2022 Bishops’ Lenten Appeal Contributions per Diocese in Rands
Aliwal 100 005
Bethlehem 113 092 Bloemfontein 110 303
Cape Town 1 144 548
De Aar 26 061
Dundee 119 148
Durban 939 210 Eshowe 66 495
Ingwavuma 62 715 Johannesburg 1 150 810
Keimoes-Upington 242 000 Kimberley 401 593
Klerksdorp 106 750
Kokstad 150 898
Kroonstad 81 646
Manzini 29 348
Mariannhill 238 201
Mthatha 295 175 Other 82 068
Oudtshoorn 111 554
Polokwane 39 378
Port Elizabeth 281 817
Pretoria 720 613
Queenstown 78 000
Rustenburg 212 081
St John Vianney Seminary 7 147
Tzaneen 89 814
Umzimkulu 61 170 Witbank 269 314
TOTAL: 7 330 955
The Bishops of Southern Africa thank you most warmly for your generous contributions to the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal in 2022, and appeal for your continued support in the Lenten Season 2023.
Your contributions make a big difference in the running of the Bishops’ projects and in supporting important Catholic programmes that serve the Church and the poor. The programmes that are funded by the Bishops’ Lenten Appeal make more concrete the “Good News”.
Account SACBC Lenten Appeal No. 010009744
Standard Bank Pretoria (010045)
You may also contribute to the Bishops’ Lenten Appeal by SMS.
SMS “Lent” and the name of your diocese to 40180 (SMS cost R20)
PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000 Tel: 083 233-1956 www.scross.co.za
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS: R Shields (chair), Bishop S Sipuka, Bishop S David OMI (alt), S Duval, E Jackson, B Jordan, C Mathieson, N Mpushe, Fr H O’Connor, R Perrier, D Shikwambana, G Stubbs
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OU R B R I G H T C O V E R T H I S m o n t h d e p i c t s a re v e l l e r i n a c o l o u r f u l c o s t u m e a t t h e C a r n i va l i n R i o L i ke t h e M a rd i G ra s i n N e w O r l e a n s , t h e c a r n i va l i n t h e B ra z i l i a n c i t y i s w o r l d - fa m o u s a n d ye t , m a ny p e o p l e d o n o t k n o w t h a t t h e s e c e l e b ra t i o n s h av e d e e p ro o t s i n t h e p ra c t i c e o f t h e C a t h o l i c fa i t h a s a p re - L e n t e n r i t u a l , a s w e re a d i n o u r fe a t u re o n p a g e s 2 4 - 2 5 .
O n e o f t h e m a ny d i s a d va nta ge s o f l i v i n g i n a co u nt r y w h e re t h e C at h o l i c fa i t h h a s n o c u l t u ra l i m p r i nt , s u c h a s S o u t h A f r i ca , i s t h at we a re n o t u s e d to t h e C at h o l i c s e a s o n s i n t h e way p e o p l e i n m a ny p a r t s o f E u ro p e o r L at i n A m e ri ca a re I n S o u t h A f r i ca , we h ave ca r n iva l s at a ny t i m e o f t h e ye a r a n d M a rd i G ra s o n we e ke n d s , w h i c h m a ke s a b o u t a s m u c h s e n s e a s h av i n g C h r i st m a s i n M ay o r G o o d F r i d ay o n a Tu e s d ay.
I s t h e re a way i n w h i c h we , a s C at h o l i c s , ca n re c l a i m ca r n i va l ? C o u l d we m a ke i t a t ra d i t i o n to h o l d o u r p a r i s h fo o d fa i rs , b a za a rs o r ga m e n i g ht s u n d e r t h e b a n n e r “ca r n i va l ” d u r i n g t h e a c t u a l ca r n i va l s e a s o n ? Pe r h a p s t h e re i s va l u e i n h av i n g a d i s c u s s i o n a b o u t t h e ways i n w h i c h we ca n e n h a n c e o u r C at h o l i c c u l t u re a n d i d e nt i t y b y p l u g g i n g i nto t h e ex p e r ie n c e s o f o u r co u nte r p a r t s i n t ra d i t i o na l l y C at h o l i c co u nt r i e s
la st m o nt h we fe at u re d a p i l g r i m a ge , o n m o to rc yc l e s , to p l a c e s a s s o c i ate d w i t h t h e M a r i a n n h i l l M i s s i o n a r i e s a n d t h e i r fo u n d e r, A b b o t F ra n z P fa n n e r T h i s m o nt h , a re a d e r w r i te s a b o u t h e r ex p er i e n c e o f m a k i n g a p i l g r i m a ge to t h e N o r t h e r n C a p e , w i t h t h e cat h e d ra l i n Pe l l a a p a r t i c u l a r h i g h l i g ht
G o d w h o d we l l s w i t h i n u s T h e b e n ef i t s o f p i lg r i m a ge , i f o n l y to l o ca l c h u rc h e s , a re ava i l a b l e to u s e ve n i f we d o n ’ t l e ave to w n M a ny p a r i s h e s k n o w t h at a n d m a ke g ro u p p i l g r i m a ge s o n fo o t to o t h e r p a r i s h e s o r p e r h a p s u p m o u nta i n s
th e C at h o l i c C h u rc h d o e s n o t h ave a p ro m i n e nt p ro f i l e i n S o u t h A f r i ca ’s p u b l i c l i fe , a n d w h e re t h e C h u rc h a n d i t s p e o p l e h ave m a d e a n i m p a c t , i t o f te n i s n ’ t ve r y we l l k n o w n H o w m a ny p e o p l e k n e w t h at D r B e n e d i c t V i l a ka z i a f te r w h o m S o we to ’s fa m o u s st re e t i s n a m e d wa s a C at h o l i c , b efo re h i s sto r y wa s to l d i n T h e S o u t h e r n C r o s s i n O c to b e r ?
A n d h o w m a ny p e o p l e , e ve n C at h o l i c s , k n o w t h at t h e Zo n d o Re p o r t i nto state ca p t u re wa s i n i t i ate d a s a re s u l t o f i nte r ve nt i o n b y t h e D o m i n i ca n O rd e r ? Eve n t h e l i fe ’s wo r k o f A rc hb i s h o p D e n i s H u r l ey, a g i a nt i n t h e st r u g g l e fo r j u st i c e a n d d e m o c ra c y i n S o u t h A f r i ca , te n d s to b e fo rgo tte n b y s e c u l a r s o c i e t y
I t i s i m p o r ta nt t h at t h e sto r i e s o f t h e C at h o l i c C h u rc h i n S o u t h A f r i ca a re b e i n g to l d . T h i s m o nt h , D r A n d re w J o h n s o n l o o ks b a c k at t h e h i sto r i c a nt ia p a r t h e i d m a rc h o n t h e U n i o n B u i l d i n g s i n P re to r i a b y st u d e nt s o f S t J o h n V i a n n ey S e m i n a r y i n 1 9 8 5 . A s o n e o f t h e o rga n i s e rs o f t h at p ro te st m a rc h , A n d re w h a s t h e i n s i d e t ra c k
H o w go o d i t i s fo r t h i s ye a r ’s co h o r t o f s e m i n a r i a n s at S t J o h n V i a n n ey to re a d a b o u t t h e co u ra ge o u s a c t i o n s o f t h o s e w h o ca m e b efo re t h e m i n c l u di n g t wo b i s h o p s a l m o st 4 0 ye a rs a go L e t a l l o f u s b e i n s p i re d b y t h e C h r i st i a n w i t n e s s o f o u r fe l l o w C at h o l i c s !
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1920/002058/06)
T h e s e a r t i c l e s m a ke a n i m p o r ta nt p o i nt : wo n d e r f u l , e n r i c h i n g a n d co mm e n d a b l e a s i t i s to m a ke a h o l y j o u rn ey to t h e H o l y L a n d o r L o u rd e s o r Ro m e , t h e re a re a l s o b e n ef i t s i n m a k i n g l o ca l p i l g r i m a ge s We h ave s p e c i a l h o l y s i te s i n S o u t h A f r i ca N go m e , N we l i , M a r i a n n h i l l b u t t h e t r u t h i s t h at a ny j o u r n ey m a d e w i t h t h e r i g ht s p i r i t u a l a n d p raye r f u l d i s p o s i t i o n i s a p i l g r i ma ge , a n d a s s u c h w i l l b r i n g u s c l o s e r to
T h a n k yo u fo r re a d i n g T h e S o u t h e r n C r o s s , a n d p l e a s e te l l yo u r f r i e n d s a b o u t yo u r m o nt h l y C at h o l i c m a ga z i n e . G o d b l e s s , Günther simmermacher (Editor)
In a pastoral letter titled “A Call to Conscience”, the bishops of Southern Africa say that witness to social justice must start with Church institutions and with individuals examining their own behaviour This demands attention to materialism, the evils of long-term migratory labour, the need to widen educational and economic opportunities, citizenship rights, and so on
The multiracial executive of Johannesburg’s newly-formed Justice and Peace Association has resigned en bloc over what it called Bishop Hugh Boyle’s “gross discourtesy typical of white racist attitudes” in his demand for the resignation of chairman Drake Koka, charges the bishop has rejected
Pope Paul VI has met with Cardinal JosephAlbert Malula of Kinshasa, who was expelled from Zaire by the regime of dictator Mobuto Sese Soko The Catholic weekly Christian Africa has also been banned by the government.
In an opinion article, Fr Aloysius Mandlenkhosi Zwane calls for a black bishop of Johannesburg to reflect the demographics of the city. [In 1976 Fr Zwane became bishop of Manzini; Johannesburg wouldn’t get a black ordinar y until 2002.]
P r e v i o u s “ F r o m T h e Va u l t s ” a r t i c l e s a t w w w. s c r o s s . c o . z a / v a u l t s
• The South African government announces that certificates of citizenship in the “homelands” are to be issued by seven homeland authorities in their respective capitals, in terms of the Bantu Homelands Citizenship Act of 1970
I r i s h O b l a t e F a t h e r A n t h o n y D a l t o n , w h o s e l o n g h a i r w a s t h e s u b j e c t o f d i s c u s s i o n i n t h e l e t t e r s p a g e [ F r D a l t o n , a r e m a r ka b l e s p o r t s m a n a n d m e d i a p e r s o na l i t y , d i e d i n A p r i l 1 9 8 4 a t 4 4 i n a h a n g - g l i d i n g a c c i d e n t ]
I n t h e s a m e i s s u e , T h e S o u t h e r n C r o s s n o t e d t h e l o n g h a i r o f O b l a t e F a t h e r M i c h a e l M a t u l o v i c ( w h o i s p i c t u r e d o n t h e f r o n t - p a g e ) i n t h e h e a d l i n e t o a n a r t i c l e o n h i s o r d i n a t i o n
• The UN Security Council adopts a resolution condemning apartheid and recognising the legitimacy of the struggle of the oppressed people of South Africa. The vote is 14 in favour, with one abstention, by France.
• Following the funerals in Derry, Northern Ireland, of 13 of the people killed by British paratroopers on “Bloody Sunday”, a crowd of 25 000 burn down the British embassy in Dublin
• Richard Nixon becomes first US president to visit communist China, meeting with Chairman Mao Zedong
• President Georges Pompidou of France and Chancellor Willy Brandt of West Germany jointly announce that the two nations have agreed to form an economic and monetary union
• The 1972 Winter Olympics are held in Sapporo, Japan
i s h o p J o h n F i t z g e r a l d o f B l o e m f o n t e i n , G e o r g e C h r i s t i e o f D u r b a n , S A C B C p r e s i d e n t C a r d i n a l O w e n M c C a n n , L o f t y O ’ B r i e n o f K i m b e r l e y , F r A n d r e E m b o O M I , A r c h b i s h o p D e n i s H u r l e y o f D u r b a n , a n d M r R M k h i z e o f D u r b a n
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U R d a u g h t e r s h o u l d c o n t a c t h e r p a r i s h p r i e s t a n d / o r d i o c e s a n m a r r i a g e t r i b u n a l o f f i c e r f o r g u i d a n c e T h e a n s w e r h i n g e s o n w h e t h e r y o u r s o n - i n - l a w ’ s f i r s t m a r r i a g e i s v a l i d i n C a t h o l i c C h u r c h l a w I f i t w a s c o n t r a c t e d i n c o u r t o r i n a n o t h e r s e tt i n g n o t r e c o g n i s e d a s e c c l e s i a s t i c a l l y v a l i d b y t h e C a t h o l i c C h u r c h a n d w i t h o u t t h e p e r m i s s i o n o f t h e C h u r c h , t h e n t h e s o l u t i o n m i g h t b e f a i r l y s i m p l e I n t h a t c a s e , y o u r d a u g h t e r o r h e r h u s b a n d w o u l d
n e e d t o o b t a i n a “ d e c l a r a t i o n o f n u ll i t y f o r a b s e n c e o f c a n o n i c a l f o r m ” .
T h i s c a n b e d o n e s i m p l y t h r o u g h t h e p a r i s h p r i e s t , a n d i n v o l v e s f i l l i n g i n a f o r m s t a t i n g d e t a i l s o f t h e p r e v io u s m a r r i a g e ( w h e r e , w h e n , w h o ) T h e p r i e s t t h e n s u b m i t s t h e f o r m t o t h e d i o c e s e w i t h a r e q u e s t f o r t h e d e c l a r a t i o n t h a t t h e e a r l i e r c e r e m o n y d i d n o t c o n s t i t u t e a v a l i d C a t h o l i c w e d d i n g . I t s h o u l d b e a q u i c k p r o c e s s ,
f i r s t w e d d i n g c e r e m o n y t o o k p l a c e i n a C a t h o l i c c h u r c h o r w a s o t h e r w i s e s a n c t i o n e d o r r e c o gn i s e d b y t h e C a t h o l i c C h u r c h , t h e n t h i n g s b e c o m e m o r e c o m p l ic a t e d I n t h a t e v e n t , p r o c e e d i n g s f o r a f u l l - s c a l e a n n u l m e n t m i g h t a v e t o b e i n s t i t u t e d b y h i m , i f t h e r e a r e g r o u n d s f o r t h a t E i t h e r w a y , p l e a s e u r g e y o u r d a u g h t e r t o a p p r o a c h h e r p a r i s h p r i e s t , w h o s h o u l d o f f e r h e r g u i d a n c e t o t h e b e s t w a y f o r w a r d
I t i s g o o d t h a t y o u r d a u g h t e r k e e p s u p a t t e n d i n g M a s s S h e a n d o t h e r s i n h e r s i t u a t i o n m a y g o u p a t C o m m u n i o n t i m e t o r e c e i v e a b l e s si n g i n s t e a d o f t h e s a c r a m e n t T h e g r a c e o f G o d n e v e r f a i l s t h o s e i n g o o d f a i t h
Q . I n M a t t h e w ’ s G o s p e l , J e s u s w a r n s u s : “ T a k e c a r e n o t t o p e rf o r m r i g h t e o u s d e e d s i n o r d e r t h a t p e o p l e m a y s e e t h e m . ” A f e w v e r s e s l a t e r , h e s a y s : “ W h e n y o u p r a y , d o n o t b e l i k e t h e h y p o c r i t e s , f o r t h e y l o v e t o p r a y s t a n d i n g i n t h e s y n a g o g u e s a n d o n t h e s t r e e t c o r n e r s t o b e s e e n b y m e n ” ( 6 : 1 - 5 ) B u t a t o t h e r t i m e s w e h a v e b e e n t o l d t h a t w e a r i n g t h e a s h e s w e r e c e i v e o n o u r f o r eh e a d s o n A s h W e d n e s d a y f o r t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e d a y r em i n d s u s a n d t h o s e w e m e e t o f t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e L e n t e n s e a s o n , a n d t h a t i t ’ s a g o o d w a y o f e v a n g e l i s i n g o t h e r s , e sp e c i a l l y i n S o u t h A f r i c a , w h e r e C a t h o l i c s a r e i n a m i n o r i t y S o s h o u l d w e w e a r o u r a s h e s a l l d a y , o r n o t ?
