e r b l e s s i n g s B u t b e y o n d m e e t i n g t h e s e p h y s i c a l n e e d s , t h e r e i s a l s o t h e s p i r it u a l s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t r e e s , a n d i t i s deeply rooted in scripture.

Many trees in the Bible

C o n s i d e r t h e p r o m i n e n c e w h i c h t r e e s h a v e i n G o d ’s w o r d T h e y a r e p r e s e n t a t e a c h i m p o r t a n t s t a g e i n the Bible. There is a tree on the first page of Genesis and on the last page of Revelation. In Genesis, God places the father and mother of humanity i n a g a r d e n f i l l e d w i t h t r e e s ; w e know of the tree of the knowledge of g o o d a n d e v i l , f r o m w h i c h h u m a n s were not to eat

Almost ever y major biblical character is associated with a tree in one form o r a n o t h e r. J e s u s w a s h u n g o n a t r e e (the cross). In Romans 11, the apostle Paul uses an olive tree to explain salvation and the people of God Zacchaeus w a n t e d t o s e e J e s u s , s o h e c l i m b e d a sycamore-fig tree to see him

E v e r y m a j o r c h a r a c t e r a n d e v e r y m a j o r t h e o l o g i c a l e v e n t h a s a t r e e m a r k i n g t h e s p o t . G o d t h o u g h t i n

t e r m s o f g e n e r a t i o n s , a m u c h l o n g e r view, and made trees to last and be part o f o u r l i v e s a n d g r o w t h , a n d m a y b e also of those who came before and will come after us As we enjoy the shade of the trees we have in our lives, we must also think of coming generations and p l a n t t r e e s f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f o t h e r s Human lives are short, so it’s important to plant as many trees as we can while we are blessed to be alive Our lives are indeed short, but not those of trees

“ p l a n t i n g t r e e s ” f i g u r a t i v e l y : b y d o i n g s e l f l e s s a c t i o n s d e s i g n e d t o b e n e f i t f ut u r e g e n e r a t i o n s . T h e a u t h o r N e l s o n H e n d e r s o n , a d a p t i n g a n o l d G r e e k p r o v e r b , o n c e s a i d : “ T h e t r u e m e a n i n g o f l i f e i s t o p l a n t t r e e s u n d e r w h o s e s h a d e y o u d o n o t e x p e c t t o s i t ”

For future generations

T h e w h o l e p o i n t o f l i v i n g , a n d t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t t h i n g o f a l l , i s t o h e l p o t h e r s a n d l e a v e t h e w o r l d a b e t t e r p l a c e t h a n w e f o u n d i t We d o n o t p l a n t a t r e e f o r o u r s e l v e s t o e n j o y, t h o u g h w e m i g h t d o t h a t t o o , b u t f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s . To d a y w e a r e e n j o y i n g t h e s h a d e o f t r e e s p l a n t e d b y m a n y p e o p l e , s o m e l o n g b e f o r e w e w e r e b o r n o u r p a re n t s , g r a n d p a r e n t s a n d h u n d r e d s o f n a m e l e s s m e n , w o m e n a n d c h i l d r e n T h e y p l a n t e d t r e e s i n t h e f o r m o f b u i l d i n g s c h o o l s a n d c h u rc h e s , s t a r ti n g c h a r i t y o r g a n i s a t i o n s a n d c o m m unity ser vices which ser ve humans even t o d a y

Let’s continue taking the initiative to change other people’s lives, to plant trees so that others can sit in the shade

A n d a s t h e y e n j o y t h e s h a d e , t h e y may be planting the trees for others

We o u g h t t o a s k o u r s e l v e s : “ W h a t would the world look like if the first thing we thought about were our responsibilities as guardians, responsible for the coming generations?”

T h e r e a r e t r e e s a l i v e t o d a y t h a t w e r e p l a n t e d h u n d r e d s o f y e a r s a g o T h e w o r l d ’s o l d e s t t r e e , i n C a l i f o r n i a , i s o v e r 5 0 0 0 y e a r s o l d ; i t w a s a n c i e n t w h e n t h e p y r a m i d s w e r e b u i l t . A n d s o m e t r e e s r e g e n e r a t e . I t i s b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e o l i v e t r e e s i n t h e G a r d e n o f G e t h s e m a n e , l o v i n g l y c a r e d f o r b y F r a n c i s c a n f r i a r s , a r e d e s c e n d a n t s o f the trees that witnessed Judas’ betrayal a n d J e s u s ’ a r r e s t

We c a n a l s o a p p l y t h e n o t i o n o f

I f w e t r u l y s t r i v e e a c h d a y t o l e a v e t h e w o r l d b e t t e r t h a n w e f o u n d i t , w e c a n d o s o b y p l a n t i n g t r e e s l i t e r a l l y o r f i g u r a t i v e l y i n o u r c o m m u n i t i e s , b y h e l p i n g t h e l e s s f o r t u n a t e . I t m a k e s a h u g e d i f f e r e n c e B l e s s e d a r e p e o p l e w h o p l a n t t r e e s , k n o w i n g t h a t t h e y m a y n e v e r s i t i n t h e s h a d e o f t h e i r f o l i a g e .

