Tui Motu Interislands Christmas Issue 2012 $6
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Tui Motu InterIslands Christmas issue 2012 $6 . editorial The Board and editorial staff of Tui Motu wish all of our readers and friends a happy, peace-filled Christmas. May 2013 bring songs of hope welling up all over our world. e.Aotearoans.love.celebrat- magnificent.crib.set.—.St ..Francis.of. which.came.with.this.God-baby ..Both. ing.the.summer.Christmas. Assisi.would.have.been.proud.to.see. Bernard. Sabella. and. Peter. Bray. high- of.fiery.sun-baking.heat.at. the.way.the.Christ.child.had.jumped. light. how. vulnerable. we. are. in. doing. Wthe. beach. or. the. lakes,. dowsing. our- down. to. earth .. On. the. head. of. the. this,.yet.how.important.that.challenge. selves. with. obligatory. protective. sun. donkey.was.a.two.shilling.piece,.and. remains ..It.is.the.kernel.of.the.Year.of. cream;.of.the.barbie,.and.the.delicious. on.that.of.the.Christ.child,.one.shil- Faith ..And.without.doubt.our.hearts.go. smell.of.the.fish,.chops,.sausages.and. ling ..Dad.laughed.for.days.at.the.bet. out.to.the.peoples.of.Gaza.and.Israel,. steak.bbq-ed.to.perfection;.of.the.many. that.had.been.placed.on.the.donkey,. yet. again. threatened. by. unbridled. stunning.colours:.searing.red.pohutu- when.it.was.the.child.that.had.won!.It. power.and.cruel.domination .. kawa.guarding.our.coasts,.cabbage.tree. was.an.eloquent.commentary.on.the. There’s. much. to. ponder. in. in.full.white.flower,.and.the.profusion. nature. of. the. Incarnation:. salvation. this. edition,. with. its. distinctive. of.roses,.lilies.and.other.flowers.whose. comes.to.us.through.a.poor.child . Aotearoan. Christmas. flavor:. Joy. aromas.linger.in.the.evening.warmth .. It’s.a.blessing.too.to.be.reminded. Cowley’s. loving. rendition. of. the. All.of.these.bring.out.the.best.in.our. of. the. Christmas. city. of. Bethlehem. Christmas. sotry. will. warm. your. hearts ..They.remind.us.that.wherever. by. two. very. different. writers .. Each. hearts,.as.will.Mike.Riddell.on.the. you.are.there.is.a.special.flavour.and.a. in. his. own. way. underlines. the. great. gift. of. our. Holy. days .. And. sing. uniqueness.of.culture.which.breathes. lengths. that. faith-filled. people. are. loudly.with.Colin.Gibson ..His.new. the. fullness. of. life. we. owe. to. the. prepared. to. go. to. pass. on. the. heart. carol.will.enhance.our.celebrations . Christ.child .. of. the. Christian. message:. to. ensure. Whether.you.face.sun.or.snow. When.I.was.a.lad,.our.family.had.a. that.the.dignity.of.the.Christ.child.is. in. this. season,. enjoy. its. positive. holiday.trip.around.the.South.Island .. upheld.in.our.ways.of.thinking.and.in. message. —. and. a. very. happy. I.remember.we.visited.a.small.parish. the.ways.we.work.to.give.to.following. Christmas.to.you.from.this.Kiwi. church.in.Nelson,.where.there.was.a. generations.the.vision.of.life.and.love. place.down.under! KT Editorial. .2 Poem: blue jays and one green apple . 19 Bernadette.Hall contents Discover heaven in the world . 3 Jenny.Dawson Poem: for love of mary . 19 Bridie.Southall Letters to the editor . .4 Looking towards christmas with isaiah . 20–21 Comment: . 5 Damian.Wynn-Williams David.More No room at the inn. 22-23. Kiwi christmas. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..6–9 Susan.Smith.RNDM Joy.Cowley How faith has formed me. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24-25 Reflections on midnight mass . 10–11 Peter.Cullinane Mike.Riddell The hospitality of god . 26-27 Holy santa and aunt leonie. 12–13 Kathleen.Rushton.RSM Bernard.Sabella Best books of 2012 . 28–29 Letter from bethlehem. 13 Kate.Doherty Peter.Bray.FSC Crosscurrents . 30 Faith and a wild sea . 14–15. Jim.Elliston Peter.Murnane.OP Where do we see god? . 31 The blessed time . 16–17. Peter.Norris Colin.Gibson A mother’s journal . 32 Treasured beyond measure . 18–19. Kaaren.Mathias Daniel.O’Leary Front Cover illustration: Donald Moorhead 2 Tui Motu InterIslands December 2012 . christmas guest editoral discover heaven in the world Jenny Dawson reparations.for.Christmas.pag- the.young.ones.caught.up.in.a.world.of. is.like.to.be.poor,.anxious,.a.refugee,. eants.are.being.made.in.little. alcohol,.gang.life.and.violence ..They. excluded .. Each. year. Christmas. calls. churches.and.in.big.cathedrals,. are.bound.together.in.community . us. again. to. participate. in. the. work. Pand.probably.also.in.Ranana.on.the. The. fragile. accord. of. this. tiny. of.redeeming.people.from.guilt.and. Wanganui. River .. Volunteer. teacher. village. sang. for. me,. through. the. hopelessness,. as. well. as. creating. and. Compassion. Sister. Margaret. months. since. I. saw. the. film,. of. the. healthy. communities. and. affordable. Mary. has. left. Jerusalem. but. I. hope. Christmas. theme. of. incarnation .. housing.for.the.poor,.all.in.the.same. that.someone.else.is.encouraging.the. The. main. characters. in