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New bishops on their challenges By CLAiRE MAThiESon
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An iraqi boy prays with a rosary during Mass at a Chaldean Catholic church in Amman, Jordan. Thousands of iraqi Christians have fled to nearby Jordan following a spate of bombings that targeted churches in iraqi cities in the past few years. Pope Benedict has condemned a series of attacks on Christians around Christmas in Africa and Asia. (Photo: Ali Jarekji, Reuters/CnS)
Christmas attacks against Christians condemned By John ThAviS
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OPE Benedict has deplored a series of deadly attacks against Christian churches and other targets around the world at Christmas time. The pope appealed for peace after bombs went off in churches in the Philippines and Nigeria, killing or wounding several worshippers. In Pakistan, a suicide bombing against a World Food Programme depot left at least 40 dead. “At this time of holy Christmas, the desire and the pleas for peace have become still more intense. But our world continues to be marked by violence, especially against the disciples of Christ,” the pope said at his noon blessing at the Vatican. The pope said he had learned with “great sadness” of the bombing during Christmas Mass at a Catholic chapel on the Filipino island of Jolo, where Muslim extremist groups have been active. The blast injured the local priest and eight others.
He also condemned the violence on Christmas Eve against Christian churches in Nigeria, where petrol bombs against three places of worship left at least six people dead, including a Baptist pastor. Authorities said they suspected an Islamist sect in the violence. “The earth has also been stained with blood in other parts of the world, like Pakistan,” the pope said. “I wish to express my heartfelt condolences for the victims of this absurd violence. Once again I make an appeal to abandon the path of hatred in order to find peaceful solutions to conflicts and bring security and tranquility to these dear populations,” he said. “Let us remember all those, in particular families, who are forced to abandon their homes because of war, violence and intolerance,” he said. He asked for prayers so that “the Lord may touch people’s hearts and bring hope, reconciliation and peace”.—CNS
HE newly appointed archbishop of Pretoria has said that he will first focus on evangelisation, ongoing formation and family and marriage life. Bishop William Slattery, a 67-year-old Franciscan who has headed the diocese of Kokstad since 1994, said that in the long term he hopes to focus on the priests of the diocese, who lead “very demanding lives today and need more support”. He also said it was necessary to find and encourage good will in the “fine people of Pretoria” and to ensure that education through various means including homebased care was available. He plans to give special attention to the youth. “There is no Catholic culture in South Africa today,” he said, pointing out that the number of Catholic children in Catholic schools had decreased. Bishop Slattery said while it will be a long time before any big changes could be made, what he most wants to encourage was the concept of “belonging”. “The people of Pretoria need to belong to the Church and belong to each other. God wants us to belong to him and each other. We need to embrace each other and encourage belonging.” The archbishop-designate is no stranger to Pretoria: he served as rector of St John Vianney Seminary in Waterkloof from 1984-91. While Pretoria, which had been vacant for a year following the sudden resignation of Archbishop Paul Mandla Khumalo in December 2009, gains a new archbishop, it is losing one of its most senior priests to the diocese of Kimberley. Mgr Abel Gabuza, apostolic administrator of the archdiocese since Archbishop Khumalo’s resignation, has been appointed bishop of the Kimberley diocese, which covers parts of the Northern Cape and the North West, including Mafikeng. Bishop-designate Gabuza said the announcement of his elevation came as a surprise. When the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop James Patrick Green told him that Bishop Slattery had been appointed archbishop, Mgr Gabuza said he was relieved that a replacement had been found. Thinking that he would now be placed in a parish, the former vicar-general of Pretoria said he was “stunned and humbled” by his appointment as bishop of Kimberley. He was “humbled by the fact the Church has confidence in me”, and dedicated the appointment to his late mother who he said was instrumental in his faith journey. The 55-year-old bishop-elect has served the Church in several functions since his ordination in December 1984. Apart from serving as pastor in several parishes and as vicar-general since 1999, he also lectured at three seminaries, and served South Africa’s orientation seminaries in Pretoria and Cape Town as rector from 1991-94.
Bishop William Slattery (left) has been appointed archbishop of Pretoria, and Mgr Abel Gabuza bishop of Kimberley. Speaking of his first priority as bishop of Kimberley, Mgr Gabuza said: “It seems logical and respectable to say that I wish to spend more time with the clergy, religious and laity, introducing myself and listening to them so that together we can draw a plan for the diocese,” Mgr Gabuza said. “We should be able to work together inspired by the vision of our Lord and our particular needs as a Church in South Africa so that we have the strength to critically examine our pastoral and apostolic methods.” Mgr Gabuza will continue to serve as Pretoria’s apostolic administrator until Archbishop-designate Slattery is installed in the first half of February. He will then be installed in Kimberley. Archbishop-designate Slattery said his transfer would be difficult, having been “connected to the people and priests of Kokstad for 18 years”, but added that he was looking forward to making a difference in such an “important archdiocese”. Archbishop designate Slattery said he had hoped a South African-born archbishop would be installed. However, he said, his 40 years in the country would help him resolve the difficulties in Pretoria. “It’s a bigger diocese with more people and far more urban than Kokstad, however there have been many successful projects over the years in Kokstad that Pretoria can benefit from,” he said. Bishop Slattery will also assume the position of Military Ordinary for the South African Defence Force, where he hopes to encourage a spirit of service among the police, soldiers and prison wardens who, in turn, can “inspire and enrich others through their acts of service”. Both leaders stated the importance of developing a relationship with those already in the dioceses. Mgr Gabuza said he will “honour the reality [of] coming to an area that has a long history”. He said he was willing to sit and learn at the feet of the “many great men and women” in the diocese. He succeeds Bishop Erwin Hecht, who was Southern Africa’s longest-serving bishop when he retired in early 2010, having headed Kimberley diocese since 1972.
Pope had a lunch of lasagna and veal with Rome’s poor By John ThAviS
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OPE Benedict hosted more than 350 poor people at a post-Christmas luncheon at the Vatican, an event that marked the year-long 100th anniversary celebrations of the birth of Bl Mother Teresa of Calcutta in August 2010. The pope passed among the guests in the crowded atrium of the Vatican audience hall then sat down at a table with 14
others for a three-course meal that featured lasagna, roast veal with potatoes and the classic Italian pandoro Christmas cake—this one with melted chocolate and Chantilly cream. When the pope arrived, the guests placed a garland of white and yellow flowers around his neck, a tradition of India that was adopted by Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity. Most of the guests were poor people
served at soup kitchens run by the Missionaries of Charity in Rome and the surrounding area. Also in attendance were more than 100 sisters and brothers of the religious order. In a talk after the meal, the pope told the guests that he loved them and prayed for them. He said Mother Teresa’s life was an example of charity in action, with a preference for the poorest and those abandoned by the rest of society.
“To so many men and women living in situations of poverty and suffering, she offered the consolation and the certainty that God does not abandon anyone, ever!” he said. The pope thanked the Missionaries of Charity for carrying on her work, and said their actions demonstrated that true joy is found in sharing, giving and loving in a way that “breaks the logic of human selfishness”.—CNS