TH E R E I S N O R U L E T H A T d e m a n d s t h a t y o u m u s t w e a r t h e a s h e s a l l d a y , b u t i t i s g o o d t o d o s o T h e p a s s a g e s y o u q u o t e a r e
t a k e n f r o m C h r i s t ’ s S e r m o n o n t h e M o u n t , a n d e a r l i e r i n t h a t s a m e s e r m o n , J e s u s a l s o s a y s : “ Y o u r l i g h t m u s t s h i n e b e f o r e o t h e r s , t h a t t h e y m a y s e e y o u r g o o d d e e d s a n d g l or i f y y o u r h e a v e n l y F a t h e r ” ( 5 : 1 6 ) I t a l l h a s t o d o w i t h m o t i v at i o n ; w h a t J e s u s r u l e s o u t i s w e a ri n g a s h e s “ t o w i n t h e p r a i s e o f
o t h e r s ” ( 6 : 2 ) B u t t h a t ’ s n o t w h y y o u a r e w e a r i n g t h e m ; y o u r g o a l , i n s t e a d , i s t o h a v e p e o p l e l o o k a t y o u r f o r e h e a d a n d w o n d e r w h a t i t m e a n s .
T h e a s h e s s e r v e f i r s t a s a s i g n o f r e p e n t a n c e ; i n t h e e a r l y C h u r c h , c o n v e r t s w h o w e r e r e c e i v e d i n t o t h e C h u r c h a t E a s t e r w e r e s p r i n k l e d w i t h a s h e s d u r i n g L e n t a s a s i g n o f t h e i r n e e d f o r f o r g i v e n e s s W e a r e n o t p e r f e c t p e o p l e ; a l l o f u s s t a n d i n n e e d o f G o d ’ s m e r c y S e c o n d , t h e a s h e s i n d ic a t e o u r m o r t a l i t y t h e f a c t t h a t o u r b o d i e s w i l l o n e d a y r e t u r n t o t h e d u s t o f t h e e a r t h W h e n w o r n f o r t h e r i g h t r e a s o n s , a s h e s w i t n e s s p u b l i c l y t o o u r b e l i e f M a t t h e w ’ s G o s p e l d i s c o u r a g e s n o t t h e o u t w a r d s h o w o f f a i t h b u t t h e i n t e r i o r p r i d e t h a t c o u l d u n d e r m i n e i t A s y o u n o t e , t h e a s h e s c a n s o m e t i m e s l e a d t o a d i s c u s s i o n a b o u t t h e i r m e a n i n g , a n d t h a t i s s u r e l y a w o r t h y o u t c o m e .
Q I n t h e s a c r a m e n t o f R e c o n c i l i a t i o n , o u r p a r i s h p r i e s t d o e s n o t u s e t h e s a m e w o r d s o f a b s o l u t i o n u s e d b y e v e r y o t h e r p r i e s t t o w h o m I ’ v e c o nf e s s e d : “ G o d t h e F a t h e r o f m e r c i e s ” I n s t e a d , h e s a y s : “ B y m y a u t h o r i t y , I a b s o l v e y o u f r o m y o u r s i n s i n t h e n a m e o f t h e F a t h e r a n d o f t h e S o n a n d o f t h e H o l y S p i r i t ” I s t h a t f o r m o f t h e w o r d s o f a b s o l u t i o n p e r m i s s ib l e ? I f n o t , d o e s t h i s i n v a l i d a t e t h e s a c r a m e n t ?
R e c o n c i l i a t i o n t o b e v a l i d , t h e p e n i t e n t m u s t b e c o n t r i t e a n d h a s t o c o n f e s s h i s o r h e r s i n s T h e p e n i t e n t m u s t b e p r e p a r e d t o u n d e r t a k e s o m e p e n a n c e , u n i t i n g t h i s t o t h e r e d e m p t i v e w o r k o f C h r i s t L a s t l y , t h e w o r d s o f a b s o l ut i o n m u s t b e p r o n o u n c e d
C o m m e n t a r i e s o n t h e C o d e o f C a n o n L a w m a k e a d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e i n t e g r a l f o r m o f s a c r am e n t a l a b s o l u t i o n a n d t h e w o r d s n e c e s s a r y f o r v a l i d i t y . T h e i n t e g r a l f o r m , b e g i n n i n g “ G o d t h e F a t h e r o f m e r c i e s ” , i s a l s o c a l l e d t h e “ e n t i r e
f o r m o f a b s o l u t i o n ” a n d s h o u l d b e u s e d i n a l l o r d i n a r y c i r c u m s t a n c e s T h e e s s e n t i a l w o r d s w h i c h s t a r t “ I a b s o l v e y o u ” m a y b e u s e d i n a n e m e r g e n c y s i t u a t i o n
T h e C h u r c h p r e f e r s t h a t w e u s e
t h e e n t i r e f o r m u l a s i n c e i t m a k e s c l e a r t h a t f o r g i v e n e s s c o m e s f r o m G o d t h e F a t h e r , t h r o u g h t h e d e a t h a n d r e s u r r e c t i o n o f C h r i s t a n d t h e o u t p o u r i n g o f t h e H o l y S p i r i t I t i s n o t t h e C h u r c h n o r i t s m i n i s t e r w h o f o r g i v e s : t h e p r i e s t a c t s a s a c h a n n e l f o r G o d ’ s g r a c e
A s l o n g a s y o u r p r i e s t s p e a k s a l l t h e w o r d s f r o m “ I a b s o l v e y o u ” , y o u c a n b e a s s u r e d t h a t y o u h a v e r ec e i v e d s a c r a m e n t a l a b s o l u t i o n . A t t h e s a m e t i m e , h o w e v e r , h e s h o u l d n o t b e s a y i n g “ B y m y a u t h o r i t y ” , s i n c e h e h a s n o a u t h o r i t y o f h i s o w n .
(Fr Thomas Plastow SJ)WH E N W E R E C E I V E
o u r a s h e s o n A s h We d n e s d a y, F e b r u a r y 2 2 , w e w i l l e n t e r t h e s e a s o n o f L e n t . F o r m o r e t h a n h a l f a c e n t u r y, t h e a n n u a l B i s h o p ’ L e n t e n A p p e a l h a s b e e n a n i n s t i t u t i o n i n t h e S o u t h e r n A f r i c a n C a t h o l i c C h u rc h , a n d i t i s h a r d t o t h i n k o f a n a r e a o f C h u rc h l i f e t h a t d o e s n o t b e n e f i t f r o m t h e L e n t e n s a c r i f i c e s o f C a t h o l i c s a c r o s s t h e r e g i o n
During Lent the predominant colour is purple, from the priest’s vestments which represent the traditional colour of repentance. The Lenten Sacrificium posters, the mite boxes, stickers and the envelopes all remind us that this is a time of penance in preparation for the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus at Easter.
T h e S o u t h e r n A f r i c a n C h u rc h h a s a n d c o n t i n u e s t o r e l y o n m i s s i o n a r i e s f r o m o u t s i d e i t s b o r d e r s a s w e l l a s f u n d s f r o m o t h e r c o u n t r i e s A c h a l l e n g e t o e a c h o n e o f u s i s t o r ef l e c t o n h o w t h e l o c a l C h u rc h c a n b e c o m e m o r e s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t . T h i s w o u l d m e a n m o r e l o c a l v o c a t i o n s t o t h e p r i e s t h o o d a n d r e l i g i o u s l i f e a s w e l l a s a g r e a t e r f i n a n c i a l c o n t r i b ut i o n f o r t h e w o r k o f t h e C h u rc h
T h e C a t h o l i c c h u rc h e s a n d i n s t it u t i o n s t h a t w e e n j o y t o d a y w e r e b u i l t o n t h e s a c r i f i c e s o f p a s t g e n e r at i o n s I t i s t i m e n o w t h a t w e d o s o m e t h i n g f o r o u r s e l v e s a n d f o r f ut u r e g e n e r a t i o n s
FOWLER
T h e t h r e e p i l l a r s o f t h e p e n i t e nt i a l s e a s o n o f L e n t a r e p r a y e r, f a s t i n g a n d a l m s g i v i n g .
P r a y e r i s m a k i n g m o r e s p a c e i n o u r l i v e s f o r G o d P e r s o n a l p r a y e r a n d c o m m u n i t y p r a y e r a r e b o t h i m p o r t a n t P r a y e r o f f e r s u s a n o p p o rt u n i t y t o g r o w i n o u r r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h G o d a n d t o d e e p e n o u r c o m m i tm e n t t o a w a y o f l i f e , r o o t e d i n o u r b a p t i s m . P r a y e r p r o v i d e s u s w i t h a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o r e f l e c t u p o n o u r p a tt e r n s a n d s i n s We s h o u l d p r a y m o r e d e e p l y, e x p e r i e n c e s o r r o w f o r w h a t w e h a v e d o n e a n d f a i l e d t o d o , a n d t o b e g e n e r o u s t o t h o s e i n n e e d
F a s t i n g i s n o t a b o u t g o i n g o n a d i e t , o f s i m p l y g i v i n g u p t h e e x t r a s . L e n t i s a b o u t b e i n g a w a r e o f w h a t
I u s e a n d h o w I u s e m y t i m e a n d e n e r g y. I t i s a b o u t r e f l e c t i n g o n h o w I c a n s a c r i f i c e m y l i k e s a n d d e s i r e s s o t h a t I c a n r e p l a c e m y s o m e t i m e s s e l f i s h w a n t s a n d n e e d s w i t h s e r v i c e t o G o d a n d t o o t h e r s I w a n t t o l i v e s i m p l y s o t h a t o t h e r s m a y s i m p l y l i v e
T h e L e n t e n c a l l t o A l m s g i v i n g m e a n s m a k i n g o t h e r p e o p l e ’s n e e d s m y o w n . T h e L e n t e n A p p e a l c o l l e ct i o n i s a w a y t o d o t h i s T h e m o n e y c o l l e c t e d f r o m t h e a n n u a l L e n t e n A p p e a l g o e s t o h e l p t h e w i d e r C h u rc h c o m m u n i t y i n a n u m b e r o f w a y s .
W h a t d o e s t h e L e n t e n A p p e a l c o l l e c t i o n s u p p o r t ? I t d i r e c t l y a n d i n d i r e c t l y s u p p o r t s w o r k s o f c h a r i t y i n d i o c e s e s i n v o l v i n g f e e d i n g s c h e m e s , e l d e r l y i n n e e d a n d v u l n e r a b l e c h i l d r e n ; e d u c a t i o n a l o u t r e a c h e s i n c l u d i n g c a t e c h e s i s ; t h e t r a i n i n g o f p r i e s t s ; J u s t i c e a n d P e a c e ; y o u t h m i n i s t r y ; s p e c i a l i s e d m i n i s t r i e s s u c h a s t h o s e s e r v i n g t h e d e a f ; a s w e l l a s t h e o f f i c e s h e l p i n g t o c o o r d i n a t e t h i s w o r k i n t h e S o u t h e r n A f r i c a n C h u rc h
T h a n k y o u f o r a l l y o u r s u p p o r t i n 2 0 2 2 ( s e e p a g e 2 f o r d e t a i l s ) V i s i t t h e S A C B C F a c e b o o k p a g e o r s a c b c o r g z a d u r i n g t h i s L e n t a n d t u n e i n t o t h e d a i l y L e n t e n r e f l e c t i o n . F r H u g h O ’ C o n n o r i s t h e s e c r e t a r yg e n e r a l o f t h e S o u t h e r n A f r i c a n C a t h o l i c B i s h o p s ’ C o n f e r e n c e
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IF YOU NEED TO KNOW WHO THE BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE
of, say, De Aar was in 1966 and who consecrated him, or who the oldest-living cardinal is, the website Catholic-Hierarchy org is an invaluable resource and it started 25 years ago as a self-teaching project by a single Catholic
David Cheney has a fulltime computer support job, loves to travel, and belongs to a Catholic parish in a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri The 56-year-old started Catholic-Hierarchy org, which includes current and historical data for the Church’s hierarchy, in part because the information is not available anywhere else.
The website, which now attracts 600 000 visits from almost e v e r y c o u n t r y i n t h e w o r l d , s t a r t e d o u t a s a s i m p l e p r o j e c t t o teach himself web design, Cheney said In the late 1990s he was working at a Texas university, “running the computers for the economics department and I needed a project to start learning web skills At the time I counted six dioceses around the world that had websites,” Cheney said “That was it So I started just playing with” data about bishops.
In 1997, Cheney created an experimental database consisting of three webpages “Who’s New,” “Open Sees”, and “Age Limit” for current bishops of the United States At the time, he maintained ever ything manually. Things took off from there. Cheney has a relative a former abbess of a religious order who lives in Guatemala whom he visited This led him to expand the website to include Canada, Mexico and Central America.
The next addition, Cheney explained, came from Lima, Peru. Someone at the Spanish-language Catholic news ser vice ACI Prensa “was kind enough to give me an Excel spreadsheet that had all the current bishops of South America”. At that point, Cheney thought: “Why not go all the way?”, and expanded it to the world On May 10, 2002, the Catholic-Hierarchy org web domain was born
W h e n h e s t a r t e d o u t , b a c k i n 1 9 9 7 , C h e n e y h a d n o i d e a how complicated the hierarchy of the Catholic Church was “I was of course interested in the Church and had been involved in my local parishes and stuff, but I did not realise the complexity ” Now, 25 years later, he said it has been interesting to learn “just how interconnected the Church is” and to see the development of dioceses and Church territories over time.
C h e n e y s a i d h e r e a d s t h e n e w s b u l l e t i n f r o m t h e Va t i c a n ever y day to know which new bishops the pope has appointed, o r t o g e t i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t b i s h o p s ’ r e t i r e m e n t s , t r a n s f e r s o r deaths. He then inputs any new data into the website. Other information, such as bishops’ ages, updates automatically
Besides the Vatican bulletin, Cheney has obtained a lot of historical information on bishops from his collection of the Annuario Pontificio, or pontifical director y. He has acquired copies from the years 1914 to 2022, though he is missing a handful, he said Historical researchers also share information with the webmaster. And he has shared his database with other researchers.
Cheney acknowledged that his site uses an “extremely old and out of date” management system, Paradox “What the website really needs and this is true of most software projects is to start over...from scratch,” he said, adding that he hopes to
D a v i d C h e n e r u n s a d a t a b a s e w e b s i t e w h i c h i n c l u d e s c u r r e n t a n d h i s t o r i c a l d a t a f o r t h e C a t h o l i c C h u r c h ’ s h i e r a r c h y
retire in five to seven year’s time and give the website the overhaul it deser ves.
Through a minimal amount of advertising, the website generates a small revenue, which Cheney said he uses to cover the hosting ser vice, domain name, and other basic costs of the website “The goal has never been to make money,” he said CNA
After a long career in the private and public sector, Lindelwa Xingwana-Jabavu became a personal coach and climate change activist. She talked to Daluxolo Moloantoa about her work and faith.