How Far is breath .. Because. Jesus. himself,. while. children.in.that.Ranana.schoolroom. Heaven moved. hauntingly. between. recognised.as.spirit,.also.has.a.body,. to.tell.again.in.drama.the.story.of.the. roles.of.insider.and.outsider,.between. the.gift.of.Christmas.is.a.passion.for. birth. of. Jesus .. I. hope. too. that. the. belonging. and. remoteness,. between. justice.for.real.people.here.and.now .. audience. will. again. be. made. up. of. hope.and.precarious.future ..Through. How.far.is.heaven? the.assorted.parents.and.friends.who. the. sisters’. continuous. presence. at. In. Ethics,. Dietrich. Bonhoeffer. make. up. those. small. communities .. Jerusalem.since.Suzanne.Aubert.went. argued. that. because. of. the. coming. Because.of.the.film-making.ability.of. there.in.1892,.they.and.the.spire.of. of.Jesus.it.is.no.longer.possible.for.us. Miriam.Smith.and.Christopher.Prior. the. small. church. offer. pointers. to. to. “think. in. terms. of. two. spheres,”. many.of.us.joined.in.that.audience. God ..Suzanne.Aubert.told.her.sisters,. the.divine.and.the.worldly,.the.holy. —. and. in. parties. and. fruit. picking. “Never.forget,.a.Maori.village.was.the. and. the. profane,. the. Christian. and. —.as.we.watched.the.documentary. cradle.of.our.Institute ”. the.un-Christian,.but.only.the.single. film.How Far is Heaven ..Intriguingly. Another. even. more. troubled. reality. of. the. world-reconciled-to- there.is.no.question.mark.in.the.title,. village. will. be. remembered. this. God-in-Christ ..Like.the.film.title,.the. which.comes.from.a.question.asked. Christmas:. the. Middle-Eastern. vil- incarnation.does.not.have.a.question. by. 13-year-old. DJ,. then. answering. lage.that.we.claim.as.the.cradle.of.our. mark .. Rather. it. is. an. invitation:. to. himself.in.tones.of.wonder.“Past.the. faith .. In. both. villages. is. the. seed. of. discover.heaven.in.the.world,.in.the. world,.past.the.earth,.right.up.there,. incarnation,.of.some.flimsy.awareness. earth,.right.down.here,.for.all.people .. keep.going,.keep.going . ”. .. that.in.Jesus.Christ.all.of.life.has.been. As.DJ.said,.“Keep.going,.keep.going ”. Somehow,. and. it. is. very. flimsy,. touched.by.the.love.of.God ... May.this.Christmas.bring.new.hope. there. is. a. holding. together. in. the. The.Christmas.story,.with.home- to.all.people.in.God’s.world ..n world. of. the. film. a. complex. set. of. less.young.parents.making.a.birthing. dualities:. ageing. (perhaps. ageless?). suite. in. a. manure-smelling. stable,. Reverend Jenny Dawson is an Anglican women. devoted. to. service,. prayer,. drives. home. the. point. that. God. is. priest who is the Bishop’s Chaplain for and.jam-making.who.carry.in.their. concerned.not.only.with.the.spiritual .. the Anglican Diocese of Waiapu in the hearts.but.never.quite.make.sense.of. God.has.a.body ..God.knows.what.it. Hawkes Bay. Tui Motu – InterIslands is an independent, address: Independent Catholic Magazine Ltd, Catholic, monthly magazine. It invites its P O Box 6404, Dunedin North, 9059 readers to question, challenge and contrib- phone: (03) 477 1449 ute to its discussion of spiritual and social fax: (03) 477 8149 issues in the light of gospel values, and in email: [email protected] the interests of a more just and peaceful website: www.tuimotu.org society. Inter-church and inter-faith dialogue editor: Kevin Toomey OP is welcomed. assistant editor: Elizabeth Mackie OP The name Tui Motu was given by Pa Henare Tate. It illustrator: Donald Moorhead literally means “stitching the islands together...”, bringing directors: Susan Brebner, Rita Cahill RSJ, Philip Casey the different races and peoples and faiths together to (chair), Neil Darragh, Paul Ferris, Robin Kearns, Elizabeth create one Pacific people of God. Divergence of opinion Mackie OP is expected and will normally be published, although that honorary directors: Pauline O’Regan RSM, Frank does not necessarily imply editorial commitment to the Hoffmann ISSM 1174-8931 viewpoint expressed. Issue number 167 typesetting and layout: Greg Hings printers: Southern Colour Print, 1 Turakina Road, Dunedin South, 9012 3 Tui Motu InterIslands December 2012 letters to the editor the grace of survival rights. they. have. had .. Perhaps. in. the. letters to the editor end.we.will.look.back.on.this.current. I. always. say. that. Tui Motu. keeps. We welcome comment, issue. as. an. historical. embarrassment,. me.sane.and.able.to.stay.within.the. discussion, argument, debate. as.we.do.with.the.right.for.women.to. bounds. of. the. church,. especially. But please keep letters under vote,.and.blacks.to.be.treated.as.equal . when.I.read.articles.such.as.the.ones. 200 words. The editor reserves Paul Armstrong, Dunedin in. the. October. issue. by. Cardinal. the right to abridge, while not Martini,. Sister. Susan. Smith. and. Jo. changing the meaning. slaves and dictators Ayers.and.Pat.Snedden ..As.one.who.