Tlalane Manciya is an author, poet and blogger Read more of her writings at www.tlalane.com

Trees are present at each important stage in the Bible

Olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem They are said to be the descendants of the trees that stood there when Jesus was arrested

Raymond Perrier on Faith & Society T h r e e w o r d s o f S t I g n a t i u s

THE SAINT OF THE MONTH IN this issue is St Ignatius of Loyola and, with some personal experience of his legacy, I’d like to explore three words that he has contributed to our Catholic vocabular y: Jesuit, Jesuitical and Ignatian

The Jesuits are, of course, the order of priests and some Brothers which he f o u n d e d ( t h o u g h h e n e v e r u s e d t h a t t e r m ) . T h e i r c o r r e c t n a m e t r a n s l a t e d f r o m I g n a t i u s ’ o w n S p a n i s h i s t h e “Company of Jesus”. Ignatius felt that he and the men who gathered around h i m a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f P a r i s i n t h e 1530s were like the first Apostles, with t h e i r “ h e a r t s o n f i r e ” t o f o l l o w J e s u s “Company” or better still, “Companions” has an air of friendliness and approachability

T h a t i s l e s s t r u e o f t h e n a m e b y which they came to be known in English, the Society of Jesus, a mistranslation from the Latin Societatis Jesus (That is why the postnominal letters for a Jesuit are SJ). The notion of the “society” came to create an aura for the Jesuits a s a f i n e l y h o n e d , r i g i d , r e l i g i o u s force. To this was added the militar y l a n g u a g e w h i c h I g n a t i u s h i m s e l f used after all, he was a soldier, effectively a mercenar y, when he had his conversion experience

The highly disciplined approach of the first companions, and the rules that they set themselves, meant that Jesuits got a reputation for being “the Marines o f t h e C a t h o l i c C h u rc h ” S o m e t i m e s that has been warranted in good and bad ways but sometimes it is just a mistake.

For example, the worldwide leader o f t h e J e s u i t s h a s t h e t i t l e “ G e n e r a l ” (one of the few positions, at least until recently, to be a life appointment). This sounds ver y militaristic, but in fact it is just that he is the “superior-general”, as o p p o s e d t o b e i n g t h e s u p e r i o r o f a p r o v i n c e o r a l o c a l c o m m u n i t y ( I a m not sure how well Fr Hugh O’Connor, who is secretar y-general of the SACBC would take to being addressed as “The General” )

J e s u i t s e m e r g e d i n t h e C h u rc h w i t h i n a f e w y e a r s o f t h e s t a r t o f L u t h e r ’s R e f o r m a t i o n i n 1 5 1 7 a n d Henr y VIII’s break with Rome in 1534, a n d s o o n t h e y s a w t h e m s e l v e s a s t h e vanguard of the Counter-Reformation. W h i l e t h i s c a n b e i n t e r p r e t e d a s a d es i r e t o r e s i s t a l l c h a n g e , t h e h i s t o r i c a l

r e c o r d s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e J e s u i t s w e r e also reformers: but they decided to stay and reform from within

Making enemies

They shared many of Luther’s concerns the need for personal spirituality, better education of priests, bishops who are engaged, controls against financial corruption, zeal for mission and in the 16th centur y (and still today), these remain focuses of their work That meant that they were a force to be reckoned with by the Reformers and in Elizabethan/Jacobean England they became public enemy number one, even being blamed for the Gunpowder Plot They also became a force to be reckoned with by Catholics who resisted reform. The Jesuits had many enemies p o l i t i c a l a n d e p i s c o p a l w i t h i n t h e Church and were expelled by Catholic m o n a rc h s f r o m 1 7 5 9 o n w a r d s U n d e r p r e s s u r e f r o m t h e r u l e r s o f F r a n c e , Spain and Portugal, the Society of Jesus was suppressed by Pope Clement XIV in 1 7 7 3 , b e f o r e b e i n g r e s t o r e d f o u r decades later, in 1814, by Pius VII Wi t h s o m a n y d e t r a c t o r s , i n s i d e and outside the Church, the term Jesuit s t a r t e d t o t a k e o n n e g a t i v e c o n n o t ations, culminating in the emergence of t h e t e r m “ J e s u i t i c a l ” t o m e a n ( a s o n e dictionar y puts it) “excessively subtle, d e c e i t f u l , i n t e n d e d t o m i s l e a d ” T h e

“Cunning Jesuit” became a stock character in English (Protestant) literature, b u t , l i k e m a n y s t e r e o t y p e s , i t w a s f o u n d e d i n s o m e t r u t h a n d i n s o m ething positive.

The Jesuits’ commitment to educa-

t i o n m e a n t t h a t t h e y w e r e i n c r e d i b l y well-read and able to apply their knowledge to difficult situations. Thus, they promoted the idea that we should look a t m o r a l p r o b l e m s n o t a s b l a c k - a n dw h i t e c a s e s w h i c h c a n b e d e c i d e d b y a p p l y i n g a b l u n t r u l e , b u t i n s t e a d s e e them more subtly as specific cases that r e q u i r e d a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f c o n t e x t and intention to determine if they were right or wrong

While this seems very modern, it is also in keeping with the earliest practice of the Church Fathers. But it was also a threat to those who wanted to have clear moral lines, presumably ones in which they were on the “right side” and their enemies on the “wrong side”.