GOD’S CREATION SHOULD BE a subject for discussion at Masses “Ever y Sunday at Mass, as we talk about the bread and the wine and see the flowers on the altar, I wish that we could take the time to talk more about the God of all creation,” said Lindelwa XingwanaJabavu, a Pretoria-based personal coach, as she considers the Church and its role in combating the most pressing issue of our times climate change
On that subject, she finds it “interesting that Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ is admired more by nonCatholics than us Catholics I think we must do more to spread the word on climate change within the Church”
A climate activist, Jabavu believes that the time is now for South African Catholics to become purposeful about climate change and other social ills that harm our society today Contact with the environment from an early age in Mqanduli Village, near Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, conscientised Jabavu to the importance of taking care of nature’s endowment Today, climate change is a social cause which she
is actively promoting in the Church and in society in general
The Sacred Heart Sodality member is the youngest of five children, born to a civil ser vant father and a teacher mother in Mqanduli. Her father died when she was only ten years old, leaving her mother the task of singlehandedly raising five children on her meagre teacher’s salary
“My father’s death was a time of drastic changes in my family. It’s an experience which prepared me for the continuous change that life brings to every individual,” she told The Southern Cross
national bank as a client advisor for international trade
“ T h e y e a r s I s p e n t i n e x i l e t a u g h t m e a b o u t w h a t i t i s t o b e a r e f u g e e , f a r f r o m y o u r h o m e , a n d t o r e l y o n t h e h o s p i t a l i t y a n d t h e g e n e r o s i t y o f o t he r s I a l s o l e a r n e d t o a p p r e c i a t e t h e i nt e r n a t i o n a l s o l i d a r i t y f r o m v a r i o u s c o u n t r i e s w h o w e r e a g a i n s t t h e e v i l s y s t e m o f a p a r t h e i d , ” J a b a v u s a i d
“ I w a s a l s o e x p o s e d t o g r e a t a n d v e r y s p i r i t u a l l e a d e r s l i k e J u l i u s N ye r e r e , t h e f a t h e r o f m o d e r n - d a y Ta n z an i a , a s t a t e s m a n a n d a l i b e r a t o r w h o w a s a l s o a C a t h o l i c H o p e f u l l y t h e b ea t i f i c a t i o n o f t h i s S e r v a n t o f G o d w i l l p r o g r e s s t o f i n a l i t y. I n a n u t s h e l l , m y e x p e r i e n c e i n e x i l e b r o a d e n e d t h e w a y I l o o k a t l i f e , a n d i t a l s o d e e p e n e d m y r e s p e c t f o r o t h e r p e op l e a n d c u l t u r e s ”
A constant feature of young Lindelwa’s primary and high school education was her robust participation in Church activities In her youth she joined the Chiro Youth Movement “I developed a deep appreciation of my Catholic faith as I grew spiritually, and advanced in my relationship with God,”
r y role as a er, Jabavu is a nal coach She or of Lilitha g. She holds a ement and exe Wits Business Before her cashe worked in blic sectors, in mber of other xile
into political ho From there zambique and the Tanzanian d an advanced ma in banking he early 1990s, er a brief stint Harare, she went to work in Britain for a
I n 1 9 9 2 s h e r e t u r n e d f r o m e x i l e a n d w o r k e d f o r a b a n k a s a h o u s i n g loans consultant, and in 1998 began a n i l l u s t r i o u s c a r e e r i n p u b l i c s e r v i c e “ T h e p u b l i c s e c t o r b e c a m e a n a t u r a l c h o i c e a s I h a d a l r e a d y s p e n t p a r t o f m y l i f e f i g h t i n g a g a i n s t t h e i n j u s t i c e s o f t h e a p a r t h e i d g o v e r n m e n t T h e f e w years that I spent in the banking indust r y a w a k e n e d m e t o t h e f a c t t h a t I w a s not merely interested in making profits for businesses I came to the realisation t h a t I w o u l d b e f u l f i l l e d i n m y c a r e e r i f I l o o k e d t o w a r d s a h i g h e r p u r p o s e . F o r m e , t h i s w a s t o m a k e a m e a n i n g f u l contribution towards the lives of South A f r i c a n s , e s p e c i a l l y t h e p o o r e s t o f t h e p o o r, ” s h e e x p l a i n e d .
Over the next 25 years, she worked i n t h e p u b l i c s e c t o r I t w a s d u r i n g t h o s e y e a r s t h a t h e r r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h h e r f a i t h g r e w s t r o n g . “ I g r e w i n m y f a i t h a n d s p i r i t u a l i t y a s m y c a r e e r a dv a n c e d M y f a i t h c a r r i e d m e t h r o u g h t h e m o s t d i f f i c u l t y e a r s , w h e n I w a s a s e n i o r l e a d e r w i t h i n t h e p u b l i c s e c t o r, e s p e c i a l l y d u r i n g t h e s t a t e - c a p t u r e y e a r s ” , s h e s a i d
O n h e r r e t i r e m e n t f r o m p u b l i c s e r v i c e i n 2 0 2 0 , J a b a v u s h i f t e d h e r f o c u s t o o t h e r a r e a s w h i c h s u p p o r t e d her purpose to ser ve others She started a n e x e c u t i v e c o a c h i n g s e r v i c e , c a l l e d L i l i t h a C o a c h i n g a n d C o n s u l t i n g , w h i c h o f f e r s s e r v i c e s i n l e a d e r s h i p
I g r e w i n m y f a i t h a n d s p i r i t u a l i t y a s m y c a r e e r a d v a n c e d
m a n a g e m e n t , c o a c h i n g a n d c o n s u l ti n g
“ M y c o a c h i n g c a r e e r i s s h a p e d b y my faith, and it is about eldership, good s t e w a r d s h i p a n d c a r i n g a b o u t t h e legacy we leave for future generations, including how we respond to the social issues of our day,” Jabavu said
The issues which she feels need the m o s t u r g e n t a t t e n t i o n a n d a c t i o n a r e climate change and social injustice. “I a m g r a t e f u l t h a t P o p e F r a n c i s i s v e r y p a s s i o n a t e a b o u t c l i m a t e c h a n g e a n d a l s o a b o u t s o c i a l i n j u s t i c e T h e s e Catholic values have influenced my career in a ver y deep way,” she said
Like many others, Jabavu made use of the long days of the Covid-19 lockdown by reading. Among her discoveries were the Catholic mystics who, she said, remain relevant to the challenges the modern world struggles with to this d a y T h e s e i n c l u d e F r a n c i s o f A s s i s i , Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, Teresa of Avila, Julian of Nor wich and others “These are men and women who lived ahead of their time, and who sought to understand and to interpret the love of God in a more meaningful way ”
In addition to reading about them, s h e a t t e n d e d s e s s i o n s o n t h e s e g r e a t men and women, mostly hosted by the Jesuits. “Quite interestingly, these sess i o n s a r e a t t e n d e d b y C a t h o l i c s a n d n o n - C a t h o l i c s b e c a u s e o f t h e i r v a l u e and relevance to today’s societal challenges,” Jabavu noted.
The Catholic faith has been a cons t a n t g u i d e i n J a b a v u ’s l i f e . “ M y C a t h o l i c u p b r i n g i n g c o n t r i b u t e d a l o t to who I became, right from when I rea l i s e d t h a t t h e a p a r t h e i d s y s t e m w a s ungodly, to the time I left South Africa t o g o i n t o e x i l e M y c a r e e r p a t h w a s s h a p e d b y t h e v a l u e s I l e a r n t i n t h e Church I grew up at a time when there w e r e a l o t o f [ C a t h o l i c ] r o l e m o d e l s , leaders who were able to live their faith for the benefit of their communities, especially the poor These Catholic values h a v e i n f l u e n c e d m y c a r e e r i n a v e r y deep way,” she said
J a b a v u s h e s e e s h e r b u s i n e s s a s a platform to make a contribution to society through coaching and leadership training. “It is my humble way of payi n g i t f o r w a r d a n d h e l p i n g t o d e v e l o p l e a d e r s w h o c a r e a b o u t v a l u e s - b a s e d leadership, and creating a better world This includes how we respond to issues of climate change As I coach leaders, I emphasise the importance of social justice That they cannot be solely focused on profits.”
S h e v i e w s h e r r o l e s p e c i f i c a l l y t o d e v e l o p y o u n g A f r i c a n l e a d e r s , “ e s p ecially women and the youth who want
Lindelwa
sea She says she cannot understand why Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ seems to be more popular outside the Catholic Church than
t o c r e a t e a p e a c e f u l a n d p r o s p e r o u s Africa. Part of my work is to ensure that we improve and democratise access to coaching If we want to transform the world, then coaching can no longer be t h e p r e s e r v e o f s e n i o r C - S u i t e e x e c ut i v e s . A s u s t a i n a b l e f u t u r e i s p o s s i b l e only if we also pay attention to the development of young leaders today ”
P r a y e r a n d i n t e r a c t i o n w i t h n at u r e a r e a b i g p a r t o f J a b a v u ’s d a i l y l i f e , m o r e s o s i n c e s h e m o v e d o u t o f
t h e c i t y t o a m o r e q u i e t p a r t o f P r e t or i a “ I s p e n d t i m e i n t h e m o r n i n g p r a y i n g a n d m e d i t a t i n g o n t h e d a i l y r e a d i n g s . To c l o s e m y d a y, I d o t h e E x a m e n p r a y e r, ” a t e c h n i q u e r o o t e d i n I g n a t i a n S p i r i t u a l i t y o f p r a y e r f u l r e f l e c t i o n o n t h e e v e n t s o f t h e d a y i n o r d e r t o d e t e c t G o d ’s p r e s e n c e i n t h e m a n d d i s c e r n h i s d i r e c t i o n f o r u s . “ I f i n d t h a t i t h e l p s m e t o r e f l e c t o n t h e d a y, t o p r e p a r e f o r t h e n e x t d a y, a n d t o c o n t i n u o u s l y i m p r o v e m y w o r k I a l s o r e f l e c t o n t h e n i g h t t h r o u g h t h e p s a l m s , ” s h e s a i d
“ I a l s o t a k e l o n g n a t u r e - w a l k s e v e r y m o r n i n g a n d e v e r y e v e n i n g A s I t a k e t h e s e w a l k s , I n e v e r m i s s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o r e m e m b e r t h a t I a m p a r t o f c r e a t i o n , j u s t l i k e t h e b i r d s a n d t h e f l o w e r s t h a t g l o r i f y G o d e v e r y d a y. ”
J a b a v u ’s a d v i c e t o y o u n g C a t h o l i c s b e g i n n i n g o r s t i l l c o n t e mp l a t i n g c h o i c e s f o r t h e i r c a r e e r p a t h s i s t h i s : “ F i n d s o m e t h i n g t h a t y o u a r e r e a l l y p a s s i o n a t e a b o u t a n d p u r s u e t h a t w i t h a l l y o u r e n e r g y. M o r e i mp o r t a n t l y, g r o w s p i r i t u a l l y a n d g e t t o u n d e r s t a n d y o u r f a i t h m o r e d e e p l y I t i s t h e o n l y t h i n g t h a t s u s t a i n s y o u w h e n t h e g o i n g g e t s t o u g h a n d i t w i l l g e t t o u g h . ”
S i g n u p f o r a m i n i m u m c o n t r i b u t i o n o f R 1 0 0 p e r m o n t h , a n d t e l l u s h o w y o u w o u l d l i k e y o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n t o b e s p e n t b y c h o o s i n g f r o m t h e s e t h r e e m e m b e r s h i p o p t i o n s :
nte nt i o n s t w i c e a ye a r. • A s s o c i ate s w i l l re c e i ve re g u l a r u p d ate s o n t h e ca m p a i g n • s i g n u p o n l i n e a n d s e l e c t R 1 2 0 0 , R 2 4 0 0 , R 3 0 0 0 o r R 5 0 0 0 a n n u a l co nt r i b u t i o n o r a ny a m o u nt v i a E F T s i g n u p o n l i n e w w w d i g i t a l s c r o s s c o z a /a s s o c i a t e s - c a m p a i g n o r e m a i l a d m i n @ s c r o s s . c o . z a f o r d e t a i l s
THE PETROL ATTENDANT
did not mind Cape Town’s pre-dawn chill Our 4:00 encounter with her marked the beginning of a pilgrimage to the Northern Cape which would see us a group of five and our Yorkie dog Hoppie cover around 1 900km. We chatted and offered the attendant the reassurance of God’s love for her She saw us off with a big smile.
The night before, after our Legion of Mar y meeting, we had prayed for travel blessings outside the locked shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. In the pitch-black night, we could see Our Lady only through the frosted-glass doors, yet in the photos taken as we prayed, she can be seen in clear light
Now, in the dark morning, the petrol attendant had asked us why we were going on this pilgrimage The idea had emerged six months earlier, during a retreat of the Legion of Mar y’s Our Lady Tabernacle of the Most High praesidium of St Anthony of Padua parish in Kraaifontein
There were many reasons for this holy trip We wanted to celebrate the Legion’s centennial anniversar y which ended in September, and to pray that more people will join the Legion of Mar y, to be Our Lady’s soldiers and pray with her to combat evil. We embarked on this pilgrimage for our spiritual enrichment, and to spread God’s Word, love and light to ever yone we would meet on the road, regardless of their denomination
Our parish priest, Fr Francesco Fabris, had given us another task: to remind the priests on our way that the Lord has truly risen and that Jesus loves them. The priests know that, of
course, but we are allowed to remind them
From a personal perspective, I also wanted to show my fellow legionaries where it all started for me. The legend of my parents is “engraved” in the Northern Cape, especially in the presence of the Legion of Mar y. Their love for God and true devotion to Mar y is engraved in me, as it is in my son Mario, who despite his special needs is an enthusiastic legionar y whose presence in our group lifts us all
R o s a r y o n t h e t a r m a c
Now we were on the N7 Just after Malmesbur y we prayed the rosar y, accompanied only by the sound of tyres beating on the asphalt There was an angelic atmosphere in the car
Where we could, we interacted with people from petrol attendants to the people at eateries to the kids playing in the dust roads of Kamieskroon At roadside rest-stops we unpacked our snacks under trees or umbrellas, and we said the Legion’s Catena prayer. Drivers in big trucks would wave at us and toot their hooters
Our first destination was Garies, the chief town of the Namaqualand district We had no idea where the Catholic church was located; even the GPS did not help. But we found the church of St Francis of Assisi, a beautiful round building
As we entered the gate towards the big crucifix outside the church, people stood closer to watch what we were doing Interaction! A Dutch Reformed man introduced himself. He told us about his wife who had to go to hospital in Upington for treatment, but they had nowhere to stay. I gave him my sister’s details in Upington, and told him she would help them It somehow felt a little like directing Mar y and Joseph on Christmas Eve.
‘
We then went on our way to Kamieskroon, where there is a big Catholic mission with a parish and school and many other buildings. We met Fr Jeremea Makau OMI, and prayed at the stone grotto where Our Lady stands under the open skies. We also encountered two naughty guys on their way to buy wine We had great laughs with these men, called “Ver y Nice” and “Cardinal” We told them about the love of Jesus for them With a packet of chips under the arm, they left, still smiling and waving at us.
