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LOCAL
The Southern Cross, December 12 to December 18, 2012
Papal medal awarded to education stalwart BY CLAIRE MATHIESON
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Mgr Brendan Deenihan, apostolic administrator of Port Elizabeth, blesses the new cross for St Peter Claver’s church in East London as part of the memorial Mass for Sr Aidan Quinlan, who died in a riot 60 years ago.
60th anniversary of loss BY CLAIRE MATHIESON
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ATHOLICS in East London have commemorated the 60th anniversary of the “tragic and cruel death” of Dominican Sister Aidan Quinlan. Sr Quinlan was a medical doctor and in charge of the clinic in Duncan Village in East London. “She lived in the community and dedicated herself totally to attending to the sick and poor of the area,” said Sr Aloysia Zellmann OP. The Dominican lost her life returning home one day when a rioting crowd stoned her car, overturned it and set it alight. “Sr Aidan, Dr Elsie Quinlan as she was known to the people, died in the flames. Her charred remains were recovered later and buried from Immaculate Conception
Church,” said Sr Zellmann. In recognition of the religious sister and others who lost their lives in November 1952, a special service was held in the chapel of Emmaus convent, Cambridge. “A motorcade procession, accompanied by some relics of Sr Aidan, stopped at the street corner where she had met her death,” said Sr Zellmann. The relics included her rosary which had been burned into some of her finger bones. Mgr Brendan Deenihan, apostolic administrator of the diocese of Port Elizabeth, led a prayer service at the site. The procession continued to St Peter Claver’s parish church in Duncan Village. Zuko Blauw, the initiator of the commemoration event, invited all
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present to view the relics. “This was indeed the most moving part of the event; people remembering, grieving, praying for healing and reconciliation, and also expressing their gratitude and joy,” said Sr Zellmann. The Eucharist was attended by Bishop Sithembele Sipuka of Mthatha, priests and deacons, with Mgr Deenihan the main celebrant. After Mass, the apostolic administrator blessed a new tall cross with the corpus of Jesus from the original cross destroyed in the fire. “This cross will be erected in the churchyard of St Peter Claver’s, and together with the peace monument of 2002 will proclaim that in Jesus Christ forgiveness, reconciliation and peace are made accessible and possible in our broken society,” said Sr Zellmann.
AUL FALLER of the Catholic Institute of Education (CIE) has been awarded a papal medal for his work in promoting religious education in Catholic schools around the country. For the past 19 years, Mr Faller has served the CIE as the national coordinator of religious education, where he established a resource base for religious education. He also encouraged a professional approach to the subject. Mr Faller was presented with the Bene Merenti medal by Bishop Kevin Dowling of Rustenburg, the liaison bishop for education, at a special Mass. CIE director Mark Potterton said Mr Faller had made a “tremendous contribution to Catholic education”. “It is Paul’s contribution to religious education that is remarkable,” he said. “Paul helped develop the policy for religious education in the country. He developed a primary school curriculum and strengthened the high school one. Paul and his team have also developed lesson plans for all grades.” Mr Potterton said Mr Faller had played a key role on the ministerial committee in South Africa where he tried to influence the shape of the religious education policy of the nation. Mr Faller had developed a one-year religious education course for teachers and
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E apologise for supplying the incorrect website for the South African Catholic Youth Leaders Conference to be held in
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Cape Town in 2013 in the November 28 issue. The correct address is www.sacyltc.co.za. For more information email sacyltc@gmail.com.
Canon Law Society of Southern Africa
The Chancery, 3 Saratoga Ave, Johannesburg. Private Bag X10, Doornfontein 2028
www.cpsmariannhill.org.za
www.ohagan.co.za
Provincialates Eastern Cape Mariannhill PO Box 261, Mthatha, PO Box 10487, Ashwood 3605 . 5099 EC Tel: 031 700 3767 Tel: 047 535 0701
VIVA SAFARIS (Member of SATSA)
SCHEDULED DAILY SAFARIS TO KRUGER PARK Fly-in and overland tours. See www.vivasafaris.com Who are the Norbertines? To misquote William Shakespeare: “A rose by any other name smells just as sweet”
Viva Safaris is engaged with 4 projects aimed at the upliftment of the Acornhoek community, including the COMBONI MISSIONARIES’ OUTSTATION Father Xico with partially completed church building
082 450 9930 Trevor 082 444 7654 Piero 082 506 9641 Anthony
Tel.: +27 11 402 6400 tribunal@catholicjhb.org.za Fax: +27 86 689 26633 We invite all interested people to join the Canon Law Society of Southern Africa and ask all members to send us their names and contact details with a view to our 2013 Canon Law Conference as our records have been lost and we would like to reconstruct our database of membership.
Contact: Marieke Vrugtman (secretary), see contact details above or 082 399 1419.
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Reservations:
catechists in addition to an advanced certificate course and a bachelor of education (hons) course at St Augustine College. Mr Faller also launched a professional society for religious education teachers. The papal medal recipient has taught at various schools in different dioceses including Pretoria and Kimberley. In 1992, Mr Faller was approached to form part of a twoman team to support staff, board and student groups in the 13 Christian Brothers schools in South Africa and Zimbabwe. A year later, he joined the CIE. Mr Faller is married to Gail Steyn, a paediatric rheumatologist. They have one son, Jonathan, who attends De La Salle Holy Cross College in Victory Park.
Youth leaders’ website correction
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www.volunteersafaris.co.za
Papal medal recipient Paul Faller, with his wife Gail, son Jonathan and Bishop Kevin Dowling.
For further info, contact: Vocations Director, St Norbert’s Priory PO Box 48106, Kommetjie, 7976 (Cape Town) OR Tel 021 783 1768 Fax 021 783 3742