PAGE 2 PAGE 7 PAGE 4 PAGE 9 New head Who pays Archaeologist: To whom for Jesuit when Father ‘Turin Shroud do bishops institute falls ill? is not real’ answer? February 3 to February 9, 2010 www.scross.co.za R5,00 (incl VAT RSA) Reg No. 1920/002058/06 No 4661 SOUTHERN AFRICA’S NATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY SINCE 1920 Inside New bishop Family reflections for Lent A new booklet of reflections for Lent pub- for Tzaneen lished by a Johannesburg-based family min- OPE Benedict has appointed Fr João istry looks at “the trouble with Catholics”.— Noé Rodrigues as the new bishop of Page 3 PTzaneen. He succeeds Bishop Hugh Slattery MSC, who has retired after reach- Pope praises Haiti response ing the canonical retirement age of 75. Pope Benedict has praised the world’s Fr Rodrigues was born in Cape Town on response to the Haiti earthquake while South March 8, 1953, and ordained priest for the African Catholics are raising funds for the dis- diocese of Witbank on July 4, 1982. aster relief and reconstruction.—Pages 3 & 4 After his ordination Fr Rodrigues was appointed temporary rector of Christ the A vocation for everybody Priest minor seminary in Witbank, served A modern Catholic foundation called Heart’s as army chaplain, and vice-rector of St Home includes priests, nuns, consecrated John Vianney seminary (1991-93). He lay people, and young volunteers hoping to served Sacred Heart parish in Ackerville, make a difference.—Page 6 where he is currently based, and as Wit- bank’s cathedral administrator. Why the world needs religion He is the dean of the Highveld deanery, In his monthly column, Mphuthumi Ntabeni coordinator of the diocesan catechetical argues that a world without religion would be programme in Witbank and a part-time barbaric.—Page 9 lecturer at St John Vianney seminary. SA CUP: South African pilgrimage operator Val Tangney presents Franciscan Brother Florian of The bishop-elect has a licence in dog- New books reviewed the Mount Nebo sanctuary in Jordan with a chalice as Fr Michael van Heerden (left), Archbishop matic theology from the Pontifical Urbani- We review Thomas Friedman’s best seller Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg and Fr Vincent Brennan SMA look on. The sanctuary—which ana University in Rome and a master of Hot Flat and Crowded and a novel on life in a marks the spot from where Moses saw the Promised Land—had lost a chalice it had lent to a arts degree in Spirituality from Santa Clara 16th century Italian convent.—Page 10 South African tour group and which was supposed to be returned by a tour guide. Hearing of this, University in California. Mrs Tangney investigated which group of pilgrims might have been involved with a view to track- Bishop Slattery had headed the diocese What do you think? ing down the guide. While her enquiries were fruitless, Franciscan Father Tony Thouard of Boks- of Tzaneen since 1984, its second bishop In their Letters to the Editor this week, read- burg offered to donate the chalice which Mrs Tangney took to Mount Nebo during a pilgrimage since being established in 1972. The dio- ers discuss married priests, Anglican con- with the three churchmen. cese serves about 50 000 Catholics. verts, feminism, repentance, contraception, and legal immunity.—Page 8 This week’s editorial: Health of mind and body Legalised prostitution Lay woman gets Vatican ‘a difficult choice’ BY MICHAIL RASSOOL coordinator for the Sex Worker Education position and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT), which HE decision on whether to decrimi- lobbies for the decriminalisation of adult sex BY CINDY WOODEN nalise prostitution will be difficult to work in South Africa, told The Southern Cross make, and the debate—which began OPE Benedict has named a laywoman T that her organisation proposes that sex work many years ago—will most probably contin- be regulated, not criminalised. undersecretary of the Pontifical Coun- ue well beyond the Football World Cup, cil for Justice and Peace, marking the She said sex workers do have rights under P according to Janine Ogle, a researcher with the Constitution, and should be the object first time in more than 20 years that a the bishops’ Catholic Parliamentary Liaison of law enforcement attention only when in woman has served as undersecretary of a Office (CPLO). pontifical council. breach of regulatory provisions. Ms Ogle downplayed the widespread idea For this reason, Ms Lalu said, “sex work- Flaminia Giovanelli succeeds US Bishop that the government was attempting to Frank Dewane, who held the position until ers” must participate in all significant public force through legislation legalising prostitu- 2006. The post has been vacant since then. debates surrounding the criminalisation or tion in time for the Football World Cup in Ms Giovanelli, 61, is a political scientist, decriminalisation of their