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c t i n g s c e n e s f r o m H o l y W e e k o n a r o c k y w a l l o u t s i d e t h e c a t h e d r a l i n P e l l a • T h e c a t h e d r a l o f t h e I
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n P e l l a • S a n d r a S h a m r o c k , M a r i o v a n N i e k e r k a n d L e n a J e f f r i e s a t t h e g r a v e o f t h e a u t h o r ’ s p a r e n t s i n U p i n g t o n
We s p e n t t h e n i g h t a t a f r i e n d ’s p l a c e i n K a m i e s k r o o n A f t e r 5 0 0 k m o n t h e r o a d , i t w a s n i c e t o r e s t L o v e l y, w a r m p e o p l e w e l c o m e d u s , s e r v i n g u s b o t t o m l e s s c u p s o f t h e n i c e s t t e a T h e r e l a x e d c o u n t r y a tm o s p h e r e w a s w o n d e r f u l C h i l d r e n w e r e p l a y i n g i n t h e d u s t r o a d s , g o a t b e l l s w e r e r i n g i n g A n d e v e r y p a s s e r b y w a v e d a n d g r e e t e d a q u i t e u n f a m i l i a r g e s t u r e t o u s “ c i t y s l i c k e r s ”
I n t h e d a r k n e s s o f t h e e a r l y m o r n i n g w e l e f t f o r S p r i n g b o k . O n t h e w a y, o u r f i r s t s t o p w a s a t M a t j i e s k l o o f We t o o k p h o t o s i n f r o n t o f t h e m a j e s t i c S s P e t e r & P a u l c h u rc h , a n d p r a y e d t h e O u r F a t h e r T h e S a l e s i a n u m C o n v e n t s c h o o l , w h i c h I a t t e n d e d m a n y y e a r s a g o , i s s t i l l s t a n d i n g . A t S t A n n a ’s , a p r i v a t e s c h o o l i n a b i g , c l e a n b u i l d i n g , p r i n c i p a l S r M a r i e A n t o n i e c a m e o u t t o g r e e t u s .
A t P e l l a , t h e a w e s o m e n e s s o f t h e h u g e I m m a c u l a t e C o n c e p t i o n c a t h ed r a l , l i n e d o n e a c h s i d e w i t h i t s t a l l p a l m t r e e s , t o o k o u r b r e a t h a w a y. T h e q u i e t n e s s o f P e l l a , a n o a s i s i n t h e N a m a k w a d e s e r t c l o s e t o t h e N a m i b i a n b o r d e r, i s a l m o s t s a c r e d F r A n g u s O s b o r n e c a m e t o g r e e t u s a n d l e t u s i n t o t h e m a j e s t i c , h o l y c a t h ed r a l , w h i c h w a s c o n s e c r a t e d i n 1 8 9 5 We p r a y e d a c h a p l e t i n f r o n t o f a n e n o r m o u s D i v i n e M e rc y i m a g e I n
t h e s a n c t u a r y s t o o d s m a l l t a b l e , s e t i n a s i m i l a r w a y t o a L e g i o n a r y a l t a r T h e r e w e p r a y e d o u r C a t e n a F o u r b i s h o p s a n d a p r i e s t a r e b u r i e d i n t h e c a t h e d r a l T h e s e i n c l u d e B i s h o p J M S i m o n a n d F r L e o Wo l f , t h e t w o O b l a t e s o f S t F r a n c i s d e S a l e s m i ss i o n a r i e s w h o b u i l t t h e c h u rc h w i t h o u t a n y e x p e r i e n c e i n e i t h e r a rc h i t e c t u r e o r c o n s t r u c t i o n B a c k o n t h e r o a d t o U p i n g t o n , w e p r a y e d t h e r o s a r y, p a s s i n g A g g e n y s a n d P o f a d d e r O u r o n l y
e n j o y e d a m e a l w i t h t h e l o c a l p a r i s h p r i e s t , F r Wi l l e m B a s s o n
I g u i d e d m y f e l l o w p i l g r i m s a r o u n d U p i n g t o n , s h o w i n g t h e m s i g h t s s u c h a s t h e l o n g e s t p a l m a ve n u e i n t h e s o u t h e r n h e m i s p h e r e . We t h e n c r o s s e d t h e m i g h t y O r a n g e R i v e r a n d v i s i t e d t h e g r a v e s o f m y p a r e n t s a n d o f m y s i s t e r, w h o h a d d i e d i n a h i t - a n d - r u n a c c i d e n t a f e w m o n t h s p r e v i o u s l y. T h r o u g h o u t , w e s a i d o u r g e n e r a l p r a y e r s , L e g i o n a r y p r a y e r s a n d t h e r o s a r y We h a d m a n y p r a y e r i n t e n t i o n s
d i s a p p o i n t m e n t w a s a t A u g r a b i e s F a l l s , w h e r e w e w e r e n o t a l l o w e d t o e n t e r b e c a u s e o f o u r d o g . A l o n g t h e w a y, I p o i n t e d o u t a l l t h e C a t h o l i c m i s s i o n s t o m y f e l l o w p i l g r i m s F r i e r s d a l e , B l a a u w s k o p , K e i m o e s . Ti m e c o n s t r a i n t s m e a n t t h a t w e c o u l d n o t v i s i t e v e r y t o w n i n s e a rc h f o r c h u rc h e s I p o i n t e d o u t a l l t h e o u ts t a t i o n s w h e r e m y p a r e n t s s t a r t e d m a n y p r a e s i d i a o f t h e L e g i o n o f M a r y
We a r r i v e d i n U p i n g t o n i n t h e l a t e a f t e r n o o n a n d m y t w o s i s t e r s t r e a t e d u s t o t r a d i t i o n a l ro o s t e r b ro o d a n d a h e a r t y s o u p T h e n e x t d a y w e
B e f o r e M a s s , w e s t o o d a t t h e f e e t o f O u r L a d y o f t h e M o l o p o , l o c a t e d i n a s t o n e g r o t t o a t t h e s i d e o f S t A u g u s t i n e c h u rc h , t h e c o - c a t h e d r a l o f t h e d i o c e s e o f K e i m o e s - U p i n g t o n A f t e r M a s s F r B a s s o n g a v e u s h i s t r a v e l b l e s s i n g s O u r p i l g r i m a g e w a s a l m o s t o v e r a n d w e w e r e g o i n g h o m e .
I t w a s a l o n g d r i v e b a c k t o C a p e To w n a s w e c o v e r e d t h e 8 0 0 k m i n o n e s t r e t c h We c o n t i n u e d t o p r a y t h e r o s a r y o n o u r w a y, i n t h e c a r a n d d u ri n g s t o p s i n t h e o p e n a i r We a r r i v e d h o m e s a f e l y, t h a n k s b e t o G o d I t w a s t h e b e s t r o a d t r i p e v e r, h a v i n g s h a r e d i t w i t h p e o p l e w h o w e r e f u l l o f j o y, p e a c e a n d f a i t h .
We r e t u r n e d t o C a p e To w n s p i r it u a l l y b l e s s e d , a n d k n o w t h a t t h o s e w h o m w e m e t o n o u r j o u r n e y f e l t t h e s a m e I t i s s o a m a z i n g t o s p r e a d G o d ’s Wo r d a n d h i s l o v e , t o l e t h i s l o v e s h i n e O u r G o d r e i g n s !
I t i s s o a m a z i n g t o s p r e a d G o d ’ s W o r d a n d t o l e t h i s l o v e s h i n e
AVE YOU EVER STOPPED TO CONSIDER HOW different your views and ideas would be if you had grown up in another part of the world?
Think about it: if you had grown up in the Middle East, you would probably be a Muslim. Since that is the dominant religion in that area, it is likely that you would have inherited those beliefs.
Similarly, if you grew up in India, you are quite likely to have become a Hindu Most of the world’s Hindu population lives in India, and about 80% of the countr y’s population adheres to that religion, so there is a good chance you would be one too, had you inherited those beliefs in your childhood.
The truth is that ever y one of us has a certain inherited or “embedded” theology. We learned to view the world in a certain way, through the influence of our parents or guardians, siblings, grandparents, teachers, church leaders, and so on As children we rarely question the things we are taught, and so each of us comes to understand things in a ver y similar way to the way in which it was taught to us
Two Christian writers, Howard Stone and James Duke, put it this way: “Christians learn what faith is all about from countless daily encounters with their Christianity formal and informal, planned and unplanned.”
Our embedded theology is often a great comfort to us It is ver y helpful for most of our lives Having been taught that God is with her in all her ups and downs, Thandi finds strength to go on during tough seasons of life Having been taught that stealing is sinful, Joe resists the urge to help himself to his company’s money Their embedded theology, their learned way of seeing God in the world, guides them in how they live.
But then something comes along to make us question the theology we learned. Thandi’s daughter dies in a tragic car crash, and she wonders: “Where was God in that moment? If God was with my daughter, why did God not save her?” And Joe is asked by his boss to cover up some financial misdeeds in the company’s books, or else lose his job He thinks to himself: “There are no jobs out there, I can’t afford to lose this one Should I do what the boss wants so that I can continue to feed my family? What is the godly thing to do here?”
Suddenly, Thandi and Joe’s embedded theology is not sufficient to deal with the circumstances in their lives They need something deeper.
In the end, many people give up on their faith because their embedded theology does not provide the help they need as they face life’s challenges Our embedded theology can also be challenged when we face moral or social questions
Think of recent attentiongrabbing or controversial headlines which you have seen in the news or on social media. Chances are strong that you have a firm opinion on each of these topics, and that they make up part of your embedded theology You might even feel quite certain that these are simple yes/no answers but ask yourself, have you ever taken the time to think seriously and carefully about these issues? Or have you simply inherited the belief that these issues are either wrong or right, and left it at that?
What is the alternative to embedded theology? It is moving to a place of deliberative theology. Uncertainty over moral and social issues, or a crisis moment in our own lives, or a major impact that disrupts things, may lead us to begin questioning our embedded theology. Once we do that, and start to seek deeper understanding of these issues, we have begun to develop a deliberative theology a common definition of theology is “faith seeking understanding”
Stone and Duke go on to tell us that deliberative theology comes about by “carefully reflecting upon embedded theological convictions” Instead of simply falling back on the old understanding of faith that we always had, we begin to seek deeper answers. We speak to various people, read a range of books, listen to teachers We tr y to discern whether or not there are other helpful ways to understand the issues we are facing.
A common definition of theology is ‘faith seeking understanding’
C h a l l e n g e s t o o u r f a i t h
Using our examples from above, Thandi could either abandon her belief in God altogether as a result of her loss, or she could begin to deliberate on her faith. She could start to talk with others, read, and wrestle with the fact that perhaps her embedded views on God as the ultimate Protector weren’t a full understanding of God or our world. Perhaps tragedy can happen in this life without diminishing the love and care of God for his children. Perhaps God also weeps at the injustice of losing a child Her faith begins to deepen even if she
doesn’t have the full answers she needs But she is seeking deeper understanding and holding on to God as she wrestles
Joe too wrestles with his faith as he considers his dilemma Instead of abandoning his faith and taking an easy road out, he searches for a deeper understanding of the Christian’s moral duty Perhaps God does have a way out for me here, he thinks Perhaps the answer is not quite as easy as it seems And so he prays, asks advice from trusted Christian friends, and begins to read about “situational ethics” to tr y and understand what the right move for him will be. Instead of just making a snap decision, he is seeking deeper understanding.
Thandi and Joe are both becoming deliberative theologians They are both starting to think deeply and seriously about the issues they face
The short article above is an extract from a course at TEE College that helps new students engage the all-important work of being theologians through learning new and helpful skills
Churches and institutions of learning are able to provide resources and courses of study that help Christians make an impact in their world through their Christian faith Whether we are responding to big issues and debates around us or are simply faced with challenges in our lives, how do we respond? Are we seeking to grow in our understanding and love of God so that we each can make practical and meaningful responses that witness to the power of Christ in our midst?
Dunsmuir is the principal of the Theological Education by Extension College, or TEE College
Craig
F a i t h c a n b e d e e p e n e d
FOR TOO LONG HAVE WE LISTENED to a false gospel, one which we continue to live out in our daily habits
Many Christians falsely proclaim that God cares for the salvation of humans only and that our human calling is to dominate and exploit earth for our own needs only. The secular counterpart to this gospel rests in a ruthless mastery over the earth and all its forms of life
Christian theology of the last ce turies has failed to draw Creation int reflection of the total revelation of G The neglect of the cosmos in our the ogy has diminished our urgentlyneeded contribution to a practice of justice and mercy towards our threatened earth It has also diminished the moral integrity of our theology
As successive popes have pointed out, our present economic system neoliberal capitalism fosters greed and wealth for a few, while a growing proportion of the earth’s population dies of hunger and disease This greed will use the earth and her people but not respect them (see 1 Timothy 6:10) Unless we can trol this system and the mode of livin recommends, it will lead humanity in tastrophe and possibly even extinctio
Nature can and will continue its evolution without the human species. Now is the time for all religions to work together for the saving of Creation To continue to walk the current path of ecological destruction is a sin
The Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew shares this concern with Pope Francis He writes: “To commit a
crime against the natural world is a sin
For humans to cause species to become extinct and to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation, for humans to degrade the integrity of the earth, causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests, or destroying its wetlands…for humans to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air and
to rule, in this case God’s Creation
To c o p e w i t h t h i s t r e n d , w e C h r i s t i a n s a n d o u r t h e o l o g i a n s n e e d t o t h i n k d e e p l y a b o u t t h e i m m a n e n c e a n d t h e t r a n s c e n d e n c e o f G o d i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e w h o l e o f C r e a t i o n S i m i l a r l y, h u m a n s n e e d s t o r e t h i n k t h e i r r e l a t i o ns h i p s a m o n g t h e m s e l v e s a n d b e t w e e n t h e m s e l v e s a n d n a t u r e
We must move away from the hope we with the help of our politics, nce, technology are able to control ecological crisis, and instead learn a w kind of relationship that is not arked by control but by a humble nd of friendship that is respectful and ustainable. In this transformation, eligions and mysticism need to help humanity
God respects our freedom, but we need to remember that we are artners with God in the present eative event We need to repent and udiate our social and ecological sins e presence of God and one another. trust in God and his love for the d, we need to pursue a new way of g part of God’s sacred earth.
its genes and chromosomes with poisonous substances these are sins ”
We have become un-creators Colonial and patriarchal relationships are deeply entrenched in our relationships to ourselves, to God, to other people, especially women and to nature. The ecological crisis is indeed to a large extent marked by colonial relationships to nature, where people assume the right to be rulers over what isn’t theirs
Addressing the degradation of God’s earth is the moral task of our time As Christians, we believe that the created world is a sacred revelation of God’s power and presence filling all things This sacred quality of creation demands moderation and sharing, reducing our excess in consumption and production of waste As well, there cannot be ecological integrity without economic justice
We now long for and work towards the day when Christian Churches, as embodiments of Christ on earth, will respond to the “groaning of creation” (Romans 8:22) and to God’s passionate desire to “renew the face of the earth” (Psalm 104:30).
Christianity will need to learn from the cultures of the indigenous people on the different continents and from the Asian religions’ attitudes and beliefs that empowered people to live for millennia sustainably on their lands.
Sr Angelika Laub is a Dominican living in Johannesburg She writes in her personal capacity
This year, the Februar y 1 feast of St Brigid will for the first time be a public holiday in Ireland Günther simmermacher looks at one of Ireland’s three patrons.
AYOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS born into slaver y went on to become one of the most powerful women in the histor y of the Church And by being a major figure in the evangelisation of Ireland, St Brigid of Kildare became one of the most influential people in the global growth of the Catholic Church.
