The Southern Cross - 100224

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Good advice for a fruitful Lent

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February 24 to March 2, 2010 No 4664

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World Cup: The problem with Is Church ready? polygamy

Docu film on SA martyr released

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SOUTHERN AFRICA’S NATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY SINCE 1920

Moving a church, brick-by-brick

Inside Begging pardon?

The head of the bishops’ Justice and Peace Commission has said that clear guidelines governing presidential pardons must be instituted.—Page 2

BY ANDREW NELSON

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ARBLE block by marble block, a basilica-style church from Buffalo, New York, will be moved almost 1 500km to a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, if plans come to fruition.

Backers of the idea—dubbed “preservation through relocation”—see it as an opportunity to reuse an architectural gem for a parish that has outgrown its own church.

How does one move a church of this size?

Taking down the church is done piece by piece. A team of architects performs what is essentially a CT scan of the building to figure out how to take it apart. The blocks are numbered and the building is taken down. The reverse would be done in Georgia: The numbered blocks are put back together.

The 1911 Buffalo church, built by German Catholic immigrants, was modelled after Rome’s basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. It was closed in early 2008 as part of a diocesan downsizing plan.

According to the project’s website (www.movedbygrace.com), relocating the 98-year-old church from Buffalo will cost an estimated $15 million (R114 million). Estimates of what it would cost to build a similar style church at today’s prices top $40 million (R300 million).—CNS

Pope on sex abuse Pope Benedict has called priestly sexual abuse a “heinous crime” and a grave sin, urging Irish bishops to act courageously to repair their failures to deal properly with such cases.—Page 5

A million raised for Haiti The Church in Southern Africa has now raised more than R1 million to aid Haiti, where 70 parishes were destroyed in the January eathquake.—Page 3 & 4

Snub for JP2 promoter The promoter of Pope John Paul II’s sainthood cause has landed himself in hot water over a biography of the late pontiff.—Page 4

Pope’s prayer for Africa In his reflection on the pope’s prayer intentions for March, Fr Chris Chatteris SJ looks at Africa and what he calls “casino capitalism”.—Page 9

Books reviewed We feature two new books by South African theologian Fr Albert Nolan OP and theology professor Scott Hahn.—Page 10

What do you think?

In their Letters to the Editor this week, readers discuss President Zuma, the abuse scandal, an archbishop’s installation, and the Turin Shroud.—Page 8

This week’s editorial: Only the truth will heal

Vatican salute to classic rock

BY JOHN THAVIS

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HE Vatican newspaper has come up with a “semi-serious” list of ten essential rock and pop albums.

The list was offered in a tongue-incheek article as an alternative to the music of Italy’s biggest pop music festival in San Remo which was to begin two days later.

The “10 albums worth taking to a desert island” are The Beatles’ Revolver (1966), described as more innovative than any of their successive albums, David Crosby’s If I Could Only Remember My Name (1971), Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973), Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours (1977), Steely Dan member Donald Fagen’s The Nightfly (1982, described as “brilliant and ironical”), Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1983, “the masterpiece of the king of pop”), Paul Simon’s Graceland (1986, which used South African music with his own to create a multiethnic album that marked the birth of “world music”, the newspaper said), U2’s Achtung Baby (1991), Oasis’ (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995), and Carlos Santana’s Supernatural (1999).

The article ended by explaining why it left Bob Dylan off its list.

While acknowledging his “great poetic vein”, it said Dylan’s greatest fault was to have inspired a generation of amateur singer-songwriters who have “severely tested the ears and patience of listeners, thinking that someone might be interested in their tortured meanderings”.—CNS

ST PETER IN THE SNOW: The statue of St Peter is barely visible as rare snowfall pours down in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican as snow stuck to the ground in Rome for the first time since 1986.

PHOTO: PAUL HARING, CNS

The interior of St Gerard church which may be relocated piece-by-piece to a parish 1 500km away.

PHOTO: PATRICK MCPARTLAND

Leaders ‘must have morals’

BY MICHAIL RASSOOL

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ARDINAL Wilfrid Napier, archbishop of Durban, said if one chooses public life, especially in a national leadership role, one is expected to lead by example in every aspect of one’s life, if one is to receive the respect of the people one leads.

In a visible leadership role, he told The Southern Cross in an interview, there is no room for living a divided life in which moral decision-making is confined to the area of life in which one leads, such as politics.

Morality should govern all spheres of life, including one’s “private” life, all of which are open to public scrutiny by virtue of one’s leadership position, Cardinal Napier said.

Any “normal society” has its norms and standards of conduct, which its leaders are expected to observe, he said.

“Morality doesn’t consist of a shopping list where one can pick and choose according to one’s own tastes,” he said. Otherwise one could excuse any form of behaviour by any individual—even serial adultery or paedophilia—simply because it is something they choose to do, Cardinal Napier said.

The cardinal was commenting in the aftermath of revelations of President Jacob Zuma having fathered a child out of wedlock with Sonono Khoza, daughter of football functionary Irvin Khoza.

Cardinal Napier said the reported reaction by South Africans to the Zuma affair suggests that even people of the same cultural background as Mr Zuma have expressed moral outrage over his conduct.

The cardinal estimated that at least 75% of the people of South Africa expected a strong sense of morality from their president.

In late February the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) issued a statement calling on all leaders to recommit themselves to being worthy rolemodels, particularly for the nation’s youth and children.

The statement, which was signed by Cardinal Napier as the SACBC’s episcopal representative for social communications, said the bishops based their stance on the clear teaching of Jesus Christ regarding relations between men and women, married and unmarried.

“While we note President Zuma’s expression of regret for engaging in ‘unprotected sex’, we are nevertheless

appalled that for the second time in as many years he does not express regret or show remorse for his adultery,” the statement said.

“We are equally appalled [at the] irreparable damage that such immorality has done to the nation’s efforts to slow down or even to reverse the rampant spread of HIV and Aids.”

Cardinal Napier told The Southern Cross that he cannot understand how someone who instituted the nation’s Moral Regeneration Movement some years ago could engage in immoral behaviour himself. He said it seems Mr Zuma cannot live up to the high standards that he himself has set.

The cardinal suggested it would not augur well for the country if the same moral laxity were applied to the president’s political decision-making. He said he finds especially disturbing the high level of support he is receiving from his political party, the African National Congress, “defending the indefensible”, simply because he is “the flavour of the moment”.

“As a country we expect higher standards,” Cardinal Napier said. “If the churches do not hold up the bar for what’s right or wrong, who’s going to do it?”

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The Southern Cross, February 24 to March 2, 2010

LOCAL

Sainthood candidate’s life captured in documentary

BY MICHAIL RASSOOL

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FFORTS are being made to make the beatification and sainthood cause of Benedict Daswa (pictured), more widely known. Mr Daswa, a schoolteacher from Tzaneen diocese, Limpopo province, was stoned and bludgeoned to death in 1990 on account of his religious beliefs.

Metanoia Ministries, a Catholic film company, has produced a documentary on his life entitled Tshimangadzo, the devout Catholic’s original Venda name which he abandoned when adopting his new faith.

The first stage of Mr Daswa’s cause was launched last July, when the requisite dossier on the individual presented for sainthood was handed over to apostolic nuncio Archbishop James P Green at a special ceremony in Tzaneen.

The Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome had approved the process and declared Mr Daswa a “Servant of God”, giving permission for the process of compiling the dossier to go ahead.

More than 850 pages of testimonies to the Servant of God’s life and death were compiled. The “transcript copy” and “public copy”, addressed to Archbishop Angelo Amato, prefect of the con-

gregation, were sealed and submitted to the sacred congregation through Archbishop Green.

The documentary tells of the formation of a dynamic young leader whose formation and values were grounded on a solid faith, which he courageously expressed and acted out proudly.

It tells of a dedicated schoolteacher with a strong sense of service (even serving for a time as principal of his school), committed to humanity and serving the poor of the rural community he came from, playing a very direct role in its development.

It also showed that by trying as far as possible to embody the fundamentals of his faith and the values taught by Christ, often against the grain of local cultural practices, he won respect in many quarters.

Filmed in the setting where Mr Daswa’s life and death were mostly played out, the film showcases the views of family members and friends, including his mother, a brother, friends and colleagues, and

all the physical manifestations of his service—the building projects he undertook, recreational facilities he championed, the trees he planted, the gardens and fields he cultivated, and so on.

The documentary relates how he was killed for asserting the orthodoxy of his Catholic faith by taking a stand against witchcraft in the area he lived in. The practice led to the killing of innocent people, especially children, whose body parts are used for muti (medicines, herbs or charms).

Mr Daswa rejected the use of muti or medicines for protection against evil or for success in sport or other activities. He was also against the practice of witchhunts (searching for women suspected of being witches) which also led to killing innocent people. It was his reluctance to participate in this specifically which led to his own death.

The film tells how, a few days after refusing to give money for the purpose of smelling out witches, he was attacked and killed by a mob on February 2, 1990 (the same day the apartheid government unbanned the African National Congress and other “struggle organisations”), a few months shy of his 44th birthday.

‘Catholic George’ takes initiative

BY STAFF REPORTER

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HAVE longed for this day when we can re-imagine ministry to God’s people in this way, where a group of priests and laity can form a team to serve a number of parishes that are close to each other. Here in George we have the perfect opportunity to experiment with this provision as provided for us in Church law. We are entering unchartered waters.”

These were the words of Bishop Edward Adams of Oudtshoorn at the launch of the first experiment of canonical team ministry in his diocese.

Referring to the practice of team ministry in other parts of the world, Bishop Adams explained that although it looks like a novelty, the practice of team ministry was as old as the Church itself.

He said one of the essential features of the initiative is that none of the priests in the team will be a parish priest in the canonical sense any more, but rather a priest-in-residence in a specific parish.

The priests, the deacons and the leadership of the parishes concerned will develop a pastoral plan. This pastoral plan will be developed from the vision of the Southern African Catholic Bish-

ops’ Conference pastoral plan, and deliberations emanating from the National Pastoral Forums subsequent to the launch of the Pastoral Plan.

