Tui Motu InterIslands

April 2005 Price $5

did not our hearts burn within us (Luke 24:32)

Tui Motu InterIslands 1 The breaking of bread

hrist at Emmaus is nearly Art critic Rod Pattenden says of his Cevery­body’s fav­our­ite work: “In Emmaus, Garibay explains Easter story. The disciples “rec­ the disciples’ difficulty in recognising ognised Jesus in the breaking of Jesus after his resurrection through the bread”, and as Richard Dow­den physical answer of a female form. The Caravaggio: The Supper at Emmaus (1600) notes in his article on Eucharist, disciples think it is simply hilarious! the phrase ‘breaking of bread’ The viewer is quickly moved into became the early Christian shorthand more perilous places where the role for the ceremony of Eucharist. That of women in religion emerges as an Contents phrase reminds us how closely the first issue... Garibay is sensitive to the colonial realities in the Philippines of 2-3 Editorial believers associated their eucharistic Michael Smith gatherings with faith in Christ Risen. both a Spanish heritage and the current 4 letters Easter had changed their lives for ever: it American economic dependence.” 5 Prophets in our time changed the likes of Peter and John from Pattenden adds: “Garibay’s works are Christopher Carey craven cowards into courageous leaders. filled with... the holy presence of the Eucharist Their ‘little faith’ was transformed into ordinary men and women of his own 6-7 The eucharist according to John rocklike confidence. country. Using parody, irony and deep Richard Dowden Few artists in the church’s long tradition human compassion he brings alive a 7-8 Keeping the community eucharistic world of dangerous imagination.” Joan Chittester represent this better than Caravaggio 9 Eucharist in Green Island whose Supper at Emmaus (above left) We rarely think of Eucharist as the way Paul Andrews captures the moment of astonishment of profound transformation for our own The environment and shock when the disciples suddenly lives; yet in the Easter context that is what 10-12 Apocalypse now realise that the Jesus they mourned is it must be. What matters is not so much Michael McCarthy alive, really present, and bringing them what happens to the bread as the change 13-14 A time to heal back to life too. The contemporary taking place in me. In this Easter issue HRH the Prince of Wales Filipino artist, Emmanuel Garibay, we have a trio of articles on Eucharist 15 Sitting on the wharf carries this artistic portrayal a stage – coming from a local Physics Professor, Glynn Cardy further in our remarkable and an American Benedictine Sister and an 16-17 Global identity and globalisation wonderful cover picture. The disciples Irish Jesuit, all of whom seem to capture Albert Moore are not just astonished and shocked: that sense of the extraordinary and the 18-19 Secularism they are transformed into a wild transformative, which needs to underpin Pauline O’Regan n 20-21 Listening to the voice of Muhammad paroxysm of delight. our eucharistic faith. interview with Najib Lafraie 22-23 The next Pope? Ecological crisis Jim Neilan that there is no room – or no desire 24-25 What shall we sing next Sunday? e have been fortunate in this Mike Marshall Wissue to reproduce two articles – to report the imminent destruction 26 The prophetic dimension of faith on the environment. The first, from the of the world as we know it. Elaine Wainwright London Tablet, by Michael McCarthy, Alongside it is a lengthy excerpt from 27 Celebrating with a party is perhaps the most important article an article by the Prince of Wales (from Susan Smith ever published in this magazine. It Resurgence). The Prince recently paid 28-29 Reviews records the shock and consternation a visit here, and while, once again, Paul Sorrell, Peter Malone suffered by a hard-boiled London Tui Cadigan the world’s press is obsessed with his journalist at what was revealed at a 30 Crosscurrents marriage, they continue to pour scorn world climate conference in February. John Honoré on what is the abiding passion of his life 31 Flying priests not the answer Why has this news not dominated the – his “instinct” to defend and preserve Humphrey O’Leary Nature the way it is and his belief in its 32 Postscript headlines of the world’s press? Are we “sacred” worth. The one article fittingly Jacqueline Wood so obsessed with Michael Jackson or the 2005 Oscar awards or the Super 12 complements the other. M.H.

2 Tui Motu InterIslands editorial

Are we tired of hearing ‘the cry of the poor’?

Michael Smith e see the pictures on our TV screens, read the stories If we look at the top 22 OECD countries, in 2003 New Win our newspapers and news websites and hear them Zealand was ranked 16th in terms of percentage of GNI. on the radio – there is huge poverty in the world. Every Ireland a country similar in size to New Zealand is ranked year millions die as a direct result of poverty. The question eighth and contributes 0.41 percent and plans to reach 0.7 is: are we as a nation doing enough to change this? In my percent in 2007. New Zealand, Australia and Japan are view, far from it! We can and we must do more. the only countries that have not set any timeframes for New Zealand is a wealthy country, and we have experienced achieving either the 0.7 percent or some increased level of an economic boom for the last 5 years. With tax revenue overseas aid. likely to exceed government expenditure by over $7 billion If we had already reached the 0.7 percent target, we would this year, there are no excuses. The New Zealand Government be spending about $945 million on overseas aid this year. must do more to address poverty at home and overseas. This may sound a lot, but is less than the $1.2 billion New All developed countries have a responsibility to do their Zealanders spend each year on sweets, biscuits, cakes and fair share for those in need. Most people would agree that soft drinks! every person has a right to life and to those things required The World Bank has estimated that meeting the MDGs will for human decency, starting with food, shelter and clothing, require another US$50 billion per year in aid to developing employment, healthcare and education. countries. Donor countries, therefore, need to almost double To me this is common sense, but we can also draw on the their aid contributions. To put this in perspective, the world’s major themes from Catholic Social Teaching, and one military budget totalled US$800 billion in 2002, and rich of these is the preferential option for the poor. Catholic countries currently spend more than US$300 billion on tradition instructs us that we must put the needs of the poor agricultural subsidies. What should our priorities be? and vulnerable first. After all, we are all one human family, ew Zealand’s overseas aid is effective – but there needs and we should be responsible for each other regardless of Nto be more of it. The Government must increase aid national, racial, economic and ideological differences. levels while maintaining the quality of our aid programme. The New Zealand Government has promised to do more. Caritas, the Catholic Agency for Justice, Peace and In fact, back in September 2000, New Zealand along with Development, along with many other New Zealand 189 other members of the United Nations signed up to the development agencies, is supporting the “Point Seven” Millennium Declaration. The declaration led to the creation campaign. This is calling on the Government to commit of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that to a timetable for achieving the internationally agreed would combat hunger and poverty and improve education, target of spending 0.7 percent of Gross National Income health, the status of women, and the environment by the on overseas aid by 2015. You can support this campaign year 2015. Currently more than 1.2 billion people survive by signing the Point Seven campaign petition. The petition on less than US$1 per day. These MDGs include halving has been circulated to parishes throughout the country the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day and more information is available on the Council for by 2015. International Development website: In signing up to the Millennium Declaration, the New www.cid.org.nz/advocacy/point-seven.html Zealand Government and other developed countries agreed You can also do more by writing to the Minister of Foreign to the spending of 0.7 percent of their Gross National Income Affairs, to your local MP and by publicising this campaign (GNI) on overseas aid by the year 2015. In the current year, to family, friends and work colleagues. including the recent provision made for the tsunami relief Jesus Christ calls each of one of us to put the needs of the activities, the Government is spending approximately $400 poor and vulnerable first. n million or 0.27 percent of GNI. Michael Smith is Director of Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

Tui Motu-InterIslands is an independent, Catholic, monthly magazine. It invites its readers to question, challenge and contribute to its discussion of spiritual and social issues in the light of gospel values, and in the interests of a more just and peaceful society. Inter-church and inter-faith dialogue is welcomed. The name Tui Motu was given by Pa Henare Tate. It literally means “stitching the islands together...”, bringing the different races and peoples and faiths together to create one Pacific people of God. Divergence of opinion is expected and will normally be published, although that does not necessarily imply editorial commitment to the viewpoint expressed. Independent Catholic Magazine Ltd, P O Box 6404, Dunedin North, 9030 ISSN 1174-8931 Phone: 03 477 1449: Fax: 03 477 8149: email: [email protected]: website: www.tuimotu.org Editor: Michael Hill IC; Assistant Editor: Frances Skelton; Illustrator: Don Moorhead Directors: Rita Cahill RSJ, Tom Cloher (chair), Margaret Darroch, Dermot English, Robin Kearns, Chris Loughnan OP, Elizabeth Mackie OP, Judith McGinley OP, Katie O’Connor, Kathleen Rushton RSM

Tui Motu InterIslands 3 letters

Küng and the Jews 1 responsibility of the “Jews” in Jesus’ Is it time to return to the source – the Chris Sullivan (Tui Motu February) passion and death. The literal accep­ Way that Jesus lived out in his land of takes an apologetic stance on the tance of this passage by the church Palestine 2,000 years ago? Can we in involvement of Pope Pius XII and the for centuries has contributed to, if not humility and trust accept the place of Holocaust. He goes as far as accusing initiated, anti-Semitism. It was Küng’s the Spirit of God/de in each other and Prof. Hans Küng of historical distor­ influence that brought about the radi­ continue to seek and find that Holy tions. cal reform of the church’s attitude to One in the midst of our lives? However, the question on how the the Jews at Vatican II, with the drop­ As Fr Timothy exhorted, are we think­ high-profile head of such an important ping of the term ‘perfidis Judaeis’ from ing deeply? Is this the challenge that is institution as the Catholic Church the Good Friday prayers. before us at this time? could ‘keep quiet’ in the face of And that change came about only 40 Anne Burke RSJ (at al), Wanganui immense human suffering is debated years ago! (abridged) and criticised by many commenta­ Frank Hoffmann, Papakura tors. How could Catholic bishops and What is charity? priests in Germany support Fascim? letters to the editor - I was surprised at the Catholic Caring How could Catholics participate in the Foundation advert on p 32 of the Holocaust or denounce their neigh­ We welcome comment, discussion, argument, February Tui Motu. Heading the bours of Jewish faith in droves? debate. But please keep letters under 200 words. The editor reserves the right to organisations funded was: “Catholic These are the questions that have prob­ abridge, while not altering meaning. diocese of Auckland $50,000.” ably caused the biggest crisis in the Response articles (up to a page) are also I understood that the foundation was German Catholic Church. welcome, but need to be by negotiation set up to help the poor – so why are Hiltrud Gruger, Mt Albert our donations being used to fund the Auckland diocese? Surely it gets enough Eucharistic gatherings from weekly such collections? Küng and the Jews 2 We are a group of women religious I would like the Catholic Caring Chris Sullivan disagrees with Hans who gather periodically to share our Foundation to explain its criteria for Küng on the church’s role in the sad spirituality and friendship. We were funding. plight of the Jews. I, too, tried to encouraged and affirmed by the words Bill Murray, Glenfield find excuses for Pope Pius XII when and themes which participants remem­ Hochhuth’s play first appeared. But I bered of Fr Timothy Radcliffe’s input The General Manager of the know now that pragmatism must not at the recent Wellington Conference Catholic Caring Foundation writes: get in the way of a church leader’s duty (see Tui Motu February) – words of “The Auckland Diocese undertakes to proclaim the truth, especially when challenge, of being open to surprises, significant pastoral and charitable the lives of millions are threatened. of speaking out, of being a pilgrim, activity within the diocese. This Chris Sullivan sticks out his neck again open-minded, of the exhortation given includes services that help people by taking on an eminent theologian to think! who are experiencing genuine need. over the question of fundamentals of We thought about the way that we “Such services include the GIFT por- the faith and ‘truth’. Küng’s teaching, gather, the way we share the ‘scrip­ gramme for intellectually disabled; solidly founded on Scripture is not, ture’ of our lives, the way we share a De Paul House and Monte Cecilia who and has never been, contrary to the meal together, and the way in which offer emergency housing for families fundamentals of the Catholic Church. we bless our going forth to our various in need; Lifeline; and shortfalls for These need to be constantly interpreted ministries. Other groups do the same organisations such as Catholic Family and reinterpreted in the light of con­ thing in small numbers – groups which and Community Services including temporary understanding. The Church include all who come to participate, no Prison Chaplaincy. in her wisdom has been doing this for matter what ‘church’ background. “Those involved in running these centuries and again recently at Vatican Are not these gatherings a communion? services would no doubt speak to the II and, as a consequence, needed to Are they not eucharistic? And when we very real need that their clients expe- revise her teaching – often quite radi­ gather in acknowledgement of God/ rience and the challenges they expe- cally. It is the job of our theologians to de’s presence in and with us, are we rience in finding the funds to run the keep our faith alive and vibrant by a not doing what Jesus called us to – to service” constant check of our beliefs against ‘do this in memory of him’? Are we A spokesperson acknowledged that the truth of Christ whom we meet in not following the Way that Jesus came Mr Murray had a point in being criti- the Gospels. to show us – rather different from the cal of the blanket term ‘Auckland Küng rightly claims that John’s pas­ Institution that has grown up over the diocese’ which the ad used to cover sion narrative repeatedly refers to the centuries? all these services.