Brigid’s father, Dubhthach, was the chieftain of Leinster and Brigid was his slave Born in around 451 AD in Faughart, near today’s Dundalk in the eastern County Louth, she was named after what seems to have been a local pagan goddess (as in many things in her story, there are multiple points of ongoing debate) Her mother was a slave named Brocca, a Pict who was, legend holds, baptised by St Patrick It was Brocca (or Broicsech) who raised Brigid, even after she was sold on to a druid, probably at the insistence of Dubhthach’s wife Mother and daughter worked in the druid’s dairy Brocca brought the girl into contact with St Patrick, the apostle of Ireland, whom Brigid heard preach Although she
B o r n : c 4 5 1 i n F a u g h a r t , G a e
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D i e d : c 5 2 5 ( a g e 7 4 ) i n
K i l d a r e , G a e l i c I r e l a n d
F e a s t : F e b r u a r y 1
P a t r o n a g e s : I r e l a n d ; c h i l d r e w h o s e p a r e n t s a r e n o t m a r r i e d , o r h a v e a b u s i v e f a t o r a r e b o r n i n t o a b u s i v e u n i b a b i e s ; m i d w i v e s ; b r e w e r s ; d a i r y w o r k e r s ; c a t t l e ; b l a c k s m i t h s ; b o a t m e n ; f u g i t i v e s
was a slave and a young child (Patrick had died by the time she was ten), Brigid was inspired by his Christian witness, and would give away what she had to feed the poor. Legend has it that she once gave away the druid’s entire stock of butter, which was miraculously replenished before anyone could notice Brocca eventually gained freedom as a reward for having run the druid’s dairy so profitably
At the age of ten, Brigid was returned to her father whose possessions, including his bejewelled sword, she would give away to feed the poor and clothe the naked. Brigid once told her protesting father: “Christ is in the person of ever y poor person who believes I find it hard to deny Christ his own food ”
When Brigid was of age, about 15 years old, Dubhthach tried to marry her off to a bard But Brigid had no interest in marriage; her ambition was to live a life consecrated to God So she approached the local bishop and took her first vows Brigid’s pagan father could not understand her vocation and pres-
B e l o w : A r e c r e a t i o n o f t h e d o u b l e - m o n a s t e r y i n K i l d a r e i n t h e 7 t h c e n t u r y , i n s i d e K i l d a r e c a t h e d r a l . A t t h e b a c k i s t h e w o o d e n c h u r c h , i n f r o n t i s t h e n u n s ’ a c c o m m o d a t i o n
sured his daughter, a ver y beautiful young woman, to submit to marriage
I n d e s p e r a t i o n , B r i g i d p r a y e d t o God that she may become unattractive A c c o r d i n g t o l e g e n d , h e r p r a y e r s w e r e answered, and without her good looks, t h e p o o l o f p r o s p e c t i v e h u s b a n d s shrunk As soon as Dubhthach granted B r i g i d h e r f r e e d o m , s h e r e g a i n e d h e r b e a u t y. A n d n o w s h e c o u l d e n t e r t h e consecrated life
Some time between 475 and 480, Brigid and seven other consecrated virgins decided to set up a cloister, the first in Ireland There is a legend that she asked her father for land, and he responded derisively that he would give her as much land as her cloak would cover whereupon her cloak just grew and grew to cover a large portion of land.
The land on which Brigid and her Sisters built their monaster y was in a place called Druim Criaidh (Ridge of Clay) It was renamed Cill-Dara the Church of the Oak, after a tree next to the church Today the town bears a derivation of that name: Kildare It is located about 60km southwest of Dublin
One tradition claims that the site
had been a pagan shrine to the Celtic goddess Brigid This has led to much speculation 1 300 years after she lived about whether Brigid might actually have been a pagan whom the Church later claimed as a Christian, or whether she was an invention by the Church to Christianise a pagan tradition. There is no documentar y source to support the idea that the person of St Brigid is an appropriation of paganism
The written record over a thousand years before such theories emerged sugg e s t s t h a t B r i g i d w a s j u s t w h a t h e r h agiographies say: a Christian nun with a p o s s i b l y p a g a n n a m e w h o l e d t h e founding of a monaster y.
And the success of that monastery is beyond dispute It grew quickly, and soon a second cloister was built for men. St Brigid ran the whole operation in conjunction with St Conleth a priest, hermit, scribe and metalworker who provided the sacraments which women may not administer
For centuries, Kildare was governed by a double line of abbot-bishops and abbesses, with the abbess of Kildare considered the superior general of all Ireland’s monasteries in Ireland Remarkably, Kildare’s abbesses were accorded episcopal honours
Brigid founded a school of art, including a scriptorium and metalworkshop, which Conleth oversaw The scriptorium made the Book of Kildare, which was lost during the Reformation but whose beauty is legendar y Brigid was an expert dair ywoman and brewer one legend says she miraculously turned water into beer (which is pretty much the definition of beer-brewing)
Brigid also travelled widely and set up many churches, which makes her an apostle of Ireland Alongside St Patrick and St Columba, she is a patron saint of Ireland and how good it is that the land of the threeleaved clover should have a trinity of patrons As of 2023, St Brigid’s feast day is a public holiday in Ireland
Many miracles are attributed to Brigid, some more outlandish than others. There are at least 15 holy wells dedicated to St Brigid, possibly due to her namesake pagan god-
dess rather than miraculous intervention during the saint’s lifetime. The most famous of these is on the other side of Ireland, in County Clare B r i g i d d i e d o n F e b r u a r y 1 , 5 2 5 , a t t h e a g e o f a r o u n d 7 4 S h e w a s b u r i e d i n t h e c a t h e d r a l o f K i l d a r e . L a t e r s h e w a s r e b u r i e d w i t h t h e r e m a i n s o f S t P a t r i c k a n d S t C o l u m b a i n D o w n p a t r i c k . T h e i r r e l i c s w e r e d e s t r o y e d b y t h e E n g l i s h i n 1 5 3 8 ; o n l y S t B r i g i d ’s h e a d s u r v i v e d I t e n d e d u p i n L i s b o n , w h e r e i t i s s t i l l v e n e r a t e d
Devotion to St Brigid quickly spread after her death and she was acclaimed a saint, with her feast day on Februar y 1 (some scholars discern a pagan link to that date as well, with the notion that it marked the beginning of spring). The monaster y of Kildare became a hugely popular site of pilgrimage until its destruction in 1136 in a sacking by the col-
In iconography, St Brigid is usually r e p r e s e n t e d w i t h a r e e d c r o z i e r o f t h e type used by abbots; fire or a lamp (for a flame that was kept burning in memor y o f h e r a t K i l d a r e u n t i l i t w a s e x t i ng u i s h e d d u r i n g t h e r e i g n o f E n g l a n d ’s Queen Elizabeth I); a white lily for its ass o c i a t i o n w i t h t h e Vi r g i n M a r y ; a n d a c r o o k e d c r o s s T h a t c r o s s r e l a t e s t o a stor y in which the saint hastily wove a cross from rushes on the ground during a deathbed conversion of a pagan chieftain. Along with the shamrock and the C e l t i c h a r p , S t B r i g i d ’s C r o s s i s a n ational symbol of Ireland.
Over time, St Brigid’s fame outside Ireland has been superseded by her namesake, the famous 14th-centur y saint Bridget of Sweden who was named after the Irish saint. But Ireland’s St Brigid is relevant today As the modern Catholic Church is debating the role of women in leadership structures, one may consider the empowering role St Brigid played in founding monasteries for women and men, and running these in an equal partnership with a man Remarkably, the bishop was subordinate in jurisdiction to the abbess
And in a society such as ours, where violence against children is so commonplace, the patron saint for children caught up in abusive domestic situations should be invoked regularly
Next month: St Joseph
THE CHALLENGE POSED BY JESUS in the parable of the steward, “to give an account of your management”, has gained increasing prominence ever since the sexual abuse and finance scandals and their coverups in the Catholic Church began making world headlines 20 years ago
This challenge is being amplified currently in light of the emphasis Pope Francis is placing on synodality, which is a call not only for the leadership of the Church to be accountable, but for all of God’s people to be stewards of the Church a higher level of accountability
The traditional institutional arrangements in the Church do not lend themselves to accountability Power is concentrated in the male, secular clerg y, based on the principle that the pope is the successor to Peter, who was appointed by Christ as the leader of the nascent Christian community The pope appoints bishops, and bishops ordain priests and assign them to parishes
All le vels of the Church hierarchy have a high degree of autonomy over 3 000 bishops report to the pope on what is supposed to be a five-yearly basis (not a practical management model). Parish priests report to the bishop, but there are fe w prescribed procedures for how this should happen Since the reforms to Canon Law in 1983, priests are required to report on parish finances to a pastoral council or finance committee comprising lay parishioners. But this is a small concession that does not fundamentally change the official “consultative and accessor y” role of the laity
This concentration of power leads to clericalism which the A ssociation of US Catholic Priests has described as “an expectation, leading to abuses of power, that ordained ministers are better than and should be over ever yone else among the People of God” A
strong culture of clericalism provides little incentive for the clerg y to be more accountable.
Accountability comprises three ke y elements: firstly, there must be clear expectations of certain performance or actions; secondly, information on how the expectations have been met must be provided; and finally, there should be enforceable consequences for failing to meet the expectations
For accountability to be realised, transparency is essential Transparency facilitates knowledge of the expectations, adequate detail of the performance, and visibility of the consequences The quality of transparency is in the eyes of the receiver and is a function of the relevance of the information provided, its accuracy and how understandable it is
Lack of accountability has significantly eroded the credibility and trust of the Church in the eyes of the faithful as well as the world. This credibility gap reduces the Church’s ability to spread the word of God and be a beacon on the hill for the world to look up to The importance of impeccable behaviour was emphasised recently by Pope Francis when he said that “the Church must be exemplar y and beyond reproach, especially on the part of those who hold important roles of responsibility”
Improving accountability and transparency in the Church is certainly necessary to rebuild trust, but alone it is insufficient As God’s people we are each called to stewardship of the Church Stewardship requires us to care for our common resource,
the Church, by offering our unique talents and gifts, in accordance with St Peter’s guidance: “As each one has received a gift, use it to ser ve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10)
A report commissioned by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, titled “Light of the Southern Cross”, states unequivocally that “stewardship is integral to the mission of the Church, it is a fundamental tenet of the Church’s spirituality. Stewardship does not suggest ownership but a responsibility for ser vice that aims to nurture a gift from another”
Stewardship requires a commitment to building the Church in whichever way our particular gifts enable us Its starting point is that we are all equally created in the image and likeness of God and we therefore have a collective responsibility for the life and health of the Church But that responsibility differs according to our role There is no doubt that the clergy and others who devote their lives to God will take on more responsibility, but this does not reduce the need for accountability, it rather raises it
Stewardship therefore promotes a culture of belonging and collaboration which is enhanced by the mutual respect, credibility and trust advanced by accountability and transparency
While stewardship is the goal, improving basic accountability and transparency is a key step At parish and diocesan level, financial statements can be made available through printing a summar y in the parish newsletter or posting them on the website. Similarly, abbreviated minutes of pastoral council meetings can be shared with parishioners to keep them updated.
Parish priests should agree on their responsibilities with the parish representatives and even invite feedback from their community on homilies, liturgies and other functions Efforts should also be made to promote consultation and participation of all members of the community, particularly women, in parish activities, especially taking the opportunity of synodal processes
Patrick Kelly is a chief director at Statistics SA. He delivered a presentation on accountability at a recent Johannesburg archdiocesan Leadership Conference.
Pope Francis says the Church must be exemplary and beyond reproach, especially on the part of those who hold important roles of responsibility. patrick Kelly proposes a stewardship model for ensuring greater accountability.
THE MID-1980S ARGUABLY represented the height of apartheid oppression in South Africa, and also the greatest intensity of Struggle resistance. In the aftermath of the brutal murders of the Cradock Four Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhlauli in June 1985 and the massive funeral in Cradock during July that year, the first State of Emergency was declared, giving the apartheid regime the ability to rule by decree, to heighten the powers of both army and police, and to restrict and censor any reportage of political unrest
It was a time of terror when many lives were lost, many people (including priests) were detained without charge, and others mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again, or fled the countr y And still, the activists marched in the streets, at great risk
I recall how many of us seminarians at St John Vianney Seminar y in Pretoria came back from our respective dioceses for the winter break in July 1985, feeling deep anger over what our people were experiencing I had just returned from my hometown of Cradock, where we had buried the four slain comrades Here we were returning to our cosy, comfortable, safe space of affluent Waterkloof, while our people were fighting and resisting oppression, many dying in the
process How could we continue to tolerate our own silence when we had “heard the passionate cries of the people for justice” and “the irrefutable signs of people’s determination to struggle for freedom and the construction of a just society”?
It is important to note that apart from the broader societal context we found ourselves in at the time, Church institutions, like the seminar y, presented their own problems St John Vianney, for example, was until the late 1970s atholic seminar y; blacks were to St Peter’s Seminar y in HamIn the aftermath of the 1976 prising and the emergence of ncy of black theologians and eration) theology, St Peter’s caused the shutdown of the I was part of the first group of white students who witnessed ning of an integrated St 1981.
hn Vianney’s racial integration, ded by rector Fr Myles Russell sed a lot of problems African black students in a white suburb in the time of the Group Areas Act? Lest we forget, African black students had to carr y a “dompas” to leave the seminar y campus, and some were arrested if they stepped out of the gate without the “proper” document. I also recall how we black students had to watch movies in Marabastad, while our white counterparts could do so in trendy Sunnyside
Another controversial issue at St John Vianney was that some of our white fellow students tried to avoid compulsor y militar y conscription by working in the militar y chaplaincy As black students, we were faced with the situation of living with people who were also part of the oppressive apartheid security apparatus Some of them would even come to the seminar y in their brown militar y fatigues One can imagine what this might have meant for a black student at that time
As a result, a group of us decided to form the Social Awareness Group (SAG) at the seminar y. Our firm commitment was based on the method taught by Cardinal Joseph Cardijn: to see (analyse), judge (reflect), and act on the oppressive situation facing us
Within this broad context it was our considered opinion that the formation of the Social Awareness Group was long overdue Our immediate response was to the horrific events that unfolded in mid1985 After much deliberation, we decided to march on the Union Buildings Here is the “unfortunate compromise”: Our decision was to march on the Union Buildings from Church Square, knowing the potential brutality from the
we faced If we were to be
‘Unfortunate compromise’
by the police, our plan was to lie flat on the ground. Having alerted the press to our march, we would communicating to South Africa and the world that if the police felt it could unleash such brutality in broad daylight on “men of the cloth”, in their cassocks, what were they doing to people in the townships where the press was restricted?
The authorities at the seminar y weren’t in agreement with each other on this proposal. Rector Fr William Slatter y OFM (later an archbishop) supported our solidarity march, but many staff members opposed it. And indeed, as Fr Mosebetsi Mokoena recalls, the march caused the seminar y to lose the financial support of many white Catholics who felt uncomfortable with our stance and the fact that the rector had supported the march
Notably, some white seminarians who were not SAG members also indicated their intent to join the march I suspect that the seminar y authorities were happier that some white students joined, perhaps on the assumption that the police would be more reluctant to attack us if whites were present (white privilege can be useful)
After much intense debate, we reluctantly compromised to march from the bottom garden of the Union Buildings. That was less impactful, but a march nonetheless And it was significant in its historical placement it was only the second successful march on the Union Buildings since the Women’s March of August 9, 1956, which we now commemorate annually as a public holiday.