“The advantages of team ministry for both the priests and the People of God are manifold in that priests will have an opportunity to minister out of their individual giftedness as opposed to being a generalist,” said Bishop Adams.

For the faithful this means access to a much larger pool of gift-based ministries. Parishes will also engage in a greater collaboration and mutual enrichment through exchange and cooperation. Diocesan policies will find greater resonance as parishes are served by a single team rather than individuals.

The parishes in the George municipality have been collaborating for a number of years already. There is a common Marriage Preparation Process for all the parishes. An Advent in George initiative was implemented in which all six parishes participated last year. A post-Easter Scripture Academy for the six parishes is also scheduled.

Bishop Adams appointed Fr Brian Williams as the moderator of the team.

Institute better guidelines for presidential pardons, says Church analyst

BY MICHAIL RASSOOL

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CHURCH commentator on justice has said he would not support a total removal of presidential power to grant pardons, but rather encourage the development of clear parameters under which such pardons may be granted.

In the wake of efforts by Independent Democrats (ID) leader Patricia de Lille to have the preroga-

tive of presidential pardon removed by introducing a private members’ Bill to this effect in parliament, Fr Mike Deeb OP, coordinator of the bishops’ Justice and Peace Department, said the need for displays of mercy and pardon from a head of state cannot be easily dismissed.

He said given that no legal system is foolproof and there is always a human factor involved that requires interpretation, one is

induced to look to the leader of a group, a community, a nation who can see beyond the execution of simple justice.

Fr Deeb said it was important for the leader to use proper discretion when granting a pardon.

“We will never fully remove the human factor (even in the case of learned judges); and so, in a sense, we are forced to place a degree of trust in our leaders, and to hope

that they will exercise their authority with fairness.

“It is therefore appropriate that, in line with our democratic constitution and rule of law, clear guidelines and conditions should be set to ensure that there is no abuse,” Fr Deeb said.

Such conditions, Fr Deeb said, would be along similar lines to parole conditions, on which the community has broad consensus.

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Ms de Lille’s proposed Bill seeks to remove presidential power to grant pardons on the grounds that it violates the principles of the rule of law and the separation of powers as entrenched in the Constitution.

Commentators describe the ID leader’s action as a pre-emptive measure to prevent possible pardoning of Shabir Shaik, convicted associate of President Jacob Zuma.

LOCAL

The Southern Cross, February 24 to March 2, 2010

Parish’s youth ecumenical music event a success

Caritas Haiti disaster appeal reaches R1 million target

BY MICHAIL RASSOOL

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BY MICHAIL RASSOOL

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UR Lady of Good Counsel parish in Bridgetown, Cape Town, organised a gospel concert, with performers from churches and groups from the parish and greater Athlone.

Parish pastoral council chairman Craig Padua said it was arranged particularly with youth in mind, to highlight the centrality of churches and gospel groups in the area in promoting good values, stable lives, and contributing to the well-being of the community. He said it also showcased the talent of the area.

Mr Padua said it was also intended to highlight the ecumenical and inter-faith cooperation that takes place at the local level.

“The churches and mosques in particular are all on the same page when it comes to understanding the

The Gospel band of St Matthew’s Anglican church in Bridgetown, Cape Town, inspire those attending an ecumenical gospel music festival organised by a Catholic parish.

PHOTO: MICHAIL RASSOOL

needs—material, developmental, moral—of the area,” he said.

To underscore the whole principle of intra-communal cooperation, members of the South African Police Service of the Western Cape’s marching band preceded the concert with a march from Our Lady of Good Counsel church to Eros School for Disabled Children, the

venue for the concert.

Constable Wayne Snyders said the march and playing of instruments is a good way to promote a positive image of the police in the community.

Such a lively youth-based event, Mr Padua said, is a way of showing that the Church as an institution is very much alive.

‘State of Nation address reflects a divided ANC’

BY MICHAIL RASSOOL

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HE State of the Nation address to parliament showed President Jacob Zuma’s failure to acknowledge what is perceived to be a lack of clarity and unity in his party and government, a Church political analyst said.

Mike Pothier, research director of the bishops’ Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO), said the speech— described by Trevor Manuel, minister in the Presidency: National Planning Commission, as “workmanlike”—reflected the strong ideological tensions between the ruling African National Congress’ Youth League and various cabinet ministers.

He said such rivalries hindered or obscured the task of getting on with running the country and delivering social goods.

He said the emphasis of the address on performance monitoring and evaluation at the highest level, in which ministers will be required to sign “delivery agreements”, is encouraging. As

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with the president’s post-election address last June, this one dealt largely with delivery and its mechanics, of implementing mechanisms for greater efficiency.

It drew a mixed response from commentators, including those who said that despite political intentions that are generally understood as good, some goals are seen as unrealistic.

For example, on the issue of literacy and numeracy being assessed and “independently moderated” at Grades 3, 6 and 9, Mr Zuma promised that daily lesson plans for teachers and workbooks for students would be made available in all 11 official languages. Moreover, all 27 000 state schools would be audited by department officials.

Opposition politicians and others criticised the lack of specificity and the absence of detail in the speech on how the various plans and commitments were to be implemented.

Mr Pothier said it is this kind of specificity that allows people to gauge a government’s degree

of success or failure. He said that in the forthcoming period cabinet ministers would be fleshing out the plans and targets announced in very broad terms

by President Zuma.

“It will be necessary and instructive to observe just how much detail they are able to provide, and how they intend to move from intention to implementation,” Mr Pothier said. “If they do indeed set out measurable, practicable and affordable goals, and tell us exactly how they will achieve them, then much of the vagueness of Mr Zuma’s speech will be accepted and excused.”

As part of performance monitoring and evaluation, ministers would be required to sign “delivery agreements” with the president, outlining “what is to be done, how, by whom, within what time period and using what measurements and resources”.

Mr Pothier said he looked forward to next year as it will be a “report back” on progress made on meeting 2010’s commitments.

INVITATION The Divine Mercy Parish, Walkerville, delights in God’s Mercy and invites all people of goodwill to come and celebrate the

Feast of the Divine MercyMercy of God, on the fist Sunday after Easter, that is Sunday 11th April, 2010 at Mass celebrated at 15.00hr.

Priests will be available for confessions between 12 noon and 14.30hr prior to the Mass.

Enquiries:

Fr Stan 083 468 6985 Edith 082 495 2879 Rona 083 450 6300

N JUST over a month, the Project Caritas appeal for Haiti had raised more than R1 million for relief in that country.

A statement from the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference said many churches had raised funds and directed them through Project Caritas, the disaster and emergency relief arm of the Southern African Church, with donations ranging from R10 to R200 000.

The funds raised are being sent sent to Catholic Relief Services, the leading Catholic agency for relief in Haiti, via Caritas Internationalis, the international federation of Catholic charities, the statement said.

The Southern African bishops have also decided that a solidarity delegation would be sent to Haiti as soon as the local Church there has the capacity to receive the visit.

Its aim is to see how the Southern African Catholic community can be of ongoing assistance to the island country, even if it’s just by

rebuilding a church or a school, the bishops’ statement said. It stressed that finance for such a trip would not come from the Project Caritas appeal.

Since the mid-January earthquake in the island country, which left more than 200 000 people dead and more than a million homeless, South African churches launched their appeals in response to the National Church Leaders’ Consultation appeal to local Christian generosity.

The initial appeal, to provide food and water and for each community to consider a special collection for disaster relief, was reviewed owing to transport difficulties. The church leaders felt it would be better that immediate contributions from South Africa be financial.

The appeal launched by Caritas Internationalis was deemed appropriate in several quarters owing to the organisation’s solid reputation as a development agency and its constructive response to disaster management in various parts of the world.

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Application forms available from: The Admissions Administrator Springfield Convent Senior School St John’s Road WYNBERG 7800 Tel: 021 797 6169 ext 248 Fax: 021 797 8776

Closing date for applications: Friday 5 March 2010 All applications most welcome

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The Southern Cross, February 24 to March 2, 2010

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Haiti’s Church must now rebuild

BY DENNIS SADOWSKI

T

HE loss of key leadership and the destruction of up to 70 parishes during the January 12 earthquake exposed weaknesses in the structure of the Catholic Church in Haiti, said the papal nuncio to the beleaguered Caribbean nation.

At the same time the disaster offers Catholic leaders the opportunity to identify new leaders to carry the Church into the future, Archbishop Bernardito Auza said.

“In the process of renewal, in the process of getting ourselves better, there have been lots of observations about the weaknesses in the local Church,” the 50-year-old Philippine-born archbishop said. “That will be looked into as we reconstruct.

“I think we will discover weaknesses and strengths. I think we will discover people who have good leadership capacities.”

Three Port-au-Prince archdiocesan leaders—Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot, vicar-general Mgr Charles Benoit, and archdiocesan chancellor Fr Arnoux Chery—were killed in the quake.

The death of Archbishop Miot was particularly devastating because his concern for the poor made him a beloved figure among Haitian Catholics.

The Vatican has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Lafontant of Port-au-Prince as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese.

Archbishop Auza confirmed that seven priests, 31 seminarians and 31 men and women religious died in the archdiocese. In addition, 60 parishes were destroyed.

In the neighbouring Jacmel diocese, south-west of the capi-

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People pray in front of the destroyed cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A million people are estimated to be living in streets in 500 makeshift camps since the January earthquake that killed 212 000.

PHOTO: IVAN ALVARADO, REUTERS/CNS tal, the diocesan administrator reported that the cathedral is “very seriously damaged”, ten parishes have been destroyed or seriously damaged, and 30 chapels and mission stations must be rebuilt.

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s the Church struggles to remain a viable entity in the lives of its members remaining in the earthquake zone, it also faces the prospect of having to find parishioners who have been forced to relocate to tent camps or who have fled the city for outlying areas.

Some priests have begun celebrating Mass in open spaces near collapsed churches, Archbishop Auza said. But such locales are crowded with people left homeless by the earthquake and often are used as distribution sites for aid, leaving little space for people to gather for Mass.

The next two months will be

crucial to the Haitian Church’s future, the archbishop said. He said delegations of bishops from around the world are planning to visit the country and begin assessing how best to respond to the crisis affecting the Church.

