The SSoouutthheerrnnCCrroossss October 1 to October 7 , 2014 Reg No. 1920/002058/06 No 4893 www.scross.co.za R7,00 (incl VAT RSA)

Pope wept as Fr Rolheiser SA couple on he heard shines new light way to Vatican’s priest’s story on Prodigal Son synod of bishops Page 5 Page 12 Page 9 SA archbishop warns: Beware of false prophets

BY STUART GRAHAM mility, not self-pro - motion. Saintly peo - EOPLE seeking spiritual guidance must ple always hide their be wary of “false prophets” who are mak - gifts. They use their Ping money out of religion, an archbishop gifts, but they will try has warned. to hide them and Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria point out these are said the collapse of the guesthouse at faith God’s gifts.” healer TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All People gather in St James Square in Barcelona, Spain to watch the construction of a Archbishop Slat - Nations in Lagos, Nigeria, last month had tery said faith must human tower and to celebrate their patron saint, The Virgin of Mercy. (Photo: Gustau raised “many questions” for the Church. Nacarino, Reuters/CNS) be built on reason Many South Africans were among the vic - and on “the rational tims. use of the laws of na - “People went believing that they were re - ture”. ceiving help and now they were being “Grace builds on Archbishop Slattery, brought back in coffins,” Archbishop Slattery nature and nature is who has warned Post Office could kill said. God given,” he said. Christians to beware “We are extremely sorry that these reli - “All those laws of preachers who are gious people have ended in this terrible way. that control rising of in it for the money. This raises many questions for us as Church sun and moon, pho - The Southern Cross people.” tosynthesis, laws governing the animal Around 115 people, including the 84 world... These are God-given laws that have STAFF REPORTER able, especially in Gauteng and the Eastern South Africans, were killed and dozens evolved over millenia. Life must be guided by Cape, even when there are no strikes, she trapped when the church’s three-storey guest - HE Southern Cross will be hit hard by the laws of nature—not by miracles.” said. house collapsed. Archbishop Slattery said Mr Joshua’s reac - losses from sales after parishes in several Matters became so bad in Johannesburg a Around 350 South Africans were thought centres did not receive the newspaper tion after the building collapse beggars belief. T few years ago that The Southern Cross decided to be visiting the church, in the Ikotun neigh - “The immediate response of TB Joshua was for weeks due to a series of postal strikes. to courier the allocations for the archdiocese’s bourhood of Lagos, at the time. The newspaper relies for the bulk of its dis - that some plane passed over the building be - bigger parishes for distribution through Radio South African worshippers, some of whom fore it collapsed. This doesn’t make much tribution on the Post Office because other Veritas. were trapped and injured in the rubble, at - sense. Thousands of planes pass over Tembisa methods would impact on the cover price, “The Post Office’s lack of service is exasper - tended TB Joshua’s weekly sermon on Sunday without any buildings collapsing.” said business manager Pamela Davids. ating, because not only do we lose sales, but after the collapse. The archbishop also rejected blaming Some weeks during the strike parcels ad - readers are angry when they don’t receive Mr Joshua, whom his followers refer to as “Satan” for the disaster, as some religious dressed to parishes throughout the country their weekly newspaper,” Ms Davids said. “The Prophet" or “The Man of God”, told the leaders have done. “It is very easy to blame did not even leave the Cape Mail depot. The board of directors of the Catholic congregation at the service that he would Satan and shirk on your personal responsibil - Parishes in areas such as Bloemfontein, Newspaper & Publishing Company, which travel to South Africa to meet people from ity,” he said. Durban, Witspos and Pretoria were particu - publishes The Southern Cross , has investigated South Africa and other nations “in memory Archbishop Slattery said the local Catholic larly affected by the strikes, which began in alternative methods of distribution, but none of martyrs of faith”. Church is “calling on the people of South early August. have proved financially viable. Archbishop Slattery said people must look Africa to get behind the bereaved and help in “We have not calculated the losses we have “A functioning postal service is crucial in for signs of authenticity in religious leaders. whatever way we can”. incurred due to the strikes, but it will run into any country’s economy. So when a national “We have 6 000 independent churches in Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Con - the tens of thousands, possibly above postal service consistently fails to provide South Africa...There are a lot of people in - ference communication officer Fr S’milo R10 0 000,” Ms Davids said. what it is there for, then it isn’t far-fetched to volved in the business of religion. We need to Mngadi said the Church was shocked at the “A newspaper that runs on small margins, speak of economic sabotage,” said the board’s give some reflection to it,”he said. “We must Lagos incident. like The Southern Cross , could be killed off by chairman, Chris Moerdyk. look for genuine religious leaders or “The Catholic Church passes heartfelt con - this,” she added. The Southern Cross is making available prophets.” dolences to the families of those who lost Ms Davids said that some parishes have back issues on its website for those who Religious leaders live good moral lives and their lives during the collapse of a building at been very generous in absorbing the loss as a missed them during the strike action. They do not hop “from one wife to another”, he the Synagogue Church of All Nations,” he way of supporting The Southern Cross . can be downloaded in PDF format at said. said. “Some parishes told us that they will sell www.scross.co.za/?p=15736 “One would expect them to be honest and “It is sad when people die in such tragedy the older issues when they are finally deliv - To subscribe to the digital edition Southern just people. They are not abusing money at a while they are on a quest to find God and to ered because, they say, the content of The Cross —which looks exactly like the print edi - fantastic rate for their own personal comfort,” deepen their spirituality. May this sad occa - Southern Cross is timeless,” Ms Davids said. tion—go to www.digital.scross.co.za/subscribe the archbishop said. sion stir us all into conversion and deeper re - Post Office services are notoriously unreli - or e-mail Avril at [email protected] “I would expect them to tend towards hu - lationship with God,” Fr Mngadi said.

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BY DENNIS SADOWSKI solved the situation. We are now reaping the fruits of the fact that XPANDED airstrikes on Islamic there wasn’t an inclusive political, State (IS) positions in Syria social response,” Bishop Dowling Eserve as little more than a re - said. cruiting tool for the extremist group “It’s this inclusive dialogue and and place more innocent people in non-violent way of bringing people danger, Bishop Kevin Dowling of together, of facilitating understand - Rustenburg, co-president of Pax ing, that’s what has to be done. Christi International, has warned. Otherwise, we simply perpetuate a The three top leaders of the situation where people’s only Catholic peace organisation also called upon the world, particularly thought is, ‘We’ve been violated, so the United Nations, to work to - we will take revenge, and to restore gether to seek non-violent alterna - our sense of dignity, we have to re - tives to stop IS’s expansion and spond to violence done to us.’ influence in Iraq and Syria. “But that doesn’t achieve any - Bishop Dowling, fellow co-presi - Bishop Kevin Dowling, co-president thing either. So we’ve got to find dent Marie Dennis, and secretary- of Pax Christi International, during other ways, non-violent ways, in - an interview in Washington. (Photo: general José Henriquez suggested clusive ways,” the bishop added. Bob Roller/CNS) several steps that they believe will For true peace to be achieved, “it bring lasting peace to the violence- has to be, like in the Church, prone region during an interview must be taken to identify the through the principle of subsidiar - with Catholic News Service hours sources of their funding and to stop ity,” Bishop Dowling said. “The is - after a US-led international coalition them,” she said. sues have to be informed from the attacked Islamic State forces in Syria. In the United States for a Pax grassroots, as seen and analysed by The Catholic peace leaders pro - Christi programme on international the affected people. The agents of posed alternatives to war such as peacemaking in Gaithersburg, Mary - transformation are not those at the wide-ranging diplomacy, including land, Bishop Dowling said the vio - top. They’re the people engaged at direct talks with Islamic State lead - lence that began with the US-led the community level.” ers, and economic actions aimed at invasion of Iraq in 2003 had resulted He added: “Sustainable peace has limiting the group’s access to mil - in years of discord along religious to include action on all the issues, lions of dollars in oil revenues that and ethnic lines. He said little was problems and causes that led to war fund weapons purchases. done to include voices representing and violence. And sadly, in the “We believe that especially the local and minority communities in push to end wars and violence, not expansion of bombing is more planning for recovery and rebuilding enough attention at all is paid to likely to create a significant recruit - after the invasion, which toppled the fact that if we are going to sus - ing bonanza for some of the ex - Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. tain this peace beyond signing a tremist groups, IS included,” Ms “Here we have a situation where peace agreement, then we are going Dennis told CNS. going in there and investing so heav - to have to deal systematically with “IS is very well funded and steps ily in war and violence has not all these core issues.”—CNS Orphanage struggles on after murder Artist Margaret Mkhize’s weaving features the story of the Prodigal Son.

BY STUART GRAHAM “If something happened to one of her car in Mthatha and followed it. our kids, what would we say to their The police were called and during Master weaver’s work HE Bethany Children’s Home parents?” the ensuing chase the car over - in Mthatha is struggling on Ms Kasumbi hopes Project Trust turned. Two occupants ran away. Twithout volunteers after the will reconsider its decision, but for Sr Tacke’s body was found in relates tale of Prodigal Son murder of its founder, Sr Mary Paule now the orphanage and its 74 chil - Nangeni, in a small stream in the Tacke, in June. dren, who are all under the age of veld, on June 16. O coincide with the Year of four children. Rose Kasumbi, who took charge six, are relying on the help of the Ndikinda was arrested in the Family, artist Margaret One day, she said, she walked of Bethany after Sr Tacke’s death, local community. Mthatha on June 19, and Mdlebe Mkhize, whose story we fea - into the abandoned weaving centre said the orphanage had survived T “It is the nature of a business was arrested in the Ngcwanguba tured in the issue of August 6, has and knelt down to pray. with the help of foreign volunteers with no fixed income—we need area the following morning. made this weaving of the parable of supplied by the Britain-based Proj - “I told God how I felt and that I volunteers,” said Ms Kasumbi. The men have been denied bail the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32), was not so poor when the centre ect Trust—but the organisation “But we have been well sup - and are awaiting trial. A date for which is also the subject of Fr Ron was open. I cried out and begged for pulled out of Mthatha after the ported by our local communities in their trial has not yet been set. Rolheiser’s column this week. help,” Ms Mkhize said. “That was murder. a small but consistent way. They Sr Tacke, was born in Cotton - Ms Mkhize, of St Michael’s mis - when things changed.” “Project Trust pulled out after have rallied around us. We are very wood, Idaho, in the US, on March sion in Ndonyane in the Mari - Sister Mary Paule’s murder in June. grateful for this,” she said. 17, 1932. She began her missionary annhill diocese, became a member Soon after this, Precious Blood They cited lots of incidents of crime Asiphe Ndikinda, 26, and work in South Africa at the Mari - of St Michael’s as a young girl and Sister Margaret von Ohr visited Ms with their volunteers in town,” Ms Masixoli Mdlebe, 21, allegedly hi - azell mission near Matatiele. joined the training offered in weav - Mkhize and asked to see her weav - Kasumbi said. “They said this could jacked, kidnapped and then mur - In 1955 she founded Bethany, a ing there until the centre closed 15 ing work. have been one of their volunteers dered Sr Tacke, 82, in Mthatha on home for abandoned children from years later. Sr Von Ohr then helped arrange who was killed.” June 15. newborns to age six. She was its di - She found it difficult to sell her selling Ms Mkhize’s work locally The organisation told the home: People who worked with her saw rector from 1955 to 2007. weavings and to provide for her and overseas.

