The
S outhern C ross
April 23 to April 29, 2014
Reg No. 1920/002058/06
Seven Hills of Jesus lead us to heaven
No 4870
Page 2
www.scross.co.za
ELECTION 2014: Easter hope for South Africa
P
OPE Francis is very passionate about combatting human trafficking, according to a South African priest who took part in a Rome international conference on the trade in people, which was addressed by the pope. Fr Peter-John Pearson, director of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO), said that “human trafficking is definitely getting worse”. He said the pope called it “a crime against humanity” that requires continued global and local cooperation between the Catholic Church and law enforcement. At one point Pope Francis departed from his prepared speech and exclaimed: “Basta! Basta!”, meaning “Enough is enough”. The pope spoke to 120 participants in the conference, representing national and international police agencies, women and men religious and humanitarian workers aiding victims. It was the second such conference to be organised by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. The twin strategies of police cracking down on the criminals behind trafficking and Church and social workers aiding victims “are quite important”, the pope said, and “can and must go together”. “The emphasis of the gathering was on engagement at a law enforcement and policy making framework,” said Fr Pearson. He said that while South Africa does have legislation on human trafficking, it has not been implemented. Meanwhile, many more countries have no laws at all to address human trafficking. “This makes it difficult to catch criminals, to punish them, and to compensate victims— not that one could ever compensate for the psychological trauma the victims go through,” Fr Pearson said. South Africa is known to be both an importer and exporter of slave labour, as well as a point of transit in trafficking. Trafficking also takes place internally, usually from rural to urban areas. Fr Pearson said the engagement in Rome was helpful for the CPLO which works in advocacy; those present were able to share insights. Three of the four victims attending the conference also spoke to the assembly about
Professor on Pope Francis’ leadership style
Page 7
Modern slavery: ‘Enough!’, says the Church By CAROl GlATz & ClAIRe MAThIeSON
R7,00 (incl VAT RSA)
Page 5
Get your Canonisation Poster!
On page 10 this week we publish a special commemorative poster of Bl Popes John XXIII and John Paul II to mark their canonisation on April 27. See also pages 8-9 for articles on the two new saints, and see who the ten most remarkable pope-saints are. For a wide selection of articles on Bl John XXIII and John Paul II visit
www.scross.co.za/category/ papal-canonisation/
how they fell into in the snares of criminal gangs and escaped from their ruthless traffickers. A woman from Hungary told attendees how her own sister had sold her into slavery. She was separated from her 2-year-old daughter and was even “traded for a car” by her traffickers. She was abused, beaten and bullied by the family housing her, including the family’s 3year-old boy, she said. For three years she was forced to prostitute herself 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
T
he conference focused on showcasing a joint initiative between police and the Church that began in London three years ago; it’s a model the British bishops hope will be copied and adopted around the world. Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland of Scotland Yard’s trafficking and organised crime unit explained in his talk how, when the police conduct raids on suspected brothels and potential crime scenes, they have groups of nuns speak with the women found inside because the women often don’t want to talk to the police, but they do open up to the sisters. The sisters pass on to police additional testimony they receive from the women while they are living under the sisters’ care. Disclosures of rape and other crimes “led to immediate arrests” and the identification of perpetrators, as well as brought down a major trafficking ring, he said. Sacred Heart Sister Florence Nwaonuma of Nigeria told the conference that because the world’s religious sisters are on the ground with the people, “we know exactly what is happening” when it comes to victims, clients and traffickers. “But we need the empowerment to challenge these unjust structures that are pushing our women out of Nigeria,” and they need more vocations to religious life “so we can continue our work”. Another Sacred Heart sister from Nigeria, identified as Sr Antonia, asked participants to think of ways the Church can help the men seeking prostitutes. “Most clients are Catholics and family men, even teenagers,” she said. She called for approaches that would help men see “that they are using these girls and that they are not objects”. She and other religious said as long as
The
Pope John Paul II embraces Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio after presenting the new cardinal with a red biretta at the Vatican on February 21, 2001. It was the Polish pontiff’s choice of cardinals that would help set the stage for last year’s election of Cardinal Bergoglio as Pope Francis, who will now canonise his predecessor. (Photo: Reuters/CNS)
nothing is done to amend the poverty and injustice that is rendering people more vulnerable to traffickers, the supply of people for sale will never end. Ronald Noble, secretary-general of Interpol, said modern-day slavery is a huge business. The United Nations estimates 2,4 million people are trafficked at any given time and generate $32 billion (R360 billion) in annual profits for criminals. But he said, it’s the real human being, “a name, a face, a voice crying for help,” that should move people into action, not the statistics. Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster said: “Only 1% of people in slavery are identi-
fied and rescued.” Even while one life is saved, there are still millions of women, men and children in the grips of traffickers. “We need legislation, concrete action and robust funding” to do more, he added. Human trafficking has long been a concern to Pope Francis. As Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, he held annual open-air Masses for and with victims of human trafficking. In his homilies, he denounced their oppressors, as he did in 2010 when he condemned the “great mafia of very elegant people”—the traffickers and those who profit from the illegal trade—whose “money is stained with blood”.
Southern Cross & Archbishop William Slattery invite you to a special pilgrimage to
HOLY LAND • ROME • TURIN Rare chance to view Shroud of Turin! 7-21 May 2015
Jerusalem | Bethlehem | Nazareth | Boatride on Sea of Gailee | River Jordan | Turin with reserved viewing of the Holy Shroud | Florence | Papal Audience in the Vatican |Sistine Chapel | Catacombs | Ancient & Baroque Rome | Four Major Basilicas | and much more...
For info or to book phone Gail at 076 352 3809 or 021 551 3923 info@fowlertours.co.za www.fowlertours.co.za