4 Tui Motu InterIslands social justice

Prophets in our time a hope-filled thought for Easter

hey released Jackie Hudson from prison the other day. 60 years of age. They are people who take seriously the TWho on earth is Jackie Hudson?, I hear you say. injunction of Isaiah 2 envisaging the peaceable kingdom of Jackie Hudson is a prophet, an elderly Dominican sister, an God, that “you shall beat your swords into ploughs, your American, who has just finished serving prison time in the spears into pruning hooks, and there shall be no more federal prison in Victorville, California, for a non-violent training for war”. Ardeth has engaged in six such actions Ploughshares act of disarmament in October 2002 against since 1992 at a variety of missile and nuclear weapon sites. the violence of the US war in Iraq and the sinfulness of US She’s a repeat offender! She keeps getting convicted for nuclear weapons of mass destruction. standing non-violently for peace and justice in the face of the violence of the US war machine. She had been jailed for two and a half years for this disarmament action. It involved her joining two other hese women are only three of a huge number of people Dominican sisters, Ardeth Platt and Carol Gilbert, in Tin the US who continue to stand against the genocidal cutting two gate chains, walking onto a US missile site war policies of successive US Administrations and go to northeast of Greeley and drawing crosses with their blood prison. Not that you read about them in the corporate media. on a 110-ton Minuteman 3 missile silo lid. They then Their ‘news’ is dominated by tales of Michael Jackson and prayed and sang hymns until they were arrested. Martha Stewart. It is very easy for the mainstream media Jackie, along with fellow prophets, Sr Ardeth Platt and to miss ‘significant others’ and the vital contributions they Sr Carol Gilbert, was convicted on charges of destroying make to building a better world. federal property and obstructing national defence. Sr Have these nuns received much support for their actions? Ardeth received a 41-month sentence, which doesn’t Prophets are usually not popular in their time. In the finish until December 2005. Sr Carol received 33 months, church, prophets are rarely identified or supported in which will see her released in May. All will serve a further their calls for justice. Such has been the case with these three years of probation, are not allowed to return to their three sisters. While the Dominican Order generally has communities and have been ordered to pay restitution. The been affirming of them and they have found considerable 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Denver, is still support among other peace and justice advocates, they considering appeals against their convictions. have not been acknowledged by the US bishops and the The issue of restitution is a major sticking point. The mainstream church in general. And that is a great pity Sisters are refusing to pay the $US3,080 ordered by the because the church is incomplete unless its prophets are court from each. As Jackie says, “We have refused to pay acknowledged and supported. to this morally bereft government which presently spends Twice in the New Testament the list of charisms given by over one billion dollars a day to slaughter or in planning God to a Christian community is spelt out. In each instance, the slaughter of innocent persons. I am complicit enough prophets are seen as second only to apostles in the order by claiming citizenship of this country”. Strong words of importance – before teachers, healers, administrators indeed. But surely stating only the obvious. and the rest. The reason is obvious. It is the prophets who It’s a move supported by her friends. As one says, “To ask light up the way. As the Psalmist says so wisely, “Without her to pay this money to the US Air Force, some of which a vision the people perish.” For these three prophets, the they will probably use in some way to support the weapons pathway has led to imprisonment. Like Jesus and the early she protested, would be cruel and unusual punishment.” church leaders, these women suffer in prison for the sake But it also continues a basic Ploughshares peacemaking of the Kingdom. They should be household names, pinned position of refusing to pay money into the federal tax on every fridge door. coffers because of their use by the Pentagon. Instead, the These sisters are deeply immersed in the Paschal Mystery Sisters have come up with a creative option which they in our time. In our world, the suffering Christ can be seen plan to place before the court. Friends and supporters have everywhere. War and its pernicious effects is possibly the donated more than $112,000 in time and money to various greatest preventable cause of such suffering. The promise social causes in what the Sisters call ‘a replacement’ for of the Empty Tomb is that from the courageous struggles the monies owed. of these prophetic sisters and others like them, new shoots I am humbled at the actions of these women. Jackie is 70, of resurrected life will grow. Indeed are already growing. Ardeth her senior by three years and Carol approaching What a hope-filled thought for Easter. Christopher Carey

Tui Motu InterIslands 5 eucharist The Eucharist… according to John

The former Professor of Physics at Otago offers a layperson’s perspective of what Jesus being really present means

Richard Dowden

few years ago my family and the only one of over 5,000 prepared I were invited to dinner by a to believe Jesus even if he could not devout Jewish family whom understand it? Awe knew very well. The head of the family began the meal with a short The apostles believed but ceremony. He read aloud from a remained puzzled until the Last book in Hebrew, broke a small Supper when Jesus said, in the loaf of bread like a bun and passed ceremony of the bread and wine, it around for each to take a piece. “this is my body…” and “this is Then he poured wine into a small my blood…”. I have emphasized wine cup and passed that around “this” to indicate the moment of for each to take a sip. As it was not a revelation of the meaning of his special day in the Jewish calendar or the words at Capernaum. Sabbath evening, I took this ceremony There are two parts to this story: the to be the equivalent of Grace before institution of the Eucharist at the Last meals and normally said by devout Supper as related by Matthew, Mark Jewish families gathered together at and Luke, but not by John, and the their main meal of the day. preface or prelude as related in John 6, taken place. Jesus suggests to them that but not in the other gospels. If it wasn’t This was a new experience for me and they sought him out, not because of for John, how would we know that gave me much food for thought. Most the “signs” (the miracle), but because Jesus meant “this is my body” literally, of us see the Eucharist as originating at they had all the bread they could eat but “I am the vine” allegorically? the Last Supper, but the beginnings were yesterday. He has much better to offer: earlier as described in the sixth chapter the bread of life. If it was not for the command of Jesus of the Gospel of John. I can’t quote it all related by John: “ … if you do not eat Eventually he says: “the bread I shall give here, but basically it goes like this. Jesus the flesh of the Son of Man and drink is my flesh …” The Jews were shocked! was at the height of his popularity. He his blood, you will not have life in Did Jesus back down? No, he said they had just fed “as many as five thousand you,” how would we know that when must eat his flesh and drink his blood men” – and presumably, a few thousand Jesus said: “do this in memory of me” for eternal life. He insisted that he really women and children as well – with five he meant any more than an annual meant it – it was not an allegory. At this, barley loaves and two fish, yet this was remembrance – lest we forget – as we even his followers couldn’t take it and left more than they could eat. make on ANZAC Day? him, leaving the Twelve to whom Jesus On the next day, this crowd found Jesus said: “ …do you want to go away too?” Although the Last Supper was the at Capernaum, not far from where the Peter, like the rest was puzzled but replied: formal Passover Feast, the ceremony of miracle of the loaves and fishes had “Lord, who shall we go to?” Was Peter the bread and wine which is only apart of the Passover ceremony appears to have been, and still is, a normal part ‘Eucharist’ comes from the Greek word ‘eukharistia’, meaning of a Jewish meal. On the “very same thanksgiving; just as ‘grace’ comes from the Latin word ‘gratia’, meaning day” of the Resurrection, as Luke the same thing. In Seventh Century Ireland, saying grace before meals says, Jesus caught up with two of his was called ‘saying the gratias’. The response in English when given something is ‘thanks’. It is ‘gratias’ in Spanish and ‘grazie’ in Italian. disciples who persuaded him to stop at Emmaus. Only at the evening meal, on The similarity in meaning of ‘eucharist’ and ‘grace’ in this context what was an ordinary day for Jews, did suggests that the Eucharist took the place of Grace in the celebration of they recognize Jesus in “the breaking (what was later called) the Mass in the very early church. of the bread”. This phrase became the

6 Tui Motu InterIslands technical name for the Eucharist and, Transubstantiation. During the Middle Ages the church coined a word I assume, was meant to replace the ‘transubstantiation’ to explain the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Jewish equivalent of grace before meals Eucharist. But this word, I think, is an inadequate replacement of John 6. every day. Maybe we feel comfortable with a term like ‘transubstantiation’ because it doesn’t affect us too much. Or maybe it focuses our attention on the However, by the Middle Ages, even mechanism of change in the bread and wine rather than the necessary and pious Christians attending daily salutary change in us. Mass felt unworthy to receive the Eucharist more often than monthly. testamentum, a ‘will’. In those days, us here and now, and we are committed Exposition and adoration of Christ blood was an essential part of even civil to taking Christ out to others. The under the appearance of a circular contracts, so it was in this Testament sacramental change is in us. I feel this wafer behind glass became common described in gory detail in Exodus 24:5- is the concept which Jesus was trying until a few decades ago. There has 9. At the Last Supper, Jesus said the to convey to us at Capernaum. It is one been a return, however, to the ancient words, repeated in every Mass: “this where you take Him with you and do not practice. It has now become the norm is my blood of the New Testament…” leave Him locked away in the tabernacle to receive Communion at every Mass, (Latin Vulgate Bible. The Jerusalem to be exhibited on special occasions. increasingly under the form of wine as Bible uses the word covenant). well as bread. When I lived in Tasmania some 40 years What is all this leading up to? I have ago, Gil Young, the Catholic bishop of Of the two, receiving the Blood stressed the words of Jesus the Christ Tasmania, and so my bishop at that of Christ in the form of wine, the as related by John 6:56: “He who eats time, told his congregation that Christ ordinary and normal drink with meals my flesh and drinks my blood lives is just as much present in the poor as he at the time of Jesus, seems to have in me and I live in him”. Eating his is in the Eucharist. Was he wrong? been regarded – how may I put it – as flesh and drinking his blood is the almost “unnecessary” in the Western Most Blessed Sacrament, and the real Now here in New Zealand I am subject church. Yet blood was regarded as life presence of Christ is in those who do to the Catholic bishops of New Zealand by the Jews and even by us now. We this. But even the term ‘real presence’ and so not in a position to criticize their still speak of “blood lines” to describe becomes inadequate if it is understood Pastoral Letter on the Year of the Eucharist. descendants of a common ancestor and only in a static sense. When we go up All I will say is that I am disappointed of “bloodshed” for loss of life. to receive communion we are making that it was conservative: it dwelt on a commitment. devotions which are less attended than The Old Testament, the books of the in the past. For a special year like this Bible prior to Jesus, was the contract We are not merely passive spectators, (which is already half gone), a renewal or covenant between God and his visitors to a ritual that hardly involves us. based on what Jesus expounded in John’s people, a word coming from the Latin We take Christ’s presence with us and in Gospel is what we need. n

Keeping the eucharistic community eucharistic a breath of fresh air from Australia Joan Chittister, OSB ccording to Vatican statistics, there are over a of Western seminaries to serve the rest of the world. There billion Catholics in the world. There are at the are simply not enough priests to minister to the Roman same time about 450,000 greying, ordained Catholic community anywhere anymore. In all parts of A the world, growing congregations outstrip the number of ministers, most of them priests, assigned to minister to the other 99.5 percent of the church. That’s one ordained available priests. As a result, in the United States alone, minister for every 2,444 people. Forget home visits, forget parishes are merging or closing every day. In other parts parish activities, forget the last sacraments, forget all that of the world, Catholic communities haven’t seen a priest ecclesiastical talk about the priest as facilitator of the more than once or twice a year for decades. Christian community. This is circuit-rider sacramentality With the fading of the priesthood, however, goes the time. And it is everywhere. fading of the eucharistic theology of the church, as well. The priest shortage is universal now. Nor is the answer to No use, for instance, telling people who see a priest once it as simple as it was when missionary priests poured out a year that daily Mass is the crown of the Christian life. ss

Tui Motu InterIslands 7 eucharist ss So what to do? This constant repeating of the situation is the Mass. “We are concerned,” the priests go on, “about itself getting to be boring, after all. the increasing number of communities being deprived of weekly Eucharist. …We are scandalized when the gnat of ang on, the fresh air is coming. In the midst of abuse is so carefully strained out while the camel of dying this continuing trend, married priests from other communities is being swallowed.” Hdenominations who convert to Catholicism have, for long years now, been accepted as priests of the Roman These reflections by a national association of priests is Catholic church. Their marriages stay intact. Their priestly important for its honesty – and for its courage. It does a ministry goes on. All they have to do is to be accepted very priestly thing: it speaks for the community it serves. It by the local bishop, go through a brief theological study challenges us all in its willingness to speak out on behalf of programme meant to assure their ‘Catholicity’ and get on the rest of the church. It is a rich theological document. with being both married and a priest. No women have been abandoned in the process; no marriages have been In stark, clear terms, these priests call the bishops of required to accept celibacy. the world to demonstrate the theology they talk about, not simply in “pious but obscure words” but by calling Meanwhile, lifelong Catholics who desire both to marry the church to be Christ for the “poor, wounded and and to become priests are denied the same right. So the marginalised.” situation is clear: be a Roman Catholic all your life and you will be required to be celibate if you want to be Finally, the Australian priests ask that five recommend­ ordained. Be Anglican all your life, on the other hand, get ations be inserted into the Lineamenta for the Synod and ordained and married in the Anglican church, and you can “earnestly discussed” if a eucharistic church is to remain later become a married Roman Catholic priest without eucharistic. being required to be celibate. See the problem? Priesthood • the enculturation of eucharistic practice. doesn’t depend on celibacy. It depends on where you start • the extension of ordination “to single men of good from in order to avoid it. character” who would preside at the Eucharist within their own communities” so that the opportunity to celebrate “is The situation has been a conundrum for years. . . reasonably available.” In the first place, it seems relatively clear that once you have even one married priest on the list, practicing as a • the extension of ordination of married ministers from priest anywhere, you no longer have a celibate priesthood. other Christian traditions “to other married men” – clearly In a diocese of 400 men, for example, one married priest Roman Catholic ones. means that you have a married priesthood with one • that the Synod Fathers “examine honestly the appro­ married man and 399 unmarried ones. The only question priateness of insisting upon a priesthood that is, with very is: why the imbalance? few exceptions, obliged to be celibate. Priesthood is a gift,” they say. “Celibacy is a gift: They are not the same gift.” In the second place, of the other 20 rites of the Catholic • the “re-instatement of priests who married with the church, only Rome, the Latin Rite, imposes mandatory Church’s permission and are willing to resume ministry celibacy. So why is celibacy exacted of some but not as priests.” of all? And why, I have always wondered, are priests themselves not asking the question? And they call for all of this publicly. On a Web site. For the world to see. As Jesus put it: “Israelites in whom there But now, it seems, they are. And that’s where the fresh is no guile.” air begins to flow through the system. The National Priests Council of Australia is not only questioning the No, they don’t say a thing about the ordination of women situation: they are asking their bishops and three cardinals or about the fact that faced with a choice between Eucharist to question it, too. In Rome. At the next Synod of Bishops and maleness, the church is choosing for maleness. Pity. in October 2005. This one dedicated specifically to The Either their own theology is also lacking or they are better Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission politicians than we think. But such as these seem educable. of the Church. There is hope that next time they will do better. They are asking the Synod to face the situation honestly In the meantime, from where I stand, these priests – which, of course, can’t be done as long as bishops themselves and their call for open discussion of real accept the notion that this is an undiscussable subject church issues confront us with the best gust of fresh air – or that any subject is undiscussable, in fact. Instead we have felt in the church for a long, long time. Pray to of solutions and encouragement, the priests point out, reap the whirlwind. n they are getting “more rubrics or detailed instructions,” Joan Chittester OSB writes regularly for the National Catholic designed, apparently, to rule out abuses in the saying of Reporter, who allowed us to reprint this recent essay