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O BOX 31072 0135 Pretoria 07-19 September 2015 South Africa Contact us: Tel 041 373-0039 / Mobile 074 376-5833 / Email retreat @isat.co.za Contact: Tel: 012 342 7917/072 637 0508 (Michelle) Email: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.consolata.org LOCAL The Southern Cross, October 1 to October 7, 2014 3 International meeting on St Lucia retreat nears completion BY STAFF REPORTER Bishop Ponce de León said gar - as I am now the bishop of Manzini dening had started at the centre, while I have become the ‘adminis - migrants in HE St Lucia Retreat and Train - but had to be stopped due to water trator’ of Ingwavuma, being with ing Centre in KwaZulu-Natal restrictions in the area. them until a new bishop is ap - Tis nearing completion after an The centre, which will offer 12 pointed.” Johannesburg outstation of Mtubatuba donated single cottages, a hall and kitchen, The bishop said the meeting in the Stations of the Cross, said a church looking onto the lake and Ingwavuma took some time to re - Bishop José Luís Ponce de León of the bishops’ house, has received fi - flect on how the vicariate was func - BY STAFF REPORTER Manzini, Swaziland, who also nancial support from the USA Bish - tioning without a resident bishop. serves his old vicariate of Ing - ARISHES are being called on to ops’ Conference. “We realised the priests’ meeting wavuma as apostolic administrator. take part in a three-day inter - Bishop Ponce de León said he we were having every two months national meeting in Johannes - “The Stations of the Cross is a would use the retreat to hold a con - had stopped and we need to go back P donation from one of the outsta - burg in December that aims to build sultor meeting with the diocese of to them from next year,” he said. solidarity among migrants. tions of Mtubatuba parish who Manzini in Swaziland and the vicari - “This coming November, in - Organiser Godfrey Phiri said the gladly accepted to transfer it to the ate of Ingwavuma in South Africa stead, we will make sure we have World Social Forum on Migrations new centre and get a new one for next year. our usual annual general meeting (WSFM) will bring together more them,” the bishop said. “In each one of these places and it will be held at our new St than 4 000 delegates from civil soci - “Images are being oiled and soon there is a team of five or six priests Lucia Retreat and Training Centre.” ety organisations, social move - they will be placed on the sides of (diocesans and religious) that I have The church has been in St Lucia the church.” appointed and with whom I meet since 1965, offering not only Sun - Stations carved by Bernard ments, migrant and diaspora Gcwensa and Ruben Xulu, artists in organisations and trade unions The stations were carved by regularly regarding the journey of day Mass but also a quiet place Bernard Gcwensa and Ruben Xulu, the Church in our area,” he said. where people can “come to pray the Hlabisa area, have been donated when its starts on December 5. to the St Lucia Retreat and Training artists in Hlabisa, “many years ago”. “Each meeting is clearly different and be alone with the Lord”. “The event will be an open Centre. global platform to share experiences and build solidarity with migrants across the globe,” said Mr Phiri. “The meeting is expected to con - tribute to the strengthening of civil Scalabrinians pay tribute to founder society organisations and social movements working on human BY STAFF REPORTER 1871. In 1895 she accepted the re - Mother Assunta never returned rights and migration on the African quest of her brother, Fr Joseph Mar - to her homeland and died on July continent.” HE Scalabrinian Sisters have chetti, to follow him to Brazil to 1, 1948, among the orphans “as she Mr Phiri said the meeting would paid tribute to the faith and care for the orphans of Italian im - had always desired”. address matters related to migration Tcourage of their co-founder migrants. “She served at all times with hu - and mobility across the world “es - Mother Assunta Marchetti ahead of Mother Assunta would go on to mility as a cook, nurse, catechist, pecially those affecting the African her beatification in São Paulo, become a co-founder of the Congre - local and general superior,” the sis - continent, especially forced migra - Brazil, on October 25. tion”. gation of the Missionary Sisters of ters said. “We thank Mother Assunta Mar - St Charles Borromeo-Scalabrinians. The Scalabrinian Sisters are pres - The WSFM was formed by the chetti for her testimony of life, ex - World Social Forum in Brazil in “She had such a deep love for her ent in the archdiocese of Johannes - ample of love, faith and courage,” 2005. Since its creation, it has been neighbours, especially the co-sisters burg where they coordinate the held events in Asia, South America the sisters said in a letter. of vocation, dedicating herself with pastoral care for migrants and and Latin America. “We ask her to intercede in the tenderness to the care of the or - refugees. They also work with mi - missionary work towards migrants n For more information see www. phans, the poor, the sick and the mi - grants and refugees in Maputo, wsfm2014.com or contact the WSFM Scalabrinian founder Mother Assunta and refugees around the world.” grants, in the states of São Paulo and Mozambique; Luanda, Angola; and office on 011 487 0269. Marchetti is to be beatified. Sr Marchetti was born in Italy in Rio Grande do Sul,” the sisters said. Kinshasa in the DR Congo.

Archbishop Stephen Brislin (centre) and two Holy Cross Sisters, Sr Maria (left) and Sr Alfreda (right) who received the Bene merenti medal. They have both worked in Langa parish for more than 50 years and have been instru - mental in setting up many of the groups and projects currently running in the parish. Despite their advanced age, they are both still fully involved in many parish and community projects. St. Pius Pastoral Centre East London

Workshops Meetings Retreats Conferences

SAVE BY BOOKING OUR MID WEEK SPECIALS (Tuesday to Thursday) 1 Kitchener Street, Cambridge, East London – www.catholic-pe.co.za/dioretreat#piu Tel/Fax: 043 721-3077 Cell 082 853-8869 [email protected] 4 The Southern Cross, October 1 to October 7, 2014 INTERNATIONAL Pope names panel to streamline annulments BY FRANCIS X ROCCA fied as a key challenge in the “pas - ners as “brother and sister”. toral care of marriage”. A proposal to allow some di - HE Vatican has announced “There is the legal problem of vorced and civilly remarried the formation of a special marriage nullity, this has to be re - Catholics to receive Communion Tcommission to reform the viewed, because ecclesiastical tri - without meeting either of those process of granting marriage annul - bunals are not sufficient for this,” conditions, introduced by German ments. the pope told reporters in July 2013. Cardinal Walter Kasper at a meeting “The work of the commission Pope Francis related the problem of the world’s cardinals in February, will start as soon as possible and of annulments to the situation of is expected to be one of the most will have as its goal to prepare a divorced and civilly remarried discussed issues at the Synod on the proposal of reform of the matrimo - Catholics, whose predicament he Family, which opens on October 5. nial process, with the objective of said exemplifies a general need for The new commission on the an - simplifying its procedure, making it mercy in the Church today. nulment process has 11 members, more streamlined, and safeguarding According to Church teaching, including Cardinal Francesco Coc - the principle of the indissolubility such Catholics may not receive copalmerio, president of the Pontif - of matrimony,” said a Vatican state - Communion unless they obtain an ical Council for Legislative Texts, ment annulment of their first, sacramen - and Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer The new body’s work will ad - tal, marriage or abstain from sexual SJ, secretary of the Congregation for Father Edward Flanagan, the Irish-born priest who founded Boys Town in the dress what Pope Francis has identi - relations, living with their new part - the Doctrine of the Faith.—CNS US, talks with a group of boys in this undated photo. On March 17, 2015, three years to the day his sainthood cause was officially opened, the archdio - cese of Omaha, Nebraska, will submit all documentation gathered for his cause to the Vatican. Boys Town is present around the world, including in Jo - hannesburg, founded by the late Bishop Reginald Orsmond in 1958. (Photo Women named to Vatican theological body courtesy of Boys Town)

BY FRANCIS X ROCCA dean of the John Paul II Institute for Three members of the commis - Marriage and Family in Melbourne, sion are from Africa—Tanzania, OPE Francis, who has said the who is a prominent authority on Nigeria and Togo. SSPX and Vatican in new meeting Catholic Church has “not yet the theology of Pope Benedict XVI; The International Theological HE leader of a breakaway ined, and it was decided to proceed come up with a profound the - P Moira Mary McQueen, a Canadian Commission was established in group of traditionalist gradually and over a reasonable pe - ology of womanhood”, has named Catholics met with Vatican of - riod of time in order to overcome who serves as director of the Cana - 1969 to study important doctrinal T five women, a record number, to ficials for the latest in a long series difficulties and with a view to the dian Catholic Bioethics Institute at issues as an aid to the pope and to the International Theological the University of St Michael’s Col - of reconciliation talks. envisioned full reconciliation,” the the Congregation for the Doctrine Commission. lege in the University of Toronto; Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior Vatican statement said. of the Faith. It has produced docu - The Vatican released the names US Mercy Sister Prudence Allen, a general of the Society of St Pius X The SSPX effectively broke with of 30 theologians who will serve a philosopher and a member of the ments in recent years on such top - (SSPX), met for two hours with Car - Rome in 1988, when its founder, five-year term on the commission. chaplaincy team at Lancaster Uni - ics as “Christian monotheism and dinal Gerhard Müller, prefect of the the late Archbishop Marcel Lefeb - Women have served on the panel versity, England. its opposition to violence” and Congregation for the Doctrine of vre, ordained four bishops without since 2004, but, until now, there Women now constitute 16% of “sensus fidei in the life of the the Faith, the Vatican said in a state - the permission of St John Paul II in have never been more than two. the commission’s members, a sign Church”.—CNS ment. a protest against modernising The five women appointees also of growing female involvement in n The complete list of members is at “Various problems of a doctrinal changes that followed the Second include Australian Tracey Rowland, theological research. http://bit.ly/1DvOY9B and canonical nature were exam - Vatican Council of 1962-65.—CNS