I came across an example of this approach when, as a teenager, I read a book by a Jesuit in the 1930s which answered the pressing moral concerns of Catholic readers. Its intention was good: to go beyond simple rules and think instead about the true meaning of morality; the more subtle rules it suggested, are open to mockery The learned Father, in answering whether chewing on gum before the Mass breaks the fast, opines that it does so only “if there is still flavour left in the gum”

Asked what a good Catholic should do if a newborn baby is in danger of dying and there is no water present for a baptism, he concludes that “soup can be used, but only if it is a thin soup” (presumably because it resembles water). He does not explain the likelihood of a situation in which soups of any sort consommé or potage are available and water is not!

The Spiritual Exercises

A third term which has emerged from this saint of Loyola, and which may prove his most enduring legacy, is “Ignatian” In seeking to prepare his zealous but religiously underformed companions, Ignatius created a model of spiritual development which has had a huge influence.

First of all, he promoted the idea of a s p i r i t u a l d i r e c t o r, s o m e o n e w h o i s t r a i n e d t o h e l p t h e p i l g r i m o n t h e i r j o u r n e y t o w a r d s G o d A n d t h e n h e wrote (for the director, not the pilgrim) a h a n d b o o k c a l l e d T h e S p i r i t u a l E x e rcises In the centuries of a rigid and clerical Society of Jesus, this treasure of the Church was reser ved mostly for Jesuits themselves and approached almost as if

In England, the Jesuits were public enemy #1

it was a box-ticking exercise with “ p o i n t s ” t o b e m a r k e d o n a t a l l y

The rediscover y of the charism of I g n a t i u s s i n c e Va t i c a n I I m e a n s that the richness of his approach is now presented in a much more approachable way and accessible to a m u c h w i d e r a u d i e n c e , i n c l u d i n g the laity.

When I was a Jesuit, as I was for six years, I spent one summer offering Ignatian reflections at the very traditional Marian shrine of Knock in Ireland. I remember one pilgrim emerging from the session looking rejuvenated (“hearts on fire”, as Ignatius would say) and completely surprised that such an approach to spirituality was actually Catholic

Part of the impact of Ignatian spirituality is that it is attractive to those who are not Catholics

W h e n t h e g r e a t J e s u i t w r i t e r G e r a r d H u g h e s ( G o d o f S u r p r i s e s ) s e t u p a c e n t r e i n t h e 1 9 7 0 s f o r non-Jesuits to do a 30-day retreat, h e j o k e d t h a t h e w o u l d s c o r e h i s d i r e c t o r s o n t h e d i v e r s i t y o f t h e p e o p l e t h e y a t t r a c t e d : f i v e p o i n t s for a priest, ten for a lay person, 15 for a Protestant, minus-five points f o r a C a t h o l i c n u n a n d 2 0 p o i n t s f o r a C a t h o l i c b i s h o p o r a communist He told me that after five years they had had more communists than bishops!

T h e w o r k o f I g n a t i a n s p i r i t uality thrives today and I encourage y o u t o l o o k a t t h e e x c e l l e n t o nline resources (especially from the U K , I r e l a n d a n d U S A ) I n S o u t h Africa, we have the Jesuit Institute w h i c h o r g a n i s e s s p i r i t u a l c o u r s e s a t a l l l e v e l s a n d r e t r e a t s a r o u n d the countr y, as well as providing a daily Ignatian insight into current i s s u e s . T h e s e a r e a v a i l a b l e f o r e v e r y o n e , i n c l u d i n g b i s h o p s a n d communists!

M y o w n l i f e , a n d m y o w n w r i t i n g , h a s b e e n h u g e l y i n f l uenced by St Ignatius when I was a J e s u i t , w h e n I a m i n d a n g e r o f b e i n g J e s u i t i c a l , a n d n o w i n t h e b r o a d e r I g n a t i a n s e n s e A n d I hope that as you read these pieces each month you share my desire, a n d t h e d e s i r e o f S t I g n a t i u s , t o find “God in all things”

M A

R I A N E L L A

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How you can be prophetic

CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP CALLS all of us to be prophetic, to be a d v o c a t e s f o r j u s t i c e , t o h e l p g i v e v o i c e t o t h e p o o r , a n d t o d e f e n d t r u t h . B u t n o t a l l o f u s , b y t e mp e r a m e n t o r b y p a r t i c u l a r v o c a t i o n , a r e c a l l e d t o c i v i l d i s o b e d i e n c e , p u b l i c d e m o n s t r a t i o n s , a n d t h e p i c k e t l i n e s , a s w e r e D o r o t h y D a y , M a r t i n L u t h e r K i n g , and other such prophetic figures All are asked to be prophetic, but for some this m e a n s m o r e w i e l d i n g a b a s i n a n d t o w e l than wielding a placard.

T h e r e i s a p o w e r f u l w a y o f b e i n g prophetic that, while seemingly quiet and personal, is never private. And its rules are the same as the rules for those who, in the name of Jesus, are wielding placards and risking civil disobedience What are those rules, the rules for a Christian prophecy?