8 Tui Motu InterIslands Eucharist in Green Island

Irish Jesuit priest, Paul Andrews, recently spent four months in New Zealand, partly on holiday. He describes a grace-filled moment at Mass

t is the end of Holy Communion referred to as liturgy. In its origins the at Sunday Mass. I have just handed word means the work of the people. It is the ciborium to Sr Pauline who is one of the changes that have blessed us myI fellow eucharistic Minister. She is in the last 50 years that the people – in putting the hosts together from two some churches – are entering into that ciboria before putting them in the work which has been seen in the past tabernacle. as the job of the priest. As I walk to my chair I hear Philip In many parts of the world, where Rule-makers in Rome prescribed the roaring from the back of the church. there is no priest available, the local form of the liturgy right down to the He is a huge Downs Syndrome man community shapes its liturgy in a priest’s bows and tone of voice, leaving who loves Sunday Mass, embraces service which includes the reading of no room for his contributions or for everyone he meets, and has a habit of the Scriptures and the distribution of the people’s. This made for uniformity leaving the church as soon as he has Holy Communion. though not necessarily for reverence. received his Lord. As I cross the altar Since the words were Latin, emotion I hear him shouting Goodbye Pauline, In Dunedin where this is being written, did not come into it, even though parts and he walks up the centre aisle to take Fr Mark is not only chaplain to a large of the Mass’s text are full of feeling. his farewell. university, but the single-handed pastor of two city parishes. They are glad to What we are seeing happening now is a Some ministers might have felt: ‘I’m have what they can get of his services, tension between the people wanting to looking after the Blessed Eucharist. and in between they organise their celebrate in their own words and music Please show some reverence and wait own liturgical gatherings, and look and the rule-makers laying down what to the end of Mass’. As Pauline told after the sick and needy in the parish is allowed if the Mass or other liturgy me afterwards, she thought in a flash: community, as well as its finances. is to be reverent. If there are too many Well, the eucharistic Lord is on rules, people feel nervous the altar, but Jesus is walking up people – in some churches – are of anything spontaneous. the aisle behind me. So she left entering into that work which has been They no longer feel that the her business with the ciboria church is their place, where and turned to welcome Philip’s seen as the job of the priest they can meet the Lord as a bear-hug and say goodbye. A community. parishioner said to me after Mass: It was worth a dozen sermons. This did not happen overnight or Liturgy should not be entirely scripted. without effort. It is the fruit of a long It should be a happening. Jesus pictured Philip had a birthday a couple of process in which Mark selected and somebody remembering an unresolved weeks ago, and for days beforehand he trained helpers, then handed over quarrel as they approached the altar, reminded everyone he met: Sunday is responsibilities. One result is that the leaving their gift there and going off to my birthday. Give me a hug. At Sunday parishioners are using their imagination be reconciled before offering to God. Mass after he had received Communion in designing their liturgies. They are Thomas Aquinas had an experience of and was making for the door as usual, making their parish their own. God at Mass that persuaded him to Fr Mark called out: Before Philip give up writing theology – after what I goes, let’s wish him a happy birthday. Liturgy is always a delicate balance learned at Mass, all I have written is so The congregation burst into Happy between control and spontaneity. much straw. birthday to you. Philip responded by Seminarians were taught to suppress triumphantly waving his clasped hands every thought or action of their own, Pauline’s unscripted response to Philip’s above his big head. His day was made. and conform to the prescribed rites unscripted intervention was another in every detail of gesture and voice. such happening; and the Lord was What happens at Mass is sometimes In the past there was no spontaneity. there. n

Tui Motu InterIslands 9 ecology Apocalypse now!

In February the British Government convened an international conference on climate. The latest findings on the effects of global warning are so alarming that nothing but concerted and drastic international action can avert an unprecedented world environmental crisis

Michael McCarthy

care stories are meat and drink to brand of apples may contain pesticide British scientists discovered that environmentalists; the modern residues, do you want your young over Antarctic a gigantic hole had environmental movement was children eating them? Would you not developed in the layer of naturally Sstarted by one, when Rachel Carson’s support campaigners for clean apples? occurring ozone gas in the stratosphere, dramatic account of what agricultural Sport their badges? Display their because of the destructive action pesticides were doing to songbirds was car stickers? Fill in their direct-debit of a group of industrial chemicals, revealed in her groundbreaking 1962 mandates? chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), widely book, Silent Spring. Since then the used in refrigeration, air conditioning Yet although the term ‘scare story’ can damage humankind is wreaking on the and aerosols. perfectly well be applied to something planet has been exposed time and time frightening but also verifiable, it is not a again in a series of reports, ranging The ozone layer protects us from neutral one. It has a definite pejorative from the destruction of the rain forests the most harmful of the sun’s rays, ring, strongly implying that the scare to the overfishing of the seas. ultraviolet B radiation (UVB), and it may well be a good story, but that its was widely asserted that because of the Many of these frightening warnings basis is exaggerated or even untrue. ozone hole, many living organisms, from become accepted both by the public The charge has in recent years been the plankton of the Southern Ocean to and the scientific establishment because laid at Green campaigners that they do the shepherds of Patagonia, now faced they turn out to be self-evidently true. indeed exaggerate, believing they need potentially catastrophic injury. Go to large areas of the Amazon and you will find the forest has some environmental scares The ozone hole is still there simply gone; look at the last have not been completely borne out (although mending because 30 years’-worth of statistics for of the successful phase-out of catches of cod in the North Sea, by the evidence CFCs), and such a disruption of and you will find the numbers the earth’s atmospheric chemistry have tumbled, despite the increasingly above all to keep up the momentum must of course be of very great concern, strenuous efforts of fishermen to bring of public concern lest their support but I personally know of no well-attested back more fish. should ebb away. example of any living organisms being damaged by excess UVB from ozone Such alarums have a political as well as a I have reported on the environment depletion, anywhere. scientific thrust. They have constituted for national newspapers since 1989, Another example: dioxins, the Green the lifeblood of the Green movement. and my experience has been that, unfor­ movement’s ‘bogey’ chemical, a range of They are what has brought widespread tunately, exaggerations have indeed substances formed by high temperature support for groups such as Friends of sometimes occurred. There have been burning and so used as a key plank the Earth and Greenpeace, and put some environmental scares over the past against rubbish incinerators. Apart the environment high on the public 20 years which have caused a sensation from the special case of the Saveso and political agendas, and, at last, the and filled the headlines, but not been chemical factory in Italy in 1976, when churches’ agendas. completely borne out by the evidence. people living near the blast suffered Such interest is to be expected. If you Let me offer two examples from skin complaints after close exposure are a young mother and you hear that a purely personal observation. In 1984, to gigantic amounts of the chemical,

10 Tui Motu InterIslands I know of no incidence anywhere of of rising temperatures, the vast ice would bring a new ice age to Europe. A dioxins at naturally occurring levels sheet covering the western side of the group of American scientists calculated actually causing any harm, to anything. continent may be starting to break up. that in the absence of major action to Were it to collapse into the sea, the control emissions, the chance of this offer these examples of my reaction West Antarctic Ice Sheet would raise happening was now greater than 50 to environmental scare stories over global sea levels by more than 16 feet. per cent. the years because I suppose I am aboutI to put forward one of my own. Goodbye London; goodbye Bangla­desh. And there was an assessment that Only four years ago the IPCC said it the Greenland ice sheet may start to In February the British Government was safe for probably a thousand years, melt – which would cause global sea held an international conference, in certainly until the end of this century; levels to rise by 20 feet – caused by a Exeter in SW England, on climate last week Professor Chris Rapley, the temperature rise of only 1.5 degrees change. It was called personally by BAS director, said that judgment would Celsius above pre-industrial levels. We Tony Blair, who is making the problem now have to be revised. are already 0.7oC above pre-industrial of global warming one of the central levels. We are well on the policies of his simultaneous the forests of Queensland, way. leadership in 2005 of both the G8 group of rich nations the rivers of the Rockies, the alpine Perhaps the most vivid of and of the European Union. flowers of New Zealand – one after a plethora of pessimistic The purpose of the conference another they will all go papers was a review of was to update policy-makers studies on which ecosystems everywhere on climate change and species would be hit by science, which is rapidly moving. • The second alert concerned an issue which temperature rises. It was a long, many of the scientists present were only dire litany of disappearances likely The latest report by the UN’s Inter­ dimly aware of: the acidification of the as the mercury moves up the world’s governmental Panel on Climate oceans. The billions of tonnes of carbon thermometer: Change (IPCC) is that the earth’s dioxide human society is producing are • Queensland’s highland tropical for­ average surface temperature is likely not only causing the climate to change. ests very soon; to warm by between 1.4 and 5.8 When they dissolve in sea water they degrees Celsius between now and the are combining with it, in a simple • at a one degree rise, South Africa’s year 2100, depending on how human chemical reaction, to produce carbonic unique fynbos flora and the rest of the societies controlled their emissions of acid. But the world’s seas are alkaline, Arctic sea ice; carbon dioxide (CO ), the waste gas 2 and have been for many millions of • between one and two degrees the from industry and transport which is years, and it is in this environment that trout in the rivers of the Rockies; retaining more and more of the sun’s thousands of species of small marine • between two and three degrees the heat in the atmosphere. organisms at the bottom of the food alpine flowers of Europe, Australia and web, from plankton to shellfish, have These are enormous rises (even at New Zealand, the broad-leaved forests evolved. They will not be able to live the lower end) and they are expected of China, and the rain forests of the in an acid sea. to have similarly enormous impacts, Amazon. One after another they will ranging from the widespread failure The point about these two disclosures is go, the special places of the earth, the of agriculture and many more extreme that they were not based on predictions glories of creation. weather events from droughts to of future events by supercomputer flooding, to sea-level rise around the models of the global climate, which he overwhelming impression world. This Exeter conference was in is the origin of most scare stories – to given by the conference, the nature of a mid-term report about use the term neutrally – about global a meeting of entirely sober where the science had got to before the Tscientists was that these things will warming. They were based on actual next IPCC report in 2007. observation, in the real world, of things happen. Firstly, there was a strong sense that are happening now. that climate change was proceeding much The opening day brought disclosure of more quickly than had been anticipated. two major new threats to the world. But there were plenty of predictions as Compared with four years ago, “there • The first concerned the Antarctica well at the conference, and they were is greater clarity and reduced uncertainty ice sheet, with a warning from the grimmer than ever. For example, there about the impacts of climate change across British Antarctic Survey (BAS) – the was the most pessimistic assessment a wide range of systems, sectors and societies. body whose scientists discovered the yet of global warming, causing collapse In many cases the risks are more serious than ozone hole – that, perhaps because of the Gulf Stream, which perversely previously thought.” ss

Tui Motu InterIslands 11 eucharist ss Secondly, big temperature rises are change programme of the OECD, written at such length to try to put that already ‘built into the system’, as reminded delegates, the 2004 World conclusion into some sort of context. Margaret Beckett, the UK Environment Energy Outlook of the International It was the inevitability of what was Secretary, acknowledged, because Energy Agency calculates that in the going to happen, I think, that for the

there is a time lag between the CO2 next 25 years global emissions of CO2 first time struck us with real force; that going into the atmosphere and the are likely to increase by 62 per cent, whatever flapping, floundering efforts subsequent rise in temperatures. Even mainly from the developing world, humankind makes to eventually stop if all emissions were stopped it all, the great ice sheets will dead tomorrow all over the whatever efforts humankind makes melt, the seas will turn acid, world, enough CO2 is up and the land will burn. there to cause a further rise. to stop it, the great ice sheets will melt, the seas will turn acid, and By the time we reached But – and this is the third London we knew what the point – the emissions are the land will burn conclusion was. I said: “The by no means going to stop earth is finished”. Paul said: tomorrow. Under the Kyoto Protocol, as the Chinese and the Indians rush “It is, yes”. We both shook our heads abandoned by the United States, to build coal-fired power stations to and gave that half-laugh that is sparked

the world’s biggest CO2 emitter, the service their exploding economies. The by incredulity. So many environmental industrialised countries are struggling necessary cuts are a fantasy. scare stories, over the years; I never to cut their emissions back to merely five dreamed of such a one as this. And per cent below 1990 levels; controlling hen it was all over a what will our children make of our climate change would require a cut of colleague, Paul Brown, generation, who let this planet, so perhaps 60 per cent. and I travelled back from lovingly created, go to waste? n WExeter to London by train, working Yet, as the conference chairman, out what it meant, working towards Michael McCarthy is environment editor of The Independent newspaper. Printed with permission Dennis Tirpak, head of the climate the unmistakable conclusion. I have The Tablet, http://www.thetablet.co.uk