See the richness of Faith and family Explore the Kruger Park with South Africa’s wildlife close-up with NEW FOR 2014 VIVA SAFARIS . Look for 4 to 18 DEC ‘extend your life’ the Big Five in the VIVA SAFARIS company of our trained ST FRANCIS XAVIER PILGRIMAGE BY NANCY FRAzIER O’BRIEN TO INDIA TUDY after study has confirmed that those rangers, take a guided Another unique and spiritual journey. Visiting Delhi, who are involved in religion and those who are bushwalk you will never Goa, Chennai, Cochin, Mumbai and to married are healthier, physically and mentally forget, and after dinner include Our Lady of Velankanni shrine, the S happier and live longer than those who are not. Eucharistic Miracle of Chirattakonam; pilgrimage sites around a fire relax in “The health benefits of marriage are so strong such as St Thomas the apostle’s home and shrine. that a married man with heart disease can be ex - our chalets – or Organised by Carl Emmanuel and Serge in a treehouse. Adande. Spiritual leader Rev Fr Allan Moss. pected to live, on average, 1 400 days (nearly four Cost from R 28 057 years) longer than an unmarried man with a We offer a wide Tel: (031) 26 6 7702 Fax: (031) 26 6 8982 healthy heart,” said Dr Scott Haltzman, a clinical choice of affordable Email: [email protected] psychiatrist and human behaviour specialist at programmes for Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. The advantages for women are similar. backpackers and bush Couples with higher levels of religiosity “tend connoisseurs alike. to enjoy greater marital satisfaction, fidelity and stability, with less likelihood of domestic violence”, www.vivasafaris.com according to a compilation of studies by the Her - for options, photos and videos For young people itage Foundation, a Washington-based conserva - we offer tive think tank. VOLUNTEER SAFARIS “Marriage and religion influence various dimen - RESERVATIONS: (see www.volunteer sions of life, including physical health and ALICE 071 842-5547 or PIERO 082 444-7654 longevity, mental health, happiness, economic safaris.co.za) or e-mail [email protected] well-being and the raising of children,” wrote soci - ologist Linda J Waite and economist Evelyn J Lehrer in a paper published in 2009 by the US Na - tional Institutes of Health. “We argue that both marriage and religiosity generally have far-reaching positive effects; that they influence similar domains of life; and that there are important parallels through which each achieves these outcomes,” they added. As the extraordinary world Synod of Bishops on the family begins its work on October 5 at the Vat - ican, one of the challenges facing it will be raising awareness of the positive benefits of marriage on individuals, families and society as a whole. “We know the numbers don’t lie about the im - pact divorce has on children,” Randall Woodard, an associate professor of religion at St Leo Univer - OuR GIFT TO YOu! sity in Florida, told Catholic News Service. Subscribe now to the digital or print edition, Prof Woodard said religious institutions may be for yourself or for someone you love, uniquely suited to help families deal with their and we will send you a beautiful challenges. OLIVE-WOOD “Churches provide tremendous support groups that can provide spiritual, financial and psycholog - HOLY LAND ROSARY ical help,” he said. “Being surrounded by people who share many of the same ideals can help rein - force others who may be struggling. made in Bethlehem by Christians “Another way churches can help familial health in the land of Christ . is by knowing their own limitations,” he added. *Offer valid while stocks last “Many times people will come to the church with 576AM problems such as depression or other issues that are JO’buRG & bEYOND better resolved by medical professionals. Being that first point of contact can be very vital by encour - aging them to seek medical help when neces - also on DStv audio channel 870 & streamed on www.radioveritas.co.za sary.”—CNS INTERNATIONAL The Southern Cross, October 1 to October 7, 2014 5 In Albania, pope reaches out to Muslims

BY CAROL GLATz Hearing of such atrocities cret, and we learned from them brought the pope to tears in one of there is no life without Jesus,” said ILLING in the name of God is the most moving moments of the Lemida Zogu, a young woman with sacrilege, and religious leaders one-day trip (see story below) . the Rreshen diocesan youth group. Kmust denounce the use of During a meeting with volun - Young people made up a large faith to justify violence and oppres - teers and children at the Bethany part of the jubilant crowds of some sion, Pope Francis said during a Center, a residence for disabled and 30 0 000 who turned out to welcome one-day visit to Albania. poor children, the pope said faith the pope. In a world “where an authentic through charity “dislodges the Many Muslims, who make up religious spirit is being perverted mountains of indifference, of disbe - more than half the country’s popu - and where religious differences are lief, of apathy”. lation, were in attendance, as well being distorted and exploited”, Al - Helping others is what “opens as large groups of Catholics, who bania is an “aspiring example” to hands and hearts to what is good,” make up about 15% of all inhabi - everyone that peaceful coexistence he said. tants. Many took buses from other is possible, Pope Francis told Alba - “The secret to a good life is parts of Albania or walked from nia President Bujar Nishani and found in loving and giving oneself their homes in Tirana. other dignitaries upon his arrival in for love’s sake,” he said. “Goodness Security was typical for a foreign the country. offers infinitely more than money, papal journey, with streets and No one should “consider them - which only disappoints, because we rooftops dotted with police and the selves to be the ‘armour’ of God have been created to receive the roads lined with metal barricades while planning and carrying out love of God and to offer it, not partitioning the popemobile’s acts of violence and oppression”, measuring everything in terms of route. the pope said. Pope Francis listens as Archbishop Angelo Massafra of Shkoder-Pult, Alba - money or power.” All cellular service, however, was The pope told reporters on the nia, speaks during a meeting with leaders of other religions at the Catholic Before praying the Angelus in jammed by authorities for several papal plane that he chose to visit University of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Tirana. Seated next to the pope is Mother Teresa Square, the pope told hours as an extra precaution. The the Balkan nation because the Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. (Photo: Paul Haring/CNS) young people to build their future Vatican repeated earlier assurances peaceful collaboration between its on Christ, saying “‘No’ to the idol - that there were no “specific threats” Muslim-majority population and name of God is inhuman,” he said. he totalitarian regime founded atry of money, ‘No’ to the false free - against the pope, who rode around minority Catholic and Orthodox The pope encouraged Albania’s Tby Enver Hoxha claimed to lib - dom of individualism, ‘No’ to the main square twice before Mass communities “is a beautiful sign for religious communities to continue erate the people from the con - addiction and to violence.” in the same open-air jeep he uses at the world”. working towards the common straints of all religions, turning the He urged them instead to say general audiences in Rome. “It’s a signal I want to send,” he good. “We need each other,” he country into the only officially “‘Yes’ to a culture of encounter and Before the start of the morning said, that religion, far from causing said, and the “more men and atheist nation in the world. of solidarity, ‘Yes’ to beauty, the Mass, a large, powered paraglider division, is the very foundation of women are at the service of others, “It promised a paradise without good and the true, and to a life lived circled and swooped over the main freedom and brotherhood. the greater their freedom”. God, but it left instead a hell with with enthusiasm and “faithful in square, the fabric decorated with In a meeting with Muslim, The pope said Albania was a no consolation,” Archbishop Rrok little things”. the national symbol of a black Christian and Catholic leaders and “land of heroes” and a “land of Mirdita of Tirana told the pope dur - Jürgen Lleshaj, a young man eagle. representatives, Pope Francis said martyrs”, whose people stood firm ing a morning Mass in Mother from the diocese of Rreshen, in The pope used the symbol in his “authentic religion is a source of in the face of oppression and perse - Teresa Square. northern Albania, told Catholic homily, saying God raises his peo - peace, not violence” and any “dis - cution. It withstood centuries of Ot - Despite the risks of torture, im - News Service that his faith gives ple “up on eagle’s wings”. torted use of religion must be firmly toman rule, followed by an prisonment and execution, people him the courage to face an uncer - “The eagle soars up high, but it refuted as false”. independence that degenerated held onto their faith, praying and tain life because, “without God, doesn’t forget its nest,” that is, its “To kill in the name of God is into decades of oppressive commu - passing on their traditions under - there is nothing”. past, traditions and values, he sacrilege. To discriminate in the nist control. ground. “Our parents had to pray in se - said.—CNS Pope wept as he heard accounts of torture

BY CAROL GLATz WO survivors of Albania’s com - munist crackdown against the TChurch brought Pope Francis to tears with their stories during a ves - pers service in Tirana’s cathedral. “To hear a martyr talk about his own martyrdom is intense,” the pope told journalists on the papal plane back to Rome. “I think all of us there were moved; all of us.” Franciscan Father Ernest Simoni, 84, talked about his life as a priest under a militant atheist regime that targeted people of every faith—Chris - Pope Francis embraces Franciscan tian and Muslim—between 1944 and Father Ernest Simoni. Pope Francis 1991. Despite the risks of torture, im - wept when he heard Fr Simoni’s testi - prisonment and execution, people mony of suffering. (Photo: EPA) held onto their beliefs as best they mony, he approached the pope, who could, praying and passing on their extended his arms to embrace him. traditions underground. But the priest dropped to his knees to Fr Simoni said his religious superi - kiss the pope’s ring. Standing to - ors were shot dead and the military gether, the two men embraced drafted him in an effort to “make me warmly. Moved to tears, the pope re - disappear. I spent two years there, moved his glasses and the men briefly years that were worse than any rested their foreheads against each prison.” other. He managed to be ordained a priest in 1956, but the worst was yet to tigmatine Sister Marije Kaleta, 85, come when the regime, which was set Sspoke next about being a novice to become the first officially atheist during the regime and secretly baptis - nation in the world, intensified its war ing “everyone who came to my door”, against religion in the 1960s. but only after making sure they On Christmas Eve 1963, the priest weren’t spies who wanted to turn her was arrested while celebrating Mass in to authorities. and was sentenced to death by firing Thanks to a number of priests who squad. He was beaten, placed for three also worked clandestinely, “I had the months in solitary confinement good fortune of having the Blessed under “inhumane” conditions, then Sacrament”, which she kept hidden in tortured because he refused to de - bed sheets to secretly administer to nounce the Church. people who were ill or dying. He was eventually freed, but later The pope said he had had no idea arrested again and sent to a prison how much the people of Albania had camp, where he was forced to work in suffered for their faith, until two a mine for 18 years and then ten more months earlier when he started years in sewage canals. preparing for his trip. All the time he was imprisoned, he He said he was moved to see said, he celebrated Mass from mem - Tirana’s main boulevard lined with ory in Latin, heard confessions and banners bearing black-and-white pho - distributed Communion to other pris - tographs of dozens of Catholics killed oners—all clandestinely. When the by the regime. Their cause for canon - regime collapsed in 1991, he returned isation as martyrs of the faith is being to ministry by serving isolated moun - considered. tain villages, urging Christians caught Pope Francis called Albania a land up in a cycle of revenge to let go of of heroes and martyrs and said that, their hatred and embrace God’s love. by embracing the priest and sister, he When the priest finished his testi - had “touched two of them”.—CNS 6 The Southern Cross, October 1 to October 7, 2014 LEADER PAGE LETTERS TO The Editor reserves the right to shorten or edit published letters. Letters below 300 words receive pref - erence. Pseudonyms are acceptable only under special circumstances and at the Editor’s discretion. THE EDITOR Name and address of the writer must be supplied. No anonymous letter will be considered.