The country’s poor infrastructure coupled with the lack of heavy construction equipment likely will slow the rebuilding process, the archbishop said.

“We tend to forget Haiti before the earthquake. Haiti before the earthquake really had a very weak infrastructure. It has had five governments in ten years.

“Even in ordinary times the government [must have] basic things, underlying things which are needed in order to be efficient in times of emergency. The Haitian government just didn’t have it before the earthquake and much less during and after the earthquake,” he said.—CNS

Vatican snubs JP2 promoter

BY JOHN THAVIS

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HEN it was unveiled in late January, the insider book about the “real” Pope John Paul II looked at first glance like the Vatican’s own effort at a pre-beatification biography.

But as the fallout over the subsequent weeks made clear, the Vatican was not directly involved. Nor was everyone happy that the book was coauthored by the official postulator, or promoter, of Pope John Paul’s sainthood cause, using information that is generally considered confidential.

In addition, several officials thought the book’s simple presentation of the late pope’s reported penitential practices, with little explanation or context, was unwise and counterproductive.

The book reported that Pope John Paul regularly carried out various types of self-mortification: “In his closet, among the cassocks, there was a hook holding a particular belt for slacks, which he used as a whip”.

That news made headlines and prompted questions and even a bit of ridicule by people unfamiliar with the history of penitential practices in the Church.

Mgr Slawomir Oder, the postulator of the cause, teamed up with an Italian Catholic journalist to write, Why He’s a Saint: The Real John Paul II According to the Postulator of His Beatification Cause. Apparently no one at the Vatican told him not to write a tell-all book, so he did.

After the fact, however, the displeasure was quietly communicated in a number of ways. For one thing, no active Vatican official attended the book’s presentation at a hotel a few steps from St Peter’s Square. The Vatican

newspaper has not written a word about the book.

Fr Adam Boniecki, a long-time aide to Pope John Paul, said bluntly that Mgr Mgr Slawomir Oder Oder had improperly published “episodes, documents and revelations about the private life” of the late pope. “It is a surprising and serious thing that it was the postulator who wrote such a book,” he said.

Top officials at the Congregation for Saints’ Causes refused official comment, but were also described as perplexed and unhappy at the book’s publication. By early February, Mgr Oder had withdrawn into “total silence” and was refusing to talk about the book, according to his secretary.

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he role of postulator of a sainthood cause typically involves quiet investigation and discretion. Sources in Rome with experience in handling these causes said that while Mgr Oder may not have technically broken any rules, he had acted imprudently on a couple of counts:  If writing a book about the subject of a sainthood cause, the postulator should be careful not to cite information provided by witnesses, because this could make future witnesses reluctant to come forward. This is particularly true if a witness has something to say against a sainthood cause.

“If a witness feels he has to make objections and the next day it’s in the newspapers, people will not be so willing to testi-

fy the next time,” said one Church official.  Mgr Oder cited unnamed members of the pope’s Polish entourage as the source of the reports of self-mortification, but it was unclear whether he had asked and obtained their permission to publish this information.

And even if he did, such a request might condition people’s answers.

Italian newspapers speculated that the quiet controversy over the book’s publication might even delay the beatification of Pope John Paul. Sources said that was unlikely; the cause is awaiting approval of a miracle, and many believe the beatification could come later this year.

Others wondered if Mgr Oder would be dismissed as postulator. That, too, seems improbable.

“In the past, he might have been replaced. But that’s not the way things are done around here now,” said one Vatican official.

Publishing evidence of a “hidden” side of a would-be saint is not completely new. In 2002, the year before Mother Teresa’s beatification, the postulator of her cause, Fr Brian Kolodiejchuk, posted an article about Mother Teresa’s “dark night of the soul”, detailing her feelings of inner doubt and spiritual darkness.

But in this case, the details of the “crisis of faith” came from Mother Teresa’s own letters, not from witnesses called to testify in the sainthood process. Fr Kolodiejchuk’s 2007 book detailing the correspondence, Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, caused quite a stir, especially because Mother Teresa had repeatedly begged for her personal correspondence to be destroyed.

That wish was ignored by her spiritual advisers and others, who felt the letters offered future generations a witness of unique holiness.—CNS

INTERNATIONAL

The Southern Cross, February 24 to March 2, 2010

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Pope to Irish bishops: Repair Pope visits the homeless failure to deal with abuses P

BY JOHN THAVIS

BY JOHN THAVIS & SARAH DELANEY

P

OPE Benedict has called priestly sexual abuse a “heinous crime” and a grave sin, urging Irish bishops to act courageously to repair their failures to deal properly with such cases.

At the end of a two-day Vatican summit on the sex abuse scandal in Ireland, the Vatican said in a statement that “errors of judgment and omissions” were at the heart of the crisis. It said Church leaders recognised the sense of “pain and anger, betrayal, scandal and shame” that those errors have provoked among many Irish Catholics.

“All those present recognised that this grave crisis has led to a breakdown in trust in the Church’s leadership and has damaged her witness to the Gospel and its moral teaching.

“For his part, the Holy Father observed that the sexual abuse of children and young people is not only a heinous crime, but also a grave sin which offends God and wounds the dignity of the human person created in his image,” the statement said.

“While realising that the current painful situation will not be resolved quickly, he challenged the bishops to address the problems of the past with determination and resolve, and to face the present crisis with honesty and courage.”

I

n a news conference following the meeting, Irish bishops said they had been able to engage in “frank and open” discussions with the pope and Vatican officials and that they had been encouraged by the encounter.

Cardinal Seán Brady of Armagh, president of the Irish bishops’ conference, said that throughout the meeting “the victims were central to all of our discussions, and the victims remain our priority”. He said that there had been “a failure of leadership” on the part of the Irish hierarchy and they fully understand the “disillusionment, anger, shame and sense of betrayal” expressed by the victims.

Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi SJ said the meeting produced no specific policy decisions, nor was it intended to do so. He said the encounter, which included 24 Irish bishops and ten top Vatican officials, was aimed at dialogue and directionsetting, and in that sense was a success.

Fr Lombardi said he thought

Is God calling you to the Religious Life in the Franciscan Family?

Cardinal Seán Brady of Armagh speaks at a press conference following the Irish bishops’ two-day meeting with Pope Benedict. At left is Bishop Joseph Duffy of Clogher.

PHOTO: PAUL HARING,CNS one of the most significant outcomes was the public recognition that there had been a failure “in leadership, in the governance of the Church” in dealing with the sex abuse cases.

The spokesman said the meeting did not directly address some controversial aspects of the Irish situation, including the call for additional resignations of Irish bishops.

The pope convened the bishops in response to the continuing fallout from the scandal, following the independent Murphy Report that faulted the Church for its handling of 325 sex abuse claims in the archdiocese of Dublin in the years 1975-2004.

The report said bishops sometimes protected abusive priests, and were apparently more intent on protecting the Church’s reputation and assets than on helping the victims.

With the pope presiding, each of the 24 Irish bishops spoke for five minutes, in effect giving the pope an account of themselves and their own actions, and reflecting on ways to best bring healing. The Vatican participants included officials who deal with doctrine, church law, bishops, clergy, religious life and seminaries.

The pope had earlier expressed his sense of outrage over the revelations, and was writing a special pastoral letter to Irish Catholics on the subject.

Participants at the Vatican meeting discussed a draft of the letter, which was expected to be published some time during Lent, Fr Lombardi said.

The Vatican statement said the Irish bishops had already helped put in place significant measures to ensure the safety of all children in Church activities.

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ut even as the Vatican meeting wound down, a new controversy was erupting in Ireland over the refusal of the apostolic nuncio to the country, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, to appear before a parliamentary foreign affairs committee. One member of the committee called the archbishop’s decision regrettable and incomprehensible.

Asked about Archbishop Leanza’s refusal, Fr Lombardi said an apostolic nuncio, like all ambassadors, may be precluded by the normal rules of diplomacy from answering parliamentary commissions.

Four bishops criticised in the Murphy Report have offered their resignation, but so far the pope has officially accepted only one of them. Bishop Martin Drennan of Galway and Kilmacduagh, also criticised in the report, has rejected demands by Catholic groups for his resignation.

At the news conference, Cardinal Brady was asked if Catholics in Ireland might view the meeting as short on concrete decisions. The cardinal responded, “I certainly hope not.”

Bishop Joseph Duffy of Clogher said that until now the Irish Church had been marked by “a culture of secrecy and confidentiality” that the bishops would now work to overcome.

Bishop Dennis Brennan of Ferns said the anger of victims and survivors towards the bishops “is richly deserved”, but he also said he was encouraged by the support that Irish Catholics had shown toward them as well as towards the victims. He also said that he was “struck by how pained the pope is by the issue”.—CNS

OPE Benedict has paid a visit to a Church-run shelter for the homeless and said concrete acts of charity were essential expressions of the Christian faith.

“Know that the Church loves you deeply and will not abandon you, because it recognises in each of you the face of Christ,” the pope said at a Caritas hostel and medical centre near Rome’s main train station.

In a speech during his 90-minute visit, the pope noted that the tough economic times had made Churchrun social services even more necessary. Over the last two years, the Caritas centre has seen a 20% increase in the number of people seeking help.

The pope said the centre was “a place where love is not only a word or a sentiment, but a concrete reality that allows the light of God to enter into the life of people and the civic community”.

He said the Church’s actions in favour of the needy were a natural expression of faith in Christ, who identified in a particular way with the poor.

“In its service to people in difficulty, the Church is motivated solely by the desire to express its faith in God who is the defender of the poor and who loves people for what they are, and not for what they possess or accomplish,” he said.

Later in the day, speaking at his noon blessing at the Vatican, the pope said the Caritas shelter was an example of the beatitudes in action.

When Christ said, “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours”, he was speaking of divine justice that will come at the end of time, the pope said. But that justice can also be manifested in this world, he said.