It is important to note that ours was not the first such march In October 1977, a month after the murder of Steve Biko, another brave group of priests marched on John Vorster Square, the Security Police headquarters in Johannesburg That march took place under the auspices of the Black Priests’ Solidarity Group, and was led by Fr Lebamang Sebidi the first black rector at St Peter’s Seminar y and also included Fr (now Archbishop) Buti Tlhagale OMI, Fr Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, David Moetapele, John
Oliphant and Anthony Mabona This was in the wake of many political organisations, including the Black Consciousness Movement, being banned. T h e C h u rc h h i e r a rc h y o p p o s e d t h e 1 9 7 7 m a rc h , a n d w a n t e d F r S e b i d i t o r e s i g n ; h e e n d e d u p a t R e g i n a M u n d i c h u rc h i n S o w e t o , t h e g r e a t b a s t i o n o f S t r u g g l e r e s i s t a n c e
In September 1985, our demands were stated in an open letter to President
and an end to the State of Emergency
Two of the seminarians are now bishops: Victor Phalana in Klerksdorp and Sithembele Sipuka in Mthatha Bishop Sipuka, now also president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, would later become the rector of St John Vianney Seminar y
The SAG followed through that year also to strive for transformation within the seminar y, notably through resistance to the Prefect System, in which students had only a consultative vote while final decision-making rested with seminar y authorities. Instead, the SAG wanted a student representative council which would be voted for entirely by the students This put the SAG on a collision course with the authorities. For example, I was appointed vice-prefect that year, but as the SAG we refused to recognise that (I was at the time also SAG secretar y) For my troubles, I was instructed to take a year’s leave of absence.
I believe it is important to sketch this context to indicate that the broader democratic Struggle was also a struggle within the Church to take up a stronger prophetic voice of action. Many influential voices in the institutional Church did not support that, and for the larger part played the safe middle-ground effectively fiddling while Rome was burning (no pun intended)
So while our march was historic and significant, it should not be romanticised. It happened in a context of intense struggle, not merely in society but also in the Church, for its own transformation, and as an agent of change
PW Botha. Broadly, these were for a free, just, equal, democratic society Among the demands in the letter, signed by 41 seminarians, were those of one citizenship in a united democratic South Africa; redistribution of land and resources of land; complete dismantling of apartheid laws; a new economic system which would ensure that all people share in the wealth of the nation; an end to militar y conscription; one educational system;
Is it opportune to ask whether the idealism of that revolutionar y spirit still exists today in those erstwhile student leaders, making the prophetic voice heard especially in the present context where, as Dr Allan Boesak so aptly put it, Pharaoh looks like us?
Dr Andrew Johnson is a critical social scientist, a former Dominican friar, and holds a PhD in industrial psychology.
The rector supported our march, but many staff members opposed it
THIS YEAR, FEBRUARY 5 IS SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY
That is followed by other tongue-breaking Sundays: Sexagesima and Quinquagesima The first of them, Septuagesima Sunday, precedes the Carnival season, which culminates in Shrove Tuesday more popularly known as Mardi Gras And then comes Ash Wednesday, this year on February 22, and the penitential season of Lent
If all those tongue-breakers sound foreign to you, you are likely not alone they haven’t been officially a part of the Roman Rite’s liturgical calendar since the 1960s, after the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. But these strange-sounding days once marked a period of pre-Lenten preparation and feasting that is still observed by some rites within the Catholic Church and other Christian traditions.
Septuagesima is the ninth Sunday before Easter, or the third Sunday before Lent The name comes from the Latin word for “seventieth”, since the Sunday falls roughly within 70 days of Easter Sunday The succeeding Sundays are also named for their distance from Easter: Sexagesima (60), Quinquagesima (50). Quadragesima Sunday (40) is the first official Sunday of Lent
Septuagesima Sunday is also symbolic of the 70 years of Babylonian captivity. “While Lent mirrors the 40-year exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land, Septuagesima mirrors the 70 years of the Babylonian captivity. Both lead from captivity to freedom, and so also
point to salvation won for us by Christ: freedom from slavery to the Promised Land of Heaven,” according to Fr James Bradley, a priest from the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in the United Kingdom The ordinariate was established by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011 for groups of former Anglicans in England and Wales.
Septuagesima is still marked in the older Anglican prayer books and is also part of the missal used by the Catholic ordinariate. That Sunday traditionally marked the beginning of some of the more sombre practices that characterise the season of Lent It was the day when the saying or singing of the “Alleluia” would be suspended until Easter, and the first day that priests would wear penitential purple vestments The last Alleluias would traditionally have been sung after Vespers the previous night
Septuagesima was also, in the early Church, the beginning of the Lenten fast, since according to the old liturgical calendar, Thursdays and Saturdays, in addition to Sundays, were days that Christians would not fast
“Just as Lent today begins 46 days before Easter since Sundays are never a day of fasting so, in the early Church, Saturdays and Thursdays were considered fast-free days Therefore, in order to fit in 40 days of fasting before Easter, the fast had to start two weeks earlier than it does today,” according to Catholic author Scott Richert
Septuagesima Sunday traditionally kicks off a season known by various names Septuagesimatide, or Carnival (typically the name for more worldly celebrations during this time), or Shrovetide (particularly in Anglican traditions). The point of the season, Fr Bradley said, is to prepare well for Lent
“Each week in the lead-up to Lent is a nudge that the great and holy fast is around the corner, and our preparations for this should intensify,” the priest noted.
These days were also practical for Christians in pre-refrigeration days During the pre-Lenten season they would use up rich, perishable foods which they had in their house, such as meat, eggs and cheese. If unused by Ash Wednesday, those foods might spoil before they could be consumed after Lent
In Byzantine and Orthodox traditions, there are even designated “meatfare” and “cheesefare” Sundays, which focus on clearing the house of meats and dair y In Russia and other Slavic countries, the week preceding Lent is called “Butter Week” In Poland it is called “Fat Days”, which is similar to the meaning of the French term Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday.
Carnival includes the more festive, wordly events associated with the pre-Lenten season Mardi Gras and Carnival are celebrated throughout the world with parades, parties and feasts Still, the word “carnival” itself is Catholic in origin, coming from the Latin Carnem levare (carnelevarium) which means “withdrawal” or “removal” of meat
The intensity of some Carnival celebrations comes from the intensity of the fasting of old, which was much more restrictive than it is today, according to Jesuit Father Francis X Weiser, author of The Easter Book
“The intensity of this urge, however, should not be judged to stem from the mild Lenten laws of today but from the strict and harsh observance of ancient times, which makes modern man shiver at the mere knowledge of its details. No wonder the good people of past centuries felt entitled to ‘have a good time’ before they started on their awesome fast,” Fr Weiser noted
Perhaps the world’s most famous celebration of Carnival is that of Rio de Janeiro, a boisterous time marked by parades and parties which lasts from the Friday to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday
In Venice, Italy, Carnival is famous for its elaborate masks, which may be worn from the feast of St Stephen on December 26 until midnight on Shrove Tuesday
In Germany’s great Carnival cities traditionally Catholic Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mainz and Munich the Carnival season may launch as early as November 11 and culminates in city parades on the Monday before Ash Wednesday, called Rosenmontag, featuring often satirical floats from which sweets and other favours are thrown for children to collect. The week before Lent is marked by fancy-dress parties
The last day before Ash Wednesday, the official start of Lent, is called Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday, depending on the countr y or region.
In France, the most famous celebration is in the southern city of Nice, on the Riviera Nice’s celebration also includes
float parades. The two-week Carnival attracts over a million visitors to the city ever y year.
T h e b i g g e s t c e l e b r a t i o n s o f M a r d i G r a s i n t h e U n i t e d States take place in New Orleans, with parades and parties on the famous Bourbon Street and throughout the city.
Celebrations that are called “Carnival” or “Mardi Gras” but are held outside the pre-Lenten timeframes, are obviously misnamed
The ubiquitous pancake feasts may also have their origins in Shrove Tuesday, as pancakes were a traditional English food ser ved on the day to rid the house of any last sugar, butter and eggs
Besides being the last day to clear the house of indulgent foods, Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday is also traditionally the last day to clear the soul from sin before the start of the Lenten season According to Fr Weiser, the name “Shrove Tuesday” which is more common in Anglican areas, was thus called because it was a day to be “shriven from sins ” CNA
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and rights here on earth, arrogant man believes he is entitled to make all secular and moral rules for ever yone, including the unborn
Regarding abortion, in the infamous Roe v Wade case, the US Supreme Court ruled in 1973 that a woman could terminate a pregnancy at any time in the first trimester, and if in the second trimester the mother’s health was at risk, the government could regulate abortion
Charles Dickens once said, “The law’s an ass”, and this was no more so when the court said that the state could prohibit abortion in the third trimester if the baby could sur vive on its own outside the womb. The intention is understood, but the use of the words “sur vive on its own” is such a misnomer No newborn baby, even if carried to full-term, can sur vive on its own without the great care of its mother or another human person.
How legal words can twist and turn to blind people into believing such absurdity and evil? “Abortion” is such a glib word, as is “foetus” Why not use plain language and say, “The murder of an unborn child”?
In medical terms, an old person is often referred to as a geriatric Does this negate all their rights? Maybe they could also be “put down”, because they can be a great inconvenience.
In spite of the US Supreme Court recently overturning Roe v Wade, abortion is still available Some states provide for abortion for the first 15 weeks of a baby’s life, others between 20 and 24 weeks.
In South Africa, where abortion became legal 26 years ago this month, the law is even more than Dickens’ ass A mother whose baby is less than 13 weeks into gestation can have that baby aborted; no reason is required and any state doctor is obliged to comply If a baby is between 13 and 20 weeks of life, it can be aborted if it proves to be inconvenient for the mother, or her economic and social situation is not conducive to giving birth
Having considered all the so-called rights of the mother, let us give the conceived baby just one right. Allow that child just one year to prove it is a human
being with its own God-given rights
Thereafter, by applying the same reasons of “inconvenience”, could one legally kill this one-year-old child? After all, this is the justification that the law provides for mothers to murder their own unborn children
For all these babies we should implore: “Just one year!”
Tony Meehan, Cape Town
FOLLOWING RAYMOND PERRIER’S article “How other faiths see us“ (August 2022), your Letters pages have lately discussed the phrase used in some celebrations of the Mass, often Requiems: “Communion is only for Catholics who are prepared and are in the state of grace ”
Ecumenically speaking, it surely comes out as selfish and ungrateful of the Catholic community to exclude people who are not Catholics from Holy Communion However, I would argue that the opposite is true it is actually charitable
The sharing of the Eucharist is aptly called “Communion”, and in this spirit, those who share in this Eucharist are united in the same faith and charity. Catholics believe that at consecration by
the process of transubstantiation, the substances of bread and wine are transformed entirely into the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; this change is entire, intrinsic, and permanent.
Other Christian denominations may also have faith in the Eucharist, but the union of faith is deeply wounded by the differences in the theology and doctrines that bind this sacrament.
For instance, Lutherans believe in consubstantiation; the partial change in which the body and blood of Jesus enjoins itself and is present together with the bread and wine but only in a temporary union, like the heat in an iron, leaving the leftovers to be mere bread and wine For other denominations, the presence of Christ is only symbolic, or the Eucharist is a mere commemoration of the Last Supper, or not even a recognised rite
It is due to such fundamental differences that Communion in Catholic liturgical celebrations is reserved for only Catholics who are prepared It would be unfair to allow non-Catholics whose faith does not tally with ours to receive what they do not believe in The response to the minister’s words “The Body of Christ” is “Amen”, which means “I agree” or “let it be so”
A story is told of a man from South Africa who visited his business partner in a faraway country To welcome him, his host prepared a local delicacy After the meal the guest was gratified and asked his host what the delicious meat was that they had just enjoyed The host told him it was dog meat The South African became nauseous and asked: “Why did you not tell me, my friend? I wouldn’t have eaten that ”
In the same spirit, the presider at Mass, who speaks on behalf of the host Jesus Christ, does announce in charity that only those who believe in the mystery of the transubstantiation of the bread and wine may receive Communion, lest we will have people regret consuming what they actually had received and blame the host for their regret
Fr Stephen Syambi, Klerksdorp
THEY TELL US THAT “SILENCE IS golden”, yet it is far more revealing than gold or millions of spoken prayers or litanies. We must never fear silence for it is truly the sanctuary of God, the very language of God and the language of the world to come John the Baptist hurried into the silent wilderness, seeking to know his God, to know the self and to learn of his mission Jesus taught that we have to lose ourselves in order to find ourselves (John 12:24-25)
For John the Baptist, solitude was not isolation; it was that silent waiting for a Somebody Silence is a strong form of activity not an inactivity, as many people think and it is a much deeper awareness of the Body of Christ, a deeply spiritual communion with God and all his children, so deep a communion with only one heart beating in this Mystical Body, the Church of Christ Silence is such a great gift, for we are never so much ourselves as when we are alone with God Silence is not just the absence of speech but also a surrender to a Presence: to listen, to love with or without words, for only love brings us closer to the invisible, inaccessible God.
For what good are the eyes if the heart is blind? Loving the light outside will certainly dim the light inside, for Jesus taught that the fullness of God lives within us: “In him, you too are being built into a house where God lives in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22; John 6: 56) The painter El Greco once reportedly said: “I will remain in this dark room and not come out into the sunlight for it will disturb the Light that shines within me ” Human reason is in the dark when faith and love have entered; silence will teach us that just one of many secrets.
We offer the Lord our time, and he offers us eternity! Humility is the only safe way and condition to discover divinity, while the powers of intellect can never satisfy the instincts of the heart We have really no idea how grace which is certainly unmerited by sinful humans plays a saving role in all the good we experience! And then we reach that point where ever ything we are or own belongs to God; and ever ything God is and owns belongs to us “What do you have that was not given to you?”
(1 Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 2:8)
In the overcrowded hearts of humans there often is no place for the Lord except on a cross! Consequently we
are a guilt-filled people and often fear silence, even though all life, even music, needs the rhythm of silence as well as sound
I t i s a n a s t o n i s h i n g f a c t t h a t t h e greatest events in our salvation histor y took place in silence From the eternal silence the Creator spoke the “Be”, and the material world came into being; the Archangel Gabriel and all Creation wait-
m a n e f o l l o w e d b y t h e l o n e l y w a i t i n g hours on the cross; then the early morning resurrection and final ascension as Jesus returns to his Father
Entering the sanctuar y of silence will expose the shadows in my life and verify the truth that “anyone who wants to save his life will lose it, but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it” (Luke 9: 24; Galatians 2: 20; Ephesians 4: 22) I will come to accept that distance between myself and God is no distance at all, because of his merciful forgiveness and his infinite love
Silence awakens in me that knowledge of self which is greater than the pillars of scripture, worship and ritual. Praying becomes loving, loving becomes prayer Silence becomes more precious than gold, for Paul teaches that, in holy silence, “the spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God; after all, the depths of Man can be known only by his own spirit, and not by any other person” (1 Corinthians 2:10-11).
i n g i n s o l e m n s i l e n c e f o r t h e “ F i a t ” o f t h e y o u n g g i r l M a r y ; a d i v i n e p e r s o n being born in poverty in the silence of t h e B e t h l e h e m n i g h t ; J o h n w a i t i n g i n t h e s i l e n t w i l d e r n e s s t o p r o c l a i m t h e P r o m i s e d O n e ; J e s u s s h a t t e r i n g t h e s ilence of the synagogue by proclaiming that he is the One; at Cana, Mar y pausing for the Spirit’s response before sett i n g h e r s o n f r e e f o r h i s m i s s i o n ; t h e s i l e n t a g o n y i n t h e G a r d e n o f G e t h s e -
The interior silence is so essential in our busy lives, that peace of mind and heart, that capacity to listen, where God is the centre of our universe, that emptying of self to allow God to be, and live and love in us. Of course, the soul can know only in not-knowing, yet God opens a window on the infinite, and by his tender love draws the created soul obscurely into the myster y of his transcendence.