getic and devoted, he would find it nearly impossible to give adequate Pastoral care critical yet neglected pastoral care to those in his charge. Editor: Günther Simmermacher NE of the most important com - I am convinced that the wide - While some priests have deacons Omissions given by Christ to the spread failure of those with pastoral Church is pastoral care, and it is the responsibilities to exercise the mis - to assist the priest, they also tend to The synod’s battlelines intense interest and concern for sion of feeding and caring for the be little more than liturgical func - people shown by Pope Francis that flock of God is the major cause of tionaries and are either not given HERE are heightened expec - talk on the subject. It received has enabled him to reach so many the decline of the Church in so genuine pastoral responsibilities or tations that this month’s warm praise from Pope Francis, who had given up on religion. many countries today. do not know how to carry out sig - Synod of Bishops on the affirming where the Holy Father’s Yet it is one of the most misun - The Church seems to do virtually nificant pastoral work. T The so-called pastoral parish family might produce changes, sympathies reside. The opposing derstood and neglected aspects of nothing meaningful to reach out to especially on the question of side, strongly critical of Cardinal the ministry of the Church. It is far the large numbers that have aban - councils that exist in most parishes Communion for divorced and re - Kasper, is led by the Vatican’s more than getting parishioners to - doned religious practice or have appear to do very little related to married Catholics. doctrinal chief, Cardinal Gerhard gether for social occasions and joined prosperity gospel cults. Those pastoral care. Those I have served While the synod’s delibera - Müller. greeting people as they enter or going to Mass Sunday after Sunday, on make no discernible effort to tions will provide a guide to the Some, including Cardinal leave the church. year in and year out, in many maintain meaningful contact with bishops’ thinking on this and Kasper, have hinted that the issue Pastoral care is firstly about en - parishes never receive a visit. parishioners. other issues, those who are hop - is being used as a proxy to assert suring that parishioners and even Neither am I convinced that ing for immediate pastoral re - some people’s discontent with non-practising Catholics and those think that the origin of the prob - worthy movements such as Charis - forms will be disappointed—not Pope Francis’ papacy. If so, more who join other denominations ex - Ilem lies in the very non-scriptural matic Renewal and Renew because such reforms are impos - than questions of mercy and doc - perience genuine concern and com - word “priest” that we use to de - Africa —largely due to a lack of sup - sible, but because this extraordi - trine may be at stake. passion so that they are given scribe the person who is appointed port from clergy —have made any nary synod is intended only to The synod will test the colle - support in the duties and problems to be the head of a local church. It appreciable difference in most prepare for next year’s full synod, giality which Pope Francis has of personal and community life. suggests that his role is primarily parishes to the general ennui that is which may produce new pastoral emphasised he seeks. Unlike so It is also about giving spiritual ad - liturgical (totally at odds with the destroying the Church. approaches. many of the synods that came vice and support so that the fervent models of community leaders in the As far as I can gauge, our South Bishops and other delegates before, this year’s will not be are encouraged to become saintly, New Testament). African bishops have done little ef - attending this month’s synod stage-managed by the Roman the Sunday Catholic fervent, and the Because of this appallingly bad fective to make priests really under - will discuss the pastoral priorities curia, though the freedom which straying return to the Church. popular theology, many priests stand their pastoral responsibilities concerning the family in their re - that allows will doubtless take In addition, those who are expe - today seem to be little more than and carry them out. gions. Their deliberations will in - some getting used to. Still, we can riencing heavy trials such as ill liturgical functionaries who cele - And if something quite drastic is clude the outcomes of the expect some frank exchanges, health, depression and unemploy - brate Mass and administer the not done quite soon, the Catholic questionnaires which were circu - though politely expressed, on ment must become the special ob - sacraments. Church (at least in this country) lated to bishops’ conferences controversial issues. ject of the love and care that is the Another factor that further exac - will become an ever-shrinking, im - around the world last year. Some will insist on the pri - heart of the message and ministry erbates the lack of pastoral care in potent and insignificant minority. Few conferences have made macy of the law because they fear of Jesus. Catholic parishes is the shortage of And our children and grandchil - public the findings of these ques - the alternative will open the And it is the business of the parish priests (in great part due to the con - dren will probably belong to large, tionnaires. If those publicised by floodgates to dissent. priest, with a pastoral team, to know tinued unbiblical insistence on cler - well-organised neo-Pentecostal the bishops of Germany and Australian Cardinal George and minister to each parishioner, ical celibacy). So even the largest churches (like Rhema and Rivers), if Switzerland are representative of Pell, writing on Communion for and particularly to those who are parishes have only one priest, and they are Christian at all. the Church in the West, then the straying and carry heavy burdens. even if the priest is extremely ener - the divorced and remarried, has Frank Bompas , Johannesburg big issues there include the situa - warned: “The sooner the tion of divorced Catholics, family wounded, the lukewarm, and the planning, homosexuality, and Since the CPLO last addressed been neglected, keep up to date outsiders realise that substantial the exodus of people from the this matter in 2010, however, what with the water and lights payments, doctrinal and pastoral changes are Make law against Church. communication has been held with medicine for the sick sisters, pay for impossible, the more the hostile These issues are not universal, government regarding the enact - general repairs to sewing machines, however. In Africa the question disappointment [which must fol - traHRfIfSiTcIAkN iBnrogth ers eCaollege St ment of the law? Does the CPLO low the reassertion of doctrine] purchase of new gas stove, cutting of polygamy, for example, is a CJohn’s in Parklands, Cape consider how legislation is imple - grass machines, pay for general re - more pressing pastoral concern. will be anticipated and dissi - Town, has joined the call from mented after laws are enacted to en - pated.” pairs to plumbing and electrical In South Africa, the breakdown ERNSA to all Christian Brothers sure that the justice desired is points round the convent. of the traditional family, to the On the other hand, referring to schools in South Africa to advocate achieved? his critics, Cardinal Kasper said in We wish the winner a most extent that reportedly the major - against the scourge of modern slav - If the CPLO does consider such pleasant safari in the game park and ity of families here are not an interview with the Italian daily ery, euphemistically termed evaluations of legislation, I strongly Il Mattino in September: “They to enjoy and experience the wonder headed by two parents, is a pas - “human trafficking” (September 17 recommend that invitations are of God’s creation of nature and wild claim to know on their own what article in The Southern Cross ). toral priority. sent to parliamentary committees life. Nevertheless, the synod’s truth is, but Catholic doctrine is Having attended several round on law enforcement and justice to Our heartfelt thanks to Laurence defining issue will be the sacra - not a closed system, but a living table discussions hosted by the attend further round table discus - Saad, Piero Colia and friends for the ment of the Eucharist in relation tradition that develops.” Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Of - sions to consider this. to divorced and civilly remarried The clashes between these two fice (CPLO) on various educational If the ignorance of the education very generous donation of the Catholics. The issue has occupied camps will be fascinating and il - topics, I have been both impressed committee about violence in prize, also to The Southern Cross for such a central position in public luminating. In all of this, how - by the work that organisation per - schools is anything to go by, those the advertising in your weekly issue discourse that some highly- ever, the leaders of the Church forms, yet saddened and at times tasked with ensuring that William and to Fr Emil Blaser OP of Radio placed cardinals who oppose ad - must serve the welfare of the deeply troubled by the ignorance of Wilberforce’s legacy is continued Veritas for the airtime advertising mitting such Catholics to the Church and the People of God. A parliamentarians about many press - are likely as ill-informed about and broadcasting of the actual Lord’s Table have published synod on the family must be first ing issues. human trafficking and how the draw. books about it. about people, not about abstract I believe this is true of their laws they work on are affecting the May our Lord bless you all abun - The battlelines have been notions of doctrine and theology. knowledge of forced labour and people on the ground who work dantly, and we will continue to re - drawn between those who advo - The task of this and next year’s prostitution within our borders. with victims and offenders. member you, our dear friends, cate mercy in admitting some di - synods must be to discern what I applaud the work done by CPLO Thank you to Fr Peter-John Pear - benefactors, in our prayers, daily vorced and remarried Catholics Jesus would say to people in their researcher Vanya Cucumanova in son for guiding his team of re - holy Masses, and during our perpet - to the Eucharist, and those who different family situations, espe - 2010 in her research paper into searchers to uncover the truth ual adoration. believe that fidelity to doctrine cially when these do not conform human trafficking and its possible about matters affecting the citizens Capuchin Poor Clares Sisters , precludes such mercy. to the Church’s ideals of the tra - influence on government’s signing of South Africa and for the part Umzumbe The “mercy” camp is led by ditional nuclear family headed by the Prevention and Combating of they all play in changing the world. Cardinal Walter Kasper, who at one man and one woman—and Trafficking in Persons Bill of 2013 As the late US politician Robert the February consistory of cardi - to do so in the least reductive into law last year (a major advance Kennedy said: “Every society gets nals delivered a widely publicised terms. in the fight for justice and dignity for the kind of criminal it deserves. Church bells all, it must be said). What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law en - sadly missed forcement it insists on.” THNÉ Stevens (September 17) Now that we have this law, let us Elaments the absence of church ESTABLISHED 1982 insist that it is enforced. One slave bells—quite right too. ORFORD The Pinelands municipality in Professional Supervision trafficker who is allowed to con - CONSTRuCTION tinue to abuse the freedom of oth - Cape Town, where I live, resolved Project Management ers has the potential to condemn long ago that churches were pre - Specialists in: thousands to a lifetime of suffering. cluded from using church bells, One person who is forced away with one notable exception, St New Houses • Renovations • Alterations from his home is one slave too Stephen's Anglican church which • Additions • Painting • Plumbing many. Let us insist that this crime is still has its original, very old, straw- policed now. roofed church, which had a bell. • Property Management and Care Colleen Bentley , Cape Town The new building has installed For Advice call Julian Orford B.Sc. (Civ.Eng) the bell in the grounds, and a Tel: (021) 788 9321 Fax: (021) 788 4401 parishioner friend tells me that it is Cell: 082 49 3 0563 rung. E-mail: [email protected] Free safari gift The exclusion, according to www.orfordconstruction.co.za those in the know, prevents Mus - keEeApR Sso uothenrn Cgroisvs rienadg ers and lims from using amplification for DRadio Veritas listeners, friends their call to prayer. and benefactors —we would like to Adrian Kettle , Cape Town Tony Wyllie & Co. say thank you from the bottom of Catholic Funeral Home our hearts. (Please leave your contact details in Opinions expressed in The Southern case of donations) We do not have enough words Cross , especially in Letters to the Editor, Personal and Dignified to express our gratitude to thank do not necessarily reflect the views of the 24-hour service you for your concern and kind fi - Editor or staff of the newspaper, or of the Catholic hierarchy. The letters page in par - 469 Voortrekker Rd, Maitland nancial help with the purchase of ticular is a forum in which readers may ex - Tel: 021 59 3 8820 tickets for the “Luxury Safari” raffle. change opinions on matters of debate. Thank you very much for your Letters must not be understood to neces - concern for our needs. sarily reflect the teachings, disciplines or 48 Main Rd, Muizenberg policies of the Church accurately. [email protected] With the wonderful gift of the Tel: 021 78 8 3728 Letters can be sent to PO box 2372, proceeds of the raffle we will be able Cape Town 8000 or [email protected] Member of the NFDA to attend to some areas which had or faxed to 021 465-3850 PERSPECTIVES The Southern Cross, October 1 to October 7, 2014 7 United we stand Raymond Perrier Michael Shackleton AM a British person living in South reinforced by the 1994 liberation agreement Faith and Society Africa and also have a great interest in and the current Constitution. Open Door Ithe history of our nations. How would you have felt if, in the 1994 I was thus intrigued by the way in negotiations, a whole piece of territory had But I have met few South Africans who which South Africans viewed the recent not transitioned to be part of the new South want to throw all that up in the air or treat referendum about the independence (or, Africa? Don’t forget how nearly a separate it as something which is written in pencil, Communion for some might say, secession) of Scotland. So state of Zululand might have emerged if a to be erased and rewritten at will. The at - many South Africans seemed to support majority of inhabitants had been allowed to titude instead is: “Here is our country, instinctively the separation of Scotland assert their desires over a minority. great yet imperfect: let us all work together non-Catholics? from the rest of the United Kingdom. The Or how would you feel now if Capetoni - within these boundaries to make a go of May non-Catholics receive holy Communion? comparison drawn was sometimes with ans were allowed to decide for themselves it.” This question always comes up at a requiem Ireland’s struggle for independence or to become a separate city-state, without We know that married relationships Mass, a wedding, first holy Communion, confir - with South Africa breaking its ties with anyone else having a say in the matter? have their ups and down. But as Catholics mation, Christmas and Easter. I have ap - the “empire”. I presume that, whatever your views on we hesitate to see divorce as an inevitable proached priests with it and received varying The quest for self-determination—the the merits of these various cases for “inde - or even preferred outcome when things get answers. What is the ruling from the Vatican on desire to throw off the yoke of oppression pendence”, you might at least feel aggrieved tough. I think this same presumption in this seemingly tricky question? and to break away from the coloniser—is a that other South Africans would have no favour of unity should apply to countries Terry Webb say in the dismemberment of their country. recurrent theme in the history of both Ire - that have in the past come together volun - ANON law precludes administering the Eu - land and South Africa. But I feel that these tarily. Not unity at all costs. But unity as an f course, no political union is perfect. charist to non-Catholics. It makes limited ex - comparisons profoundly misread the rela - operating principle. ceptions, however, so let’s reduce these to the tionship between England and Scotland. The Treaty of Union in 1910 was forged C O Have we forgotten the artificial creation kind of case you mention. The United Kingdom was formed from in the wake of a highly unpleasant conflict of Bantustans with nominal independence and at the exclusion of the political voice of For example, a family is together at a requiem the uniting of two kingdoms—not equal yet huge economic dependence? Or are we Mass, and some non-Catholic relatives and friends in size but equal in status. The first step to - the majority of South Africans. The negoti - blind to the precarious position of Lesotho ations that brought about 1994 were in - make it clear that they want to go up to receive wards this was not the takeover of the and Swaziland? Small sovereign states may Communion with the rest. Scottish by an English monarch. In fact, in evitably affected by brinkmanship, political seem very romantic but, other than stamp manoeuvring and dark threats. Let’s now imagine that the requiem will be cel - 1603 King James VI of Scotland extended collectors and corrupt politicians, whom do ebrated by either Father A or Father B. his throne to become King James I of Eng - they benefit? Father A knows this family and is aware that land. Within states, a re-negotiation of power some of its non-Catholic And when in 1707 the two kingdoms between the centre and semi-autonomous members want to receive were constitutionally joined into one regions—in the US, in South Africa, in Communion. But he takes United Kingdom, it was the start of a rela - Canada and in the UK—has provided a the strict approach of canon tionship of co-existence and shared citi - more mature response than the fate of the law, which excludes these in - zenship that has lasted reasonably former Yugoslavia or the current debacle in dividuals from reception of successfully for over 300 years. The Scots, Ukraine. At a larger level, the erasing or, at the sacrament because they far from being oppressed by the British em - least, softening of borders between coun - are not completely one in pire, were often the beneficiaries (or if you tries through regional agreements and co- faith with the Catholic prefer the oppressors). operation treaties is one of the successes of Church. He tells the congre - Let me give you a different comparison. the modern age. gation in a firm but friendly This should not have been a moment for For me the result of the Scottish referen - way that only Catholics may South Africans to cheer the assertion of the dum is reason to rejoice in our desire and advance to the altar to receive Scots over their larger neighbours. Rather, it our ability to live with each other in har - Jim Murphy, a Catholic Labour Party MP Communion. He also knows from the canons that should have been a moment for South who went to school in Cape Town, cam - mony and happy co-existence. And it it is up to his local bishop to judge when rare ex - Africa to contemplate its own commitment paigns for a “no” vote in Edinburgh during shows that we do not have to give in to the ceptions may be permitted. to the union that is the foundation of this Scotland’s independence referendum. instinct to divide and build yet more walls In a case such as this, the exceptions include the country—controversially in 1910 and then (Photo: Russell Cheyne, Reuters/CNS) and fences. non-Catholic’s free-will request to take Commun - ion, faith in the Real Presence and the proper dis - position. Father B is aware of canon law’s restrictions too, yet he does not stop non-Catholic family members and friends from receiving Communion. Presum - Our mission for families Toni Rowland ably, he understands that they want to show their Family Friendly solidarity with the bereaved. OW family-friendly are we as mis - Canon lawyers would say that Father B is acting sionaries of the family? I have asked unlawfully and should sympathetically deny Com - Hthat question many times because it munion to the non-Catholics present. On the other is an ongoing, let us say, developmental From what I could observe, he didn’t. hand he, as the priest on the spot, may prudently issue. Some of the comments on radio and so - judge that there is a pastoral need to show compas - When we refer to “The Church” we cial networks about the case were decid - sion to this particular group of mourners who de - often think of the hierarchy and clergy— edly unchristian, but also excusable. sire spiritual comfort at this particular moment. those working in the Church—rather than Comments seemed to be based mostly All priests know the answer to your question, all of us, the People of God, who are “The on emotions, anger, resentment, the need which is that the Church reserves distributing Church”. to avenge Reeva Steenkamp, the woman Communion to its own members only. This, as you So, how family-friendly are we, or to shot dead by Pistorius. can see, may occasionally conflict with the per - what extent are we challenging one an - He has done the deed, deserves punish - sonal and pastoral situation on the ground. Conse - other? ment and should get it—but how and quently there are times when one priest may decide Bishops from around the world with a what? Maybe the case has also taught us differently from another. The family and how it has changed in the handful of lay-family observers will be de - that crimes are committed by flesh-and- Receiving Communion is the sign of a reality of last several decades will be under discus - bating the challenges facing families, “in blood human beings, people’s fathers and a oneness of faith and worship and assent to the the context of evangelisation” at the ex - sion when the extraordinary Synod of Bish - Catholic Church’s teachings. If that reality does not ops convenes at the Vatican on October 5. mothers, sons and daughters. Who would exist, because someone is not a member of the traordinary synod on the family in the Vat - (Photo: Tyler Orsburn/CNS) call him a criminal and who a tragic, fallen ican this month. Maybe in some of our hero? Many such topics can be used fruit - Church, then it is not correct for them to receive minds the key lies there. collar about whether there were flaws in fully for faith-sharing. Communion, thus affirming a union that does not, Is evangelisation not a churchy thing, the verdict of culpable homicide. This brings me back to building a fam - in fact, exist. so let’s leave it up to them? But it isn’t. All The trial has provided a wonderful op - ily-friendly Church and society. Family the recent popes have written that evange - portunity too to debate the topic of justice and relationship formation are essential in n Send your queries to Open Door, Box 2372, Cape Town, lisation is the task of everyone—and in addition to evangelisation in a narrower 8000 ; or e-mail: [email protected] ; or fax (021) and the merits of a justice system that 46 5 3850 . Anonymity can be preserved by arrangement, but particular of families in their own homes might even let someone “get away with sense. questions must be signed, and may be edited for clarity. Only where we evangelise and are evangelised murder”, as many people argued. The bishops have chosen to prioritise published questions will be answered. not primarily through our prayers but family life from 2014-16. We need their through living our spirituality of daily life, hen, from a different angle, what was guidance, direction and support, both fi - our prayerful living. Tthe family experience of this young nancial and by way of dedicated person - That is our mission, and in a way the man that led to his obsession with guns? nel. Are we, the family people of the mission of the whole Church, since fami - He was challenged to overcome any obsta - Church doing our bit? lies are the building blocks of the structure. cle: having no legs, pushed to achieve, los - The Family Desk was tasked to produce MONK? The October family theme deals with ing his mother, having a very poor the Family Prayer Cards which have been mission and empowerment as it invites us relationship with his father and no stable well supported. Another task was to en - to reach out family to family, passing on family home in his teenage years. Later he courage communities to host a Family Day the gift we have to share. had to deal with being a celebrity, being or event. Suggestions have been circulated Let’s take a current issue (or are we os - put on a pedestal. that also link with the monthly themes of cared out or pistoriused off?). We’ve had a Psychological observation did not iden - the desk as interesting focus themes. chance to watch the Oscar Pistorius trial tify any particular disorder, but did he have Our working team believes that the on TV, to debate it in workplaces and in the kind of family background that could Family Conference hosted by the SACBC our families with our children and the eld - reasonably assure a stable, mature personal - Family Life Desk with other co-hosts in erly. Some of us get quite hot under the ity able to build and sustain relationships? Continued on page 11 YES!

