Tui Motu Interislands Monthly Independent Catholic Magazine September 2014 | $7
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Tui Motu InterIslands monthly independent Catholic magazine September 2014 | $7 New Zealand General Election 2014 . editorial elections! elections! elections! hat a month this is for everything in common, sold their employment base for the young . us New Zealanders . goods and possessions and distributed Placing more money in the hands We’ve been thrown these among themselves according to of the majority of our people would Winto the midst of the ‘dirty politics’ what each one needed ’. (Acts 2:44) mean more money to spend and debate, with allegations and counter- This may seem amazingly ideal . But it more jobs created . And in the present allegations coming thick and fast, affirms clearly that only together can economic climate, government has and some tough but important our love inspire us in voting . wriggle-room to do this . points made . For example, ministers Undergirding this will be another A second theme we treat this do need to be accountable for their ‘heart’ principle: that of the dignity month is the centennial of World actions . Neither is the whole debate of each and every New Zealander, War One, a hugely seminal event to be dismissed as just some type of seen against our wider world . Now in the life and history of this conspiracy dreamed up to destabilize we want policies that will respect the country . In upholding the coura- the election . We must be aware of human dignity of each, not just the geous people who gave their lives the pressures of lobbyists, and their privilege of some . in battle, we also uphold those who dangerous relationships with people The third set of most pressing values gave their lives for peace (cf the in positions of power . are those of mercy and compassion . story of Ben Salmon) . War is never Despite this, each of us as voters We certainly see the need for these to be glorified for its own sake . As wants to go to the heart and core of more easily when looking at the world Archbishop Desmond Tutu says of what is there for us to take note of . scene (in Iraq, Gaza, Syria and West the present Israel/Gaza conflict, As Christians in an increasingly secu- Africa) and the ways governments and ‘Violence begets violence and lar society, there are three principal people are attempting, or not, to bring hatred, that only begets more vio- values that will help us in deciding sanity and grace into the global equa- lence and hatred’ . War will never our vote . tion . However, mercy and compassion solve our human problems . In fact, The core matter is the gift of remain absolutely crucial values for us he reminds us strongly of the futil- community . We need to look at the electors to ponder here also . ity of war — ‘there is no military whole of our society and its good first, From my privileged place as solution’ — and of our need to use before we look to the needs of each editor, one practical matter I see that a non-violent political toolbox to individual . Remember the situation may help our people the most would stop fighting wherever it occurs . in the original Jerusalem community be the giving of a living wage to all, Good thinking and good voting! where we are told the faithful ‘owned along with the creation of a suitable KT Editorial . .2 Prayer: God in whom we trust . 19 Neil Darragh Pleas to the people of Israel . 3 Ben Salmon, a ‘confessor of the faith’ . 20–21 Letters to the editor . 4 contents John Dear Exploiting migrant workers . 5 Commemorating the first world war . 22–23 Jim Consedine Tom Brooking How to vote? . 6–7 Catholics and the Great War . 24–25 Mike Riddell SeÁn Brosnahan Poverty, inequality, the bible and the election . 8–9 A listening church ‘with large ears’ . 26–27 Chris Nichol and Max Rashbrooke Kathleen Rushton Gospel Manifesto 2014 overview . 10–11 Book and film reviews . 28–29 Vaughan Milner Crosscurrents . 30 Individualism in an election year . 12–13 Jim Elliston Gerard Aynsley Election 2014: what do we really want? . 31 Stepping stones to hope . 14–15 Robert Consedine Peter Matheson A mother’s journal . 32 Peace . 16–17 Kaaren Mathias Memory and guarantee . 