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12 Tui Motu InterIslands In March, Prince Charles visited the Albatross colony at Tairoa Head, on Otago Harbour. Afterwards he made an impassioned plea for the preservation of endangered species such as the Royal Albatross

photo: Otago Daily Times

AIn searchTime of balance to and Heal harmony

This excerpt from an article by HRH The Prince of Wales is reproduced courtesy of Resurgence magazine

find I am often accused of living another side to it – good and evil, light deep down in each one of us, there is in the past, or of wanting to return and dark and so on and so forth. some distant voice that comes to us to the kind of past that can only from another dimension, crying out beI met in the imagination. I have been We are therefore confronted continually for recognition once again. branded as a traditionalist, as if tradition by opposites and it would seem that, was some kind of disease that had to by reading history, the wisest of our owhere is the war with Nature be sprayed at airports. I am told that ancient forebears understood in a rather more visible than in the world I wish to go backwards into the 21st profound way that one of the secrets of agriculture. We are told that of a civilised existence was invariably Nonly ever more sophisticated technology century – anchored in the mud bank of superstition and irrelevant spirituality. the reconciliation of opposites, or the and fewer and fewer people on the land search for balance and harmony. are required to ‘feed the world’. Why am I accused of such back­ wardness? Because ever since I wit­ It is only too clear that humankind Nature must be subdued and humbled, nessed, as a teenager in the 1960s, the has made enormous strides in progress put in Her place and, through delib­ ever more frenzied dismemberment through the application of rational erate ignorance, abused without ever of what was left of the traditional thought and experimentation, part­ stopping to consider that experience of framework of our existence – even to icularly during the 20th century, but this world tells us that you can never the excited pronouncement that God it has been at a price, in my view. And actually have something for nothing is dead – I have dedicated my life to that price has been the loss of balance and that if you push beyond the natural finding ways of trying to bring back and harmony and the introduction balance, Nature herself invariably rebels the ‘baby’ that was inevitably thrown of a harsh, brutalised, mechanistic in some unexpected way. The world out with the ‘bathwater’ during the view of the world and of humankind is full of clever people who believe orgy of overzealous destruction. where everything is reduced to the they can find the final solution to the sum of its parts and we find ourselves, challenges and problems that confront I believe that Man has a dual nature increasingly, as guinea pigs in a series of us – hence the belief that genetic – his feet on the ground and his head in very uncertain experiments conducted engineering will usher in a world free the clouds – and that, in a sense, he is a in the laboratory of Nature. from disease and hunger. microcosm of what lies at the heart of the Universe. I also believe that the existence The fact that people are beginning to Modern agriculture may have produced we find ourselves in consists of a giant ask questions and to display anxiety an overabundance of cheap food, but it paradox. Hence everything in life has about this loss of balance reveals that, has proved to be at an enormous price ss

Tui Motu InterIslands 13 ecology ss in terms of landscape, wildlife, natural n the field of medicine and health victim of the overriding cynicism, resources and biological diversity. care there are now a few local even nihilism, of the educational Agricultural science lacks the essential insurrections that are growing in establishment ever since the 1960s. balance engendered by ‘irrational’ size.I I recall a speech I made to the elements like common sense and the British Medical Association in the It never ceases to amaze me how Precautionary Principle. early 1980s when I gently pleaded powerful is the rearguard action fought with them to adopt a more holistic, by those who seem to have developed Instead of working with Nature to the balanced and less mechanistic a hatred for anything that cannot best of our ability, which requires infinite approach to the healing of the sick; be explained, or ‘proved’ by science study and the appropriate development to reintroduce elements of ancient – even if, in the case of what has of our intuitive powers, agricultural wisdom and traditional therapies that come to be known as complementary science seeks to impose entirely industrial had been thrown enthus­ ­iastically onto medicine, it can be demonstrated on processes upon an unwilling natural the scrap-heap of medical history and, many occasions to be beneficial to environment. These industrialised once again, to rediscover the essential the recipient. Such is the fury of this processes rely entirely on the maintenance trinity of mind, body and spirit. rearguard action that it is virtually of an alien system of monoculture which impossible to attract any funding from treats a naturally complex ecosystem as if To my, not entirely total, aston­ official bodies, or even charitable trusts, it was a factory floor. ishment, the full weight of the for the purposes of carrying out proper At each turn of the research into the efficacy industrial crank Nature my entire life has been motivated by of such complementary rebels. In order to crush a desire to heal – to heal the dismembered therapies. each rebellion a new and I remember, for instance, more powerful ‘weapon’ landscape and the poisoned soil when three Government has to be invented in order research bodies were to maintain the whole unsustainable carrying out a three-year research edifice of monoculturism. industrialised medical Establishment descended upon me. Nothing project into the organic farming system And now, with the gleam of triumph in daunted, I have continued ever since at my home, Highgrove, that there was these armies’ eyes, we are told that the to work at ways of establishing an a complete refusal of my request to final victory is just around the corner integrated approach to healthcare include the homoeopathic treatment when Nature can be subdued to Man’s whereby the best of orthodox, of our livestock in the research pro­ insatiable will through the manipulation clinical medicine can be harnessed in gramme. Despite approaching other of Her vital ingredients – genes. It is now tandem with the best of traditional, relevant organisations to carry out even possible to cross the boundaries ‘irrational’ ther­apies. the research instead, not one of them between species to create entirely would agree to do so. unnatural, transgenic organisms. We Modern, industrialised medicine are furthermore assured that this great tends to treat people as if they were a As I have grown older I have gradually example of Man’s ingenious skill at mechanical process. Traditional med­ come to realise that my entire life so far innovation is completely safe, for icine treats each patient as an individual has been motivated by a desire to heal ever, and can never possibly cause the and recognises those deeper, invisible – to heal the dismembered landscape slightest ripple in what is to be left of elements in our humanity which also and the poisoned soil; the cruelly the ‘natural world’. need treating. shattered townscape, where harmony has been replaced by cacophony; to Do you really think this is likely to be I firmly believe that an imaginative heal the divisions between intuitive the case? Deep down in the recesses of integration of these two approaches, and rational thought, between mind, your heart is there not a faint memory subject to necessary safeguards, would body and soul, so that the temple of of distant harmony that rustles like be greatly beneficial to the patient our humanity can once again be lit by a breeze through the leaves? Call it a and would be more likely to awaken a sacred flame. forgotten instinct; call it, perhaps, a long-suppressed awareness of that a sense of the Sacred; call it an inner hidden, mysterious dimension we call To level the monstrous artificial awareness at a greater depth than the the Spirit. barrier erected between Tradition and mere intellect. Whatever you call it, Modernity and, above all, to heal the it probably makes you a little uneasy, No amount of tampering with the mortally wounded soul that, alone, can although you may not dare say so in foundations of our religions to make give us warning of the folly of playing case others think you are an anti- them more ‘accessible’ will restore God and of believing that knowledge on progressive reactionary. that lost spiritual awareness: another its own is a substitute for wisdom. n

14 Tui Motu InterIslands encounter

Sitting on the wharf Glynn Cardy

itting on the wharf. Watching the sprats. Being Well the funny thing is that it’s the Samaritan who idle. As you do. is ‘the neighbour’ to the beaten man. He cares for S him, tends his wounds, takes him to a hotel and pays I was hooked into a conversation with a fisherman. It for his continuing care. It is this Samaritan who is progressed past fish, to philosophy, and on to Jesus. the one faithfully following the commandment to While re-casting his line he asked, “Tell me about look after his neighbour. Jesus.” It is the Samaritan therefore who is attaining eternal Where do you start? Do you answer with a question? life. The overarching moral lesson of this story is that Do you regale him with a personal creed? Do you offer kindness has no borders, and nor does God’s favour. some history, deep-fried in doctrine, and sprinkled with contemporary meaning? Being a fisherman, I thought Both tales point to the expansiveness and generosity a couple of tales would be a good start. I began with of God. This is what Jesus lived – writ large in his the Prodigal Son. scandalous practice of dining with ‘tax-collectors and sinners’, with poor and rich, prostitutes, Pharisees, The story has three characters. There is a younger and publicans. brother who wants his inheritance, and insults his father to get it. He goes off, squanders it, and then, he tide kept coming in. The fisherman paused, after much soul-searching, decides to go home and say Tand thought. He’d liked the tales. Reminded him ‘sorry’. There is a father who, when insulted, doesn’t of one that he then told me – not that it’s repeatable. let his emotions get the better of him, and gives the He re-baited, cast, and together we stared at the sea. inheritance. He then waits and is delighted to see “Well then,” he says, “so what?” the wandering son return. The embrace precedes the apology. The son is welcomed home. “Three points”, says I. “Firstly, don’t presume God thinks like we do.” It’s too easy to project on to God The third character is the older brother who likewise our pet likes and dislikes. We all do it, mind you. But insults his father. He does it by refusing to dine with it’s very important to talk, debate, and criticise each him. Again the father’s love goes out to welcome and other’s notions of God and humanity. Indeed that’s include the offending son. There is one overarching what Jesus was doing when he told those tales. moral lesson from this tale: the grace, or embrace, of God is not restricted to whom we think is deserving “Secondly,” I continue, “don’t presume truth is more of it. important than being kind.” Being right in these tales takes second place to being kind. The prodigal’s dad The second tale was of the Good Samaritan. A would have been right to roundly criticize both his lawyer asks Jesus how one attains eternal life. Jesus boys. Mightn’t have got him the relationship he wanted answers with a question: “What’s in the Law?” He with them, but he would have been right. The priest and answers “Love the Lord your God will all your the Levite were probably right to prioritise their church heart, soul, strength and mind; and your neighbour services; after all, they weren’t paramedics. They were as yourself.” “Yep,” says Jesus, “that’s right.” The church leaders, not City Mission front desk. lawyer then asks, “Who is my neighbour?” Jesus answers with a story: The third point never arrived. A fish took the bait, and our attention was pulled away. Later the conversation A fellow gets beaten up on a country road. A priest moved on to politics and got snagged on the foreshore comes by, and passes by; likewise a Levite. Two holy, and seabed. godly men, no doubt with good excuses, come by and pass by. Then a Samaritan comes by, and stops. To a It was pleasant sitting there. Watching. Talking. As Jew a Samaritan was something like what Christians you do. today think of Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses. They’re foreign. You don’t trust them. They believe Glynn Cardy is an Anglican priest, presently Vicar funny things. of St Matthew’s-in-the-City, Auckland

Tui Motu InterIslands 15 globalisation

Discovering one’s global identity ooking back at my own childhood in the 1930s I recall Global identity and globalisation Lwriting on an envelope: Master Albert Moore. 211 the Parade. Island Bay. Wellington. Yet along with the academic gains goes a loss in breadth New Zealand. Pacific Ocean. of communication: specialists may excuse themselves by British Empire. The World. The Universe. modestly saying a subject is “not in their field”. A useful Here without a doubt was a growing awareness of global compromise might be to require each specialist to have a identity. What child has not addressed himself or herself in further topic relating to a wide field of the world’s religions this way? (e.g. ecology, mysticism, militarism). In my own case I found that visual symbolism and iconography of religions During my last year at High School I read H.G.Wells’ achieved this. Outline of World History which, written from a liberal humanist view in 1920, traced the evolution of life and Religious identity and the Global Me human civilisations, including Asian cultures and religions n the last two decades there has arisen and their chronologies. This gave me a useful systematic Ia much stronger awareness of ‘the overview for university study of history and reading books global’ and ‘globalisation’. Marshall on religion. McLuhan had popularised the Another way I found of exploring global identity was my phrase “global village’ to describe discovery of jazz. Here was music originating among blacks the modern world linked by mass of New Orleans and the Deep South of the USA in the late media communications. Major 19th Century, which had captured the white American developments in electronics – audience for popular music in the following years and by computers, e-mail, the Internet, the the end of the 20th Century would come to influence world dominance of the USA as a world music of global range. superpower – have heightened the pitch of both expectation and Another discovery of global significance for me in the 1940s anxiety for a global future. was the ecumenical movement, which brought together people of different Christian church traditions over all the Meanwhile an author like Pascal continents, sparked originally through the co-operation of Zachary, son of an Italian Roman their overseas missions. The World Council of Churches Catholic father and an East European had its opening Assembly at Amsterdam in 1948, arousing Jewish mother, could write: “Mighty is high hopes. In the Roman Catholic Church tradition, the the mongrel. The mixing of races... is at Ecumenical Council of the mid-1960s, known as Vatican II, a record level. The hybrid is hip... Mixing also roused high hopes of global significance. is the new norm.” Decades earlier, Sir Peter Buck in New Zealand, a child of Irish and In 1965 I was able to participate in a winter-term seminar Maori parents, had written: “I can truly say that at the University of Chicago led jointly by the Rumanian any success I might have achieved is largely due to historian of religions and mythology, Mircea Eliade, and by my good fortune in being a mongrel.” the German philosopher-theologian, Paul Tillich, in the last year of his life. The following year I had the opportunity of Today the movement and borrowings of religions teaching courses in a new Religion programme at Indiana across the globe are facts well known to the student University, Bloomington. of religions. In the USA the customary statistical classifications, according to traditional religious The mid-1960s were years of ferment in the USA with surging denominations, have become less significant than an student numbers, civil rights, student marches and the hippie across-the-board spectrum of religious groupings between culture. On our way back to New Zealand we (my wife and I) spent several weeks in Japan, visiting new religious movements The artist and reflecting sphere and staying in a Zen Buddhist monastery. he well-known Dutch graphics artist M.C.Escher made a Tlithograph in 1935 called Hand with reflecting sphere. For those two years away I must express gratitude to America This depicts what he saw in his room as he gazed at a shiny as a place of diverse resources, opportunity and generosity. reflecting globe (about ten inches in diameter) which he held I returned to Otago to teach courses in the History and with his hand before his eyes. The convex curved surface Phenomenology of Religion. I had to cover the whole field reflects a more comprehensive view of the room than direct of major religions as well as primal religions. A growing observation by his gaze would convey: it catches the four Religious Studies department led to greater specialisation walls, floor and ceiling. But at the same time it gives a compressed and distorted view. and a focus on more advanced research.