“This is the task that the disciples of the Lord are called to carry out in today’s society,” he said.—CNS

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6

COMMUNITY

The Southern Cross, February 24 to March 2, 2010

Edited by Clutton Patsika

CERTIFIED: Twenty-seven children received First Communion at St Benedict's parish in Eshowe. Fr Ruprecht Wolf was the main celebrant.

SUBMITTED BY SR FIDELIS SCHRAMM

Send your photographs, with sender’s name and address on the back, and a SASE to: The Southern Cross, Community Pics, Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000 or email them to: pics@scross.co.za

Archbishop Paul Mandla Khumalo, now retired, with confirmands of St Pius X parish in Waterkloof, Pretoria. With the young people and archbishop are (second row from front, from left) Mike Rai from Council 4 of the Knights of da Gama, Fr John-Allen Green OFM, Fr Hyacinth Ennis OFM, Fr Marwyn Welham and Vincent Knox. In front is catechist James Henning, and flanking the back-row are Deputy Grand Knight Aldo Lorio and Pieter Kroukamp.

SUBMITTED BY BEC KNOWX

ALTAR SERVER BRUNCH: Eleven altar Servers from Sacred Heart parish in Kabega, Port Elizabeth, were treated to a brunch in appreciation for their service in 2009. The four servers shown here are (from left): Damien Cairncross, Caleb Barkes, Trenton Papman and Dillan Pitts.

SUBMITTED BY ALEXIS PILLAY

VIBRANT LITURGY: The new archbishop of Maseru, Archbishop Gerard Lerothole, confirmed 510 children at Sion church in Mapoteng, Lesotho. He was assisted by parish priest Fr Bernard Ntlale and Fr Francis Shea from a neighbouring parish.

HIGH ACHIEVER: Jessica-Ann Sebastian from Our Lady of Good Health of Vailanganni parish in Pietemaritzburg achieved seven A passes in her matric exams, finishing fourth in KwaZulu-Natal province.

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DEBATE

The Southern Cross, February 24 to March 2, 2010

7

Women must break the polygamy cycle Multiple marriage is an unethical practice: it eliminates the sanctity of matrimony, decreases respect, humility and equality between men and women, and rejects the integrity and human dignity of women, argues COLLEEN CONSTABLE.

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status, she has free will. The decision is influenced by her moral values and principles, her role in society and the spirituality she embraces. Another factor is the extent to which women are able to overcome societal and cultural pressures, a common factor many single women are confronted with. To break an ancient concept such as polygamy requires exercising leadership. Women will have to think and act differently.

To integrate the teachings of Christ into daily lives of single women requires strength of character and wisdom. To walk away from temptation requires you to constantly dwell under the Blood of Merciful Jesus. Scripture teaches us: “...be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, ‘Be holy because I (am) holy’.” (1 Peter1:15-16) Some married men believe that they are capable of loving multiple women. This makes a joke of the concept of love as defined in Ephesians 5: 31: “For this reason a man shall leave (his) father and (his) mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.” The spirit of love is captured in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. It is a simple, yet powerful guideline towards understanding a complex emotion: Christian love, the gift of the Holy Spirit. It implies that love “... does not seek its own interest.”

OLYGAMY is currently dominating media reports and discussions. The form of polygamy most common in South Africa is polygyny (one man and multiple wives).

A panellist interviewed on SAfm on January 29, 2010, argued that polygyny is an ancient, regulated African practice. Responsible men offer marriage proposals to single women. The husband or the first wife initiates it for teamwork and progress of family life. The first wife plans the husband’s visiting schedule to other wives. All this, the panellist stated, creates a family and decreases the number of illegitimate children. A male listener quoted Isaiah 4:1 and argued that prominent South African men are merely fulfilling prophesy.

Some people may differ with their perspective.

Polygyny is used to increase population. It includes risky behaviour. There are medical and olygyny is an unethical practice: it eliminates psychological implications for participants and the sanctity of marriage, decreases respect, their children. humility and equality between men and women, Polygyny became a trend in the biblical era. and rejects the integrity and human dignity of Genesis 6:1-3 states that the “sons of heaven” also women. This behaviour of men encompasses selfembarked on this exercise. The first indication of a human who took two wives was Lamech, a descendant of Adam, born to Methusael (Gen 4:18-19.) In Gen 16:1-4 it was a woman, Sarah, who influenced her husband to take on a mistress and decided who it should be, while her husband preferred a monogamous marriage.

Today polygamy is accepted within the context of civil law in 48 countries and as customary law in 13 countries including South Africa.

In democratic South Africa some single women freely choose polygamous unions. Educated women have joined the multiple wife system. Even Christian women have opted for polygamous unions. They reject the Christian concept of monogamy: marriage as a sacrament and sacred union between one man and one woman, with Jesus Christ as the third party. Family is based on that union.

First, why do women support A polygamist being pampered by his wives. The writer says monogyny? Why would a first wife polygamy demeans women and undermines the sanctity of maragree to a polygamous union, start- riage. ing a process of multiple wives, a PHOTO: SAMIRAI EDI multiple family managed as a single unit? Could it be her insecurity towards a monogamous relationship? Fear that ishness, pride, lack of self-control and promotes her husband has a mistress and illegitimate chil- lustful desires and exploitation of women. It is dren from an adulterous affair? This is a reality of similar to prostitution: married men having the South African marital life. Scripture teaches access to women according to their preferences us: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love dri- and time. ves out fear because fear has to do with punishTo understand women's role requires an inment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in depth study to determine why Christian women love,” (1 Jn 4:18). participate in polygamous unions; why women Second, to avoid humiliation and public sustain a harmful patriarchal process; and why embarrassment, first wives may choose to protect women allow an ancient practice of polygamy to themselves by supporting a polygamous union as flourish in the contemporary world. a form of security against infidelity. A polygaSingle women hold the supply market and can mous union is viewed as an opportunity to obtain break the polygamous cycle. Men do not hold peace of mind and reassurance that the marriage women’s decision-making powers, only the is safe. Such women accepted their husband’s demand for extra-marital affairs. Women can end extra-marital affairs as part of the marriage pack- the polygamy game through faith, dedication, age and opt to regulate the unbecoming behav- perseverance and commitment. Such followers of iour through a system of polygyny. That may feel Christ are found in Proverbs 31:26, 29-30: “She as if she has control over the situation in a society opens her mouth in wisdom...Many are the where marriage has almost lost value. women of proven worth, but you have excelled cripture teaches us: “Do not be afraid, just have them all...the woman who fears the Lord is to be faith,” (Mk 5:36). Sometimes women’s attitudes praised.”

Wisdom, a gift of the Holy Spirit, sharpens our are based on a spirit of fear and indicate a lack of trust, horizontal and vertical. Their response is understanding of difficult situations and the connot based on the consequences of polygamous sequences of decisions taken. Women and men’s unions or the societal implications it holds for commitment to follow the Commandments of future generations. Neither is it based on adher- God and the teachings of Jesus Christ are tested. 2 ence to the teachings of Christian spirituality. It is Tim 1:7 states: “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and selfa game of survival.

Third, why would single women become a control.”

Let us offer intercessory prayers: for the sanctiwilling participants in polygamous unions? Why ty of marriage; for the gift of family as God origiwould women want to share a husband? Economic security cannot be viewed as the only driver to nally intended it to be; for single and married become a polygamous wife. Love clearly plays a women the gift of wisdom; for married men a role. It implies that single women (including prayerful relationship with the Holy Spirit, to some Christian women) wilfully engage in rela- overcome selfish and lustful desires.

The Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill, CMM, sprung from the Trappist Monastery of Mariannhill founded by Abbot Francis Pfanner in South Africa in 1882. We believe that: “Our missionary field is the Kingdom of God and that has not boundaries!” Faithful to the example of Abbot Francis Pfanner, the Mariannhill Brothers and Priests try to be of service to the local church through pastoral, social and development works. We make our contribution to the call for renewing, uplifting, developing and sustaining the human spirit, as our response to the signs and needs of the time. In our missionary life of Prayer and Work (Ora et Labora), we try to effectively proclaim the Good News to all people, especially to the poor and needy, so that there are “Better Fields, Better Houses, Better Hearts!”

tionships with married men. It indicates a diversion of values between the practising of Christian spirituality and single women’s lifestyles.

Fourth, who really holds the power? It is a matter of decision-making. Whatever a woman’s

To know more about us contact: Director of Vocations PO Box 11363, Mariannhill, 3601 or PO Box 85, Umtata, 5099

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8

The Southern Cross, February 24 to March 2, 2010

LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor: Günther Simmermacher

Only the truth will heal

I

T is encouraging that the bishops of Ireland and Pope Benedict have acknowledged the gravity of the Irish Church’s failings in protecting minors from abuses by Church personnel.

The Vatican has echoed what the present Irish episcopate has publicly accepted: “This grave crisis has led to a breakdown in trust in the Church’s leadership and has damaged her witness to the Gospel and its moral teaching.”

Pope Benedict has been clear about his anguish over the abuse of minors. He made it a point of meeting with survivors of sexual abuse on his visits to the United States and Australia. There is no reason to doubt the sincerity of the pope’s regret at what many young people suffered at the hands of Church personnel.

There may well be a benefit to adding a meeting with abuse survivors from Ireland and elsewhere to his British tour in September.

The pope is preparing a pastoral letter addressed to the Church in Ireland (no specific date for release had been announced at the time of writing). It must be hoped that this letter will show an even more comprehensive understanding of the people’s outrage than the Vatican statements have.

That outrage is not likely to be diminished by reports that the apostolic nuncio to Ireland is invoking diplomatic precepts to avoid appearing before an Irish parliamentary committee, or by the Holy See’s reluctance to accept the resignation of three bishops named in the Murphy Report, which detailed the mishandling of abuse cases in the archdiocese of Dublin.

The people—and not only in Ireland—are naturally angry at those who committed abuses. It is an anger directed at individuals, with an understanding that paedophiles and pederasts can be found in any institution in which adults and adolescents have contact.

However, the public’s loss of

confidence in the Church and utter disgust concerns those who facilitated these abuses by their silence and, in some cases, by the deliberate suppression of the truth. One cannot reduce this to mere “errors of judgment and omissions”, as the Vatican did in the statement following the meeting with the Irish bishops.