Silence indeed has so many secrets to
share
Silence is not just the absence of speech but also a surrender to a Presence
Mo s t C h r i s t i a n s , C a t h o l i c and non-Catholic, tend to think that ours is an opini o n a t e d C h u rc h E v e n someone with little interest in religion knows the Catholic Church’s views on a variety of subjects to do with sexual activity and its consequences
But what about the Church’s views o n o t h e r m a t t e r s ? A s a C a t h o l i c c o mp a n y d i r e c t o r o n c e s a i d t o m e : “ T h e
Church seems to care a lot about what I do in the bedroom, but not at all about what I d o in the boardroom ”
In fact, at the international level at least, the Church has developed wellconsidered and often prophetic teachings on a number of other issues Pope Francis has spoken very forcefully about care for the planet, the refugee crisis, globalisation, the treatment of indigenous people, and much more besides
And he is certainly not alone in this. All of his predecessors in modern times have spoken out on a range of subjects, other than sex. A few famous examples include John XXIII writing about nuclear war in 1963 (soon after the Cuban Missile crisis), Paul VI about international development in 1967, John Paul II about the dignity of work in 1981, and Benedict XVI about charity, justice and the common good in 2009.
And in doing this they are all following in a long line of what is called “Catholic Social Teaching”, which sees as its starting point an encyclical of Pope Leo XIII over 130 years ago, titled On the Condition of the Working Classes, or Rerum Novarum
Of course, these themes have their roots in the Gospels themselves: Jesus did have some opinions about sexual conduct (though not as many as most Christians seem to think), but he had many more opinions about what might be called social issues: the treatment of foreigners, the repayment of debts, distribution of wealth, fair taxation, the administration of justice, hypocritical leaders, and so on
So we can know what Rome thinks, if we care to find out. But what about the Church in South Africa? After all, Catholic theology is very clear that every manifestation of the Church is the Body of Christ: the Church in South Africa is not just a branch office of Vatican HQ That is why, during the years of the
Struggle, SACBC bishops encouraged and sometimes cajoled by Archbishop Denis Hurley spoke out clearly against the injustices of apartheid They were not waiting for Rome to tell them what to say.
But that was more than 30 years ago What about now? The SACBC does have units like the Catholic Parliamentar y Liaison Office, the Justice & Peace Department, and structures working on healthcare, Aids and human trafficking They produce well-written statements. But how far do they reach? The danger is that we subcontract our social concerns to them, and so individual dioceses, parishes, clergy, and indeed parishioners feel let off the hook
Let me suggest a simple test Wherever you are in the countr y, you have a b i s h o p W h a t v i e w s a r e y o u a w a r e o f your bishop sharing in your diocese on a n y o f t h e p r e s s i n g t o p i c s i n S o u t h e r n Africa today? Corruption, ser vice delive r y, l o a d s h e d d i n g , l o c a l a n d n a t i o n a l power struggles, xenophobia, the rise in t h e c o s t o f l i v i n g , u n e m p l o y m e n t , t h e degradation of our infrastructure, abuse of the legal system, access to healthcare, gender-based violence, toxic masculinity the list goes on
c a t h e d r a , a f t e r w h i c h a c a t h e d r a l i s n a m e d , i s t h e t r a d i t i o n a l c h a i r o f a uthority used by a bishop but also a prof e s s o r D o e s y o u r b i s h o p t e a c h ? A n d i f so, is that teaching about only the usual narrow range of subjects?
Yo u m i g h t b e l u c k y a n d l i v e i n a d i o c e s e w h e r e t h e b i s h o p h a s v o i c e d opinions on at least some of these Even luckier if the bishop has as the Vatican usually does drawn on experts in the field (lay and clerical; Catholic, nonCatholic and non-Christian) in order to be well-informed and so link the wealth o f C a t h o l i c S o c i a l Te a c h i n g w i t h t h e b e s t c u r r e n t l o c a l e x p e r t i s e i n o r d e r t o form an opinion.
I w a s d e l i g h t e d t o a t t e n d a l e c t u r e by Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town given in Durban in honour of A rc h b i s h o p s H u r l e y a n d G a b u z a i n which he shared some ver y thoughtful and thought-provoking ideas about mig r a t i o n , l i n k i n g i t w i t h r e f l e c t i o n s o n t h e i m p a c t o f C o v i d , c l i m a t e c h a n g e , globalisation and even social media
B u t y o u m i g h t n o t b e s o l u c k y i n the diocese where you are The principal r o l e o f t h e b i s h o p i s t o t e a c h t h e
Va t i c a n I I 6 0 y e a r s a g o g a v e the Church not just permission but also t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o s p e a k o u t o n a l l t h a t a f f e c t s u s “ i n t h e m o d e r n w o r l d ” . T h e r e a r e n o t a b l e e p i s c o p a l voices in our region, but it seems as if s o m e o f o u r b i s h o p s h a v e n o o p i nions at all about what affects the lives o f m o s t S o u t h A f r i c a n s O r t h e y d o h a v e o p i n i o n s , b u t d o n o t v o i c e t h e m O r t h e y v o i c e o p i n i o n s b u t n obody hears them because they have not taken advantage of the means of social c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , o r e v e n t h e i r o w n diocesan websites.
Moreover, the Church is here for all of humanity, not just the ones sitting in our pews The Church is called to be a Light to the Nations That is why, at the global level, when Pope Francis says unc o m f o r t a b l e t h i n g s a b o u t t h e s t a t e o f our society, it is such an important cont r i b u t i o n t o t h e d e b a t e B u t , a g a i n , w e need the voice of the Church on South African news, not just on CNN
Ye t , i n m o s t p a r t s o f t h e c o u n t r y a n d i n m o s t l o c a l m e d i a , t h e C a t h o l i c Church’s voice is silent When did you last read a Catholic bishop in your local secular newspaper, or see him on televis i o n , o r h e a r h i m o n t h e r a d i o ? Yo u might protest that this is not where they
It was religious leaders who led when others could not speak out
s h o u l d b e s p e a k i n g R e a l l y ? J e s u s rarely spoke inside religious buildi n g s t o g e t h i s m e s s a g e a c r o s s , he went out into the marketplace and into the streets.
Durban, the city where I live, has had its fair share of d r e a d f u l p r o b l e m s i n r e c e n t years: riots, floods, xenophob i a , p o l i t i c a l d i s i n t e g r a t i o n A n d t h e m e d i a h a s c o v e r e d these in depth. It is the poor w h o h a v e s u f f e r e d m o s t a n d t h e C h u rc h h a s s o m e t i m e s b e e n t h e r e t o l e n d a h a n d . B u t i n t h e l o c a l m e d i a , t h e C h u rc h ’s v o i c e o n w h a t c a u s e s t h e s e p r o b l e m s a n d w h a t s o l u t i o n s t h e r e c a n b e has been deafeningly silent
People often say that there is a crisis of leadership in South Africa and there is We struggle to name politicians who are not corrupt or incompetent or both Many of the leaders of our corporates (both private and stateowned) seem more interested in holding on to their jobs than in serving their customers And some traditional leaders seem good only at creating gossip or scandal But we also have religious leaders Remember it was religious leaders from across the spectrum who led this country when others could not or would not speak out.
Are their successors doing that today? Let me suggest one opportunity among many. The xenophobic marches that pop up across the countr y include people who happily attend church on a Sunday and maybe even our own churches. The next time they tr y to incite violence in your local town or city, wouldn’t it be wonderful if their path was blocked by their local Catholic bishop (preferably with other Christian leaders, shoulder to shoulder, as it was in the days of apartheid) He has a unique authority to stop them and remind them of the teaching of Christ: he can really challenge them to live the Gospel “in spirit and in truth”
Guest House, Simon’s Town Experience the peace and beauty of God and nature with us Fully equipped, with amazing sea views Secure parking, ideal for rest and relaxation Special rates for families, pensioners and clergy Malcolm or Wilma Salida + 27 82 784 5676 or mjsalida@gmail com
IF WE ONLY PRAYED WHEN WE FELT like it, we wouldn’t pray a lot Enthusiasm, good feelings, and fervour will not sustain anyone’s prayer life for long, good will and firm intention notwithstanding Our hearts and minds are complex and promiscuous, wild horses frolicking to their own tunes, with prayer frequently not on their agenda
The mystic St John of the Cross taught that, after an initial period of fervour in prayer, we will spend the bulk of our years struggling to pray discursively, dealing with boredom and distraction
So the question becomes: How do we pray at those times when we are tired, distracted, bored, disinterested, and nursing a thousand other things in our heads and in our hearts? How do we pray when little inside us wants to pray? Especially, how do we pray at those moments when we have a positive distaste for prayer?
Monks have secrets worth knowing. The first secret we need to learn from them is the central place of ritual in sustaining a prayer-life Monks pray a lot and regularly, but they never try to sustain their prayer on the basis of feelings They sustain it through ritual. Monks pray together seven or eight times a day ritually They gather in chapel and pray the ritual offices of the church (Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, Vespers, Compline) or they celebrate the Eucharist together. They don’t always go there because they feel like it; they come because they are called to prayer, and then, with their hearts and minds perhaps less than enthusiastic about praying, they pray through the deepest part of themselves, their intention, and their will.
St Benedict wrote that a monk’s life is to be ruled by the monastic bell When the bell rings, the monk is to drop immediately whatever he is doing and go to whatever that summons is calling him to not because he wants to, but because it is time, and time is not our time, it’s God’s That’s a valuable secret, particularly as it applies to prayer We need to go pray regularly, not because we want to, but because it’s time, and when we can’t pray with our hearts and minds, we can still pray through our wills and through our bodies
Yes, our bodies! We tend to forget that we are not disincarnate angels, pure heart and mind We are also a body Thus, when heart and mind struggle to engage in prayer, we can always still pray
Classically, we have tried to do this through certain physical gestures and postures (making the sign of the cross, kneeling, raising our hands, joining hands, genuflection, prostration), and we should never underestimate or denigrate the importance of these bodily gestures Simply put, when we can’t pray in any other way, we can still pray through our bodies (And, who is to say that a sincere bodily gesture is inferior as a prayer to a gesture of the heart or mind?)
Personally, I much admire a particular bodily gesture, bowing down with one’s head to the floor which Muslims do in their prayer To do that is to have your body say to God: “Irrespective of whatever’s on my mind and in my heart right now, I submit to your omnipotence, your holiness, your love ” Whenever I do meditative prayer alone, normally I end it with this gesture
Sometimes spiritual writers, catechists and liturgists have failed us by not making it clear that prayer has different stages and that affectivity, enthusiasm, fervour are only one stage, and the neophyte stage at that As the great doctors and mystics of spirituality have universally taught, prayer like love goes through three phases First comes fervour and enthusiasm; next comes the waning of fervour along with dryness and boredom; and finally comes proficiency, an ease, a certain sense of being at home in prayer that does not depend on affectivity and fervour but on a commitment to be present, irrespective of affective feeling
Rev Dietrich Bonhoeffer used to say this to a couple when officiating at their marriage: Today you are very much in love and believe that your love will sustain your marriage It won’t “Let your marriage [which is a ritual container] sustain your love ” The same can be said about prayer Fervour and enthusiasm will not sustain your prayer, but ritual can. When we struggle to pray with our minds and our hearts, we can still always pray through our wills and our bodies Showing up can be prayer enough
Catholic author Michael Leach said this in relation to what he was experiencing in having to care long-term for his wife suffering from Alzheimer’s: “Falling in love is the easy part; learning to love is the hard part; and living in love is the best part ” That is true also for prayer
M I N E r e c e n t l y a d v i s e d a s t r u g g l i n g i m m i g r a n t t o S o u t h A f r i c a t o m a k e c o n t a c t w i t h h i s l o c a l C a t h o l i c p a r i s h c o m m un i t y. H a v i n g d i s c o v e r e d t h a t h e w a s a C a t h o l i c f r o m t h e D R C o n g o , s h e s u gg e s t e d t h a t a n o b v i o u s w a y t o f i n d a n e t w o r k o f s u p p o r t a n d t o b e c o m e m o r e i n t e g r a t e d w a s t h r o u g h t h e l o c a l C a t h o l i c c o m m u n i t y
W h e n s h e t o l d m e t h i s I b r e a t h e d a p r a y e r t h a t t h e m a n w o u l d b e w e l c o m e d i n t h e p a r i s h , s h o u l d h e c h o o s e t o t a k e h e r a dv i c e F o r w e k n o w t h a t s u c h a w e lc o m e i s n o t a l w a y s a g i v e n
I s u p p o s e t h a t i t ’s h u m a n n at u r e , b u t m a n y o f u s g o t o c h u rc h f o r t h e c o m f o r t o f t h e c o m p a n y o f t h o s e w h o a r e l i k e - m i n d e d a n d w i t h w h o m w e a r e f a m i l i a r a n d a t e a s e We k n o w t h a t o u r d u t y i s t o r e a c h b e y o n d t h e b o u n d s o f o u r f a m i l y, f r i e n d s a n d
n e i g h b o u r s , b u t t h i s i s a c h a l l e n g e f o r u s a t t h e b e s t o f t i m e s
T h e s a y i n g “ C h a r i t y b e g i n s a t h o m e ” i s t r u e , b u t i t c a n a l s o b e u s e d t o j u s t i f y o u r n a t u r a l t e n d e n c y t o r em a i n f i r m l y i n o u r c o m f o r t z o n e s
H o w e v e r, t h e f a c t i s t h a t t h e C h u rc h i s n o t a c l u b . N o r i s c o m m u ni o n a c o n s t a n t s t a t e o f s w e e t n e s s a n d
e x p e r i e n c e a n i n t e n s e s e n s e o f u n i t y i n t h e d i v e r s i t y o f t h e b o d y o f C h r i s t T h i s m a y b e a t a n o r d i n a r y S u n d a y E uc h a r i s t , o r o n a p i l g r i m a g e , a t a d i o c es a n e v e n t , o r w h i l e s t a n d i n g i n t h e m i d d l e o f a c r o w d i n a s h o p p i n g m a l l . A n d w e w i l l g i v e t h a n k s f o r t h e m w h e n t h e y c o m e
l i g h t I t i s n o m o r e t h a t t h a n a m a rr i a g e i s a n e t e r n a l h o n e y m o o n C o mm u n i o n i s a g o a l t o w a r d s w h i c h w e w i l l a l w a y s s t r i v e i n t h i s l i f e C e rt a i n l y, t h e r e w i l l b e t i m e s , t h o s e m om e n t s o f c o n s o l a t i o n , w h e n w e
B u t t h e s e m o m e n t s o f f l e e t i n g t r a n s c e n d e n t e x p e r i e n c e o f c o m m u ni o n i n t h e m y s t i c a l b o d y o f C h r i s t a r e g i v e n t o u s t o k e e p u s a t i t T h e y e n e r g i s e u s a n d r e m i n d u s o f t h e g o a l a t w h i c h w e a i m T h e y k e e p u s d o i n g t h e “ g r u n t w o r k ” o f b u i l d i n g u p a c o m m u n i t y o f a l l t o o h u m a n h u m a n s i n o u r f a m i l i e s , w o r k p l a c e s , c o m m u n i t i e s a n d p a r i s h e s w i t h t h e d a i l y t a s k o f p u tt i n g u p w i t h t h e s h o r t c o m i n g s o f o t he r s a n d o u r o w n
To p u t i t t h e o l o g i c a l l y, i n t h e t e r m s o f t h e J e s u i t t h e o l o g i a n K a r l R a h n e r, t h e y k e e p u s s e l f - c o n s c i o u s l y s t r i v i n g f o r s e l f - t r a n s c e n d e n c e T h e m o m e n t s o f c o n s o l a t i o n a r e g r a c e w o r k i n g o n o u r d o d g y n a t u r e a n d m a k i n g i t c a p a b l e o f t h i n g s w e o f t e nt i m e s t h i n k i m p o s s i b l e
W h e n w e l o o k a r o u n d a d i o c e s e a n d a s k o u r s e l v e s i f t h e r e i s a p a r i s h t h a t e v e n a p p r o x i m a t e s t o t h e i d e a l P o p e F r a n c i s p r o p o s e s i n t h i s i n t e nt i o n , w e m i g h t b e d i s c o u r a g e d W h e r e a r e t h e c o m m u n i t i e s o f “ f a i t h , f r a t e rn i t y a n d w e l c o m e ” h e l d t o g e t h e r b y a d e e p s e n s e o f c o m m u n i o n ?