16 Tui Motu InterIslands Religious protests have also been directed against secular gain and injustice at the expense of the poorer nations. Global identity and globalisation There is much to heed in these warnings. Nevertheless, there remain positive benefits to the world through globalisation. Albert Moore What the world needs is a more chastened and responsible globalisation. the extreme poles of traditionalist fundamentalists at one end to the “anti-religious” at the other. In between are the Globalisation today main groupings of ‘born-again’ believers, mainstream church lobalisation at present is well reviewed by the book attenders and spiritual searchers. Diversity and pluralism GMany Globalisations (2002, ed. Peter Berger and Samuel characterise the modern American religious scene. Huntington). They point out the tensions between global and indigenous loyalties: even the anti-globalisers have to become Religion and Globalisation global in organising protests of world range. or some, ‘globalisation’ represents a Fthreat to traditional culture and religion. The final two chapters I find very revealing. They describe Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire and the world of American globalisers who see themselves Rousseau seemed just such a threat in 18th at the vanguard of globalising new technology and Century Europe. Yet it was a period which unstoppable economic progress – through economics and produced great advances in science the free market – meeting what they see as universal human and medicine, world exploration, needs. As executives travelling the world’s airways they historical knowledge, freedom of share a familiar lifestyle of hotels and meetings. They see speech and human rights. Our world themselves as ‘global citizens’. They are sophisticated, needs to stand by such advances if urbane and universalistic cosmopolitans. its civilisations and religions are to live together and survive. But, “...for all their worldliness they never really leave home.” (p 356). Why does this get me? Because I too The ‘global’ 18th Century needs can be included in this critique. I too can talk about our to continue into the 21st. Cnetury. global identity – the Global Me – and feel cosmopolitan Cambridge historian C.A.Bayly because I read books and engage in discussions about the asserts: “all local, national or globalisation process. I can empathise with Michael Palin regional histories must, therefore, be exploring the Himalayas and visiting Bhutan or with Tim global histories. It is no longer possible Shadbolt staggering up a mountain in Borneo. But I do so in to write ‘European’ or ‘American’ the comfort of the living room with books and TV. I never history in the narrow sense.” really leave home. I remain parochial, insular. (The Birth of the Modern World p2). Or, to return to the image of the artist looking at his reflecting Yet ‘globalisation’ has become a contentious globe, my old self is still in the centre of the globe’s term as it has been narrowed down into the reflection. Maybe I still don’t leave home. Some critics area of economic growth. Think globally; act could say: ‘This talk of global identity is only an idealistic locally! was at first an encouraging adage; cover-up for enlarging one’s own interests and ego-centred but it turned sour for those whose livelihood comfort’. Other critics who see only one brand of religion was threatened by the encroachment of (their own) as valid – and therefore superior – could say great transnational corporations. With their that theirs is the only true global identity: therefore it is not dominant power base in Europe and America, to be mixed with others or become the subject of academic yet not confined within national boundaries, these ‘Comparative Religion’. And at the other end, others who corporations became targets of protest against the distrust all religions as sources of conflict and superstition, World Trade Organisation, against the exploitation would see the quest for global vision in religion as wasted of ecological resources, against genetic engineering. effort, a diversion from humanity’s real potential on earth.

The artist and reflecting sphere The jetsetters circulating the globe imposing their own brand of global uniformity are, in fact, cocooned in a self-serving Furthermore, the artist’s head is in the middle of the reflection. The price of seeing it at all is that he, as the monoculture. The true citizen of the global community must viewer, is part of the picture. Whichever way he turns he somehow allow his or her identity to be touched and subtly remains at the centre. In other words, the artist must bring moulded by the myriad cultures which flourish across the his own ego and identity into the experience of seeing the face of the world. It is here that the great world religions globe. have much to teach us. They have survived and flourished for In this I see a suggestive analogy to the complex problems many centuries because in each human tribe they encounter, of finding our identity in the global dimension of cultures they recognise and identify the face of God. They are truly and religions. universal. They are the real globalisers. n

Tui Motu InterIslands 17 false gods In the second article of the Tui Motu series on the false gods of our age, Sr Pauline O’Regan takes an honest look inside her own soul and acknowledges how much she has sold out to the secular god. She speaks for us all. Yet there is a ray of hope. The burgeoning spirituality of our times speaks of a hunger within human hearts that only the true God can satisfy. Is the church paying heed? Secularism

have chosen secularism as a false religion had bred conflict, ignorance that I saw democracy turn into fascism idol of our age for more than one and superstition in the world, if it and communism, both of which, far reason. One is because I believe repressed independence of thought from giving people the liberation they thatI most of us have been seduced into and put obstacles in the path of human sought, took them into a Dark Age of paying undue homage to this god, not progress, then the tools of the modern oppression and suffering. It is more than only in our institutions, but in our State would set humanity free. So it that: even in democratic countries like personal lives as well. We are careful was argued. And it was argued very our own, faith in the political system to show considerable respect for the successfully. has given way to disillusionment and secular quality of the society we live in: cynicism. We have lost our trust in we seldom, if ever, introduce a religious Human beings, hungry for freedom politics and it makes us suspicious of topic into even our most wide-ranging and justice, now placed their hopes in our politicians. conversations. People can work with me science, logic and reason. These would for years without ever knowing that I succeed where the old religious beliefs Even when they do good, we suspect am a Catholic. My religion is often my had failed them. Politics would liberate their motives – this is merely a vote- most carefully guarded secret. I keep it the people and economics would give seeking device, we say. Their only strictly for Sundays and if I discuss it at them a better world. Science and reason motive is to stay in power. When I was all, it is with like-minded people. would triumph over ignorance and young, I saw people turning out to vote superstition. Utopia, it seemed, was at in huge numbers in the 1930s. Now, 70 As for my spiritual life, I guard it even hand. These were heady promises and years later, I am aghast at the low voter more carefully and keep it hidden deep at first, the secularism they engendered turn-out. I hear people asking, “What’s in my heart. It would be unseemly to gave every sign it would deliver on the point?” It’s hard for someone of start talking about it in company, no those promises. For much of the 19th my generation to believe that they matter how tentative my approach and 20th centuries we trusted in the are talking with such contempt about might be. I feel that to democracy. talk about religion or the spiritual desert created by secularism Economic liberalism has spirituality, let alone about has left the human spirit so devoid of food God, would impinge on done no better. Huge corp­ the secular ambiance in that it can no longer abide its hunger or­ations have grown into which I live. The result global dinosaurs devour­ is that, by the strangest ing all before them. Profit contemporary paradox, secularism has secular solution. Now, in the 21st for the few has become the paramount acquired something of the status of the century, even as we have to admit its motive, leaving social exploitation, sacred in modern society. failures, we still cling to it, if not as a human suffering, rampant consum­ god then certainly as a sacred cow! erism and desecration of the environ­ At the beginning of the modern age, ment in its wake. The Utopia that our the concept of a secular society seemed It is within the span of my lifetime forebears had such hopes for, is in ruins. to be full of promise for humanity. If that the dream has faded. It’s not just Secularism is running on empty.

18 Tui Motu InterIslands false gods

ut I had another reason for turning to spirituality with a need so in spiritual matters is one of suspicion choosing to write about this great, it has become a tidal wave. In my and distrust. It has no authority particular false god. Something lifetime I have seen nothing like it. over such a movement and it cannot Bextraordinary is happening in modern control it with constraints and laws. society and, in God’s wonderful If religion is in trouble, spirituality is in Far from celebrating this wonderful providence, it is born of that very god the ascendancy, and the church seems phenomenon, it fears and suspects it. of secularism. More than that, by one to have no idea what to do about it. It As one cleric said of this enormous of those divine paradoxes that only has so long been forced into a defensive growth of interest in spirituality: “Of God can devise, it is undermining it so and self-protective position by the what use is it, if it’s not putting bums that, in our time, this particular false entrenchment of secularism in society, on seats in our churches?” god is under threat. that it cannot adjust to this wave of interest in the spiritual life. It is a sad reality that the old religious It has always been one of the basic traditions often fail to recognise new principles of secular society that it expressions of the spiritual instinct distance itself from a sense of the and have little idea how to deal with its sacred. As a result, our political and potential. The old does not understand educational institutions have proved the new, not only because it challenges sadly inadequate in nurturing and its authority, but because the old developing the spiritual impulses religion thinks of itself as complete and in human lives. They have acted as as having all the answers. This is what though being human had no spiritual the theologian, Paul Tillich, called ‘the dimension. If there were a spiritual sin of religion’. It does not take into need, the main-line churches, nicely account that God is alive in the world side-lined, were there to house it. and God will always be revealed as mysterious, unknowable and creative. But by and large, religion has failed In so far as the church fails to accept in this matter. We can only view with this, it will try to capture and contain dismay the number of people in our the God who cannot be contained. The country and in other countries of the living God cannot be pinned down by West, who have ceased to seek their a multitude of laws, or by systematic spiritual home in our churches. We theology or authoritative statements have become almost immune to the or by any other means. shock of hearing the extent to which church membership is dropping, year What we are seeing at this time is after year. As for our youth, what was deeply ironic: our secular society, once anecdotal evidence of the way they having given birth to a sense of the were leaving the church, is now being sacred, finds that its sacred institutions backed by statistics. A survey done in seem unable to find a place for it. Once the year 2000 of Australian students again, the old wineskins are proving who had attended Catholic schools, incapable of holding the new wine. If showed that a staggering 97 percent only religion could provide this new had abandoned public worship in the wine of spirituality with a welcoming first 18 months of leaving secondary place where it could, in time, evolve school. It would appear that their and mature to give nourishment and spiritual needs are no longer being met healing to humanity in the 21st century. by religion. It seems unable to cope with the fact Let us pray it be so. n that this spiritual revolution is coming, So, does this mean, if religion is dying, not from within itself, but from within that spirituality is dying with it? The the world whose ungodliness it has answer has to be a resounding No. What always deplored. appears to have happened is that the Pauline O’Regan is a Sister of Mercy spiritual desert created by secularism, Over time, the church has drawn in on living in Christchurch. She is a its aridity and dryness, has left the itself to such an extent that it has ceased prominent author and her latest book on human spirit so devoid of food that to dialogue with the world and has lost getting old, Miles to Go, was published it can no longer abide its hunger. The touch with it. Now, in confusion, its last year. result is that we are seeing humanity reaction to this explosion of interest

Tui Motu InterIslands 19 inter-faith dialogue

Listening to the voice of a son of Muhammad

Najib Lafraie (right) escaped from the turmoil of his country, Afghanistan, and found a home for his family in New Zealand. In this Tui Motu interview he talks about his Muslim faith, the violence that has afflicted his country, and his own aspirations to work for peace and understanding between the great world faiths

Can you please first tell us something for the Red Crescent and was not at all But the Taliban certainly did not follow about yourself? political, was arrested in my place and the fundamental teachings of Islam. My family originally comes from spent about two years in prison, part of They moved outside the tradition North-Western Afghanistan. I was the time being held in shackles. He died while claiming to act ‘in the name of born, bred and educated in Kabul and of cancer a year after his release, and I religion’, giving the impression that went to University there. I obtained a think his death may have been hastened their interpretation was what Sharia degree in political science, and then by what he suffered – on my behalf. means. That is simply not the case. went on to Hawaii to get a Masters Eventually I escaped back to Pakistan, and a PhD (1986). While I was there, For instance, the famous statues of and in 2000 came to New Zealand the communists took over Afghanistan Buddha which they destroyed had with my family. We did not know and then the Soviet Union invaded been in Afghanistan for 2000 years. much about New Zealand, but the the country; so I returned and joined For 1200 of those years the country opportunity was offered through the the resistance movement in Peshawar, has been predominantly Muslim. But UN High Commission for Refugees. Pakistan. I became part of the interim it was the Taliban who destroyed those We believe it has been a blessing to government in Pakistan as Minister famous statues, as if they were the only come here. We came to Christchurch of Information in 1989. I was able to true Muslims and no one else. They first, and then I was fortunate to be return to Kabul when the communist insisted on implementation of what offered a post at the University of regime was overthrown in 1992 and they considered the Islamic penal code: Otago. I have been here for three years became Minister of State for Foreign stoning for adultery, cutting off thieves’ and hope to stay on. Affairs. In September 1996 the Taliban hands. The Koran says nothing about stoning for adultery and that is why captured Kabul, and the internationally Can you say something about the Taliban? recognized government withdrew to some Muslim scholars are against it. Are they a typical fundamentalist group? the north of the country. But I chose We do not like to call extremists such to stay in Kabul and gave up politics in Even extreme punishments specified as the Taliban ‘fundamentalists’. It is a the hope of returning to an academic in the Koran were traditionally subject term we Muslims are wary of. It came career. to conditions. For instance, the Caliph originally out of the United States, Omar asked a thief why he had stolen, In fact I had to go into hiding for referring to certain Christian groups and the man said because he and his about a year. For seven months we and has a negative connotation. If family were hungry. So Omar told his were trapped in one room: my wife, ‘fundamentalism’ means going to the captors to feed the man and his family, my three daughters, one son – and me. foundations of a religion, then all good and only if he still stole should they My brother, who had been a worker practicing Muslims are fundament­alists. punish him.