work. June. The suspicion was aroused by a call for who has worked at the council since 1974. The CPLO’s Ms Ogle said the South As a council official, she had been responsi- submissions on adult prostitution by the African Law Reform Commission has pro- ble for issues dealing with development, South African Law Reform Commission. posed four possible models for legislating on poverty and labour from the point of view At present prostitution is totally crimi- adult prostitution. of Catholic social teaching. nalised under the Sexual Offences Act 23 of Total criminalisation, in which all The last woman to serve as undersecre- 1957 and the Sexual Offences Amendment aspects and role players involved in prosti- tary of a pontifical council was Rosemary Act 32 of 2007, which criminalise prostitu- tution would be criminalised, which is close Goldie, an Australian, who held the posi- tion, brothel owning and operating, pro- The red light district of Hamburg, Germany. A to the current model whose main aim is to tion from 1966-76 at the Pontifical Council curement of women to work as prostitutes, Church researcher has discussed the potential eliminate prostitution. for the Laity. soliciting by prostitutes, and benefiting for legalising prostitution in South Africa. Partial criminalisation decriminalises Ms Giovanelli will not be the highest- from the profits of prostitution. the selling of prostitution, while the buying ranking woman at the Vatican, though. It is also an offence to have “unlawful of prostitution indoors and/or outdoors and Salesian Sister Rosanna Enrica serves as carnal intercourse” or commit an act of ers view prostitution and other forms of sex some or all prostitution related acts would undersecretary of the Congregation for “indecency” with another person for profit. work as valid options, especially for women be criminalised. Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies The Act also defines “unlawful carnal inter- trapped in a cycle of poverty. They feel it is Non-criminalisation removes all crimi- of Apostolic Life. course” as that between two people not not the government’s business to make laws nal sanctions on prostitutes, clients, and In a statement, Cardinal Peter Turkson, married to each other. that impose one group’s morality on the prostitution-related acts. the Ghanaian president of the Justice and Ms Ogle in a briefing paper said it is population as a whole. Regulation, a form of employment Peace council, said the appointment of Gio- important to note that while the Act crimi- The Catechism of the Catholic Church which criminalises only those acts that vanelli “demonstrates the concern of the nalises the “work” done by prostitutes, it condemns prostitution as a “social scourge” breach specified regulations. Church for the promotion of the dignity does not criminalise being a prostitute. which “does injury to the dignity of the per- The prostitution debate goes beyond and rights of women in the world”, which The 2007 amendment provides for the son who engages in it”. The Catechism what we may believe is morally right or is one area of special concern to his office. liability of the client as a participant in the adds: “While it is always gravely sinful to wrong, said Ms Ogle. “The reasons why so Ms Giovanelli has served on the Joint criminal act. engage in prostitution, the imputability of many women, and some men, enter prosti- Working Group of the Catholic Church and Noting that prostitution offends the val- the offence can be attenuated by destitu- tution, and the difficulty they encounter in the World Council of Churches since ues of most citizens, especially those who tion, blackmail, or social pressure.” trying to exit the profession, need particular 2006.—CNS have religious beliefs, Ms Ogle said that oth- Vivienne Lalu, advocacy programme attention.” 22 The Southern Cross, February 3 to February 9, 2010 LOCAL New Jesuit thrust to connect Wings of Hope school business and religious values gets toddlers off streets BY MICHAIL RASSOOL Tswana name “Kgosi“. The Kgosi Catholic or Ignatian, Mr Perrier Neighbourhood Foundation came BY MICHAIL RASSOOL HEN the Kgosi Neigh- said, it doesn’t mean its doors are about in August 2004, AYMOND Perrier, new direc- bourhood School in She said the school, from Grade shut to the contributions that Jeppestown, Johannes- tor of the Jesuit Institute of other faiths can make to such W 0 to R for children of 3-5 years, South Africa (JISA) in Braam- burg, was founded in 2004, a long- R aims, or that they cannot be forces starts at 07:30 with breakfast fontein, Johannesburg, wants it to held dream came true for King for good. before lessons start. The children be a place where the Church and William's Town Dominican Sister also receive lunch, so by the time the wider society can meet, to dis- Regarding engaging the busi- Natalie Kühn, who founded it.