18–19 Laetitia Puthenpadath Cover illustration: Donald Moorhead 2 Tui Motu InterIslands September 2014 . comment pleas to the people of israel leas for help from two people that this tragedy in Gaza would not generations to violence and insecurity . involved with the people of have happened if the Israeli politi- A mind-set shift that stops regarding Israel and Gaza are vitally cians had opted for peace and gone legitimate criticism of a state’s policies Pimportant at present when life there on with the peace negotiations . as an attack on Judaism . A mind-set is extremely frayed . The first is from Some, particularly in Europe and the shift that begins at home and ripples Dr Bernard Sabella, who works in west, put the blame on Hamas for out across communities and nations Gaza with the Middle East Council shooting rockets into Israel . But what and regions — to the Diaspora scat- of Churches and their service to is the root cause for this, can we ask? tered across the world we share . The Palestinian Refugees, and who has If we Palestinians have to behave like only world we share . labored all his life to seek to find good boys, on Israeli conditions and People united in pursuit of a answer to the Israel/Palestine prob- accept all the infractions committed righteous cause are unstoppable . God lem . The second is a quote from a against us, are we really human? Who does not interfere in the affairs of remarkable piece by Archbishop can convince us that what Israel is people, hoping we will grow and learn Emeritus Desmond Tutu, com- doing with its siege on Gaza, its set- through resolving our difficulties and menting on the rallies around the tlements in the West Bank, its policies differences ourselves . But God is not world seeking an end to the Gaza and measures in East Jerusalem are all asleep . The Jewish scriptures tell us crisis, and supporting sanctions and for our good and for the future of that God is biased on the side of the divestment from Israel . Dr Bernard our children? Is Israel preparing the weak, the dispossessed, the widow, the is a concerned ‘insider’; Archbishop ground for good neighbourliness or orphan, the alien who set slaves free on Desmond is a concerned ‘outsider’ . is it creating the environment for fur- an exodus to a Promised Land . It was However, coming from completely ther war and bloodshed? When will the prophet Amos who said we should different viewpoints and parts of Israeli politicians wake up?’ let righteousness flow like a river . the world, there is a marked co- Goodness prevails in the end . The incidence of view pushing for a way Archbishop Desmond Tutu: pursuit of freedom for the people of forward . Pray for that new path to ‘My plea to the people of Israel is to Palestine from humiliation and per- humanity and freedom . see beyond the moment, to see beyond secution by the policies of Israel is a the anger at feeling perpetually under righteous cause . It is a cause that the Dr Bernard Sabella: siege, to see a world in which Israel people of Israel should support . ‘The times are difficult indeed and and Palestine can coexist — a world in Nelson Mandela famously said they will become more difficult in which mutual dignity and respect reign . that South Africans would not feel the coming weeks and months … It requires a mind-set shift . A free until Palestinians were free . While we tend to the wounds of our mind-set shift that recognizes that He might have added that the Palestinian brothers and sisters and attempting to perpetuate the cur- liberation of Palestine will liberate their children, we have to remember rent status quo is to damn future Israel, too ’. n Tui Motu – InterIslands is an independent, address: Independent Catholic Magazine Ltd, Catholic, monthly magazine. It invites its 52 Union Street, Dunedin North, 9054 P O Box 6404, Dunedin North, 9059 readers to question, challenge and contrib- ute to its discussion of spiritual and social phone: (03) 477 1449 issues in the light of gospel values, and in fax: (03) 477 8149 the interests of a more just and peaceful email: [email protected] society. Inter-church and inter-faith dialogue website: www.tuimotu.org is welcomed. TuiMotuInterIslands editor: Kevin Toomey OP The name Tui Motu was given by Pa Henare Tate. assistant editor: Elizabeth Mackie OP It literally means “stitching the islands together...”, bringing the different races and peoples and faiths illustrator: Donald Moorhead together to create one Pacific people of God. directors: Susan Brebner, Rita Cahill RSJ, Philip Casey (chair), Neil Darragh, Paul Ferris, Robin Kearns, Elizabeth Mackie OP Divergence of opinion is expected and will normally and David Mullin be published, although that does not necessarily ISSM 1174-8931 honorary directors: Pauline O’Regan RSM, Frank Hoffmann imply editorial commitment to the viewpoint Issue number 186 typesetting and layout: Greg Hings expressed. printers: Southern Colour Print, 1 Turakina Road, Dunedin South, 9012 3 Tui Motu InterIslands September 2014 letters to the editor suzanne aubert made in God’s image and a brother/ letters to the editor sister of Jesus has led to the violent Tui Motu is a read a wee bit beyond We welcome comment, death of billions . Given the violence my intellectual capabilities and I find discussion, argument, debate .