First, a prophet makes a vow of love, not of alienation. There is a critical distinction between stirring up trouble and offering prophecy out of love, a distinction between operating out of egoism and operating out of faith and hope A prophet risks misunderstanding but never seeks it, and a prophet seeks always to have a mellow rather than an angry heart

S e c o n d , a p ro p h e t d r a w s h i s o r h e r cause from Jesus and not from an ideolo g y. I d e o l o g i e s c a n c a r r y a l o t o f t r u t h and be genuine advocates for justice But people can walk away from an ideology, seeing it precisely as an ideology, as pol i t i c a l c o r r e c t n e s s , a n d t h u s j u s t i f y t h e i r r e j e c t i o n o f t h e t r u t h i t c a r r i e s S i n c e r e p e o p l e o f t e n w a l k a w a y f r o m G r e e np e a c e , f r o m f e m i n i s m , o r l i b e r a t i o n t h eology, from critical race theory, and many other ideologies which, in fact, carry a l o t o f t r u t h b e c a u s e t h o s e t r u t h s a r e wrapped inside an ideology

S i n c e r e p e o p l e w i l l n o t w a l k a w a y from Jesus In our struggle for justice and t r u t h , w e m u s t b e e v e r v i g i l a n t t h a t w e a r e d r a w i n g o u r t r u t h f r o m t h e G o s p e l s and not from some ideology.

Tu r n i n g t h e o t h e r c h e e k

Third, a prophet is committed to nonviolence. A prophet is always seeking to personally disarm rather than to arm, to b e i n t h e w o r d s o f F r D a n i e l B e r r i g a n , a “powerless criminal in a time of criminal power”

A prophet takes Jesus seriously when he asks us, in the face of violence, to turn the other cheek A prophet incarnates in his or her way of living the eschatological truth that in heaven there will be no guns

F o u r t h , a p ro p h e t a r t i c u l a t e s G o d ’s v o i c e f o r t h e p o o r a n d f o r t h e e a r t h .

A n y p r e a c h i n g , t e a c h i n g , o r p o l i t i c a l a ction that is not good news for the poor is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ Jesus came to bring good news to the poor, to “wido w s , o r p h a n s , a n d s t r a n g e r s ” ( b i b l i c a l c o d e f o r t h e m o s t v u l n e r a b l e g r o u p s i n society)

As Pastor James Forbes once famously said: “Nobody goes to heaven without a letter of reference from the poor.”

F i f t h , a p ro p h e t d o e s n ’t f o re t e l l t h e future but properly names the present in terms of God’s vision of things. A prophet r e a d s w h e r e t h e f i n g e r o f G o d i s w i t h i n everyday life, in function of naming our f i d e l i t y o r i n f i d e l i t y t o G o d a n d i n f u n ction of pointing to our future in terms of God’s plan for us This is Jesus’ challenge “to read the signs of the times”

Sixth, a prophet speaks out of a horizon of hope. A prophet draws his or her vision and energy not from wishful thinki n g n o r f r o m o p t i m i s m , b u t f r o m h o p e A n d C h r i s t i a n h o p e i s n o t b a s e d o n w h e t h e r t h e w o r l d s i t u a t i o n i s b e t t e r o r w o r s e o n a g i v e n d a y C h r i s t i a n h o p e i s b a s e d o n G o d ’ s p r o m i s e , a p r o m i s e t h a t was fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus, which assures us that we can entrust ours e l v e s t o l o v e , t r u t h , a n d j u s t i c e , e v e n i f the world kills us for it The stone will always roll back from the tomb

M a n y r o o m s i n G o d ’s h o u s e Seventh, a prophet’s heart and cause are never a ghetto Jesus assures us that i n h i s F a t h e r ’ s h o u s e t h e r e a r e m a n y r o o m s C h r i s t i a n p r o p h e c y m u s t e n s u r e t h a t n o p e r s o n o r g r o u p c a n m a k e G o d their own tribal or national deity God is equally solicitous vis-à-vis all people and all nations

E i g h t h a n d f i n a l l y, a p ro p h e t d o e s n ’t j u s t s p e a k o r w r i t e a b o u t i n j u s t i c e , a p ro p h e t a l s o a c t s a n d a c t s w i t h c o u r a g e , e v e n a t t h e c o s t o f d e a t h A p r o p h e t i s a wisdom figure, a Magus or a Sophia, who will act, no matter the cost in lost friends, l o s t p r e s t i g e , l o s t f r e e d o m , o r d a n g e r t o his or her own life A prophet has enough a l t r u i s t i c l o v e , h o p e , a n d c o u r a g e t o a c t , n o m a t t e r t h e c o s t A p r o p h e t n e v e r s e e k s m a r t y r d o m b u t a c c e p t s i t i f i t f i n d s h i m o r h e r .

This last counsel is, I believe, the one m o s t c h a l l e n g i n g f o r “ q u i e t ” p r o p h e t s W i s d o m f i g u r e s a r e n o t r e n o w n e d f o r being on the picket lines, but in that lies t h e c h a l l e n g e A p r o p h e t c a n d i s c e r n a t what time to park the placard and bring o u t t h e b a s i n a n d t o w e l – a n d a t w h a t time to lay aside the basin and towel and pick up the placard

PRAY WITH THE POPE

Every month Fr chris chatteris SJ reflects on Pope Francis’ prayer intention

The Eucharist at the centre

Intention: We pray that Catholics may place the celebration of the Eucharist at the heart of their lives, transforming human relationships in a very deep way and opening to the encounter with God and all their brothers and sisters.