It is not enough to attribute the scandal to individual bumbling. The cover-ups were tied to a corrupting culture in the Church which those bishops who covered up and suppressed the truth helped to perpetuate.

More than abusive priests, and more even than bishops and other Church leaders failing their Church, it is that culture of silence, secrecy, clerical privilege and vanity which is on trial in the public court.

Pope Benedict’s pastoral letter will not be seen as being of much comfort, never mind a step towards reconciliation, unless it candidly identifies this to be at the heart of the crisis, as Bishop Joseph Duffy of Clogher did after the Vatican meeting.

The Church will need to address the double standards which allowed for the concealment of grave sins by clergy while the very people who covered these sins up were pronouncing on Catholic moral teachings. The Church will need to reconcile the hypocrisy of certain Catholics being barred from the Lord’s Table while known sexual abusers were allowed to preside over it.

Moreover, it is necessary for the Vatican to state exactly how much it knew about the incidence of abuse worldwide, and admit its failings (if any) in dealing with such scandals— painful and humiliating as this may be.

As the pope said, “the problems of the past” must be addressed “with determination and resolve”. The repudiation of sexual abuse and its coverup must therefore be forthright and complete, so that full healing can follow.

The Editor reserves the right to shorten or edit published letters. Letters below 300 words receive preference. Pseudonyms are acceptable only under special circumstances and at the Editor’s discretion. Name and address of the writer must be supplied. No anonymous letter will be considered.

As St Paul said: Only one wife

I

REFER to Jacob Zuma and his many children from his several wives and other children from illicit liaisons.

President Zuma has been quoted as saying: “We will rule till Jesus Christ returns”. It seems he has at least heard of Jesus Christ, but does he know the Gospel?

In 1 Tim 4:12, St Paul writes that “a deacon must be the husband of one wife”, meaning not

more than one wife at the same time, such as was common among the pagans of the time. What Paul specified for deacons applied to lay folk too.

Jesus’ clear teaching on monogamous marriage in Mt 19:6: “What God has joined together [in marriage] let no one put asunder”, and his nullifying of the Mosaic permitting of divorce and remarriage “because of the hardness of the

Deliverance from such evil is vital

daughter to Rome to deliver a letter to the Vatican, but were refused an audience. They never even had the courtesy of a reply.

The documentary film alleges that the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger “stonewalled the issue” and has subsequently been granted a guarantee of immunity from prosecution in the United States.

Why would an innocent man need that?

O’Grady is apparently roaming free and uncontrolled in Ireland, living on a annuity paid by the Church How comforting for abused families!

Our leaders of a God-led institution should not be cafeteria Christians, picking and choosing when or when not to tell the truth fearlessly in pursuit of the justice and honesty that we Christians espouse.

Without this, the world will never allow closure on this issue.

Surely it’s time for the Church to clean up the whole mess and face the consequences.

That the Church may be allowing paedophiles to roam free and paying them a pension tells the world that we are paying only lipservice to our shame. Fr Moss’ suggestion of an internal survey and subsequent responsible open action is a good one, but will anything come of it? Or will he be shunned and sidelined, as was an American priest with similar views?

Geoff Harris, Rooi Els, W Cape

H

AVING recently viewed the video Deliver us from Evil of the trial and other issues surrounding the children-abuse cases against Fr Oliver O’Grady in California in 2004/5, I was gratified to read Fr Moss’s “Point of Debate” (February 3-9) Congratulations on his outspoken condemnation; but does the Church really “bow its head in shame and pray for forgiveness and the healing of its victims”?

In the Irish scandal, similar questions about the handling of abuses arose: the same puerile defensive mechanisms, obstruction of justice, secrecy (“confessional privilege” between bishops and priests); and an overriding concern mainly for the Church’s “Good Image” was more apparent than shame.

In the case of Fr O’Grady, it seemed to me that his bishop knew what was going on, but skillfully denied any knowledge, using the defence of obfuscating, and avoiding telling a direct lie by answering in part.

His denial was made despite a Church file in his possession compiled on O’Grady’s abusive activities. He was very unconvincing, as were his defence and others in authority. (They even contemplated suing one family for defamation, apparently hoping to scare them off!)

Having lost everything in their pursuit of justice, one family lamented: “He {Fr O’Grady] destroyed our lives, our family. We have been betrayed by the Church”, bearing out the point made by Fr Moss about the ongoing harm that continues to emerge.

In pursuit of closure, the family eventually took their abused

MISSIONARY SISTERS OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD

Installation splash

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WAS privileged to be present at the recent installation of Cape Town’s new archbishop, Stephen Brislin.

Prayers were said in English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Italian, Portuguese and French. The bishop delivered part of his address in seSotho.

How ironic that Cape Town’s

peoples’ hearts”, is clear.

In 1 Cor 7:2 St Paul is clear that “each man should have his own [one] wife, since there is so much immorality”.

Adultery—sexual relations with someone who is not your marriage partner—and fornication are forbidden by the Gospel of Jesus.

Whatever traditions may be acceptable in various world cultures, the moral teaching in Christian culture, especially in regard to faithfulness in marriage, is quite clear.

John Lee, Johannesburg daily newspapers chose to focus on two local politicians when publishing a photo of the new archbishop following this moving and spiritual event.

Welcome and congratulations to Archbishop Stephen Brislin, and thanks to his predecessor, Archbishop-emeritus Lawrence Henry, for his years of service.

Colin Arendse, Cape Town

Renewal research

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AM researching the charismatic renewal movement in non-Pentecostal churches, especially in 1960-1995, and would be glad to hear from any of your readers with useful memories.

I am specially anxious to learn how, when and where the renewal started in the Catholic Church in Southern Africa. I am also looking for information on two priests who were involved in it in Natal, Frs George Purves and Ignatius Heer.

For more information on the project please see the web page: http://khanya.wordpress.com/ charismatic-renewal/ Dr Stephen Hayes, Box 7648, Pretoria; Tel 012 333 6727, 083 342 3563; Fax 086 548 2525; e-mail shayes@dunelm.org.uk

Shroud origin?

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OU have reported (February 39) that fresh doubt has been thrown on the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin because the weaving of the cloth was not available in Jerusalem in 30 A.D. Could a shroud and tomb for Jesus have been provided by Joseph of Arimathaea?He was a rich and presumably well-travelled merchant who might have found this piece of special linen while on his journeys, and brought it back to Jerusalem for his own burial.

Monica Giles, Cape Town

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Family Friendly

Is Church ready for the Word Cup?

R

ECEIVING a query from a family I met last year in Mexico about accommodation for the World Cup in June for a group of young guys, I started wondering how familyfriendly I have really been about the whole thing.

I decided long ago that the World Cup was something affecting families and so I have been involved with the rather loosely operating working committee, but I am asking myself (and others too): is the Church using this opportunity for evangelisation wisely and in a positive family-friendly manner?

What has been done to my knowledge is putting up the website www.churchontheball. com which does have some articles and information, including an article I wrote in January 2009 about families being “on the ball”. Some information about dioceses and parishes where the games will be played will be available as well as information about Mass times.

Apparently no major spiritual services or activities are being planned, although Masses in different languages have been suggested and may take place here and there. Youth Day, June 16, falls during that time and some dioceses and parishes may combine a youth celebration with the football event.

Some of us have been working on a Soccer World Cup Prayer booklet, to be made available throughout the country. This will contain basic prayers (some in local languages other than English), the Order of the Mass and a variety of other prayers. Some are for and about family life, others relate specifically to the games, for example prayer for success, for safety, for good sportsmanship, no crime and no trafficking of drugs or people—all serious concerns of the Church.

The Family Life Desk chose as its theme for 2010 “Families play the game”, and the calendar and MARFAM publications contain enrichment resources for family life around that theme all year. Parish talks and workshops that I give will incorporate the monthly themes too.

Will the games bring families together? Will they enjoy time spent together or will the World Cup split them up? Will they learn to communicate well and not fight about who gets to watch which match on TV? Will parents be willing and able to discuss with their teenagers the risks they could be taking as they could be exposed to drugs and drink? Will we talk about prostitution and trafficking, or is that something only for tourists?

All those points have been in my mind for some time. But then I got this request for accommodation. I started to make some enquiries. I tried the Johannesburg archdiocese and different places, but didn’t find anyone who could respond positively. If your 18-yearold son wanted to come to a foreign country with a group of his mates for a month to watch football and have a jol, would you want them to be hosted in a place where they would be safe from danger and harm? Would you be looking for a Catholic venue, retreat centre, or a Catholic family home? Or would you let them loose on the streets of a strange town and country? I think I would try to make contact with people I think I can trust, people who are like myself.

Retreat centres I contacted were concerned about rowdy behaviour, drinking and late nights. It is hard to find a home that can cater for six young men, and then what about transport around Johannesburg? I had been open to offer to accommodate a family I stayed with in Mexico City if they would choose to come for a week or so, but six young men for a month around the house is something else, (apart from the money I could make). So it seems that I will have to refer them to general accommodation providers.

So now, faced with this practical reality, I ask myself: is the Church in South Africa (and of course we are the Church) in the dioceses and parishes using this opportunity to provide a safe and healthy environment for young Catholic visitors, an opportunity for evangelisation and for enriching family life as well as we could. Are we serious about our faith in our lives?

I would be glad to hear from readers what you think and what is happening in other places.

on DStv audio channel 170

also streamed on www.radioveritas.co.za

Be life’s co-author

W

HEN we were children, our catechists taught us to give up something for Lent as a way of recalling how much Jesus gave up for us by dying on the Cross.

This is a good Lenten habit most of us have carried into adulthood, because it allows us to practise self-discipline. But how often in our journey through Lent do we consider the miracle of new life we received through Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection? More precisely, when was the last time we reflected on the miracle of new life that God shares with us?

God is the author of all aspects of life we see around us. The Creator has willed it all into being—the glorious spectacle of colour of each sunrise, the awesome majesty of a perfectly sculpted mountain top or the wonder of a baby’s first breath. All these are small signs of God’s creative power that renews itself each day.

