The SSoouutthheerrnnCCrroossss Centenary Jubilee Year May 20 to May 26 , 2020 Reg No. 1920/002058/06 No 5187 www.scross.co.za R12 (incl VAT RSA) Bishops speak A visit to Schooling: out on Nazareth, Holy Lessons from Covid-19 crisis Family’s home lockdown Pages 2-3 Page 10 Page 9 Open churches? ‘Keep faith and be patient’ BY ERIN CARELSE even though we cannot go to church,” he said. TTENDING church is of great impor - Churches in many other countries are tance for Christian people because it is opening for Mass, under strict conditions. In Aan expression, experience, and witness Australia, for example, churches may admit of faith—but we cannot tempt the Lord and only up to ten people. common sense by opening churches too “If we had to introduce that, it would be The reputed footprint of Jesus, left in stone at his Ascension, in the mosque of the As - soon, according to the spokesman for the quite difficult because our congregations are Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Confer - cension—originally a Crusader chapel—on the Mount of Olives. This year the feast of generally quite large,” Archbishop Slattery ence (SACBC). the Ascension is on May 21, but the solemnity is transferred in Southern Africa and noted. With lockdown set to be eased even fur - other regions to Sunday, May 24. (Photo: Günther Simmermacher) “Our people are really missing going to ther—at least to Level 3—voices calling for church, and so they would come back in large the reopening of churches have become louder. numbers,” he predicted. “I think it’s a bit hasty to be opening “I don’t think churches can go ahead and churches, because it’s through human contact say, ‘Look we trust in the Lord, all back to church tomorrow.’ We cannot do things like Stolen items recovered in all its form that this pandemic is spread,” said SACBC spokesman Archbishop William that,” the archbishop said. “We simply have to observe the ordinary BY ERIN CARELSE “The police contacted the minister but Slattery, retired of Pretoria. failed to show up at the agreed time and He noted that it is important to observe laws of humanity and of nature and every - OME of the items stolen from St Mary’s thing else like Jesus did. We cannot expect a place. The next day, when the police still the lawful restrictions laid down by the gov - cathedral in Cape Town last month have hadn’t met up with him and taken his state - ernment in trying to contain this virus, miracle by having 400 people in church, been recovered after a young man tried some of whom may have the virus, and every - S ment, he drove into Cape Town and dropped “It is important to go to church, yes, and to sell them to a Protestant minister in one goes home and in perfect health. That’s off the items at the Central Police Station.” we are getting a lot of hits on the streaming Khayelitsha. The next morning, two detectives arrived of Masses on Sunday because we Catholics re - not how it works,” he added. The minister, who may not be named, He noted that many who attend Mass are at the presbytery in Vredehoek to inform Fr quire and are receiving Communion spiritu - was handing out food parcels when a man Smuts that “they were in possession of some ally,” Archbishop Slattery told The Southern elderly—and these are the most vulnerable to approached him with an offer to sell reli - items and wanted an inventory of all the Cross . Covid-19. gious items. items that were stolen” in the cathedral bur - “But streamed Masses are different to at - “We really are suffering with our people. When he took a closer look, he recognised glary, Fr Smuts said. tending a Mass and receiving Holy Commun - We, the priests and bishops, are missing them that these were items stolen from the cathe - Frs Luigi Benigni and Smuts were asked to ion, because Jesus says, ‘Take and eat”,” he and we would love to have them back. But at dral and told the young man so. come to the police station to identify the acknowledged. the same time, and out of love for them, we At that, the man abandoned his loot and items and take possession of them, but when “Faith largely depends on community. realise the danger and say: ‘Wait a little ran away, leaving the minister with the God formed a community in the desert, and longer’,” the archbishop said. items. they arrived, the station had been closed Jesus from the beginning set up a community “Continue your prayers and pray for one “The minister insisted that I come to down for fumigation and cleaning due to a of apostles and told us to be one,” Archbishop another. The great witness of being Catholic Khayelitsha and collect these items since he positive Covid-19 case. Slattery noted. is having charity and love for each other,” did not want to have them in his house,” The next day, one of the investigating of - “We need to express that physically as well Archbishop Slattery said. said Fr Rohan Smuts, administrator of St ficers called to apologise for the inconven - as spiritually. But, on the other hand, we are Relaxation of lockdown in both Botswana Mary’s cathedral. ience caused and promised to call back next bound by the national law which is necessary and Eswatini has permitted the restricted re - “I indicated that since it was an active po - week to arrange a time. This did not materi - for conserving health by keeping ourselves opening of churches. lice case, the investigating officer would be alise. isolated and maintaining social distancing. The Catholic dioceses in those countries, contacting him to arrange for the collection “When I had not heard anything back, I “These are actually acts of religion because which are part of the SACBC, are currently of the stolen items and to take his state - sent a WhatsApp message to the detective in they are acts of charity and caring. So in a lot studying the possibility of reopening ment,” said Fr Smuts. charge of our case expressing our displeasure of ways, we can express that we are Catholics churches. But this turned out to be a taxing mission. Continued on page 3 How can you help The Southern Cross iD you know that The Southern We have made the weekly edition HOW CAN YOU HELP? campaign for details (or click HERE ) Cross is entirely independent and available for FREE on our website, going • Subscribe and encourage people to • Make an EFT contribution into the unsubsidised, surviving on rev - online every Friday at 11:00. That way, all subscribe to The Southern Cross . 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Snap here to help us! 2 The Southern Cross, May 20 to May 26, 2020 LOCAL ‘Lockdown has revealed our societal challenges’ BY ERIN CARELSE of time appears to create an oppor - angry and alienated,” he said. tunity for some men to become vi - Some health workers have lost N a new pastoral letter, the arch - olent towards women.” their lives after being infected by bishop of Johannesburg said that If only a fraction of the resources the patients they served in hospitals Ithe strict regime of “stay at Archbishop Buti mounted against Covid-19 were and this no doubt has had a devas - home” during the lockdown has re - Tlhagale of dedicated to uprooting violence tating effect on their families, said vealed—or perhaps brought into Johannesburg, against women, the change in the the archbishop. the open—some of South Africa’s in a new attitude of both men and women “Many knew of the danger but more serious societal challenges.