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works to help heal marriages in cri - are upset, these are your feelings sis by bringing together troubled and not the couple’s feelings. You Among the delegates at the couples and those who have over - have to overcome these yourself,” come serious difficulties. Mr Conway recommended. extraordinary synod on the Pope Benedict XVI praised the Couples need to realise that mar - Church’s pastoral care of programme for “its dedication to riage isn’t 50:50, but “100:100”, he families is a South African helping couples overcome serious said. marital difficulties”. Mr Conway said there are four couple who help to heal The Conways have been running stages of marriage. troubled marriages. the 12-week course, which involves • Stage one is the “hunky dory, but - STUART GRAHAM spoke couples sharing their experiences terfly in the stomach stage”. to Steve Conway about the and being given “tools” to save • Stage two is the “disillusionment their marriage, for five years. stage where she starts to find his synod and about marriage. “Sandra and I had been in a bad love of golf irritating”. place,” Mr Conway said. “We have • Stage three is “the complete and real-life experience and many of the utter misery, everything is wrong SOUTH African couple has couples who come to our course re - been chosen by Pope Francis stage”. late to us.” • Stage four is the joy stage. Ato attend the extraordinary Mr Conway said marriages are “Stage three is where most cou - Synod of Bishops on the family at being hurt by a breakdown in com - the Vatican in October to share ples fall down and is where we munication caused by differences in come in. their experiences of successfully upbringing, financial difficulties, counselling hundreds of troubled “Stage four is the stage where the infidelity and the difficulties of rais - couple are completely focused on marriages. ing children. Steve and Sandra Conway, coor - the marriage and everything is “For a lot of couples, their up - going well.” dinators of the Retrouvaille pro - bringing and what your father and Sandra and Steve Conway, Retrouvaille marriage counselling course coordi - Mr Conway said the Retrouvaille gramme in Africa, say they are mother did when they were married nators, have been selected to attend the Synod of Bishops on the family in programme has an 85-90% success “humbled” by the pope’s invitation can cause problems,” he explained. Rome. rate in repairing hurting or broken to be part of the synod. “It is often very difficult for one marriages. “Our programme is based on member of a couple to accept the Catholic principles, but we do not other’s point of view.” priests said is that women must be Mr Conway said he is an avid However, there are situations the turn anyone away,” said Mr Con - Financial difficulties are a major careful because children will suck road runner and that he trains three programme is not equipped to han - way. problem in marriages, with both you dry. We have to guard against to four times a week on his own. dle, such as couples who are af - “We have had Africans, Hindus, partners having to “go out and that,” Mr Conway said. Since his wife had started running fected by physical abuse, or alcohol Jews and Muslims, and all ages. We work” and having limited time to “Before you know it, it will be 21 with him and he has started to also and drug abuse. have had couples who have been spend with one another. years later. You suddenly look at the share her interests, “Life had be - “Sometimes a couple is too far married for 50 years saying that “Many couples fall into the trap person and think this is a stranger come a lot easier,” he said. gone, especially in situations of they never knew they had prob - of not spending enough quality next to me. People must remember “I stay at home and I watch physical abuse. We will never rec - lems,” he explained. time together. At weekends you will that your husband or your wife movies that she likes and she ommend a couple to stay together “Pope Francis would like us to find that a man will play golf, while comes first. Not your kids.” watches movies that I like. We do if someone is being beaten up,” Mr share our experiences on marriage the wife may belong to the Church things together and this has made Conway said. with the bishops.” and give Sunday school lessons. he same lesson applied to a ca - life a lot better.” “Infidelity with a third party is The synod will examine pastoral Weekends are relaxation time, but a Treer-driven spouse. Mr Conway emphasised the im - also very difficult and there is not issues facing the Church as it relates husband and wife won’t spend “One day you won’t have that portance of planning date nights much we can do. We will try our to the family. Its outcomes will much quality time together,” Mr job and your spouse will be a and “switching the television off”. hardest but brick walls are very dif - form the basis of the full Synod of Conway said. stranger to you. You have to work “Take time for yourselves. Keep ficult to break down.” Bishops on the Family to be held “Children can also cause prob - on your marriage from the word go. the candles going. Go for walks. It is important for couples to next year. lems in marriages, particularly Without the marriage, the family Talk about your feelings,” he sug - know that love is not a feeling, but The Conways are among 14 cou - when a child receives “too much” falls apart.” gested. a decision. The same applies to for - ples from all over the world, and attention from one partner,” said The best thing a couple can do Couples must also realise that giveness and trust. the only couple from Africa, to have Mr Conway. for their children is to show unity, they are allowed to be upset with “You are allowed to be cross with been invited to attend the synod. “Sometimes in situations where he said, adding: “You need to have each other. your wife, but you can [also] make Created by a Canadian couple in the kid is sick, the husband will be an understanding that you are a “Understand your feelings. Com - dinner for her instead of being 1977, Retrouvaille—French for “re - pushed aside. Once again it comes team and number one in each promise. Get your feelings out in cross. In the end, it all comes down discovery”—is a programme that to decisions. What one of our other’s lives.” the open. Remember that when you to a decision to love.”

