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The SSoouutthheerrnnCCrroossss January 29 to February 4, 2014 Reg No. 1920/002058/06 No 4859 www.scross.co.za R7,00 (incl VAT RSA) Rabbi speaks New columnist Daswa & Pfanner: on his friend, on how The making Pope Francis faith grows of local saints Page 5 Page 7 Page 9 South Africa gives Palestinians hope BY CLAIRE MATHIESON Secretary of State John Kerry was meeting with key players to discuss a peace deal be - OUTH AFRICA’S experience of overcom - tween Israel and Palestine. ing apartheid is giving hope to Palestini - “The way forward has to be around nego - Sans in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, tiation. There needs to be some kind of level many of whom display posters of Nelson playing field between Israel and Palestine,” Mandela in their homes. Fr Pearson told The Southern Cross . Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town, The delegation spoke to diplomats and president of the Southern African Catholic key negotiators as well as people on the Bishops’ Conference, and Fr Peter-John Pear - ground and Church leaders working in the son, director of the Catholic Parliamentary Holy Land. Liaison Office, were part of a visit to the re - gion by the Co-ordination of Bishops’ Con - ather Pearson said the journey into ferences in support of the Church in the Gaza—“the world’s biggest open air Holy Land, which also included bishops F prison”—was “extremely moving and chal - from Europe and North America. lenging”. “Gaza is a man-made disaster, a shocking “It’s a desperate situation. There are 1,8 scandal, an injustice that cries out to the human community for a resolution,” the million people living in an entirely blocked bishops said in a statement after their visit off area. There is a small Christian commu - nity of around 2 500 of which around 200 Fr Peter-John Pearson (left) and Archbishop Stephen Brislin in Rafah, Gaza. They were part of a to the Holy Land to pray with and support Church delegation to the Holy Land. the Christian community and the cause of are Catholic. And yet it is this community peace. that is making a contribution to the educa - The delegation has been visiting the trou - tion and social services of those in Gaza,” Fr bled region for more than 12 years. Pearson said. This year it was joined for the first time by The bishops’ statement said that “this is precisely the hope needed at this moment to Diocese uses SMS to Archbishop Brislin, who is also the regional prior of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, bring peace, a peace that can only be built which aids the Christians of the Holy Land on justice and equity for both peoples. Pales - and promotes pilgrimages to the region. tinians and Israelis desperately need this peace.” prepare for its future “It was decided that there should be a South African presence. South Africa features Fr Pearson added the embargo was incred - greatly in the Palestinian discourse and in ibly strict, and movement in and out of the STAFF REPORTER the imagination of locals,” Fr Pearson said. area is nearly impossible. There is a blanket HE new bishop of Kokstad is using cell - “Many Palestinian homes have pictures of ban on those between 16-35 leaving, even to phone technology to prepare his flock Nelson Mandela. There is a rough parallel in visit family in the West Bank, which is under Tfor the first diocesan consultation. history between our country and theirs.” military occupation by Israel. Bishop Zolile Mpambani, who has headed Archbishop Brislin said he felt a “great “That means a huge population is impris - the diocese for five months, is this weekend affinity” with the Palestinians, whose suffer - oned in Gaza. The impact on social life and hosting a diocesan consultation meeting— ing he compared to blacks in South Africa employment is huge,” the priest said. and has laid much of the groundwork by SMS. under apartheid. “In Gaza we witnessed the deep poverty The diocese of Kokstad is almost entirely “I personally would not call [Israel] an of the people, and the courageous presence rural, straddling the border of KwaZulu-Natal apartheid state. I believe there are nuances of the small and vulnerable Christian com - and the Eastern Cape. in the Holy Land which must be recog - munities there,” the bishops said in a state - “We are very scattered: 19 priests serving nised...but it is very similar to apartheid in ment. over 150 Mass centres [which are] separated the sense of the loss of human dignity and “We call upon political leaders to improve by long distances on rural roads,” he said. of the subjection of people to the political the humanitarian situation of the people in Taking the long view, he noted that in 