But God never intended to keep the creative gift to himself—he wants all of us to have a share in it. This is why God also gives us the ability to create new life. Perhaps no one experiences this gift more personally than a pregnant mother as she feels her unborn child growing in her womb, waiting excitedly and anxiously for the day she gives birth so that she can finally meet this miracle of new life.

Imagine then what God’s joy must be every time new life comes into the world, especially the birth of a human child.

However, we cannot create anything that is lasting if it is divorced from God’s creative spirit. We participate in the act of creation through unity with God. God cannot create human life without our willing participation and while we, as human beings, can create life without acknowledging God’s involvement, science has as yet to create a perfect human life outside of the womb.

When we think of everything that can go wrong during pregnancy (and which sometimes does), we cannot help but to recognise that giving birth to a perfect baby is a miracle over which we have no control.

How do we foster this miracle of creation and new life in our lives in our families? It is sometimes difficult to think about our families in this way, especially when we are so often assailed by the daily battle of wills among its members, numerous difficulties ranging from disease to financial instability, to the hurt that grows when we disappoint each other. Yet God calls each of us to bring life to our families.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “called to give life, spouses share in the creative power and fatherhood of God” (2367). Allowing life to take root in our families requires us to accept the

Sarah-Leah Pimentel

Point of Reflection gift of life that God wants to share with our families. In particular here I want to look at an unspoken barrier to modern-day family life: contraception.

The Church teaches that artificial means of contraception are “intrinsically evil” (Catechism 2370) because it destroys life and threatens family life.

Yet, contraception is the most commonly used family planning method in our families today.

But to me, it’s not so much the means of contraception (which in some cases are abortifacients and in other instances prevent conception) as the “contraceptive mentality” that threatens our families.

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ope John Paul II says that the “contraceptive mentality” (Evangelium vitae, Ch1,13) is the product of modern man’s selfishness. It is this mentality that leads married couples to decide when life should occur. They tell each other: “We’re not ready to start a family yet. We still want to travel, we’re not in a financial position to do so, we’re too young, we’re too old, we want to build our careers first so that we can provide everything our children will need.”

Poverty can also be a determining factor. Families often agree that “we can’t afford to feed, clothe and educate more than one or two children.

It’s not right to bring another hungry mouth into this family.” I do not for a minute suggest that these are not valid arguments, but they do put a limit on God’s creative power. Where families use contraception, God cannot act.

When we say “no” to sharing God’s gift of creation, we are saying “no” to sharing life with him; and if we reject life with him, we stop God from entering the door of our homes, our families and our hearts. If God does not have a place in our homes, which we also call the “domestic church”, then how can we honestly say that God has a place in our churches, where the domestic churches come together to worship. What hope do we have that God will have a place in our society, when we’ve shut the door of our hearts on his him and his gifts?

In opposition to this contraceptive mentality is what Pope John Paul II called a “culture of life” which promotes life in all of its dimensions. He emphasised that the “the role of the family in building a culture of life is Continued on page 11

The Southern Cross, February 24 to March 2, 2010

9

Chris Chatteris SJ

Pray with the Pope

Casino capitalism General Intention: That the world economy may be managed according to the principles of justice and equity, taking account of the real needs of peoples, especially the poorest.

S a result of the market crash of 2008 each of Iceland’s 300 000 citizens now owes US$18 000 to foreign countries. Lured by the promise of high returns, many people in countries such as the Netherlands and Britain placed money with the new and inexperienced Icelandic investments banks. These collapsed, losing a total of $5 billion. Understandably the Dutch and British investors now want their money back.

If this is the situation with a developed nation such as Iceland, one can only imagine how certain regions of the developing world have suffered.

Overnight millions of people have been thrown into unemployment in China and sent back to the impoverished rural communities from which they came. Here at home the toll is thought to be reaching half a million extra unemployed—more than the entire population of Iceland.

The financial arrangements that led to this debacle have been described as “casino capitalism” or even as a legal pyramid scam. The words “disorder” and “greed” spring to mind to describe this way of running an economic system. Clearly, if the highest rate of economic growth in the world is around China's 9%, if someone then offers rates of 15%, this probably means that someone else is losing out. In this case it was the Icelanders and people who lost their jobs, many in the developing world. The investment bankers however still earned their bonuses, thanks to having been bailed out by taxpayers.

In a world where almost a billion people live in continual hunger, it is imperative that humanity comes up with an economic system which truly serves the poor and the vulnerable. We pray for this and for the economists who must clear up the mess and do the work of reconstruction.

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The Church in Africa Missionary Intention: That the Churches in Africa may be signs and instruments of reconciliation and justice in every part of that continent.

HE African Church has such massive expectations placed upon her young shoulders. She is often expected to provide a whole range of services which developing countries struggle to provide.

For example, well before the days of cellphones the Jesuits in the then Zaïre (now the DRC) had set up a radio network to keep in touch with each other throughout the country, since the phone system was dysfunctional. This radio network could be used by laypeople when needing to contact relatives in an emergency.

Thus, and in many other ways, the Church provided even the ordinary infrastructure normally furnished by the government. As well as these services the local Church in Zaïre ran a large network of schools and other institutions which have continued and even expanded through decades of conflict and economic decline. It was a work of heroism, one repeated by the Church all over the continent where the establishment and maintenance of institutions serving the community has gone ahead under often very difficult and even dangerous circumstances.

But the Church has little time to rest on her laurels. The recent African Synod displayed a more confident African Church, one which is on the move. This is a Church whose vitality, visibility and credibility can indeed enable it to be a sign and an instrument of reconciliation and justice. A Church who because her institutions have been at the service of society at large, has the moral authority to call for reconciliation and justice.

As her voice has been heard by the ordinary people of Africa, we pray that it may also be heard more by politicians and other elites.

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VALLEY VIEW TRAVEL 1-11 SEP

ST MARTIN DE PORRES PILGRIMAGE Visiting Paris, Lourdes, Vatican City, Rome, Assisi Spiritual Director Rev Peter Chungu COST R15 697

Tel: (031) 266 7702 Fax: (031) 266 8982 Email: judyeichhorst@telkomsa.net

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The Southern Cross, February 24 to March 2, 2010

BOOK REVIEWS

Easy-to-follow theology that can give hope HOPE IN AN AGE OF DESPAIR,

by Albert Nolan. Orbis Books, Maryknoll. 2009. 192 pp.

Reviewed by Gerald Shaw LBERT Nolan OP is a South African theologian with a world-wide reputation as the author of three influential books.

The best-selling Jesus Before Christianity (1976) was followed by God in South Africa: The Challenge of the Gospel (1988) and Jesus Today: A spirituality of radical freedom (2006).

These three books, appearing at long intervals in time, were the product of many years of reflection and prayerful contemplation.

The second and third volumes are exercises in contextual theology.

The context of the second is South Africa in the apartheid era and that of the third is today’s world, and not just South Africa. His writings have become widely-read, not only in the Catholic Church and in Fr Nolan’s own Dominican family, but well beyond.

If theology, by definition, makes demands on the reader, who is often asked to unravel much tortuous abstraction to get at the writer’s meaning, Fr Nolan’s theology is refreshingly lucid, accessible, practical and related to life, conveying complex ideas in straight-forward and often lively language. His fine prose style helps to explain why his books do so well.

Now Hope in an Age of Despair promises to be equally successful.

It is a selection of his talks, shorter writings, essays and academic articles and one sermon delivered in circumstances varying from the harrowing days at the height of the apartheid era to present-day South Africa. It is edited and intro-

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duced by Stan Myembe OP. As the editor tells us, the lecture which supplies the title of this book also supplies its underlying themes: God as the basis of our hope, the common good as the object of our hope, the value of adopting an attitude of hopefulness, and the value of acting hopefully.

For this reviewer among the many insights which struck home was Nolan’s suggestion that different people at different times ask different questions about their faith. A burning question in the Middle Ages might turn out to be a question of no consequence today.

He notes that if he raised the medieval question of transubstantiation today very few people would know what he was talking about, In a chapter on the teaching of theology, Nolan notes that as a young Dominican he discovered that the theology of Thomas Aquinas was time-bound and contextual. But this did not lead him to reject Thomism. On the contrary, Thomas tackled the new problems and questions of his day and answered them brilliantly.

Eventually Nolan concluded that the real value of studying the great theologians of the past was to learn how to go about answering our own faith questions and the questions of our contemporaries.

What we learn from Thomas is how to be fearless in raising new questions and thorough in searching for answers.

Nolan observes regretfully that in many parts of the Church today Catholics are not encouraged to ask questions about the meaning of their faith. People are even

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given the impression that if they ask questions it must be because their faith is weak.

“If we do have doubts it is better to air than to hide and suppress them. Questions and doubts can spur us on to search and to keep searching until we find answers, to knock and keep knocking until the door is opened,” Nolan writes.

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n teaching theology he has found that it can take many hours and even days of explanation before some Catholics will take the risk of expressing a doubt or asking a serious question. However, once they feel sufficiently free to do so the questions pour out “like an unstoppable flood”.

In answering such questions, he suggests, we should resist the temptation to offer quick and easy

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answers. Answering questions of faith should be a community exercise. We should listen to what others who share our faith have to say, to well-informed theologians and to those who have authority in the Church (the magisterium).

“Above all we need to listen to Jesus himself, whom we believe to be the Word or revelation of God.” In a thought-provoking chapter on preaching and contemplation.

Nolan says that people today are looking for authenticity rather than authority. “They want to hear an honest and sincere witness rather than a certified authority.”

And contemplation today is thought of as a calling available for all Christians, not just the special vocation of a few, with the practice of centering prayer becoming widespread. And, says Nolan, the fruits of contemplation include qualities such as inner peace, freedom and fearlessness, a love for people, genuine humility, a spirit of hopefulness and gratitude, hopefulness and joy, and a profound sense of mystery.

There are instructive chapters on “The service of the poor and spiritual growth” and “The option for the poor in South Africa”. Fr Nolan seeks to ground this controversial theological theme in the Bible and makes some suggestions about what it may mean in the struggle for liberation in South Africa today.