JOURNEyS OF A LIFETIME! Retrouvaille Join Bishop Zolile Mpambani in Cape Town HOLY LAND & JORDAN A LIFELINE FOR 16 - 24 August 2015 MARRIED COUPLES Join the Bishop of Kokstad on this great pilgrimage to the places of Our Lord and the Scriptures in the Holy Land and Jordan Photo: morguefile Upcoming weekends in 2015: Contact Gail at 076 35 2 3809 or 021 55 1 3923 30 January - 1 February [email protected] fowlertours.co.za Changing face of family 31 July - 2 August BY NANCY FRAzIER O’BRIEN common in sub-Saharan Africa, in Central and South America, and in Contact no: 074 175 7523 HE family under discussion several English-speaking Western Website: www.helpourmarriage.com when the extraordinary countries”. Spiritans–Missionaries TSynod of Bishops convenes at One out of five children are liv - for more information. the Vatican on October 5 will bear ing without either of their parents Worldwide little resemblance to the family of in South Africa and Uganda, and at 50 or even 20 years ago. least one out of eight children do The blended and extended fam - so in other sub-Saharan African Join Holy Spirit ilies created by high rates of di - countries, including Ghana, Tanza - vorce, remarriage and Congregation of cohabitation—along with the nia, Kenya, and the Democratic worldwide migration prompted by Republic of the Congo. Religious Priests and economic turmoil and war—have One-fifth or more of children in Brothers combined to change forever the the United States, Britain, New view of family as limited to a Zealand and Canada live with only  Founded on Pentecost Sunday 1703 in France. one parent, while Asia, the Middle mother, father and their children.  Consecrated to the Holy Spirit [Lk. 4:18-21]. But children are still most likely East and Eastern Europe have the to live in two-parent families in all world’s lowest rates of single par -  Live in Community with One Heart, One Soul countries except South Africa, ac - enthood. Motto. The report also found that “al - cording to the World Family Map  Serving the Poor and Vulnerable Groups in 68 2014, a research project sponsored though marriage rates for adults by the US-based non-profit Child aged 18-49 are declining world - Countries. Trends organisation and a variety wide, they remain high in Asia and  Ready to serve the local Church in places most the Middle East (between 47% in of educational and non-govern - in need of personnel. mental institutions from across the Singapore and 80% in Egypt), and globe. are particularly low in “The family is the core institu - Central/South America”. Please Contact: tion for child-rearing worldwide, The rate of cohabitation for and decades of research have adults aged 18-49 tops 30% in Fr. Nkosinathi Nkabinde, CSSp shown that strong families pro - some Central and South American E-mail: [email protected] mote positive child outcomes,” countries and 20% in some Euro - Cell: 072 918 6192, Box 318, Mohlakeng 1760 said Laura Lippman, co-director of pean nations, the report said.— the World Family Map and senior CNS OR programme director for education n The Child Trends report is available Fr. Ikechukwu Onoyima, CSSp at Child Trends. at www.childtrends.org/wp-con - Email: [email protected] The report found that “growing tent/uploads/2014/04/WFM-2014- up with a single parent is especially Final-LoRes.pdf Cell: 071 457 2240, Box 179 Westonaria 1780. 10 The Southern Cross, October 1 to October 7, 2014 CHURCH Schoenstatt celebrates 100 years

“Seeing as this is the anniver - sary of the blessing of our shrine at The international Schoen - Bedfordview, those Schoenstatt members who built it 39 years ago, statt movement celebrates will receive a special blessing,” Sr its centenary this month. Raidt said. DYLAN APPOLIS looks at In Cape Town, a Mass will be what the movement will be celebrated on October 18 at 11:00 at the Constantia shrine, followed doing locally to celebrate. by light refreshments afterwards and viewing of live transmission of ISIT any one of the four the international celebrations in Schoenstatt shrines in South Rome via EWTN at 17:00. Africa this year and you will In Cathcart, Queenstown dio - V cese, Mass will be celebrated by immediately notice a festive at - mosphere as decorated flags sport Bishop Dabula Mpako at the Cath - ing the dates 1914-2014, and cart shrine on October 18, fol - coloured banners can be seen in lowed by a traditional African celebration. different parts of the grounds. The excitement is found not he Schoenstatt movement only in South Africa, but at each of helps many people and families the 200 Schoenstatt shrines T by offering training and education around the world—in Africa, Eu - for lay leaders, together with a rope, South America, North Amer - timely spirituality for the laity so ica, Asia and Australasia. they can become apostles in their The entire international families, their parishes and at Schoenstatt family will be coming work. together on October 18 to cele - Many Schoenstatt members are brate the movement’s 100th an - active in their respective parishes niversary of foundation. This also in ministries such as catechetics, means marking 100 years of a spe - liturgy and choirs. cial “Covenant of Love” that its The movement also runs groups members have made with Our for couples in order to foster fam - Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen ily life. Through the “Pilgrim and Victress of Schoenstatt. Mother Campaign”, also called the The Schoenstatt movement, which is 100 years old this month, has four shrines (below) in South Africa —Bedfordview On October 17, the Schoenstatt Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign, movement will celebrate the cen - in Johannesburg, Constantia and Villa Maria in Cape Town and Cathcart in Queenstown. (Main) Pilgrims attend the members take Our Lady’s picture Schoenstatt shrine in Bedfordview, Johannesburg. tenary of the International Apos - and foster prayer life in numerous tolic Movement of Schoenstatt homes in a form that resembles with a solemn concelebrated Mass the small Christian communities. situations,” Schoenstatt Sister in Malvern church, Johannesburg, Special home customs include Connie O’Brien told The Southern with Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, the annual Advent apostolate in Cross . many priests and Schoenstatt the form of Shelter Seeking, which “One way of preserving the members and friends, said Schoen - has developed into an important family is to ask Our Blessed statt Sister Edith Raidt of Beford - family apostolate in 25 South Mother to take up her place in our view. African parishes. Every year it in - families, centred around a ‘home The following day, October 18, volves several thousand people. shrine’—a holy corner—where the celebration will continue “The greatest crisis of our time families can gather in prayer or around the Befordview shrine, is the breakdown of family life, having the Pilgrim Mother [an with a talk on the meaning and and this concern is central to our image of our Schoenstatt Queen] relevance of the Covenant of Love, universal and local Church as it who travels from home to home the movement’s worldwide mis - struggles to find pastoral responses helping families to connect with sion and its relevance for South to minister effectively and com - their joys, concerns and sufferings Africa. passionately to challenging family and placing them into the Blessed Catholic Liturgical Arts