20 Tui Motu InterIslands This means that you must remove the over the world against the American economic and physical significance, but causes of crime in the society first. The arrogance and oppression – especially we don’t have time to discuss all that. Koran also insists that any accusation what is happening in Iraq and Palestine. against a person needs to be proven Is interfaith marriage allowed in Islam? beyond doubt. The burden of proof is Why is there so much violence in The Holy Koran allows Muslim men on the accusers. If an accused person Afghanistan? to marry women of other faiths, does not confess, then there must be Afghans are not violent people by but according to most scholars it is four witnesses for serious crimes, two nature. Our land has been at the forbidden for a Muslim woman to for less so. The witnesses must declare crossroads of Asia, invaded by larger, marry one of another faith. I don’t they saw the crime with their own expanding powers ever since the time of think this is a question of inequality eyes. That is the religious requirement. Alexander the Great. So Afghans have between the sexes. The reason behind The Taliban did not follow it: they jealously fought for their freedom. this view is that the family is the convicted and punished people on cornerstone of Islamic society. Within circumstantial evidence. Their way of When I was growing up, the country the family decisions should be made ruling by fear was completely foreign to was peaceful and peace-loving, and most by consultation because, according to Afghan traditions and to the teachings people had a relatively comfortable life. the Koran, Muslims should carry out of the religion. There was not a great division between their affairs on the basis of mutual rich and poor (such as I later observed consultation. What is Islam’s view of terrorism? in India). The problems started when Osama bin Laden finds it very difficult the Soviet Union tried to bring the We believe this process of agreement by to justify his terrorist acts in terms of country under its control first through consent applies to all levels: the group/ Islamic tradition. The Koran allows the its communist puppet regime and then organisation, the city, the country and use of violence only in self-defence, for through its direct invasion. Pakistani internationally, as much as within the defending those who are oppressed, and interference in the 1990s and their family. Nevertheless, for maintaining for the defence of religion. Sometimes support of the Taliban contributed to order within the family, according to the only way to overcome evil is by the problem. Islamic tradition the man is the head force. of the family. He cannot do whatever The Holy Koran and the traditions of Will you say something about Islam he likes, but he is ultimately responsible the Prophet Muhammad make it clear and its customs. for the welfare of family members. The that force should be directed solely at The very meaning of the word Islam children will first follow the faith of their father. the combatant, never against those is to surrender oneself to God. It also who are innocent. Bin Laden tries means peace and is from the same In the case of a mixed marriage, the to justify his targeting of innocent root as Salaam in Arabic – or Shalom Islamic faith will be safeguarded if civilians by quoting the example in Hebrew. Islam acknowledges the the man is a Muslim. If the husband of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, and truth in other religions and this allows is non-Muslim and the wife Muslim, demanding: ‘what about our innocent for peaceful co-existence. In my own however, the result would be either victims?’. In a recent statement he says country, Afghanistan, where more confusion for the children or they he decided on attacking America after than 99 percent of the population would grow up as non-Muslims. the Israelis invaded Lebanon in 1982 is Muslim, Jews lived and traded and committed enormous atrocities peacefully for centuries. There are also You are involved in the Dunedin inter- with the complicity of the United some Hindus and Sikhs still living and States. That was long before the 1991 faith group. Tell me about that. working in Afghanistan. Iraqi conflict, which has been regarded A number of Christians, Muslims as the cause of his militancy. and Jews in Dunedin came together Muslims pray five times a day, fast after 9/11 and formed the Inter-faith Bin Laden extends the concept of for a month in a year, pay Zakat or group. I became a member last year. guilt by association to include those ‘community wealth tax’, and go on There were concerns that world events who elected a person like President pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime would generate anti-Muslim feeling Bush. Yet the Koran can never be if they can afford to. These are part of among ordinary people. Fortunately used to justify the sort of violence he what is called the five pillars of Islam. it has happened less here in New advocates. Unfortunately the way the We believe these acts of worship are for Zealand than in the United States and ‘war on terrorism’ is conducted has our own benefit. We need God and we Australia, but still it was a cause of made bin Laden much more popular need our religion. God doesn’t need us. concern. As believers and followers of among the Muslim youth. There is All these acts of worship have multiple Abrahamic faiths we have so much in huge resentment among Muslims all spiritual, moral, psychological, social, common, and we can strive together to ss

Tui Motu InterIslands 21 church in the world The next Pope. . ?

Jim Neilan looks forward to the next Conclave to elect a successor to Pope John Paul – and picks a likely candidate

justice, human rights and dignity, and a pilgrim people of God, “sharing in passionate advocate for the sacredness the joys and hopes, the griefs and the of all human life – a man of peace, anxieties of the people of this age” steeped in prayer and the certainty of (opening words of “The Church in the his personal faith. Modern World”).

And yet, during his pontificate, The first Vatican Council dealt with despite his remarkable talents and the authority of the Pope, but in 1870 successes, millions of Catholics have the meeting was abruptly halted before ‘left the Church’, feeling excluded and the participants could go on to discuss Cardinal Walter Caspar, head of the Council for Promoting Christian Unity demoralised. Theologians and pastors the role of bishops. So this was one have been suppressed, dismissed and of the far-reaching topics taken up by ll diocesan bishops in the Catholic disciplined. Discussion on topics such as the Council Fathers of Vatican II, 90 Church are required to submit A years later. They dealt with the central their resignation when they reach the birth control, homosexuality, celibacy, question about distribution of authority age of 75. The 84-year-old bishop of married clergy, divorce and the ordinat­- in the Church. They committed the Rome, Pope John Paul, despite serious ion of women has been shut down. There Church to collegiality – a sharing of illness, which makes it impossible to are now bitterly divided rival factions authority between Pope and bishops, carry out most of the active ministries within the church, each claiming to speak while acknowledging the Pope’s of priest or bishop, clings to office with in the name of true Catholicism. ultimate authority as teacher and an almost messianic sense of his own judge. This followed the wishes of the indispensability. Any papacy of our times must be judged in the light of how well it has two Popes of the Council, John XXIII When elected 27 years ago, few encouraged and implemented the and Paul VI, to reform the Roman could have predicted what a paradox spirit of the Second Vatican Council Curia whose power had gradually been Karol Wojtyla would prove to be as – by far the most important source of supplanting the inalienable rights and Pope. He has been named “Man of church teaching in the 20th century. responsibilities of local bishops. The the Year” and “The Most Influential The Council Fathers (the largest Council made it clear that bishops, Political Figure in the World” by the ever gathering of bishops) signalled in their dioceses, are not delegates of international press. He played a big a new understanding of the church; Rome – they are empowered directly part in ending Soviet totalitarianism, a transition from a triumphalistic, by their sacramental ordination. has been a fearless champion of social authoritarian establishment, to a Collegiality comes from Christ. ss find answers to world problems and to in this month’s meeting and we decided right injustices. to strongly support this initiative. New Notice Zealand is an ideal place for launching We are still at the stage of getting such interfaith dialogues. Not only together and learning from each other Christians and Muslims but Hindus Levin Catholic Women’s and resolving misunderstandings. We and Buddhists could also be invited League are celebrating have developed a programme of going because of their presence here. to schools together to show the students their Golden Jubilee on that different faiths can co-operate. We The Interfaith group also organised meet monthly and discuss various issues. David Lange’s lecture at the University the 21st and 22nd May. last year, and there are plans to do For instance, on the occasion of the something similar this year. These For information please Norwegian Prime Minister’s visit, Helen initiatives are aimed at promoting ring Marie 06 3686147 Clarke proposed a regional inter-faith understanding and peace, which is conference. This was an item of agenda something we all cherish. n

22 Tui Motu InterIslands However, since the end of the Council Writing in a German Jesuit publication, is stifled. There have been many in 1965,Vatican authorities, especially Kasper accused the Vatican of pushing suggestions put forward by well- the Congregation for the Doctrine of the centralisation contrary to the intention of respected theologians, historians and Faith under the leadership of Cardinal Vatican II. “Local realities sometimes Scripture scholars which make good Ratzinger, have once again undermined dictate flexibility”, he wrote, and as an discussion points for potential solutions the effectiveness of collegiality by example he joined other German bishops to the dearth of priests in our own consistently failing to consult with in issuing a pastoral letter encouraging times, but Rome insists on maintaining local bishops before promulgating divorced and civilly remarried Catholics a centuries-old model of priesthood edicts which affected them and their to return to the sacraments. which itself is far removed from the people and by a reluctance to respond priesthood of the early church. to the regional concerns of bishops. In a departure from the usual ‘behind closed doors’ policy of the Vatican, Who would want to be at the head of Intentionally or not, John Paul has he publicly disagreed with Cardinal a church facing so many problems? contributed to this state of affairs. Ratzinger’s insistence that the papacy Walter Kasper is a relative latecomer Through his wide-ranging travels is in charge of the church and that local to Rome. “I am a stranger here”, and his expertise in using the media, bishops need Rome’s permission for he said two years ago, but there he has promoted himself as the sole, what they do. Kasper wrote that the was no hint of regret in his voice. dominant, authoritarian figure in the local church (or diocese) is not simply His lively intelligence, genuine Catholic Church. Local bishops have an administrative subdivision of the kindness and candour have won him been left in his shadow, and as a result world Church but is “the church in many supporters. He laughs off any their legitimate authority has been one particular place”, and that bishops suggestions that he could be the next diluted. As Archbishop Bernadin of “must not take the easy way out and Pope. “I think someone who desires Chicago once said in frustration, “He abdicate their responsibility by hiding this job and believes he’s able to carry treats us like altar boys.” behind Roman decisions”. it out is not papabile”. But no other cardinal, so far, has been as clear about So, what qualities are needed in the The concentration of authority in Rome changes needed in the exercise of person who will step into the Shoes is unquestionably an obstacle to unity authority in our 21st Century Church. of the Fisherman as the next Pope? with other religions and faiths – a matter Needless to say, it won’t be a married which deeply concerns Cardinal Kasper Who knows? “The Holy Spirit is Jewish Palestinian fisherman like the who heads the Church’s Pontifical always good for a surprise!”, Kasper first Pope! And with all the media Council for Christian Unity. He was says with a grin. n speculation about ‘Papabile’ (those openly critical of the recent Vatican in the running), there is no mention of document Dominus Jesus, describing ‘Mamabile’! it as “unnecessarily sharp and harsh” in its tone, and damaging the Vatican There is one influential Vatican Council’s spirit of ecumenism. ‘a time of tranquility’ prelate who has spent his priestly life Annie trying to reconcile the many apparent This central debate about the distribution contradictions between the Church’s of authority in the Church may well theology and its practice. “I have my influence the choosing of the next Pope. faith, not from encyclicals or pastoral It is not a theoretical question but one letters, but from my mother and father”, that affects every Catholic. We know says Walter Kasper. And if the 72-year- from reports that our own New Zealand old German cardinal who is head of the bishops have spoken out on their official Council for Promoting Christian Unity visits to Rome. They went with genuine were elected at the next conclave, many questions, concerns and requests from a retreat for women would regard it as a great blessing for loyal Catholics of their dioceses but Come for a day, a weekend, the worldwide church. the subsequent Vatican document of a week, or longer response appears to brush our people’s Ask about our 24-hour Known as ‘The Friendly Cardinal’ views aside and the patronising ‘Rome body and soul retreat (a reference to the cartoon character, knows what’s best’ attitude continues Casper the Friendly Ghost) he has the unheedingly. *simple *peaceful *affordable balanced background of 30 years as a *beautiful Thames Coastal ambience university professor as well as 12 years And while parishes close or amalgamate *spiritual guidance on request as a diocesan bishop, so he knows the and communities are deprived of the for more info, call Danielle and Ceridwyn sense of frustration when the Vatican’s opportunity to regularly celebrate their 07 868 5393 efforts to enforce some teachings run up own Eucharist, an honest debate about www.watershedcottage.co.nz against the realities of the local Church. the whole theology of the priesthood

Tui Motu InterIslands 23 liturgy

What shall we sing this Sunday?

Mike Marshall

or those don’t sing and the who live music has nothing to within the do with the liturgy. Fdistribution area of So, in both cases you the Christchurch might say they are Press, there has stuck. One is stuck been a lovely little to a vision of church series of articles, that says beautiful comments and music is all you need letters popping up and the other one in January and is stuck in a church February. All about that says energy is church music! In all you need, and a letter to the editor, Jane Gregg of in this pluralistic society is whether it in neither case are they looking at the Christchurch, wrote: “We are lucky can produce a wide range of resources liturgy as the work of the people and to live in a city where the metaphysics which enable people to celebrate the the prayer of the people.” of church music figures on your radar sacredness of life. The use of literal screen.” Indeed. expressions and fundamentalist affirm­ So what does the church expect of at­ions can only serve to deepen the its liturgical music? Initially, in an article on the centenary divisions in society.” This is the crux of the matter, which celebrations of Christchurch Catholic those promoting the “spiritual cultural Cathedral, the organist and music Back to Jane Gregg: “Personally I drive” seem to have either missed or director Don Whelan raised a few prefer to cling to rituals and fight for relegated. Marty in his keynote address, hackles when he made a stand for rites” inferring that ritual, tradition, (3 Oct 2003) noted that a cornerstone maintaining the standards of music and intellectual rigour enables spiritual of Vatican II is the active participation in a Catholic community which, profundity. Oh, yes, and…. “there are of all the faithful – to empower the apparently, would not care if music many places where it’s possible to get congregation to sing prayer. The ceased to exist, and then “shudders to to grips with the type of sacred music difference between the congregation think that, when he is gone, guitars of which Kumbaya could be said to be listening and singing is huge. The may replace the organ”. the stand out.” Spirit is present in the congregation This brought support from the Press when they respond. Sing the liturgy, In the November 2003 issue of this arts columnist Christopher Moore, don’t just sing at the liturgy. magazine, I reported on the Worshipping who, in the main, seemed to tie lack Under Southern Skies Conference in The 1996 New ZealandCatholic Liturgy of quality to the use of “warm fuzzy Christchurch. Keynote speaker Marty Formation Programme states: “A cantor, theological” inclusive language: “Gone Haughen said: “In Minneapolis every an organist, other instrumentalists, a are words and music that put sinew and Sunday they’ll have a Mass with altar choir and a director of music help the muscle into our religious observations. boys in white gloves and they’ll do an assembly find a voice to sing the hymns, The great tradition of church music is orchestra. It sounds beautiful, but no responses and acclamations that are increasingly abandoned for the second assigned to them as their participation best and inclusive.” one in the congregation sings, no one participates. There’s another church in the liturgy.” Enter minister and hymn-writer Bill that uses a rock-and-roll band and the This does not dismiss the role ofa Wallace: “The challenge to the church congregation claps and sways, but they choir or instrumentalists, in providing