IT IS ALWAYS IMPRESSIVE TO MEET d a i l y M a s s g o e r s . O b v i o u s l y, i t i s n o t p o s s i b l e f o r e v e r y o n e t o g o t o M a s s d a i l y, b u t o n e p r a c t i c a l w a y o f p l a c i n g t h e E u c h a r i s t a t t h e h e a r t o f o n e ’s l i f e i s t o a t t e n d e v e r y d a y F o r t h e c e l e b r a n t i t i s p a r t i c ul a r l y u p l i f t i n g t o s a y M a s s f o r t h o s e g o o d p e o p l e w h o r i s e a t t h e c r a c k o f d a w n t o a t t e n d a n e a r l y M a s s b e f o r e t h e y g o w o r k I n o t i c e d t h a t a t t e n d i n g a n e a r l y m o r n i n g M a s s i s a w i d e s p r e a d c u s t o m i n p a r i s h e s i n Z a m b i a , a n d I s a i d M a s s f o r o n e o f t h e m i n K i t w e a c o u p l e o f t i m e s o n a v i s i t t h e r e s o m e t i m e b a c k .

g o o d l e a v e n i n t h e c o m m u n i t y “ t r a n sf o r m i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p s i n a v e r y d e e p w a y ” .

I n s o m e o f o u r J e s u i t c o m m u n i t i e s i n Z a m b i a w h e r e t h e r e a r e t h e s e e a r l y

I t i s u p l i f t i n g t o s a y e a r l y M a s s f o r t h o s e g o o d p e o p l e w h o r i s e a t t h e c r a c k o f d a w n

m o r n i n g w e e k d a y M a s s e s , t h e c o n g r eg a t i o n i s a m i x t u r e o f l a y p e o p l e , r e l ig i o u s S i s t e r s a n d m e m b e r s o f t h e J e s u i t c o m m u n i t y.

t h e i r f e l l o w r e l i g i o u s w h o n o t o n l y g e t u p e a r l y b u t a l s o t r a v e l t o o u r c o m m un i t y f o r t h e M a s s !

T h o s e w h o c o m e a r e p e o p l e o f d e e p f a i t h w h o c l e a r l y f e e l t h e n e e d t o “ d o t h i s i n m e m o r y o f m e ” d a i l y, I w o u l d i m a g i n e a s a h e l p f u l p r e p a r a t i o n f o r m e e t i n g t h e i r b r o t h e r s a n d s i s t e r s i n t h e i r w o r k p l a c e s I w o u l d s e e t h e m a s

A p o w e r f u l e x a m p l e

I k n o w f o r a f a c t t h a t s o m e o f m y J e s u i t b r e t h r e n w o u l d p r e f e r t o h a v e M a s s i n t h e e v e n i n g , b u t I t h i n k t h a t m o s t w o u l d a d m i t t h a t t h e y v a l u e t h e powerful example of the laypeople and

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My sense is that Catholics in South Africa generally do not share this tradit i o n o f t h e d a i l y M a s s I t w o u l d b e i nt e r e s t i n g t o d o a s u r v e y o n t h e s u b j e c t , l o o k i n g a t w h i c h p a r i s h e s a c t u a l l y p r ov i d e a d a i l y M a s s , a t w h a t t i m e s , a n d w h o i s a t t e n d i n g . O b v i o u s l y, i f t h e w e e k d a y M a s s i s a t 1 0 i n t h e m o r n i n g , w o r k i n g p e o p l e c a n n o t b e t h e r e Lest I give the impression that o n e c a n p u t t h e E u c h a r i s t a t t h e heart of our lives only by attending d a i l y M a s s , I w o u l d h a s t e n t o a d d t h a t t h i s i s c l e a r l y n o t t h e c a s e Most practising Catholics would say that the Sunday Mass is the high point of their spiritual lives S u n d a y i s t h e b i g d a y, o u r S a b b a t h P e o p l e g a t h e r t o p r a y, t o l i s t e n t o t h e Wo r d o f G o d , t o r e c e i v e C o m m u n i o n , a n d t o r e c o n n e c t w i t h t h e i r f e l l o w b elievers in the Body of Christ If the past o r a l s e r v i c e i s g o o d ; i f t h e h o m i l y i s w e l l p r e p a r e d a n d d e l i v e r e d ; i f t h e l i t u r g y i s c e l e b r a t e d w i t h d i g n i t y a n d d e p t h , t h i s w i l l m a k e t h e M a s s l e s s o f a n o b l i g a t i o n a n d m o r e a t i m e o f g r o w t h i n t h e k n o w l e d g e a n d l o v e o f G o d a n d n e i g h b o u r I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e r e i s a s e r i o u s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o n t h e p r e s i d e r o f t h e c e l e b r a t i o n t o h e l p t h e f a i t h f u l t o l i v e o u t t h i s i n t e n t i o n o f t h e H o l y F a t h e r ; h i s p r a y e r t h a t , w h e t h e r w e a t t e n d Mass ever y day or only on Sundays, the E u c h a r i s t m a y b e a t t h e c e n t r e o f o u r l i v e s

WHERE JESUS WALKED

Finding the Gospel in the Holy Land

Günther Simmermacher speaks on Saturday, 29 July at 16:00

Sacred Heart Cathedral Hall, Pretoria (Cnr Bosman & Nana Sita Streets)

O Glorious St James, because of your fervour and generosity, Jesus chose you to witness His glory on the mount and His agony in the garden Obtain for us strength and consolation in the unending struggles of this life Help us to follow Christ constantly and generously, to be victors over all our difficulties, and to receive the crown of glory in heaven

Amen

Mar y, Mar tha & Lazarus Prayer

Prayer Corner

Your prayers to keep and collect

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the example of your Saints may spur us on to a better life, so that we, who celebrate the memory of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, may also imitate without ceasing their deeds.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

Amen

WINTER PRAYER

God of all seasons, the winter months are hard for those who cannot escape the cold I cannot clothe the world, but I can offer this prayer for those who are without four walls to protect them from the season

May this prayer find those who struggle to fight the cold, that they may feel the warmth of your love Jesus wrapped his arms around those who struggled Let me do my best to follow that example

Amen

Precious Blood, ocean of divine mercy: Flow upon us! Precious Blood, most pure offering: Procure us ever y grace! Precious Blood, hope and refuge of sinners: Atone for us! Precious Blood, delight of holy souls: Draw us! Amen

Heroic and angelic Saint Maria Goretti, we come before you to honour your persevering fortitude and to beg your gracious aid Teach us a deep love for the precepts of our Holy Church. Help us to see in them the very voice of our Father in Heaven.