As Nolan sees it, the poor are the victims of the social sin of injustice. And the option for the poor is concerned with the sin of oppression and what Christians should be doing about it. In a carefully argued passage, he suggests that the option for the poor is a

matter of taking up the cause of the poor as opposed to the cause of the rich.

As he says: “The Gospel that we preach will not be a Gospel of Jesus Christ unless it takes sides with those who are sinned against—the poor and the oppressed.”

There is an exciting chapter on prophetic theology, noting that Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been hailed throughout the world as a modern prophet, and observing that any new spirituality today would have to include a very serious attempt to read the signs of the times. A life in the Spirit, Nolan says, is a life of speaking out about what is wrong with our world, our society, our Church and our community.

Although this is not a long book, its content is very rich and a brief review cannot begin to do it justice. Although some white South African Catholics and Christians might find it uncomfortably radical, I found it a refreshing antidote to doom and gloom and an inspiring spiritual guide in an international and national situation torn by conflict, poverty and suffering and, too often, wracked by despair.

There are fine chapters under the heading of “Hoping for a Better World “ including “Gospel Values”, “Who is my Neighbour”, “Justice in the Bible” and “Personal Liberation”.

The most valuable contribution a Christian can make in a age of despair, he concludes, is to continue to act hopefully, because of our faith—and in that way to be an encouragement to those who have lost all hope.

Scott Hahn looks at the signs of life SIGNS OF LIFE: 40 Catholic Customs and Their Biblical Roots, by Scott Hahn. Doubleday, New York. 2009. 276 pp.

Reviewed by Regina Lordan COTT Hahn’s book is both an enjoyable and educational read for Catholics interested in a brush-up on Catholic traditions and their relevance in today’s world.

Hahn, author and professor of theology and Scripture at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, handpicked 40 Catholic traditions to explore and provided a simple, well-written meditation for each tradition.

The meditations, as Hahn explains in the introduction of the book, are not the complex, overly theological definitions one might expect from a professor of theology. Instead, they are his reflections “borrowed from this saint and that pope”.

These meditations make alive and make relevant the oftentimes forgotten traditions of Catholicism.

For example, Hahn discusses why Catholics dip their hands in holy water when entering and when leaving church.

Many know the act is a blessing, but Hahn reminds readers that the act is a baptismal

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renewal and a refreshment from evil.

Amid his many meditations about the Church calendar— Lent and Easter, Advent and Christmas to name a few—he writes about the biblical tradition of guardian angels. Sometimes in vogue and sometimes passé, depending on pop culture’s take at the moment about these mysterious entities, guardian angels guide, protect and assist Catholics throughout Church history. Hahn writes that guardian angels are always among Catholics—as each is

assigned a guardian angel—and they fill the pews at church to peak attendance.

“The angels are there [at Mass], as is evident even in the words of the Mass: ‘And so with the choirs of angels we sing: ‘Holy, holy, holy…’ The Mass itself cries out for us to be aware of our angels,” he writes in the book.

Interestingly, Hahn doesn’t discount simple pleas for guardian angels to help find a parking spot or to survive a traffic jam in one piece.

“The angels follow after God’s pattern of governance: They sometimes give us what we want so that we’ll learn to ask for what we need,” he writes.

Hahn also discusses how fasting and mortification are not outmoded forms of Catholic expression because “as long as we follow Christ we will have to deny our bodies the things they want”. That covers fasting to premarital sex to drinking too much and smoking.

Simply put, Hahn makes sense out the mystical, symbolically rich traditions of the Catholic faith. His book is an easy but informative read, and perfect for the curious Catholic willing to learn.—CNS

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The Southern Cross, February 24 to March 2, 2010

Thoughts for the Week on the Family

FAMILY CALENDAR: 2010 FAMILY THEME: “Families Play the Game.”

MARCH: Keep to the rules Peter, James and John were chosen by Jesus to witness his Transfiguration, a moment of ecstasy, of witnessing God's glory. This was done to strengthen their faith, just before they travelled to Jerusalem and at the time when Jesus warned them of his approaching suffering. Moments of ecstasy, of joy in marriage and great family unity strengthen us to be able to overcome the hardships and sufferings that are part of normal life.

Play some games to test and challenge your strength and your faith.

February 28, 2nd Sunday of Lent, year C. The gospel of this first Sunday of Lent is always that of the temptation of Jesus in the desert. He was tempted as we are, but did not give in. Men and women, boys and girls in their relationships with one another are often tempted in lots of ways. In these relationships we seem to be particularly vulnerable. Try to identify your own particular weaknesses and pray for strength to resist temptation.

Family Hour is good at any time, but during Lent families can make a special effort to spend time together. Set a regular time-slot and let family members take turns in how to spend the time week by week. Read scripture, allow members to share and discuss family issues, pray, have a meal or a snack; and play, too, whatever game is chosen by the week's leader.

The gift of life Classified Advertising continued from page 9 decisive and irreplaceable” (Evangelium vitae, ch4: 92) because it will “confront and solve today's unprecedented problems affecting human life” because by our example, we will contribute to “a serious and courageous cultural dialogue” (95) among Christians and non-believers alike.

Perhaps this Lent we’re called to examine our own family situations and determine how we can foster human life in all of its aspects with the means we have available to us.

Why not sit down with your family this Lent and have an open and honest conversation about family life and answering God’s invitation to foster life according to the individual circumstances of your own families?

This could mean the use of natural family planning (which the Church allows and encourages) instead of the use of contraceptives; reaching out to members of your extended family who may need some help in raising large families; or simply by spending more time playing with your children and showing them how to meet life’s challenges and be “fully alive” (John 10:10).

Mass readings for the week Sundays year B, weekdays cycle 1 Sun February 28, 2nd Sunday of Lent: Gn 15:5-12.17-18; Ps 27:1.7-9.13-14; Phil 3:17 — 4:1; Lk 9:28-36 Mon March 1, feria: Dn 9:4-10; Ps 79:8-9.11.13; Lk 6:36-38

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ANNIVERSARY BOLLEURS—David and Vera, married February 27, 1960, at St Mary's cathedral, Kimberley, by Fr Dunkel.

PERSONAL BIRTHRIGHT: Pregnant?

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CHEMICAL abortion: ‘The Pill’ can abort, undetected, immediately after conception (a medical fact). See website: http://www.humanlife. org/abortion_does_the_ pill.php PLEASE donate pre-Vatican II (Roman) vestments for use in Latin Mass in Pretoria. Call Hyacinth Madondo at 079 104 4831.

PRAYERS

Tue March 2, feria: Is 1:10.16-20; Ps 50:8-9.16-17.21.23; Mt 23:1-12 Wed March 3, feria: Jer 18:18-20; Ps 31:5-6.14-16; Mt 20:17-28 Thur March 4, St Casimir: Jer 17:5-10; Ps 1:1-4.6; Lk 16:19-31 Fri March 5, feria: Gn 37:3-4.12-13.17-28; Ps 105:16-21; Mt 21:3343.45-46 Sat March 6, feria: Mi 7:14-15.18-20; Ps 103:1-4.9-12; Lk 15:1-3.11-32 Sun March 7, 3rd Sunday of Lent: Ex 3:1-8.13-15; Ps 103:1-4.6-8.11; 1 Cor 10:1-6.1012; Lk 13:1-9

REMEMBERING OUR DEAD “It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins” (II Macc XII,46) Holy Mass will be celebrated on the first Sunday of each month in the All Souls’ chapel, Maitland, Cape Town at 2:30pm for all souls in purgatory and for all those buried in the Woltemade cemetery.

For further information, please contact St Jude Society, Box 22230, Fish Hoek, 7975 Telephone (021) 5511747

HOLY St Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke you, special patron in time of need. To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you to come to my assistance. Help me now in my urgent need and grant my petitions. In return I promise to make your name known and publish this prayer.

Amen. Grateful thanks for prayers answered.

BLM.

THANKS TURNER/FRANKS: Star of the Sea parish, Langebaan—Thank you very much for allowing us to celebrate our wedding ceremony on February 6,

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www.volunteersafaris.co.za Reservations:

Father Xico with partially completed church building

082 450 9930 Trevor 082 444 7654 Piero 082 506 9641 Anthony

2010. Thank you for your West Coast hospitality.

Special thanks to Fr Brandon West, Evelyn, Mary Harper and Dawn.

From Rudi and Lindsay.

THANKS to Sacred Heart and St Jude for prayers answered. Alix.

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FISH HOEK—Self-catering accommodation, sleeps 4. Secure parking.  021 785 1247.

FISH HOEK, Cape Town: Self-catering holiday accommodation from budget to luxury for 2 to 6 people. Special pensioners’ rate from May to October. Tel/fax 021 782 3647, e-mail: alisona @xsinet.co.za GORDON’S BAY—4-star self-catering. Uninterrupted seaviews, private balcony, DStv, fully equipped kitchen, automated garages. Sleeps 2.

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GORDON'S BAY—Selfcatering unit, on the top of the mountain. Spectacular views, tranquil, peaceful and relaxing, a get-away second to none. Sleeps 4, R950 per day, please try us, you will be back again. Ph Dawn 021 856 1977, 082 214 0281.

KNYSNA—Self-catering garden apartment for two in Old Belvidere with wonderful Lagoon views.  044 387 1052.

MARIANELLA Guest House, Simon’s Town:

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The most peaceful surroundings, mountain views, www.rosecot tagemontagu.co.za or e-mail: info@rosecot tagemontagu.co.za or  Christa at 084 409 0044 PEACEHAVEN Holiday Flats, Scottburgh. Selfcatering accommodation with magnificent sea views. We offer 24-hour security, secure parking, 6 DStv channels, a laundromat and braai facilities on the premises.

Three-minute walk to main beach and shops.

Special pensioner rates during low season periods. 039 9761344/ 9783400; Fax 039 9781476. Email peac ehaven@scottburgh.co. za PIETERMARITZBURG— St Dominic Guest House.