24 Tui Motu InterIslands “works that add beauty and solemnity draw on; nonetheless many of us, with do not know how much to the liturgy. Yet the function of music support and encouragement, took congregational participation there is ministerial; it must serve and never on the ministry of leading the parish is to Don Whelan’s music at the dominate.” (American Bishops’ Music music at the principal Sunday Mass. Cathedral.I The Press article says that in in Catholic Worship) Certainly my skills as a guitarist could his 35 years, Don had embarked on an at best have been described as average, ambitious programme that had become sing the liturgy but, with the affirmation of the a feature of Christchurch’s classical ...don’t just sing at the community, practice and stimulating music scene. So the question is, is this music, have developed over that time. singing prayer or performance? liturgy We now have a number of small groups Don Whelan is to be commended What music, then, meets the prayer who take responsibility for leading for endeavouring to maintain the needs of the faithful? the music on a rotational basis, some best of the traditional, but it has to Marty summed it up thus: Christian with keyboard players, some with be acknowledged that the Cathedral worship, on any given day, within guitarists. At major feasts, the whole may be one of the few places that have a liturgical religious tradition, in a choir can produce challenging and the resources to implement it. At the particular community or culture, at a satisfying three part harmonies, while W.u.S.S. conference, when Don led unique moment in history, will always always being aware of our limitations. a workshop on the rich Latin and exhibit a tension between the voices We have discarded the old four-hymn Greek tradition of music for 3 to 5 of the ancestors and God speaking in Mass and now focus on singing to voices, those from our parish who today’s world. complement the major parts of the attended commented that it would be Mass; the Gospel, The Eucharist and very difficult for parish musicians and To paraphrase the American Bishops, Communion. This is supplemented by singers – but great in the Cathedral. they recommend that we apply three judge- welcoming and sending-out hymns. Chris Archer’s Millennium Mass, also ments when we select Sunday music: celebrated by Jane Gregg in her letter, I do know that we have moved way • Musical: Is the music technically, drew this comment from our parish beyond ‘Kumbaya’. In the early post- aesthetically and expressively good? music director – a person of no mean Vatican II years, there was certainly musical ability: “This was billed as • Liturgical: the music is determined a surfeit of warm-fuzzy, guitar-based a Mass for congregation and choir, according to the nature of the liturgy, three-chord songs, found in such so I hoped to learn something that considering the settings of the Mass, the collections as Tenei Matou and Sing was a bit outside our comfort zone. readings, the role of the congregation, Sing Sing. Since then we have explored Unfortunately it was two or three steps choir, minister, cantor and musicians. Scripture in Song, Taizé, Celebration As One Voice above our musical ability, not one.” • Pastoral: Does the music enable the and . We currently draw much of our psalmody, Eucharistic people to express their faith in this The point here is that much of this and hymnal music from Gather. place, age and culture? music described as part of the ‘spiritual cultural drive’ might simply be This does not mean that we have Given the above criteria – and as inaccessible to many parishes. What entirely abandoned everything that has Christopher Moore remarks – there resources are other parishes able to draw should still be a balance between the gone before, as we also endeavour to on, and how much have they explored traditional and the contemporary. include some Latin music as well as the the fine new music being developed for occasional pre-Vatican II hymn. But the new millennium? Has the tradition How does all of this work in practice? now one of the musical criteria is that and value of Maori and Pacific Island The importance of lay participation our lyrics are ‘yoked to scripture’. And music been considered as part of the following Vatican II mean the role guitar-wise, they are certainly more spiritual cultural drive? of the parishioners in the pews was challenging than ‘Kumbaya.’ recognised as being much more than I suppose subconsciously I have worked The Christchurch media debate seems ‘father’s helpers’ and that the com- to have been superseded by the new munity had the responsibility to seek to overcome the feeling that a guitar is Stations of the Cross controversy, and out and develop ministerial skills from a second-class instrument for church on that topic, another letter writer within its own numbers. music, and while chord playing cannot adequately support those singers who sideswiped the music issue with this: “ Having basically only experienced one need a melody line, the Worshipping …there are other churches not striving to parish in the last 25 years, I can say Under Southern Skies conference did become monuments of art, music halls, that we did not have a huge resource much to validate any instrument that tourist attractions…” I just hope this of virtuoso singers or musicians to can lead the congregational singing. won’t be the last word on the issue. n

Tui Motu InterIslands 25 scripture

The Prophetic Dimension of our Faith

World renowned Scripture scholar Walter Brueggemann recently spoke in Auckland. Elaine Wainwright summarises his lecture

version of reality filled with images and as prophetic communities need a metaphors which tease the imagination dialogical and not an authoritarian to the point of realization that the God, Brueggemann suggests. This commonly accepted description of God is in the fray as the community, reality is not true. The language of the prophet and the divine enter the prophet breaks open a society’s into conversation about social reality, ingrained practice of denial, and recognizing that there is an alternative through the creative use of images to the current shaping of reality. That and metaphors can take them beyond alternative is visible to the prophet and eside people in pain and also despair to hope. ‘There is room for the prophetic community who stand Bnear to the heart of the God who hope, God is doing a new thing’ – is beside the person in pain and who anguishes with those in such pain is the message of the prophet. listen to the anguish in the heart of the place where Walter Brueggemann God over such pain. They speak a new Brueggemann suggested to the vision and enact a new praxis. n would locate the prophet. This was the assembled audience in Auckland, kernel of the message proclaimed by however, that the present believing Elaine Wainwright is inaugural professor this prophetic scholar of the Hebrew community has lost its nerve, has lost of theology in the University of Auckland’s Bible when he addressed a gathering faith in its sacred story, in its language School of Theology. She is a biblical scholar of over 200 at St Kentigern’s College, specializing in the study of the gospels, and its imagery. We are no longer particularly the Gospel of Matthew. Auckland, on Wednesday 26 January. prepared to speak, he suggested, in the He entitled his lecture, “The Prophetic public arena in the language of faith, Dimensions of our Faith” and after in the language of those challenging setting out what he sees as the key metaphors and images which speak dimensions of prophetic ministry, he through the falsely constructed explored why it is that we have lost discourse of those in power. faith in such ministry and how we might recover it. Like the skilful prophet who uncovers the blindness and breaks through the Most of us would agree with denial, Brueggemann did not leave Brueggemann’s analysis that our global his audience without hope. Indeed, he Bible Society Ad society is in deep trouble, as were the suggested that it was possible to recover societies of the prophets of ancient the prophetic dimension of our faith. Israel including Jesus. He identified the An initial way is to intentionally gather most common response to this trouble around our sacred story regularly and as denial, massive denial. In such a to develop facility with its language context, the prophet who stands beside and metaphors, so that new and people in pain needs to analyse society appropriate language and images for to uncover the political, economic, today’s world might emerge. This is to social and symbolic dynamics. What challenge us to re-think the ways we is really going on under the veneer celebrate the liturgy of the word when of the public reading of reality by we gather for Eucharist. those in power, will be the question of the prophet and the prophetic A second way to recover prophetic community. ministry is to create neighbourhoods or communities alongside those of Being near to the heart of God as well the state or the market, because such as deeply immersed in the lives of those communities can be ways of challenging in pain, the prophet can offer a sub- the status quo. Such communities

26 Tui Motu InterIslands Celebrating with a party

Susan Smith

The inclusive nature of the meals physical healing. His ministry is about Jesus hosts is evident too in the story social healing, what American New of Matthew, the tax collector. Tax Testament scholar Donald Senior calls collectors were despised because they “a profound spiritual transformation” collected the Roman tax, the publicum, whereby those, such as tax collectors for the imperial master, Rome. The and sinners, who have been isolated Pharisees, the guardians of Jewish or excluded are now drawn into the religious law, criticised Jesus for eating community. with “tax collectors and sinners.” This story allows Jesus to proclaim Remember that the call of Matthew, the tax collector climaxes in a hroughout Matthew’s gospel there the purpose of his mission, (and, by extension, ours today): he is called to celebratory meal, and that meals Tare frequent references to meals have Eucharistic overtones in the and eating. In Matt 9:9-13, we see be ‘physician’ for the sick, not for those who are well. Gospel narratives. Think about our Jesus eating in the home of Matthew, Eucharistic celebrations today. Are the tax-collector. Other meal and food The call of Matthew is located in the they about exclusion, about the stories include Peter’s mother-in-law wider context of Jesus’ healing miracles law and order people deciding who serving Jesus after he has healed her; the in chapters 8-9. Here we see Jesus and how people can participate in disciples breaking the Sabbath law by healing those who are physically ill, Eucharistic celebrations? Or are they eating ears of grain and Jesus defending those who are possessed by demons, about inclusion, about witnessing to their actions against the criticism the paralytic, and blind and the dumb. the healing and transformative love of of the Pharisees; Jesus miraculously In this manner he fulfils the messianic Jesus? n feeding two crowds in the desert; Jesus prophecies of the Old Testament. teaching about the Kingdom through Dr Susan Smith is a Mission Sister who However, the call of Matthew makes it teaches Biblical Studies at the School of parables about banquets; Jesus eating clear that Jesus is involved in more than Theology, University of Auckland in the house of Simon leper; and Jesus sharing a last meal with his disciples. Biblical scholars have long recognised that these meals have Eucharistic overtones with the exception of one. Facilitate Adult Learning That is the meal that Herod organises for his birthday, where we learn that Theory and Skills of Facilitation: Herodias’ daughter asks for the head Workshop designed by Marge Denis of the Baptist on a platter. Mark gives Monday 26 – Thursday 29 September 2005 more detail than Matthew and we Each day 9.00 am – 4.00 pm learn that Herod had a banquet for At Mercy Centre, St Mary’s Convent, Thorndon, Wellington. “his courtiers and officers and leaders of Galilee”, in other words for a Participants will experience principles of adult learning and their small and select group. In both Mark relationship to facilitation. They will be given practical skills to and Matthew, Herod’s meal occurs implement in their adult learning contexts. immediately prior to the miraculous Cost: $225.00. B & B accommodation available. feeding of the five thousand. What a contrast this juxtaposition suggests Facilitated by Teresa Hanratty, member of Marge Denis & Associates – the small, exclusive meal for the For more information or to register: elite which is death-dealing and the Call Teresa Hanratty 04) 473 0143 inclusive, compassionate outreach of or email: [email protected] Jesus to the poor and the sick, a life- giving occasion.

Tui Motu InterIslands 27 films

A drama of character and compassion

Vera Drake apparent regard for the legal, ethical or as setting: Vera is set against both her Review: Paul Sorrell medical consequences of her actions. selfish, upwardly mobile sister-in-law Yet, although frighteningly naïve – she and the flint-hearted, greedy ‘friend’ he chance to see a new film by just wants to “help the poor girls out” who finds the desperate women for her TMike Leigh – the acclaimed – Vera is a gem: the warm heart of a and profits greatly from it. There are British director of Naked, Secrets and close-knit working-class home, an also wonderful character vignettes such Lies, All or Nothing and many others untiring and cheerful worker, a roper- as Vera’s gormless daughter Ethel and – filled me with anticipation. I wasn’t in of waifs and strays, a visitor to the her lacklustre fiancé Reg. disappointed. Master of the gritty sick and the elderly, and the maker of urban drama, Leigh is sometimes Yet, through what might have been a endless comforting cups of tea. Vera’s criticized for having too bleak a vision. sordid and sorry tale, gleams of Vera’s happy family life unravels for ever when While the raw suffering and emotion golden heart shine through. There is she receives a visit from the police in his characters undergo often verges on a wonderful complexity in the film as the midst of a family celebration. the unbearable, his films always contain the simplest and most unprepossessing an element of redemption. Here, it The film is set very precisely in characters reveal flashes of bedrock is Leigh’s compassion for his down- Islington in 1950, and the period detail humanity, of the redemptive potential trodden heroine that releases the film is superb. However, period fidelity is in human nature. from what might have been little more not sought for its own sake, and Leigh than a grinding domestic tragedy. Vera Drake comes very highly contrasts the small, dim and shabby recommended. It is simply one of the A summary of the plot makes the quarters of the urban poor with the finest films you are likely to see for a title character look like the epitome light and spacious houses of the rich long time. n of evil – the sordid story of a woman to which Vera has entrée in her role as who performs abortions on the mean a domestic. This use of parallels and Paul Sorrell is a freelance writer and editor streets of North London with no contrasts extends to character as well in Dunedin