Amen

Anagram Challenge

Unscramble the clues below to work out which CATHOLIC-THEMED FILMS hide in these words

T H E P E T S W O O P (2019)

I L E F T F O E H I L L S I D E (1963)

OH HE FAMES THE FROTHINESS (1968)

T O N Y B O W S (1938) G

DROPPED LETTERS:

Place the missing letters to get the title of popular hymns

AcroSS

1. Reduce the danger in an explosive situation (6)

4 Vaults under the church (6)

9 Garden meal may reveal a disciple of Jesus (4,9)

10 He was a member of the college (7)

11 What I do at the card table is perfect (5)

12 How the candle will go out with the saint (5)

14 A stony entrance? (5)

18. Go forward with a school principal (5)

19 Get your bad cold again (7)

21 You’ll get a blessing here at church entrance (4,5,4)

22 Eventful procession (6)

23. Herbal sample contains something fragrant (6)

DoWn

1. Make someone lose dignity (6)

2 She gives what ’s coming to you (7,6)

3 Saint ’s other name (5)

5 The lesson you get at Mass (7)

6 Formal acts of giving awards (13)

7. My eels are in good taste (6)

8 AP Gas may make you breathless (5)

13 At the end was in debt but had gifts (7)

15 Apply clean water after dinner (4,2)

16 It was pledged in marriage (5)

17 Musical measure (6)

20 Papal court (5)

For all solutions turn to page 34

Quick Cr osswor d

Clue3across

Clue20across

AcroSS

1 Arabic for God (5)

3. Witbank Bishop Thaddaeus (6)

5. Part of the Mass (6)

8 Bible epic film (3,5)

12 16th book of the OT (8)

13 Appeal to God (6)

15 Evangelist (4)

16 Offended against God (6)

17. City of Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur (5)

18 Ordained clergy (7)

19 Other name for Apostle Bartholomew (9)

20 Catholic actress (6,6)

21 Marist school in Jo’burg (2,6)

22 Catholic Glasgow club (6)

23. River of Jesus’ baptism (6)

24 Holy person (5)

DoWn

1 Transubstantiated wine (5)

2. First bishop of Natal (7)

The Catholic Trivia Quiz

1 How many popes have been to South Africa?

a) 1 b) 2 c) 3

2 In which diocese is the KZN town of Por t Shepstone?

a) Durban b) Mariannhill

c) Umzimkulu

3 Who was King Solomon’s mother?

a) Bathsheba b) Hagar c) Rachel

4. In which moder n-day countr y was St Dominic bor n?

a) France b) Italy c) Spain

5. Which direction from Jer usalem is the town of Jaffa?

a) East b) South-West c) North-West

6 Which teaching order was founded by Bl Edmund Rice?

a) Christian Brothers

b) De La Salle Brothers

c) Marist Brothers

7 Who succeeded Cardinal Owen McCann as archbishop of Cape Town?

a) Lawrence Henr y b) Stephen Naidoo

c) Wilfrid Napier

8. Where is the papal summer residence?

a) Castel Azzuro b) Castel Gandolfo

c) Castel San Paolo

4 City in Kimberley diocese (8)

6. Jesus’ follower from Magdala (4)

7 Johannesburg cathedral (6,3,4)

9 First name of SC writer Moloantoa (8)

10 4th-century heresy (5)

11. A ‘Great ’ pope (7,1)

14 Jesus’ grandfather (7)

16 Pope Francis’ former archdiocese (6,5)

17 Italian comedy movie priest (3,7)

20. ‘Love is patient, love is...’ (4)

9 Who received an Oscar for playing a nun in the 1985 film Agnes of God?

a) Anne Bancroft b) Shirley Maclaine

c) Vannessa Redgrave

10 In tradition, what food did St John the Apostle request on his death bed?

a) Asparagus b) Oysters c) Walnuts

Clue17down

C o o k i n g w i t h Sa i n t s

E v e r y m o n t h i n h e r C a p e T o w n k i t c h e n ,

p r e p a r e s a r e c i p e i n s p i r e d b y t h e s a i n t s , a n d s h a r e s i t w i t h o u r r e a d e r s i n t e x t a n d p h o t o s t a k e n e x c l u s i v e l y f o r

S T A G N E S ’ L A M B S C H N I T Z E L

IN T H E M AY I S S U E , W E R E A D

a b o u t h o w F r R a l p h d e H a h n a n d his family converted after feeling “a presence” in St Agnes church in Woodstock, Cape Town This month we pay t r i b u te to t h at c h u rc h ’s p at ro n , a g i r l who was martyred for her beauty

St Agnes of Rome was born in 291 AD and raised in a Christian family. Agnes was very beautiful and belonged to a wealthy family, so her hand in marriage was highly sought after, and she had many high-ranking suitors However, Agnes made a promise to God never to stain her purity Her love for the Lord was great Whenever a man wished to marry Agnes, she would always say: “Jesus Christ is my only Spouse ”

In one incident, Procop, the son of the governor, tried to win Agnes over with rich gifts and promises, but the beautiful young girl, still only around 12 years old, kept saying: “I am already promised to the Lord of the Universe He is more splendid than the sun and the stars, and he has said he will never leave me!”