I t i s e a s y t o b l a m e t h e l e a d e r s h i p , t h e p o o r p a r i s h p r i e s t w h o i s s t r u gg l i n g t o c o p e a n d m a y b e t i r e d a n d i n p o o r h e a l t h B u t w e a l l a r e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r f o s t e r i n g p a r i s h l i f e , a n d w e s h o u l d r e m i n d o u r s e l v e s t h a t e v e r y p a r t o f t h e b o d y h a s i t s v i t a l r o l e
Eternal God, You have revealed Yourself as the Father of all Life. We praise You for the fatherly care which You extend to all creation, and especially to us, made in Your image and likeness. Father, extend Your hand of protection to those threatened by abortion and ve them from its destructive power. Give Your strength to all fathers. May they never give in to the fears that may tempt them to facilitate abortions
Bless our families and bless our land, that we may have the joy of welcoming and nurturing the Life of which You are the source and Eternal Father Amen
O Blessed Trinity, you filled the heart of your Servant Benedict with great love and zeal in building up your kingdom You chose him and gave him the courage and the strength to stand up for his faith without fear and bear witness unto death.
Loving God, like him, may I always proclaim the truth of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ by the witness of my life. Keep me away from all deeds of darkness. Protect me from evil spirits and all the powers of evil. Make me a true Apostle of Life in my family and in society.
Father, through his intercession, and according to your will, grant me the grace that I ask of you I draw strength and courage from the life of your Servant Benedict in the hope that he will be proposed to the faithful for veneration and as an intercessor and model of holiness.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen
Your
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St Brigid, you were a woman of peace You brought harmony where there was conflict You brought light to the darkness You brought hope to the downcast. May the mantle of your peace cover those who are troubled and anxious, and may peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made.
Amen
O St Bakhita, assist all those who are trapped in a state of slavery; intercede with God on their behalf so that they will be released from their chains of captivity. Those whom man enslaves, let God set free. Provide comfort to survivors of slavery and let them look to you as an example of hope and faith.
Amen
Across 1 He knows his subject; it ’s dull yellow (4) 3 Written text for the Passion Play (8) 9 Holy Week’s solemnest three days (7) 10. Wrap loosely around Padre (5) 11 Liturgical sign of something burnt in the week (3,9) 13 Urgent request for sound of a bell (6) 15 St Peter controls it in his barque (6) 17 Emergency packs on Noah’s Ark? (8,4) 20 He’s well versed in the Old Testament and Old Law (5) 21 Wrote more musical tones (7) 22 Mischievous child who is going to die? (8) 23 Brought up the food, we’re told (4)
DoWn 1 Judas’ disloyalty by a later version (8) 2 Total confidence in divine revelation (5) 4 It ’s the way to Compostela (6) 5. Not following Lenten obser vances (12) 6 Laborious effort at viral variant (7) 7 Lenten fare? (4) 8 Vellum I share to make liturgical vestments (7,5) 12 Sat in the celebrant ’s chair (8)
14. He may tell how deep Jacob’s Well is (7) 16 Opposed to a bit of poetr y (6) 18 Put into a grave position (5) 19 It ’s ver y little in the ocean (4)
Across 4 Ordinary time colour (5) 5 Country of Padre Pio (5) 6 Woman follower of St Paul (6) 8. Benedictine abbey in KZN (8) 9 Sacrament of Reconciliation (10) 10 Female saint (8) 11 ‘Holy ’ 1960s pop duo (9,8) 12 St Benedict ’s twin (11) 13. St Bakhita’s Christian name (9) 16 Famous hymn (7,5) 19 Site of Transfiguration (5,5)
20 Village of Bl Daswa’s grave (5) 21 Young Christian Workers founder (7) 22 1962 hit of Singing Nun (9) 23. Prayer of the rosary (4,4) 24. Lord’s Table (plural) (6) 25 Eucharistic implement (8) 26 14th of Feb saint (9) DoWn 1 8th word of the Apostles’ Creed (7) 2 Botswana diocese (11) 3 City of St Joan of Arc (7) 4 People who anoint (9)
5 Part of rosary (4) 7. Bishop of Klerksdorp (6,7) 9 ‘ is the Lamb’ (6) 10. Patronage of Pretoria, B’fontein (6,5) 13 Chesterton’s priest-detective (6,5) 14 Old and New Testament (5) 15 Pre-Lent festival (8) 17 Egyptian city of Origen, Catherine (10) 18 Short-lived pope (4,4,1) 21 Evangelist (4) 23 Bishop’s headwear (5) 24 Patron of hopeless causes (4)
Consolata Missionaries
Sacred Heart of Jesus
Approximately how old were the pyramids when Moses was born?
1 000 years b) 500 years c) 100 years
8.
a)
9
a)
10.
Q 4 : J e s u s a c t o r Q 6 : A b p M p a m b a n i
11.
a)
12.
At an early age, Scholastica entered a convent where the Benedictine motto Ora et Labora (pray and work) became an absolute joy for the young abbess, for she had practised it since childhood She found it the best way to keep her mind occupied with God even though her duties as abbess kept her busy most of the day
Pope Gregory the Great explained that, although Benedict had set out a rule of life for these holy women, it was Scholastica’s duty to see that they kept it faithfully and cheerfully as the best way to sanctification
Each year, Benedict and Scholastica met to discuss their way of life and the various spiritual challenges in the two religious houses Since women were not allowed to enter his monastery, Benedict and a few companions met her in a guesthouse near Monte Casino Scholastica rarely got to see her beloved twin On what turned out to be their final visit, Benedict indicated that he had to leave so as not to be outside the monastery overnight Scholastica implored him to stay for the night, but he refused She started to weep and prayed to God.
Suddenly violent thunder and lightning erupted, the skies opened and a mighty storm commenced. Benedict was forced to stay the night Scholastica said: “ You would not listen to me, but God did ” They spent the night in spiritual and heavenly talk
Scholastica died a few days later, and St Benedict was glad to have spent extra time with her As a result of this incident, St Scholastica is a patron saint invoked against storms and rain, among others She was The Southern Cross’ Saint of the Month in February 2022 (back issues are available)
As an abbess, St Scholastica instilled in her Sisters the necessity of living in accordance with the great Benedictine aim: “ That in all things God may be glorified ” The Benedictine values of prayer, work, study, community, reverence and respect are hallmarks of the life of St Scholastica She is indeed a role model to us all
Pope St Gregory the Great said of St Scholastica: “She could do more because she loved more ”
T h i s m o nt h ’s re c i p e a go o d way o f c e l e b rat i n g h e r fe a st t h i s m o nt h , o n Fe b r u a r y 1 0 re ca l l s a r u st i c I ta l i a n p e a s a nt d i s h ca l l e d t u o n i e l a m p o , w h i c h m e a n s “ t h u n d e r a n d l i g ht n i n g ” I t i s a l s o m a d e w i t h p a sta a n d c h i c k p e a s ; t h e “ t h u n d e r ” refe rs to t h e p ro f u s i o n o f f r i e d c h i c k p e a s , a n d “ l i g ht n i n g ” to t h e l a rge a m o u nt o f co a rs e l y c ra c ke d b l a c k p e p p e r
One of the recipes in my cookbook Delicious Italian Moments is pasta e ceci (pasta and chickpeas) which is similar to tuoni e lampo It ’s easy to prepare in only a few steps The quantities for this recipe can easily be doubled to ser ve more than two.
preparation: 40 min • serves 2
1 Bring the water, garlic, olive oil and the liquid of the can of chickpeas to the boil
2 Add the raw pasta and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
3. Add half the tin of chickpeas (or more if you prefer), and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add more boiling water (enough to cover the surface of the pasta) if the pasta is still raw and liquids are simmered away. Once pasta is al dente remove it from the stove.
5. Serve with ground black pepper and parmesan cheese to taste
6. Enjoy with a prayer to St Scholastica!
21 Cardijn, 22 Dominique, 23 Hail Mary, 24 Altars, 25 Ciborium, 26 Valentine DOWN: 1 Creator, 2 Francistown, 3 Orleans, 4 Anointers, 5 Bead, 7 Victor Phalana, 9 Worthy, 10 Sacred Heart, 13 Father Brown, 14 Bible, 15 Carnival, 17 Alexandria, 18 John Paul I, 21 Luke, 23 Mitre, 24 Jude
of Lisieux, 2 Bonaventure,
Alphonsus Liguori, 4 John Damascene, 5 Hildegard of Bingen
Dropped Letters: Kroonstad, Kimberley, Queenstown, Klerksdorp, Kokstad, Keimoes-Upington
Quick Crossword: ACROSS: 4 Green, 5 Italy, 6 Thecla, 8 Inkamana, 9 Confession, 10 Saintess, 11 Righteous Brothers, 12 Scholastica, 13 Josephine, 16 Amazing Grace, 19 Mount Tabor, 20 Nweli,
Catholic Trivia Quiz: 1 a) Joseph Grueter (27 years, from 1941-68 Brook served 16 years; Sipuka 15 years on February 8), 2 c) St Catherine of Sweden, 3 a) One (Holy Trinity by Pietro da Cortina in the Blessed Sacrament chapel; the other artworks are all mosaics), 4 c) The Chosen, 5 a) Bethsaida, 6 c) Sacred Heart of Jesus, 7 a) 1 000, 8 a) Samuel, 9 a) Belgium, 10 c) 13th century, 11 c) Spencer Tracy (for San Francisco in 1936 and Boys Town in 1938 Crosby was nominated twice for the same character in Going My Way and The Bells of St Mary’s; Malden once for On The Waterfront), 12 c) Elvis
s
W a l k w h e r e J e s u s a n d O u r L a d y w a l k e d , p r a y a t t h e s a c r e d s h r i n e s o f t h e H o l y L a n d , a n d t o u r C a i r o , w i t h t h e P y r a m i d s , t h e H a n g i n g C h u r c h , a d i n n e r c r u i s e o n t h e N i l e , p l u s A l e x a n d r i a ! D a i l y l u n c h e s i n c l u d e d !
w w w. f o w l e r t o u r s . c o . z a / s c - h o l y l a n d
‘Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind.’
– St Catherine of Siena (1347-80)
‘We cannot love God unless we love each other, and to love we must know each other.’
– Dorothy Day (1897-1980)
‘All of creation is a song of praise to God. Love abounds in all things, excels from the depths to beyond the stars, is lovingly disposed to all things.’
– St Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)
‘One cannot love without suffering or suffer without loving ’ – St Gianna Beretta Molla (1922-62)
‘Love endures everything, love is stronger than death, love fears nothing.’ – St Faustina Kowalska (1905-38)
‘It is not so essential to think much as to love much ’ – St Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-97)
‘We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become. If we love things, we become a thing. If we love nothing, we become nothing Imitation is not a literal mimicking of Christ; rather it means becoming the image of the beloved, an image disclosed through transformation. This means we are to become vessels of God’s compassionate love for others.’
– St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)
‘Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love, for they enkindle and melt the soul ’
– St Teresa of Avila (1515-82)
‘God is not a sky king who heads an empire; God is the love that gives itself away for the sake of more love ’
– Rev Cynthia Bourgeault (b 1947)
‘Spread love everywhere you go Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.’
– St Teresa of Kolkata (1910-97)
T h i s i s t h e f i r s t C a t h o l i c c h u r c h i n J o h a n n e s b u r g , o n t h e c o r n e r o f 1 4 8 F o x a n d S m a l S t r e e t s , t h e s i t e o f t o d a y ’ s C a r l t o n C e n t r e c o m p l e x I t o p e n e d o n A u g u s t 2 1 , 1 8 8 7 , a n d w a s t h e f r u i t o f t h e l a b o u r o f F r O d i l o n M o n g i n o u x O M I , w h o w o u l d b e c o m e t h e f i r s t p r e f e c t a p o s t o l i c o f t h e T r a n s v a a l
T h e f o u n d a t i o n s t o n e h a d b e e n l a i d b y B i s h o p C h a r l e s - C o n s t a n t J o l i v e t , t h e d y n a m i c O b l a t e b i s h o p o f N a t a l f r o m 1 8 7 4 - 1 9 0 3 , w h o e s t a b l i s h e d a C a t h o l i c p r e s e n c e i n t h e T r a n s v a a l , i n c l u d i n g t h e s m a l l b u t b o o m i n g m i n i n g t o w n o f J o h a n n e s b u r g w h i c h h a d b e e n f o u n d e d i n 1 8 8 6 . T h e f o u n d a t i o n s t o n e i s n o w k e p t i n C h r i s t t h e K i n g c a t h e d r a l .
T h e s t r u c t u r e a l s o i n c l u d e d a t h r e e - r o o m e d d w e l l i n g f o r t h e p r i e s t , a n d a t e m p o r a r y c o n v e n t a n d s c h o o l r o o m f o r t h e H o l y F a m i l y S i s t e r s w h o m F r M o n g i n o u x p l a n n e d t o s e n d f o r f r o m N a t a l .
T h e f i r s t - e v e r M a s s i n J o h a n n e s b u r g h a d b e e n h e l d o n l y h a l f a y e a r b e f o r e t h e c h u r c h o p e n e d I t w a s c e l e b r a t e d b y F r L T r a b a u d O M I o n F e b r u a r y 2 0 , 1 8 8 7 , i n a r e e d h u t , t h e b a k e r y o f F e r r e i r a ’ s C a m p , t h e e m b r y o n i c J o h a n n e s b u r g n e a r t h e p r e s e n t C i t y H a l l T h e r e w e r e 3 3 C a t h o l i c s p r e s e n t
W i t h i n f i v e y e a r s a l a r g e r c h u r c h n e e d e d t o b e b u i l t , o n t h e c o r n e r o f M a i n a n d V o n W i e l l i g h S t r e e t s , a n d t h e f i r s t c h u r c h w a s u s e d f o r c l a s s r o o m s . I n 1 8 9 6 t h e p r oc a t h e d r a l i n K e r k S t r e e t w a s b u i l t ; C h r i s t t h e K i n g c a t h e d r a l w a s o p e n e d o n l y i n 1 9 6 0
Li tt l e T h e re s a wa s s i tt i n g o n h e r g ra n d fa t h e r ’s l a p a s h e re a d h e r a sto r y F ro m t i m e to t i m e , s h e w o u l d re a c h u p to to u c h h i s w r i n k l e d c h e e k a n d t h e n h e r o w n F i n a l l y s h e s p o ke u p : “G ra n d a d , d i d G o d m a ke yo u ? ”
“ Ye s , d a r l i n g , ” h e a n s w e re d , “G o d m a d e m e a l o n g t i m e a g o ” “O h , ” T h e re s a p a u s e d , “G ra n d a d , d i d G o d m a ke m e to o ? ” “ Ye s , i n d e e d , d e a r,” h e s a i d , “G o d m a d e yo u j u st a l i tt l e w h i l e a g o ”
Fe e l i n g t h e i r re s p e c t i ve fa c e s a ga i n , T h e re s a o b s e r ve d : “G o d ’s g e tt i n g b e tte r a t i t , i s n ’ t h e ? ”
A snapshot from the past, colourised exclusively for The Southern Cross