Beautiful old house recently renovated, adjacent to Dominican Priory, Chapel and Conference Centre, near the University and a shopping mall. Self-catering, fully equipped kitchen, safe parking and Internet access. Sleeps 8 in single and double rooms.  033 345 2241, 033 845 9103, 083 301 3354, Fax 033 345 2246, guesthouse@zaop.org SANDBAAI/HERMANUS —Relaxing weekend away. Reasonable rates.

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STELLENBOSCH: Five simple private suites (2 beds, fridge, microwave).

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Fully furnished and equipped. Garage, one bedroom, sleeper couch in lounge. R375 per night for two people.  Brenda 082 822 0607.

UMHLANGA ROCKS: Fully equipped self-catering 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house, sleeps 6, sea view, 200 metres from beach, DStv.  Tina, 031 561 5838 WILDERNESS—Rustic farm cottage, sleeps five, self-catering.  073 478 9038.

WILDERNESS—Selfcatering house, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms.

Sleeps 8/10, indoor braai, pool table, DStv. Contact Julia, e-mail pro galu@netactive.co.za

Pregnant?

February 24 to March 2, 2010

Help is as near as your telephone

SOUTHERN AFRICA’S NATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY SINCE 1920

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Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000  10 Tuin Plein, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001 Tel: (021) 465 5007  Fax: (021) 465 3850 Editorial: editor@scross.co.za  Advertising/Subscriptions/Accounts: admin@scross.co.za 3rd Sunday in Lent - Year C (March 7) Readings: Exodus 3:1-8.13-15; Psalm 103:1-4.6-8.11; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6.1012; Luke 13:1-9 FACT we have to grasp during Lent is that God is active in our world, but on his terms, not ours. That is the message that seems to come from the first reading for next Sunday.

The first reading starts with Moses pursuing a perfectly ordinary activity, “shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro”. His flock strays on to “Horeb, the mountain of God”, and this is where things start for the second phase of his life (remember, at this point he is a murderer on the run).

“The angel of the Lord appeared to him”, and Moses the murderer, faced with the burning bush, is invited into God’s mystery of holiness (“take off your sandals”), and taken into the old story of the people of God—“the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”.

Not only that, but God has “witnessed the affliction of my people”, and proposes to “rescue them from the hand of Egypt”;

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Lent: Let’s keep listening for God Fr Nicholas King SJ

Scriptural Reflections and Moses, the murderer on the run from Pharaoh, has to go and talk to Pharaoh!

Moses is not wild about this idea, and asks who he is talking to. The story (at least in our reading) ends there, with the solemn and enigmatic claim, “I am who I am…Tell the children of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you’.”

We kneel in awe at this, and seek refuge in the psalm, one of the loveliest hymns in the entire Psalter: “Bless the Lord my soul” (and we need to remember here that “the Lord” is really the sacred name, too sacred to be pronounced, of YHWH, the name that Moses was given at the burning bush).

Savour the list of all the things that God graciously does, and rejoice in who God is: “the one who pardons all your iniquities, heals all your ills…does justice and honest verdicts for all the oppressed, made his ways known to Moses, and to the children of Israel his deeds.” We need to reflect on these qualities of our God in the coming week.

In the second reading, Paul is trying to persuade the Corinthians to recognise in their own experience, and their temptations to worship false Gods, the experience of our ancestors in the desert, “under the cloud…and through the sea”, when they all “ate spiritual bread”, and were followed by the Rock, “which was Christ”.

Paul is re-telling the story of Israel to show the links with the story of Corinth.

And can you find here the story of our Church today?

In the gospel reading, Jesus is told the latest piece of news, “about the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices”. We remember that Jesus was a

Rich road to joy of Easter WAS listening to some children outside Mass on Ash Wednesday talking about what they were going to give up for Lent.

The conversation was all about sweets, cold drinks, movies, iPods and video games. These were not necessarily things they wanted to give up but rather things that they were eliminating from their list of things to give up because they liked them too much.

In short, like most kids—well, like I was when I was little—they wanted to make a contribution, but not with too much hardship. Their teacher overheard and gave them a wonderful lesson in what Lent was actually all about.

I wish I’d had their teacher. She made so much sense. She suggested they give up complaining and focus on gratitude.

Give up bitterness and turn to forgiveness. Be kind and compassionate to one another and forgiving each other.

Then the thought came to me about what parents could give up. Things like worry. Wasn’t it St Matthew who wrote: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life. Who by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

And how about giving up discouragement, anger, impatience and gossiping?

Admittedly, they’re not easier than giving up chocolates or whisky, but they are surely a lot more rewarding.

Looking for more examples I turned to one of my favourite newspaper columnists, Regina Brett, who writes for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio. Just

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Chris Moerdyk

The Last Word before Lent started last year she wrote: “The starter pistol for Lent fires in just three days. What are you giving up?

“Back in Catholic school, we had to answer that question by Ash Wednesday, the official kick-off to 40 days of sacrifice, penance and fish-fry Fridays.

“What to pick? You had to choose something tough enough to be meaningful but easy enough to endure. After all, Jesus withstood temptation while fasting in the desert for 40 days, so how hard could it be to give up soda pop, chewing gum or Gilligan’s Island?” (She referred here to a popular TV show of the day.)

“If you haven’t picked your poison, here are a few things to give up for Lent—and maybe for good: “Me, me, me. Not as in vocal warmups, but as in I, I, I am centre of the universe.

“Being a Type-A. Using your horn.

Telling jokes you wouldn’t tell in front of your grandmother.

“Smoking cigars. They stink, you stink, then we stink.

“Your fear of failure. God loves you as is, flaws and all. Accept it and live

CONRAD

‘They haven’t even kicked off yet and Zuma has been yellow-carded.’

happily ever after.

“The need to be right. Caring what other people think of you. Believing everything you think.

“Searching the Web for hours instead of spending a half-hour talking to the widow next door or throwing a football with the neighbourhood kids.

“Criticising the Clintons or the Palins.

“Blaming your parents, your boss, your ex. Chances are they did the best they could with what they had.

“Grabbing the best parking spot. Let someone else have it.

“Give up MySpace, Facebook or Twitter.

“Nagging your spouse about things that wouldn’t matter if the biopsy came back positive.

“The quest for perfection. Make completion your goal. You’ll get more accomplished.

“Reading about Britney, Brangelina and Rihanna.

“Buying one more toy you don’t need.

“Whining about the good old days.

Instead, make today better for those who will outlive you.”

Instead of giving up something, you could start doing something for Lent: “Try out these nine new words: ‘I am sorry. You were right. I love you.’

“Be kind to the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“Listen more than you talk. Pause before you speak. Restraint of tongue, pen and e-mail goes a long way.

“Attend a church where everyone doesn’t look like you.

“Change the soundtrack to your life.

Cut the depressing music. Cue the Broadway musicals.

“Look a homeless person in the eye and pretend he’s your brother. Oh, wait; he is.

“Practise mercy instead of demanding justice. Go to confession. Tell the truth.

Clean up after yourself. Be early. Tip big.

“Believe there is enough to go around. Change the toilet paper roll. Fill the ice cube tray. Donate one hour’s pay to the Red Cross, the mission or the nearest soup kitchen.

“Give someone an hour of beauty.

Take them to the museum [or] botanical garden.

“Read Psalms 16, 30, 43, 59 or 108.

“Wake up 15 minutes early to sit with God. Just the two of you. Best time you ever spent with anyone, guaranteed.

“Be still and know that you aren’t God. What a relief!”

Wise words indeed, and guaranteed to make those Easter eggs taste even better at the end of it all.

Galilean, and that he is going to die under Pilate’s sentence; and though we have no evidence of this particular episode in Pilate’s blood-stained career, we have to admit that it is certainly the kind of thing that he might all too easily have done.

Jesus does not use it, however, for a rant against the corruption of the governing classes, but instead fashions an invitation to everybody to repent; otherwise, “you’re all going to die”.

Then Jesus looks at another item of news of the day: a tower had fallen down and killed 18 people. Again he makes of it an invitation to repent.

Then he tells the story of the fig-tree, an ancient Jewish parable warning God’s people against failing to produce the appropriate fruits. As we hear the terrible sentence on the fig-tree: “Cut it down”, we are uneasily aware, this Lent, that it easily be levelled at us. What is God saying to you, at this stage of the Lenten journey?

Southern Crossword #379

ACROSS 5. The human spirit (4) 7. All-powerful, like God (10) 8. Bonds around the man's neck? (4) 10. It precedes Easter (4,4) 11.Damage a prim one (6) 12. Orthodox nation (6) 14. Increases dad with son (4,2) 16. Number of the tribes (6) 17. Brothers in days gone by (8) 19. Display feline pleasure (4) 21. Eve had to do it to pick the fruit (5,3,2) 22. Venerable saint

DOWN 1. Baptism source? (4) 2.

The mediocre Catholic may do it (4,4) 3. Rabbi's kind of diet (6) 4. Like Jesus, he cures (6) 5. From the West, a way to cook (4) 6.One who lacks faith (10) 9. A more timed way to be excessive (10) 13. Does bishop employ him to keep his flock in order? (8) 15. Natural for Roman learner (6) 16. The Commandments are divided into these (6) 18. Ancient city that could be retreaded (4) 20. Way of worship sounds correct (4)

SOLUTIONS TO #378. ACROSS: 1 Noah, 3 Apostles, 9 Tonight, 10 Ingle, 11 Visit the sick, 13 Treaty, 15 Miller, 17 Housemasters, 20 Amish, 21 Killing, 22 Evermore, 23 Feud. DOWN: 1 Nativity, 2 Annas, 4 Patchy, 5 Suits himself, 6 Logical, 7 Spew, 8 Agitates them, 12 Presaged, 14 Edomite, 16 Smoker, 18 Elite, 19 Sage.

CHURCH CHUCKLE ADDY hadn’t been to confession for a long P time. He’d been stealing wood from a lumber yard, selling it and pocketing the money.

He decided to go to confession and admit what he had been doing. After a lecture, Father said: “For your penance I want you to make a novena.”

Paddy brightened: “Yes, Father,“ he said. “If you have the plans, I'll get the wood.”

Veronica Bischof Send us your favourite Catholic joke, preferably clean and brief, to The Southern Cross, Church Chuckle, PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000.