Enraged, Procop denounced her as a Christian and brought her to his father The governor promised Agnes wonderful gifts if only she would deny God, but the girl steadfastly refused. He tried to change her mind by putting her in chains, but her lovely face shone with joy Next, he sent her to a place of sin, but an angel protected her

Ultimately she was condemned to death in 304. Even the pagans cried to see such a

young and beautiful girl going to death

Yet, Agnes was as happy as a bride on her wedding day She did not pay attention to those who beg ged her to save herself “I would offend my Spouse if I were to try to please you,” she said “He chose me first and he shall have me!”

At first, Agnes was tied to a stake, but either the wood would not burn or the flames parted away from her So an officer drew his sword and beheaded the girl It is believed that her blood was soaked up by Christians with cloths Agnes died a virgin martyr at the age of 12 or 13 and was buried

In g r e d i e n t s

4 slices lamb leg steak (or beef, veal or chicken) • 1 cup breadcrumbs

• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

• ¼ cup chopped parsley

• ½ cup plain flour • 2 beaten eg gs

• oil to fry • salt and pepper to taste

beside the Via Nomentana in Rome

Her bones are conser ved beneath the high altar in the church of Sant ’Agnese Fuori le Mura in Rome, which was built over the catacomb that held her tomb Her feast is on January 21

St Agnes is the patron saint of young girls, chastity, rape sur vivors, and the Children of Mary In iconography, she is often represented with a lamb at her feet or in her arms, a symbol of her virgin innocence, and a palm branch, a symbol of martyrdom

With a lamb so prominent in her images, it is right to celebrate St Agnes with a lamb dish, as we do this month with this simple schnitzel dish Of course, you can safely substitute lamb for beef, veal or chicken preparation: 30 min • Servings: 4

P r e pa r a t i o n :

1 Lay the meat flat on a board and flatten it with a meat mallet to tenderise

2 Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and parsley Place on a flat tray

3 Toss meat in the flour to coat lightly Shake off any excess Dip into the beaten egg Then dip both sides in the crumb mixture, pressing firmly

4. Heat oil in a large frying pan over moderately high heat Cook schnitzels for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown

5. Drain on absorbent paper and serve schnitzels with salad and a wedge of lemon

6. Enjoy with a prayer to St Agnes!

e r b l o g at w w w m o m e nt s w i t h g ra z i a c o m a n d co n n e c t w i t h G ra z i a o n Fa c e b o o k / I n sta g ra m : m o m e nt s w i t h g ra z i a

Solutions

Sout efuse, 4 Crypts, 9 Mary Magdalene, 10 Alumnus, 11 Ideal, 12 Peter, 14 Agate, 18 Ahead, 19 Recatch, 21 Holy water font, 22 Parade, 23 Balsam DOWN: 1 Demean, 2 Fortune teller, 3 Simon, 5 Reading, 6 Presentations, 7 Seemly, 8 Agasp, 13 Endowed, 15 Wash up, 16 Troth, 17 Rhythm, 20 Curia

Anagram Challenge:

1 The Two Popes, 2 Lilies Of The Field, 3 The Shoes Of The Fisherman, 4 Boys Town, 5 The Song Of Bernadette

Dropped Letters: How Great Thou Art, Our God Reigns, All That I Am, Nearer My God To Thee, Walk In The Light, Praise The Lord

Quick Crossword: ACROSS: 1 Allah, 3 Kumalo, 5 Gloria, 8 Quo Vadis, 12 Nehemiah, 13 Prayer, 15 Luke, 16 Sinned, 17 Paris, 18 Priests, 19 Nathanael, 20 Nicole Kidman, 21 St David’s, 22 Celtic, 23 Jordan, 24 Saint DOWN: 1 Blood, 2 Jolivet, 4 Mahikeng, 6 Mary, 7 Christ The King, 9 Daluxolo, 10 Arian, 11 Gregory I, 14 Joachim, 16 Buenos Aires, 17 Don Camillo, 20 Kind Catholic Trivia Quiz: 1 b) Two (Paul VI as Cardinal Montini in 1962, John Paul II in 1995), 2 c) Umzimkulu, 3 a) Bathsheba, 4 c) Spain (in Caleruega), 5 c) North-West, 6 a) Christian Brothers, 7 b) Archbishop Stephen Naidoo, 8 b) Castel Gandolfo, 9 a) Anne Bancroft, 10 a) Asparagus

Next month in The Souther n Cross

A P ilg r

to ROME & T H E HOLY LAND

Spiritual Director Mgr Simon Donnelly of Johannesburg, formerly based in the Vatican

Guided in the Holy Land by Gabriel Makhlouf Expert guide and Catholic Knight of the Holy Sepulchre

Accompanied by Günther Simmermacher Southern Cross editor and author of The Holy Land Trek

20 May to 1 June 2024

l e h e m , s a i l o n t h e S e a o f G a l i l e e , r e n e w w e d d i n g v o w s a t C a n a a n d b a p t i s m a l v o w s a t t h e R i v e r J o rd a n , f l o a t i n t h e D e a d S e a a n d m u c h m o r e . . .

