130821 by The Southern Cross

The

S outher n C ross www.scross.co.za

August 21 to August 27, 2013

To read the Bible with purpose

No 4837

Pope Francis and the football stars

Ntabeni on a conversion in judgment

Page 10

R6,00 (incl VAT RSA)

Reg No. 1920/002058/06

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Page 7

Call to seek new ways of elections STAFF REPORTER

Southern Cross news editor Claire Mathieson married Ross van der Pas at Nazareth House chapel in Cape Town. Fr Peter-John Pearson officiated, reportedly the only nuptials the vicargeneral of Cape Town archdiocese could fit into his schedule this year. (Photo: Sydney Duval)

Catholic Church’s grand old dame dies at 108 T STAFF REPORTER

HE mother of Radio Veritas director Fr Emil Blaser and reportedly Cape Town’s oldest resident has died two months short of her 109th birthday. Margherita Blaser, who was born in Cape Town on October 14, 1904 of Italian parents, never recovered from surgery after she broke a femur in a fall in the Nazareth House retirement home. She died at Christiaan Barnard hospital on August 11. Mrs Blaser grew up on a farm in Philippi. “She knew it before the days of tarred roads, telephones, electricity, radio, television, and cars—all the things we take for granted,” Fr Blaser said. “She used to come by ox wagon to Claremont for piano and singing lessons with Albina Bini. She lived through the Spanish plague and two world wars. She knew the old Cape Town that we never think of,” he said. She and her husband John, who had come from Switzerland in 1921 to help set up the Bally shoe factory, had four children: Gita, Inez, Emil and Walter. In 1947 the family moved to Claremont, where they ran the Swiss Café on Lansdowne Road. Mrs Blaser eventually opened a dress shop, specialising in wedding dresses, and then a restaurant, Capri.

“She was also an accomplished cook and many will testify to her cuisine, especially her pasta,” Fr Blaser recalled. Mrs Blaser always ate healthily and often said: “We dig our graves with our teeth!” She ate no beef or dairy, and never drank or smoked. When 40 years Margherita Blaser on her ago she was diag- 108th birthday last year. nosed with arthritis, she was introduced to a naturopath who put her on a diet. She never had arthritis again. Mrs Blaser’s great love was her garden and anything bio-degradable was buried there. A prize-winner for her gardening, she was a life member of the Cape Horticultural Society. She was loyal to the Church and a faithful member of the Catholic Women’s League, which she served especially through her cooking at functions. She faithfully attended Mass on Sundays Continued on page 11

CATHOLIC political analyst has described a recent call by a government minister for electoral changes as “significant”. Mike Pothier, project coordinator of the bishops’ Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO) commented on a call by Arts and Culture minister Paul Mashatile to propose a change in the way we elect MPs. Electoral reform in South Africa was suggested more than ten years ago; the report drawn up by the Slabbert Commission for President Thabo Mbeki was never published for debate. When the Democratic Alliance tabled a private members’ Bill on the issue earlier this year, the African National Congress chief whip rejected it. Mr Mashatile “has clearly identified the reasons why such a change is increasingly seen as necessary”, Mr Pothier said. The influential ANC minister said it is critical for parliament to be “in closer touch with the people”, and said there would be “more accountability once MPs are elected directly by constituencies”. Mr Mashatile is the first senior ANC leader to propose a change in the way we elect MPs. He is also the party’s Gauteng chairman and a former premier of the province. Mr Pothier said when the Constitution was first drafted, it was intended for the electoral system to be broadly proportional. “If Christians, or socialists, or environmentalists, want to get together as a block, launch a party and canvas support, the electoral system should be organised in such a way that these groups have a realistic chance of achieving representation in the legislature,” he said. This is achieved by the present propor-

tional representation system which awards parliamentary seats according to the percentage of votes parties receive in the general parliamentary election. Mr Pothier said this goal had been achieved and a number of small parties, including the African Christian Democratic Party, AZAPO and the Freedom Front + have maintained a presence in parliament due to the proportional representation system. Under a Westminster-style constituency system, in which voting precincts elect one candidate to represent them in parliament— these and most other parties would not make it to parliament at all. But, Mr Pothier said, proportional representation has several downsides: it separates MPs from the electorate and places them squarely under the control of party hierarchies; it diminishes accountability to the electorate; it potentially relegates parliament to a rubber-stamp for legislation and policy decided by the executive; and it blurs the separation of powers between executive and legislature. “The solution is a fairly obvious one: South Africa should adopt one of the many hybrid electoral systems that are used elsewhere in the world to combine the fairness and representativity of a proportional representative system with the better accountability and connectedness of a constituency system,” he said. “Whether a reduction in the present diversity of parliament, with fewer voices from sectoral minorities, would be a price worth paying for greater accountability and responsiveness on the part of MPs is the question that needs to be debated,” Mr Pothier said. “Mr Mashatile’s call hopefully signals that the governing party will soon be prepared to enter fully into that debate.”

Pope consoles murder victim’s brother

N Italian man who has struggled to forgive God after the murder of his brother recently received a personal phone call from Pope Francis, who offered him words of comfort. Michele Ferri, 51, was devastated when his brother, who owned several petroil stations in the city of Pesaro in northern Italy, was shot and killed by two employees last June. The employees are now serving prison sentences. After his brother’s death, he had written on his Facebook page: “I have always forgiven you for everything God, but not this time, this time I won't forgive you.” Overcome with grief and frustration, Mr Ferri wrote a letter to the pope, but never expected to receive a personal response.

This month, however, Mr Ferri “got an unexpected call”, according to the newspaper Il Messagero. After answering the phone, he heard the response: “Hi Michele, It's Pope Francis.” It was around that time that the 51 yearold Ferri wrote a letter to the Holy Father. He was shocked to receive a phone call from Pope Francis, and initially thought it was a prank. However, his disbelief turned into excitement as the caller began referencing the contents of the private letter, which no one else would have known. Fr Mario Amadeo, the pastor at Mr Ferri's parish, said the pope's phone call was “a very beautiful act that testifies to the kindness and greatness of this pontiff”.—CNA

HOLY LAND YOUTH PILGRIMAGE 5 - 14 July 2014 Led by Fr SAMMY MABUSELA (SA national youth chaplain) Accompanied by Claire Mathieson of The Southern Cross

A TIME OF FAITH, FELLOWSHIP, FRIENDSHIP AND FUN!

For itinerary or to book phone Gail at 076 352 3809 or 021 551 3923 info@fowlertours.co.za www.fowlertours.co.za