2034 will of others,” said Archbishop Brislin. Gaza, assuring access to the basic necessities the diocese will mark the 150th anniversary Puleng Matseneng and Bishop Zolile Mpam - bani test out the SMS service that is being He said South Africa’s example should for a dignified human life, the possibilities of the foundation of its cathedral. “What kind used to bring together the diocese of Kokstad offer hope to the people of the Holy Land. for economic development, and freedom of of diocese do we want to be building now for “We must never forget that democracy in movement.” the next 20 years?” he asked. stitute explained: “Some will come a day South Africa brought not only liberation to The bishops also voiced their alarm the The bishop is working with the Johannes - early, on January 31, for a day of reflection. black people but also to white people, because planned construction of a security barrier in burg-based Jesuit Institute SA. In October the But for many that is not possible, so instead it freed whites from the burden of oppressing the Cremisan valley which threatens the institute’s director, Raymond Perrier, ran a we will have guided them through ten days people and allowed us to develop normal re - agricultural land held for generations by 58 workshop on leadership and vision with the of personal reflection by sending a daily SMS lationships with our fellow human beings,” Christian families, and would cut through diocesan clergy, and the idea of a big diocesan in isiXhosa or English.” the archbishop said. “The same can be true of two Salesian monasteries. meeting came out of that. Bishop Mpambani welcomed the initiative. the Holy Land, and I believe it will be.” A final court appeal was to be heard in an Almost 150 people will attend, represent - “We may be far from the cities, but that does Fr Pearson has accompanied the delega - Israeli court in late January. ing parishes, sodalities, schools and religious not mean we cannot use modern media. In tion for the past three years. For Fr Pearson, the ideal solution to the congregations. fact, SMS may turn out to be a key way of keep - The delegation was in the region as US Continued on page 3 Puleng Matseneng, also from the Jesuit In - ing the diocese connected in the future.” For full FATIMA • LOURDES • AVILA itinerary or with Bishop João Rodrigues & Günther Simmermacher to book Join The Southern Cross and the Diocese of Tzaneen on a Pilgrimage of Prayer for the phone Gail at 076 35 2 3809 Sainthood Cause of Benedict Daswa to places of Our Lady in France, Spain & Portugal! or 021 551 3923 25 September to 6 October 2014 [email protected] www.fowlertours.co.za Fatima | Avila & Alba de Tormes (St Teresa) | Madrid | Zaragossa (Our Lady of the Pillar) | Lourdes with torchlight procession | Nevers (St Bernadette) | Tours (Sr Marie of St Peter) | Lisieux (St Thér èse) | Paris with Notre Dame and Rue de Bac (Miraculous Medal) | and more... 2 The Southern Cross, January 29 to February 4, 2014 LOCAL Theologian to hit Cape Town Pilgrims to pray STAFF REPORTER Fr Alison has developed “Jesus the Forgiving Victim”, a pro - RITISH Catholic teacher- for Daswa cause gramme which offers something preacher, theologian and au - “quite fresh”, said Mr Hill, in the Bthor Fr James Alison will be in field of introductions to faith STAFF REPORTER strong devotion long before it was Cape Town on a working visit from widespread, and St John of the Cross while embracing a straightforward HEN the beatification February 16 to 28, hosted by the An - credited being saved from drowning Christian orthodoxy. He has cause of Benedict Daswa is glican Christ church in Constantia. as a child to the intervention of taught the course to small groups examined by the Vatican According to Fr Terry Lester, the W Mary. around the world over the past 14 in October, it will be boosted by the theologian will be available to the Zaragoza’s basilica is reputed to years. prayers of South African pilgrims at parish, the broader church commu - be the first church ever to be dedi - He is the author of Knowing Jesus, Marian sites in three countries. nity and interested parties in general. cated to Mary. Raising Abel, The Joy of Being Wrong, The Southern Cross and the dio - Fr Alison is noted for his applica - According to tradition, on Janu - Faith Beyond Resentment: Fragments cese of Tzaneen are headlining a ary 2 in the year 40 AD, Mary ap - tion of Rene Girard’s anthropologi - Catholic and Gay, On Being Liked, Un - special Pilgrimage of Prayer in Sep - peared to St James, the apostle of cal theory to systematic theology dergoing God and Broken Hearts and tember and October for the cause of Spain, who at that time found it dif - and also for his work on gay issues.