It’s not just a boxing movie

Million Dollar Baby a white trash background but who devoted. Then she asks him to turn off Review: Fr Peter Malone NSC has a knockout gift for fighting. He the machines. says she is not tough enough – girlie! lint Eastwood plays Frank, He discusses the issue with the priest Naturally, she wears him down and a grizzled trainer with guilt who is rather cold yet supportively C mellows a lot of his sourness. memories of abandoning his daughter challenging. The resolution of the and being responsible for fighters’ The first two acts of the film focus on film is based on emotional response injuries. In his old age, he is trying to be Frank, Scrap and Margaret’s training. to the situation, the morality of using protective, especially of his champions. The second act is Margaret’s success extraordinary means to keep a person He also goes to Mass every morning alive, the request for assisted suicide. in the ring. Not knowing what was to and spars with the priest over personal come, the scene of Margaret’s knockout spirituality and theological and moral It leaves the audience who has gone to at the hands of a vicious fighter was issues. His best friend and sometime see a boxing movie going out of the more than a shock. It was disbelief. confidant is Scrap (Morgan Freeman), cinema needing to give more thought This means the third act is not what we former fighter and general manager to the moral issues, at an intellectual might have been expecting. and cleaner-upper of the gym. principle level and at an emotional level, to ask whether compassion is the final The gym attracts some good fighters Margaret is a quadriplegic, entirely criterion – and what are the immediate and some oddballs as well, all tolerated dependent on nursing and machines. and long-term consequences. n by Frank – except for Margaret She is abandoned by her greedy Permission Catholic Voice, Archdiocese of Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) who is from hillbilly family, but Frank is absolutely Canberra and Goulburn

28 Tui Motu InterIslands books

Discovering the seeds of faith in Maori culture

Nga Kakano o te Kupu – Seeds of the Word of light, Te Rakau – the tree, whakapapa – genealogy Philip Cody sm and Hawaikii – place of origins/ancestral homeland form Steele Roberts, Aotearoa New Zealand 2004 part of the discussion. The writer explores each theme Review: Tui Cadigan RSM by drawing on personal knowledge and experience as Waitaha-Ngati Mamoe-Poutini Ngai Tahu well as engaging Maori opinion to explain ways in which seeds of the Word exist in Maori culture. his book in its 114 pages will generate interest, raise Tquestions, spark debate from Pakeha and Maori alike There is no pressure to make the Maori understanding and provide another resource in a relatively small body of or the Christian knowledge ‘fit’ with each other. Some work that exists on the subject. The style at the beginning aspects do not appear suitable for inculturation. It is of the work reflects the traditional process of encounter fair to say that no compatible model to the role of Jesus used by Maori. It begins with prayer, acknowledging Christ emerged in the research. The great value of this those who have died especially those ancestors in the work I think is that it has the potential to encourage faith who first engaged with Maori, turning to the living Maori within the church to deepen their faith through the and those who contributed to the work in any way. Finally cultural uniqueness that is theirs. It also provides some the words that situate the author in this place. information on Maori religious thought to other cultures. Pakeha and all represented ethnicities in our society can A tribute in the form of a dedication to a French Missionary enrich the church here through a process of inculturation. names him as “a model for inculturation”. Father Francois This book gives Maori some ideas to reflect on. Delachienne’s gift was being able to “accept the best cultural values of another people and allow the leaven I admire the author tackling this subject matter – this work of the Gospel to meet them without destroying them”. will have critics from the Maori community, critics from Maori spirituality may be a key contributor in developing the Pakeha community and critics from the Christian a process of inculturation. community, who will claim a sort of cultural neutrality! The book is a potential resource for tertiary study, teach- The author adopts a methodology to discern what seeds ers, clergy and religious. Those who feel called to mission of the Word God has planted within Maori culture. A to Maori in particular, as well as Christians of goodwill series of themes including Te Ao Marama – the world will benefit from reflecting on this book.n

We will find those books for you Philip Cody SM Books mentioned in this paper, or any other books you can’t find, can be seeds of the word ordered from: This book, itself a taonga, explores the seed of the Gospel and the seedbed of Maoritanga. It looks at the differences and similarities and finds potential for harmony. Use ourO email C to orderBooks – or to receive our Bibliography. Index. 134pp fortnightly email newsletter $29.95 + $3 p/pkg

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Tui Motu InterIslands 29 comment

Waning influence of Syria in the Lebanon

he political unrest in the Middle with the hope of beating National. The East continues. The February Crosscurrents ACT party appears dead. T John Honoré assassination of the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafik Hariri, New Zealand First has only Winston brings to the surface old injustices Peters as a draw card and it seems that suffered under the colonial rule of capitalise on the unrest in the Levant, he has overplayed his hand. His latest France (strongly supported by the by declaring that “freedom will prevail attack on an American book seller Vatican) which was mandated to the in Lebanon”, is not helpful: in no sense in Auckland, under parliamentary French by the League of Nations in can recent events in the Lebanon be privilege, looks outrageous and has 1922. The artificial border between Syria seen as a consequence of Bush’s ‘war endangered the use of the privilege of and Lebanon has remained a problem of liberation’ in Iraq. Lebanon’s future parliament. Winston Peters is a one - area even after 1947, when both nations should rest with its people. It should man band (who has even heard of the became free and independent. remain free of Western interference other members?) polling around five which, since the time of French percent and falling. It seems that only Lebanon’s multiethnic society, based on colonialism, has exacerbated the Tauranga understands Peters, as no French ideas of democracy, has made it political situation in the Levant. other party is seeking his support as a the freest state in the Arab East where coalition partner. His undeniable mana diverse opinions are everywhere. With and unerring ability to attract attention the extending territorial hegemony of Demise of minor parties might not be enough this year to secure Israel, supported by the USA, divisions survival. appeared in Lebanon over sympathy for his is election year so the minor the Palestinians, who sought support for Tparties, on the edges of the political attacks against Israel. There are over spectrum, take on a greater significance Loose canon fired at the UN 200,000 Palestinian refugees living in and should be acting as a moderating Lebanon. This has led to rifts in Lebanon influence on the major players, Labour he US nomination of John Bolton about its identity as an Arab nation in and National. Unfortunately for the Tas UN ambassador sends anoth- support of the Arab Palestinian cause. MMP system, the minor parties seem er signal to the Middle East that Since the 1975 civil war, Lebanon has to be self-destructing. Washington intends to maintain its been the battleground for Arab-Israeli aggressive policy of ‘democratic’ inter- confrontation. This culminated in 1982 After the retirement of Richard Prebble, ference, this time towards Syria and with the Israeli invasion, ordered by Ariel the ACT Party’s leadership was Iran. Bolton has been a harsh critic of Sharon, and the massacre of women and assumed by Rodney Hide, after much the UN and joins the cabal of hard line children living in the refugee camps of bitter debate within party ranks. He has neo-conservatives which runs US for- Shatilla and Sabre. been unsuccessful both in rallying the eign policy. He will seek to emasculate party and gaining support in the polls, the Security Council and what he has Syrian troops who were invited to which is currently languishing around termed as “Kofi Annan’s UN power Lebanon by the Lebanese Christians two percent. Gerry Brownlee put paid grab”. Consider his record. He scuttled in 1976 to stop the brewing civil war, to any alliance with ACT by stating that the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the aligned themselves with the Shiite and “ACT did not deserve to be re-elected”. UN Conference on the illicit trade in Hezbullah parties. This has made Syria This could spell political oblivion for small arms. He was behind the renun- the main power broker in Lebanese the Centre-Right party. ciation of the US signature on the 1998 politics and an unwanted influence. Rome statute creating the International Two Christchurch members of ACT Today, UN Resolution 1559, which calls Criminal Court. for the withdrawal of Syrian troops, have departed, believing that the remains contentious and depends on hierarchy was ignoring ordinary voters. The appointment reinforces the US whether the Lebanese view themselves Both major parties have taken over the intention of dominating the UN and as Arab or Christian, as anti-Israel or centre ground which leaves the ACT sends a signal to the Middle East pro-Western idealists. Party with nowhere to go. It remains that American political and military for Rodney Hide to pursue his ‘perks intervention will continue. The UN Most Lebanese prefer the withdrawal buster’ role which will attract attention will be officially under US control and of Syrian troops, but are not willing but not support. The coup de graçe for its independence and assistance will no to have their independence dominated ACT is the suggestion that John Banks, longer be considered as multinational. by interference from Washington and still with delusions of grandeur despite John R. Bolton is on record as saying Israel. This would only increase the being annihilated in the Auckland “there’s no such thing as the United power of Hezbullah. Bush’s attempt to mayoralty race, will contest Tamaki Nations”. n

30 Tui Motu InterIslands Flying priests not the answer

came away from a recent visit to a which there has been widespread and citizen, spouse and parent. He would be I country parish just south of Auckland protracted consultation. The Bishop and presented to the bishop for ordination feeling angry. The parish has a fine those working with him are doing what as their priest and pastor. church built ten years ago. It is laid out they can with the resources available to in a semicircle, just right for the Sunday them. For the impending deprivation to Given today’s general high level of congregation of 300. Entry is through be suffered by many parish communities, education and the wide availability an ample vestibule that serves well for they are in no way to blame. of pastoral, Biblical and theological parish get-togethers after Mass. Since education, whether by attendance the wall between vestibule and church There is of course a flip side benefit at courses or by distance or Internet proper is in glass, the vestibule serves to such developments. Lay people are learning, the candidate could readily as an overflow area for Christmas, moving into roles of contribution and acquire the required knowledge and Easter and other large gatherings. Mass leadership in the Church that were expertise. This could if necessary at 9.30 each Sunday brings together the denied to their parents. Fine. But there is be through a period of in-service entire parish community. no point in moving from one extreme to education. Securing a competent parish another. To turn the ordained priest into priest “from the ranks” rather than from Aware that this weekly gathering of a sacrament machine, rushing from the seminary would be doing what our faithful with their resident priest was place to place to pour baptismal water, brethren of the Eastern Churches have about to come to an end, I was angry confect the Real Presence, or anoint been doing for a thousand years. that this was due to the intransigence of dying folk he has hardly known, is to One would not like to think that the those in the higher echelons of power in the detriment of the key role he should fervent words that Holy Father has the government of the Church. Soon the be playing through the Eucharist in the written about the importance of Sunday parish will have no resident pastor. Mass building up of Christian community. Mass and its relationship to community will be provided by a flying priest living In my academic retirement I live with were insincere words. But at least in the elsewhere, responsible for Sunday Mass a parish priest who amazes me with era of his successor, it would be hollow in at least three parish churches and in the knowledge and concern he has bleating to continue such statements several out-churches. The possibility for the various members of the parish and not look hard at possible avenues of close links between pastor and flock community. Few flying priests would for providing an adequate supply of will be greatly diminished. be able to make such a contribution. Eucharistic ministers, of which the This will be no way the fault of the How differently our brethren of the ordination of married men may well not Bishop. The number of priests available Eastern Churches would tackle the be the only approach. n to minister in parishes is shrinking and problem. They would look around the Humphrey O'Leary will continue to do so dramatically. community and single out a man who Fr Humphrey O’Leary is rector of the There is in place a Diocesan Plan, about had proven himself as parishioner, Redemptorist community in Glendowie, Auckland

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Tui Motu InterIslands 31 postscript

Prisoners of conscience Jacqueline Wood ave you heard of Peter Benenson? crime but were executed, tortured and to his wife, Susana. Clearly it HPerhaps not. Well, nearly two or incarcerated simply for who they was unsafe for Susana to reply, but million people in 150 countries round were, or for what they believed or one day the long awaited letter came the world have, for he is the founder of espoused. He called them ‘prisoners to say “my husband was set at liberty the organisation to which they belong, of conscience’. In a month, 1,000 on 15 December”. Later, from Diego Amnesty International. In 1961 Peter Observer readers had replied and in six himself: “but the only important thing Benenson read a report of two students months an international organisation is the friendship and love of you. That in a café in Portugal raising their glasses was established. is what I have learned to value more ‘To freedom’. This simple act resulted than anything else”. in their arrest and sentence to seven How does it work? How do you get So what keeps Amnesty going? For years’ imprisonment. a government to respect its citizens’ human rights? At the higher level by most it is a continuing sense of outrage Peter Benenson abandoned his normal diplomats meeting with government at injustice and the knowledge that practice of writing a letter of protest and ministers, by observing trials, by ordinary people can make a difference. delivering it to the relevant embassy. writing reports and publishing facts. So For me it is often tremendous Instead he went into a church to pray. how does the ordinary person fit in? admiration for the courage of the There, the idea ofAmnesty International people we work for. Recently a father took shape. He wrote an article and Some years ago an Amnesty group in was worried about his son, a human took it to the editor of the London Dunedin was assigned a Uruguayan rights defender. His life was on the Sunday newspaper The Observer. prisoner, Diego Nigro, a 26-year-old line, literally, every day. “Are you really carpenter imprisoned without trial prepared to die?” asked the father. “Oh In his article he called on readers to for trade union activities. He was yes, replied the son, “this is indeed a respond, to band together to work held in a notoriously harsh prison in cause I would die for”. for the millions of prisoners around Montevideo. For two years the group Jacqui Wood is a Dunedin member the world who had committed no wrote frequently to the authorities, of Amnesty International

Disturbing use of alcohol by the young disturbing trend in the use of alcohol by the very young has A been revealed in statistics produced by the Injury Prevention Centre. The figures show that alcohol-related hospital admissions for children aged 10-14 have gone up 87% since 1999 when the legal drinking age was reduced to 18. This has prompted calls from organisations such as Alcohol Health Watch and the Salvation Army to raise the legal age back to 20 years. “The alarming rise in young children with alcohol-related problems is confirmed by the experience of The Salvation Army’s front line staff across the country,” says Major Campbell Roberts, Director of The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit. “In a recent study amongst our staff, nearly everyone interviewed raised concerns about children and younger teenagers drinking. We’ve had cases of children as young as 10 years old being regularly drunk.” The Salvation Army is a major provider of alcohol and drug addiction services and sees the consequences of alcohol abuse first hand. Major After originally expressing serious concern that reducing the legal Roberts says the Army’s addiction services are set up to deal with drinking age to 18 would also reduce the de facto drinking age, adults but, “we have increasing numbers of parents calling for help Major Roberts says the Salvation Army is now facing up to the about a teenager whose drinking is out of control,” he says. fact that all its worst claims are turning out to be true.

Catholic Caring Foundation Pvt Bag 47-904, Ponsonby, Auckland – Phone 09 360 3045 for an information pack

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