T h e P i l g r i m a g

• All flights ex-Johannesburg

• Accommodation in selected 4-star hotels

• Daily breakfast and dinner

• Daily lunch in selected restaurants in the Holy Land

• Daily Mass in sacred shrines and churches

• Travel in air-conditioned luxury buses

• Expertly guided tours throughout

• All entrance fees as per itinerary

• Preparation material

• Visa assistance (where required)

Fina l Wor ds

Great Quotes by ST IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA

‘He who carries God in his heart bears Heaven with him wherever he goes ’

‘We must speak to God as a friend speaks to his friend, servant to his master; now asking some favour, now acknowledging our faults, and communicating to him all that concerns us, our thoughts, our fears, our projects, our desires, and in all things seeking his counsel ’

‘If our church is not marked by caring for the poor, the oppressed, the hungry, then we are guilty of heresy.’

‘Realise that illness and other temporal setbacks often come to us from the hand of God ur Lord, and are sent to help us know ourselves better, to free ourselves of the love of created things, and o reflect on the brevity of this life and, thus, to p epare ourselves for the life which is without end.’

‘May God our Lord never let me harm anyone when I cannot help him!’

‘It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey ’

‘For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who disbelieve, no amount of proof is sufficient.’

‘It is one thing to be eloquent and charming in profane speech, and another when the one is speaking as a religious ’

‘O my God, teach me to be generous to serve you as you deserve to be served, to give without counting the cost, to fight without fear of being wounded, to work without seeking rest and to spend myself without expecting any reward but the knowledge that I am doing your holy will Amen ’

History in Colour

A snapshot from the past, colourised exclusively for The Southern Cross

O n e o f t h e m o s t f a m o u s b a t t l e s o f W o r l d W a r I I w a s o v e r a g r e a t m o n a s t e r y o f E u r o p e : M o n t e C a s s i n o i n I t a l y O n F e b r u a r y 1 5 , 1 9 4 4 , s o m e 8 3 A l l i e d b o m b e r s d e s t r o y e d t h e B e n e d i c t i n e m o n a s t e r y , w h i c h h o u s e s t h e t o m b o f S t B e n e d i c t , w h o s e f e a s t w e m a r k o n J u l y 1 1

T h e m o n a s t e r y w a s s e e n a s a k e y d e f e n s i v e p o s i t i o n b y b o t h t h e A l l i e s a n d t h e G e r m a n s T h e B a t t l e o f M o n t e C a s s i n o l a s t e d f r o m J a n u a r y t o M a y 1 9 4 4 , a n d c o s t t e n s o f t h o u s a n d s o f l i v e s o n b o t h s i d e s

T h e m o n a s t e r y w a s i n i t i a l l y f o u n d e d b y S t B e n e d i c t i n 5 2 9 A D a n d b e c a m e t h e m o d e l f o r m o n a s t e r i e s t h r o u g h o u t E u r o p e I t w a s p l u n d e r e d s e v e r a l t i m e s d u r i n g i n v a s i o n s , f r o m t h e s a c k b y t h e L o m b a r d s i n 5 8 1 t o t h a t b y t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n a r y

A r m y i n 1 7 9 9 .

A f t e r W o r l d W a r I I , t h e m o n a s t e r y s t r u c t u r e s , d a t i n g t o t h e 1 1 t h c e n t u r y , w e r e r e s t o r e d t o t h e i r f o r m e r g l o r y T o d a y M o n t e C a s s i n o i s a n a c t i v e B e n e d i c t i n e m o n a s t e r y a n d a p o p u l a r d e s t i n a t i o n f o r p i l g r i m s a n d t o u r i s t s a l i k e . I t c o n t i n u e s t o b e a c e n t r e o f l e a r n i n g a n d s c h o l a r s h i p , a n d i t s l i b r a r y h o u s e s m a n y i m p o r t a n t h i s t o r i c a l a n d r e l i g i o u s t e x t s

The last laugh

Ato t h e l o c a l p a r i s h p r i e st a n d a s k s h i m i f h e c o u l d h ave a f u n e ra l s e r v i c e fo r t h e d e c e a s e d p e t . Fa t h e r te l l s h i m t h a t t h i s i s n o t d o n e i n t h e C a t h o l i c C h u rc h , b u t s u g g e st s t h a t

t h e m a n g o u p t h e ro a d a n d a s k t h e D u tc h Re fo r m e d d o m i n e e i f h e w o u l d

ra l

T h e m a n t h a n k s Fa t h e r a n d a s k s i f h e t h i n k s t h a t t h e D u tc h Re fo r m e d C h u rc h w o u l d a c c e p t h i s d o n a t i o n o f R 5 0 0 0 0 fo r t h e c a n i n e re q u i e m

“ M y g o o d m a n , ” t h e p r i e st exc l a i m s , “ b u t w hy d i d yo u n o t te l l m e t h a t yo u r d o g wa s a C a t h o l i c ? ”

For all your Sand and Stone requirements in piet retief, Southern Mpumalanga

tel: 017 826 0054/5

cell: 082 904 7840

Email: sales@eskaycrushers co za