We have a wonderful selection of cribs, crystal nativity scenes, Mother’s hands,” Sr O’Brien said. from South Africa will participate At the heart of the Schoenstatt in all the jubilee events at Schoen - and of Our Lady and baby Jesus. work is the spiritual formation of statt in Germany from October 16- sound families, of firm, free per - 20. They will give thanks for the sonalities anchored in Christ. last 100 years, and renew the com - Advent wreaths, vestments, stoles, banners “Besides the family apostolate mitment to serve life through the Schoenstatt also focuses on various Covenant of Love. and altar linen for Christmas. members that make up the The pilgrims will then travel to Church: single working women, Rome where celebrations at the in - men, mothers, youth, and chil - ternational Schoenstatt Centre will dren. We also have a growing pil - take place, followed by a special Order early to avoid grim circle which draws all that are audience with Pope Francis. searching for a sense of a ‘home’, a “It is expected that the South disappointment family with whom to share their American pilgrims from Brazil, Ar - Tel: +27 11 782 3135, Fax: 086 263 7303 joys and sorrows, successes and gentina, Chile, Ecuador and so on frustrations,” Sr O’Brien said. will be in the majority and this [email protected] “Schoenstatt’s covenant spiritu - will add to the dynamism of the ality, together with its original ed - celebrations with song and ucational approach inspired by the dance,” said Sr Raidt, who will be charism of our founder, Fr Joseph celebrating the centenary at the Kentenich, is deeply rooted in our Schoenstatt shrine in Bedfordview. MONASTERY RETREAT HOUSE Catholic faith, and gives an answer In Rome, “we will present our to mechanistic thinking that sepa - jubilee gift to the Holy Father—the rates faith from life issues and fruits of our shrines and our apos - PO Box 11095, Mariannhill 3624 which espouses holistic living, tolic projects. In our audience with thinking and loving in and Pope Francis, we will also ask him through a covenant culture. to send us out. This fulfils the de - 2014 2015 “The covenant spirituality sire of Fr Kentenich that Schoen - November 21 - 23: December 24 – January 01 binds us to all, irrespective of race, statt should become a covenant for A SPIRITUAL CHRISTMAS HOLIDAy: colour and class and inspires us to the Church,” Sr Raidt said. Weekend retreat by Fr put our faith into action,” Sr There are special pilgrimage Pierre Lavoipierre: Passion Theme: Mk 10.15 by Fr. Urs Fischer. O’Brien explained. graces associated with this cente - “We contribute to building up nary year as Pope Francis has given for Faith “...in your heart faith...” “...... Truly, I tell you, whoever does the local Church through our a plenary indulgence to all who covenant spirituality and through make a pilgrimage to any Schoen - (Rm 10,9-10) not accept the Kingdom of God like training leaders to take active roles statt shrine during the year. a little child, will never enter it.” in their parishes, and by support - You can obtain this plenary in - ing the intentions of our arch - dulgence by making a good con - Personally guided retreats may be arranged at any time bishop. fession, receiving Holy “Our pilgrim circles of refugees, Communion and offering prayers throughout the year to suit individual need. our initiatives with adult literacy, for the intentions of the Holy Fa - For Bookings: Cellphones: empowering women to be self-suf - ther. Reception: 031 700 2155 ficient, are all small contributions n For more information on how to Fr Urs Fischer 031 700 2890 083 963 3848 Fr Urs Fischer towards drawing those on the pe - celebrate with Schoenstatt, contact Jo - Fax 031 700 2738 083 544 1504 Bro Crispin riphery into the very centre of hannesburg 01 1 45 5 5146, Cape 082 730 7180 Mrs N Qupa Mary’s heart,” Sr O’Brien said. Town 02 1 79 4 5100 or 02 1 423 Email: [email protected] This year about 40 pilgrims 8136, Queenstown 04 5 84 3 1045. CLASSIFIEDS The Southern Cross, October 1 to October 7, 2014 11 Our mission for families Births • FirsCt ComLmuAnionS • CoSnfirmIaFtionI • EEngDagemS ent/Marriage • Continued from page 7 delivery, or Nkandla, or respect for our elders, and Wedding anniversary • Ordination jubilee • Congratulations • Deaths • September was not adequately supported by hierar - bring our reality to God in prayer before reaching out In memoriam • Thanks • Prayers • Accommodation • Holiday Accommodation • chy, priests and lay families. to other families. Personal • Services • Employment • Property • Others We all do and must pray earnestly for the success That is our ongoing task, our mission. Please include payment (R1,37 a word) with small advertisements for promptest of the extraordinary Synod on the Family and its n MARFAM celebrates its 20th anniversary around now publication. important work, but that alone is not going to make and our mission has been to provide resources for and us a more family-friendly Church or society. about family life to assist in this mission of all. The Oc - humbly beg you to come to tered tax practitioner, (45 We are the ones to take it up, and the work will tober to December Thoughts for the Day booklets are DEATH my assistance. Help me years’ SARS experience happen where we discuss Oscar Pistorius, or service now available. HENRICK —John (Jack). now in my urgent need now on your side). Contact One-time Father Thomas and grant my petitions. In Mike 082 929 9874, 033 OP, passed away peace - return I promise to make 396 5471. mikewhite1@ fully on September 17, your name known and telkomsa.net 2014. Remembered by publish this prayer. Amen. Synod of Bishops questions answered family, friends and RCP. Nazareth Sisters. RIP HOLIDAY ST MICHAEL the ACCOMMODATION When and where is it? LEITE: Jacqui, formerly of Archangel, defend us in Cape Town, died peace - battle, be our protection LONDON , Protea House: From October 5-19 in Vatican City Single R350, twin R560 fully in PE on September against the malice and What is this? 22. Deeply mourned and per/night. Self-catering, snares of the devil. May busses and underground The synod is a meeting of Pope Francis, bishops, lovingly remembered by God rebuke him we humbly clergy and laypeople. her brother Patrick. nearby. Phone Peter 021 pray; and do thou, O Prince 851 5200. 0044 208 What is its purpose? of the Heavenly host, by the 7484834. Pope Francis has written that the synod will discuss IN MEMORIAM power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits ANGELWOOD b&b: the “challenges of marriage, of family life, of the ed - MACCELARI —Carlo An - Linksfield, Johannesburg, ucation of children, and the role of the family in the gelo. In loving memory of a who wander through the 081 590 5144. life of the Church”. wonderful husband, father, world for the ruin of souls. Amen. bALLITO: Upmarket pent - The discussion will be based largely on responses brother and Papa. You will house on beach, self- to a questionnaire sent out to the world’s bishops always be in our hearts, catering, 084 790 6562. in November 2013. thoughts and prayers. All CAPE TOWN: Fully Who will attend? our love, Pam, Michele and Stephen, Adrian and equipped self-catering 2 Approximately 250 people, including the presidents Kate, Veglia and Gawie, bedroom apartment with or vice-presidents of 114 national bishops’ confer - and Alexa and Joshua. parking, in Strandfontein. ences, 13 heads of Eastern Catholic churches, three May you rest in peace. R500 per night (4 persons) superiors general of religious orders, heads of Vati - Paul 021 393 2503, 083 —Merlyn. In can offices and synod officials, and synod fathers MATTHEE 553 9856, vivilla@ loving memory of Merlyn telkomsa.net appointed by Pope Francis. The synod also will have who passed away on Oc - non-voting collaborators and auditors, including tober 5, 2010. Will always KNYSNA: Self-catering married couples appointed by the pope. be remembered and loved accommodation with by her family Desiree, DSTV for 2 in Old What controversial issues will be discussed? Belvidere with wonderful Pope Francis has said birth control and the eligibil - Bryane and children and grandchildren. Ursula, lagoon views. 044 387 ity of divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to re - 1052. ceive Communion will be among the topics of Greg and children and grandson in Australia. KNYSNA: S/c accommo - discussion. The latter was also a major topic of dis - Gary, Shireen and children dation for 2/3 on dairy farm cussion at a special meeting of cardinals the pope and granddaughter. in gorgeous valley. Winter called in February. special R600. 084 458 —Tony. In loving SATRAM 8397. Will the synod change Church teaching? memory of my husband ops, to be held at the Vatican in October 2015. That Archbishop Bruno Forte of Chieti-Vasto, Italy, who and our dad who passed O MOST Holy Virgin Mary, MARIANELLA Guest was chosen by Pope Francis to be the special secre - meeting will generate proposals for the pope’s ap - away on October 4, 2010. who chose to appear on House, Simon’s Town: tary of the extraordinary synod, said that the “doc - proval. In our hearts, in our the Sierra de Aire, in the “Come experience the trine of the Church is not up for discussion, but What prompted this synod? thoughts —forever part of Cova de Iria, to three peace and beauty of God with us.” Fully equipped rather the discussion will concern improving the In July 2013, Pope Francis told reporters that he our lives. We miss you young shepherds to reveal ‘pastoral application’ of Church teaching”. more and more with each the treasures of grace held with amazing sea views. wanted the gathering to explore a “somewhat passing day. From your Secure parking, ideal for deeper pastoral care of marriage”, including the in the recitation of the Why is it “extraordinary”? wife, Lorraine, children Rosary, impress upon our rest and relaxation. Spe - The meeting will not reach definitive conclusions question of the eligibility of divorced and remarried Michelle and Mario, Lester souls a fervent love for this cial rates for pensioners but will set the agenda for a larger meeting of bish - Catholics to receive Communion.—CNS and Sybil, Odette and devotion. By meditating on and clergy. Malcolm Salida Adrian, Brendon and Carla the mysteries of our re - 082 784 5675, mjsalida@ and your grandchildren, demption, may we learn gmail.com Daniel, Julia, Noah, Timo - how to use the teachings SEDGEFIELD: Beautiful thy, Matthew and Sarah. which lie therein and ob - self-catering garden holi - Rest in Peace. tain the graces we ask in day flat, sleeps four, two Southern Cross Word solutions STOTT —Olive (Ollie). Oc - this prayer. For the Glory bedrooms, open-plan tober 3, 2012. Remember - of God and the redeeming lounge, kitchen, fully SOLUTIONS TO 622. ACROSS: 1 Mime, 3 Kanga - Word of the Week ing you on this day while of our souls. Amen. Photo - equipped. 5-min walk to la - roo, 9 Megiddo, 10 Ebbed, 11 Resurrection, 13 Rer - Synod of Bishops: A gathering of bishops, you live in our hearts for - stat and distribute goon. Out of season spe - cials. Contact Les or obe, 15 Acting, 17 Antediluvian, 20 Theme, 21 with legislative and policymaking powers. ever. Deeply loved and THANKS be to thee, my Cuckoos, 22 Obsessed, 23 Ayes. DOWN: 1 Memo - sadly missed each passing Lord Jesus Christ, For all Bernadette 044 343 3242, rare, 2 Magus, 4 Atoned, 5 Goes to church, 6 Rab - day. The Stott and Roberts the benefits thou hast 082 900 6282. boni, 7 Odds, 8 Adorableness, 12 Agonises, 14 families. won for me, For all the STELLENbOSCH: Chris - pains and insults thou tian Brothers Centre. 14 Ringers, 16 Circle, 18 Ivory, 19 Otto. VAN SCHOOR —Louis, hast borne for me. O most suites (double/twin beds), October 6, 1998. When the merciful Redeemer, Liturgical Calendar Year A family chain is broken, some with fridge & mi - Friend, and Brother, May I crowave, others beside Weekdays Cycle Year 2 nothing seems the same; know thee more clearly, but as God calls us one by Love thee more dearly, kitchenette & lounge, eco- one, he links the chain And follow thee more spirituality library. Country - Sunday, October 5, 27th Sunday again. Miss and love you, nearly, For ever and ever. side vineyard/forest/ Communit y Calendar Isaiah 5:1-7, Psalm 80:9, 12-16, 19-20, Philip - your wife Lorraine, chil - mountain views/walks; pians 4:6-9, Matthew 21:33-43 dren, grandchildren and beach 20-minute drive. Af - THANKS fordable. 021 880 0242. To place your event, call Mary Leveson at 021 46 5 5007 Monday, October 6 great-grandchildren. or e-mail m.leveson @scross.co.za GRATEFuL thanks to the www.cbcentre.co.za Email: (publication subject to space) Galatians 1:6-12, Psalm 111:1-2, 7-10, Luke Sacred Heart of Jesus, [email protected] 10:25-37 PRAYERS Our Mother Mary and Ss DuRbAN: JOHANNESbuRG: uVONGO: South Coast: Tuesday, October 7, Our Lady of the Rosary , apostle Rita, Joseph, Anthony, Immaculate holiday ac - Holy Mass and Novena Life in the Spirit seminar, HOLY ST JuDE Acts 1:12-14, Luke 1:46-55, Luke 1:26-38 and martyr, great in virtue Jude and Martin de Porres commodation, well se - to St Anthony at St An - September 4 to October Wednesday, October 8 and rich in miracles, kins - for prayers answered. cured and lock-up garage thony’s parish every 30 presented by Charis - RCP. Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14, Psalm 117:1-2, Luke man of Jesus Christ, faith - in complex. Sleeps six. Tuesday at 9am. Holy matic Renewal at cathe - ful intercessor of all who 082 767 0228. Mass and Divine Mercy dral of Christ the King. 11:1-4 invoke you, special patron PERSONAL Devotion at 17:30pm on Contact Joseph Uga at Thursday, October 9 in time of need. To you I first Friday of every 083 237 3745 or Boni Galatians 3:1-5, Luke 1:69-75, Luke 11:5-13 have recourse from the AbORTION WARNING: The pill can abort (chemi - month. Sunday Mass at Gumede at 072 274 3901. Friday, October 10 depth of my heart and LOVINg FATHER bless us, 9am. Phone 03 1 309 cal abortion) Catholics KOKSTAD: Galatians 3:7-14, Psalm 111:1-6, Luke 11:15- humbly beg you to come to the people of AFRICA , and 3496. my assistance. Help me must be told, for their eter - Couples for Christ 26 nal welfare and the sur - help us to live in justice, NELSPRuIT: spiritual weekend for now in my urgent need Saturday, October 11, Memorial of the vival of their unborn love and peace Adoration of the men themed “Abba Fa - and grant my petitions. In Blessed Virgin Mary return I promise to make infants. See www.epm.org/ blessed sacrament at St ther” on October 24, 25 static/uploads/downloads/b Mary, Mother of Africa, Peter’s parish every Galatians 3:22-29, Psalm 105:2-7, Luke 11:27- your name known and pray for us and 26, at Centenary publish this prayer. Amen. cpill.pdf Tuesday from 8:00 to Hall, St Patrick’s cathe - 28 For prayer leaflet: LR. NOTHING is politically sms 083 544 8449 16:45, followed by dral, R150 registration. Sunday, October 12, 28th Sunday , apostle right if it is morally wrong. Rosary, Divine Mercy Isaiah 25:6-10, Psalm 23:1-6, Philippians HOLY ST JuDE Abortion is evil. Value life! The Southern Cross Contact Trevor Vetter and martyr, great in virtue is a member of the prayers , then a 082 568 6843 or Warren 4:12-14, 19-20, Matthew 22:1-14 or Matthew Audit Bureau of serv - and rich in miracles, kins - www.abortioninstru Circulations of South Mass/Communion Napier 083 778 4560 or 22:1-10 is the graphic Africa. Printed by ice at 17:30pm. man of Jesus Christ, faith - ments.com Paarl Coldset (Pty) truth that will set you free. Ltd, 10 Freedom [email protected] ful intercessor of all who Way, Milnerton. invoke you, special patron Published by the TAXATION SERVICES: proprietors, The in time of need. To you I Tax & Vat returns prepared Catholic Newspaper & Publishing Co Ltd, have recourse from the & e-filed by SARS-regis - at the company’s registered office, 10 Tuin depth of my heart and Plein, Cape Town, 8001.

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28th Sunday: October 12 Readings: Isaiah 25:6-10, Psalm 23:1-6, Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20, Matthew 22: 1-14 Learning to trust God’s ways

AN you trust God? If we understand pastures”, “waters of repose”, “right paths”, of his fidelity. what God is really like, we know that “your rod and your staff”, “you have prepared In that culture, you do not need remind - CGod is always faithful, always depend - Fr Nicholas a table”, “you anoint my head with oil”, “my ing about a wedding-feast, of course. This able. That is not, however, to say that God cup overflows”; and the things that menace makes it very odd, then, that in response to will always operate in the way that we expect; King SJ us, “valley of the shadow of death”, “in the the divine faithfulness we are presented with and therefore it is enormously tempting for Sunday Reflections presence of my foes”. And the climax is the appalling and casual infidelity: “They did not us to say: “God has let me down.” triumphant certainty that “I shall live in the want to come.” Then it gets worse, as the sec - The readings for next Sunday offer us a Lord’s house for length of days”. ond invitation is greeted with indifference deeper picture of the reliability of God. The In the second reading , Paul writes from (“one’s own estate”, “my shop”) or worse biggest argument against God’s reliability is prison to his beloved Philippians, indicating (“they insulted and killed his slaves”). of course the certain fact that we shall all die. comes the place where “God will swallow up what this reliable God has done for him: “In God’s fidelity does not mean, however, that So Isaiah, in the first reading , paints us a death forever”. Then our reading ends with a every respect I have been initiated into the se - “anything goes”: God is other, and so we listen beguiling picture of what life with God is like: mini-psalm: “They shall say on that day: cret of how to be sated and how to be hungry, nervously as Jesus tells us that “the king was “The Lord of hosts is making on this moun - ‘Look —this is our God, the one we have been how to have a surplus and how to go short.” enraged and sent his army to destroy those tain, for all the peoples a rich banquet.” The waiting for, and he shall save us…the hand of In part God’s reliability has been demon - murderers and burnt their city”. Not only that, picture is drawn up with a series of Hebrew the Lord shall rest on this mountain’.” strated through the generosity of the Philippi - but when this faithful God produces a revised puns, and the idea that God is throwing a The people did not yet believe in life after ans to him; and Paul demonstrates absolute guest-list, “everyone they found, both evil and party for us should leave us quite astonished, death, but glimpsed that, somehow, death confidence that God will do the same for them: good”, he comes to inspect, and discovers unless we have read our Gospels, and remem - could not be the end of the story if God was “God will fill up all your need in accordance someone who did not properly value God’s de - bered that Jesus sees banquets as a very im - indeed God. with God’s wealth, in glory, in Christ Jesus.” pendability, “a person who was not wearing a portant part of the reign of God that he has The psalm for next Sunday displays the In the gospel for next Sunday, we are once wedding-garment”, and is expelled in chains come to inaugurate. same powerful confidence; here it is ex - again presented with the idea of God’s ban - “into the outer darkness”. It goes deeper, however, and, once more, pressed in the idea of the Lord as “shepherd” quet. Here it is a “wedding-feast in honour of God is utterly reliable, but we are not to there is a reference to “this mountain”, which the one who defends the defenceless. Notice his son”, and it is explicitly presented as an take our God for granted: “For there are many could be either Mount Zion, where the Tem - how the idea of God’s “reliability” is ex - illustration of what the “reign of God” is who are invited, but few who are chosen.” ple was built, or Mount Sinai, where Moses pressed through a series of images of what going to be like. It starts simply enough with We are not quite sure what it means, but had his encounter with God, and now be - God does for us: “I shall not want”, “green the “king” sending slaves out with a reminder we tremble as we listen. Life in the Father’s house Southern Cross word #622 NTHROPOLOGISTS tell us that fa - as his own in a way that he no longer has ther-hunger, a frustrated desire to be Fr Ron to acknowledge his father in the way he re - Ablessed by our own fathers, is one of ceives his life and freedom and uses them. the deepest hungers in the world today, es - Rolheiser OMI And the consequence of that, as this pecially among men. parable makes clear, is that a gift no longer Millions of people sense that they have Final Reflection sensed or acknowledged as gift always not received their father’s blessing. Robert leads to the misuse of that gift, to the loss Bly, Dr Robert Moore, Fr Richard Rohr of integrity, and to personal humiliation. OFM and the late Dr James Hillman, among others, offer some rich insights ith an apology for the abstractness of into this. taken back by his father. WMarion’s language, here’s what he We suffer from being fatherless. How - At one level, the lesson is clear: God’s sees as the deepest issue inside this story: ever, in its deepest root, this suffering is mercy is so wide and compassionate that “The son requests that he no longer have something far beyond the mere absence of nothing we can do will ever stop God from to request, or rather, that he no longer a blessing from our biological fathers. We loving us. Many wonderful books have have to receive the ousia . ... He asks to pos - tend to be fatherless in a much deeper way. been written to highlight this, not least Fr sess it, dispose of it, enjoy it without pass - How so? Henri Nouwen’s classic The Return of the ing through the gift and the reception of Some 25 years ago, a French philoso - Prodigal Son . the gift. pher, Jean-Luc Marion, wrote a book enti - But Marion, drawing upon the specific “The son wants to owe nothing to his tled God Without Being . In it he offers a wording of the Greek text, emphasises an - father, and above all not owe him a gift; he very challenging interpretation of the fa - other element in this story. asks to have a father no longer—the ousia mous parable of the Prodigal Son. The Greek text implies that the son without the father or the gift. [And] the ACROSS DOWN We’re all familiar with the parable. A fa - went to his father and asked for something ousia becomes the full possession of the 1. Act that is beyond words (4) 1. St Bernard’s prayer to ther had two sons. The younger comes to more than property and money. It says son only to the extent that it is fully dis - 3. It may leap about Australian Our Lady (8) him and says: “Father, give me the share of that he asked his father for his share of the possessed of the father: dispossession of parish (8) 2. One of the three wise the property that’s coming to me.” His fa - property ( ousia ). Ousia , in Greek, means the father, annulment of the gift, this is 9. The waters here had no sil - men as gum (5) “substance”. He’s asking for his life, as in - 4. Made amends (6) ther shares out his goods. The younger son what the possession of the ousia implies. ver (Jg 5) (7) takes his share, leaves for a distant country, dependent of his father. 5. Does one’s Sunday duty “Hence an immediate consequence: in 10. Moved out to sea (5) and squanders his property on a life of de - Moreover, as a son and an heir, he al - being dispossessed of the father, the pos - (4,2,6) 11. It will happen generally on bauchery. ready has use of his share of what is right - session that censures the gift integrates 6. How Mary addressed the Last Day (12) When he has spent everything, he finds fully his; but he wants to own it and not within itself, indissolubly, the waste of the Jesus (Jn 20) (7) himself hungry and humiliated and sets owe it to anyone. He wants what is rightly 13. Put on the vestments again 7. They are in the mixed gift: possessed without gift, possession can - bag with the ends (4) off to return to his father’s house, where he his but he wants to have it as independent not but continue to dispossess itself. (6) 15. Doing another’s duties on 8. Broadens seal around is undeservedly greeted, embraced, and of his father, as cut off from his father, and Henceforth orphan of the paternal gift, d’s majesty (12) stage? (6) Go ousia finds itself possessed in the mode of 12. Aegis son worries about dissipation.” 17. Time before Noah built the (8) The prodigal son’s real issue was not so ark (12) 14. They call you telephoni- Conrad much his hunger for pleasure as his hunger 20. Subject matter held by cally (7) for the wrong kind of independence. He both emeritus popes (5) 16. Do the rounds (6) wanted his life and the freedom to enjoy 21. They lay their eggs in oth - 18. Amos warned those who life completely on his own terms and, for ers’ nests (8) sleep on such beds (Am 6) him, that meant he had to take them out - 22. Preoccupied by sob seeds (5) 19. Saint found in the grot- side his father’s house. (8) toes (4) In doing that, he lost his father and he 23. The votes in favour (4) also lost genuine life and freedom because Solutions on page 11 these can only be had inside the acceptance a certain dependence. That’s why Jesus re - peated again and again, that he could do nothing on his own. Everything he was and CHURCH CHUCKLE everything he did came from his Father. Our lives are not our own. Our lives are HE church was celebrating Communion. Dur - a gift and always need to be received as ing the “children’s sermon”, the priest was gift. Our substance is not our own and so Ttalking about Communion and what it is all it may never be severed from its source, about. God, our Father. “The Bible talks of Holy Communion being a We can enter our lives and freedom and ‘joyful feast’. What does that mean? Well, ‘joyful’ enjoy them and their pleasures, but as means happy, right? And a feast is a meal. So a ‘joy - soon as we cut them off from their source, ful feast’ is a happy meal. And what are the three take them as our own and head off on our things we need for a happy meal?” own, dissipation, hunger, and humiliation A little boy put up his hand and said: “Ham - will follow. burger, chips, and a cooldrink?” There’s life only in the Father’s house and when we are outside that house we are Send us your favourite Catholic joke, preferably clean and brief, to fatherless and wasting our ousia . The Southern Cross, Church Chuckle, PO Box 2372, Cape Town, 8000.