Archdiocesan News A PUBLICATION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OF CAPE TOWN • ISSUE NO 89 • JULY-SEPTEMBER 2018 • FREE OF CHARGE A Cry to the Beloved Country Meeting the Challenge of Land A Statement by the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference CELEBRATING 200 YEARS OF CATHOLIC FAITH Urgency of the Land Issue and human dignity; a democracy at It is widely accepted that the matter the service of the common good; trans- of land ownership in South Africa calls parent and incorruptible leadership; for urgent attention. The consultations responsible dialogue; non-violence; conducted throughout the land have respect for the Constitution and the evoked and are evoking strong feelings judicial process; practical wisdom and which cannot be ignored or simply the rejection of populism… etc. brushed away. A nerve with strong • New initiatives historical roots and which cries out for Both old and new ideas must be healing and the restoration of justice, revived and re-imagined, as for has been touched. example: the publication of success- Based on Biblical teaching (1) ful models of shared ownership; the and further developed by the Social active encouragement, development Teaching of the Catholic Church, we and incentivization of such models; affirm that the land is meant for all the the generous involvement of civil soci- peoples of the earth and is held by us in ety and business; renewed economic a sacred trust. There is no such thing decentralization and the revival of rural as the absolute ownership of land. (2) areas; the opening up of marketing Human Beings are always at the centre bodies; support for socially responsible of our social and economic life. It is entrepreneurial initiatives; the encour- a matter of human and divine justice agement of voluntary initiatives and that people have access to the land and the promotion of simple and selfless that it be equitably distributed. In this lifestyles…etc. These examples only perspective, priority has to be given to serve to highlight the urgent need the poor and the landless. (3) for new creativity in the conversation To ignore these fundamental realities around land and the other factors of is to invite a backlash that can only be production. harmful to all the citizens of our land. Conclusion The Complexity of the Land Issue We the Bishops of the Catholic The framing of the debate in terms Church, maintain that these and other only of the expropriation of the land broad human and divine values are without compensation is at best only imperative. To ignore these would be the beginning of the process, at worst dangerously irresponsible, morally the opening of a Pandora’s box. There unacceptable and harmful to human As those who attended will testify, the Bi-centennial Closing Mass is no easy or simple solution to this persons and the common good. Our celebrating 200 years of Catholic Faith in Southern Africa was a vexed matter. In order to appreciate the call is addressed not only to our own beautiful and joyful celebration of faith – from the choirs to the complexity of the matter we have only Catholic leaders and communities but liturgical dancers, from the planning and organising to the live to consider the following facts amongst also to all people of goodwill who are streaming, from the powerful homily to the presence of southern others: passionately concerned to see a true Africa’s bishops – it was a once in a lifetime experience! the magnitude of the demand and just flourishing of our Beloved In his ‘From the Heart’ column on page 2, Archbishop Stephen for land; the shortage of land in Brislin expresses a huge ‘Thank You’ to all who contributed Country - and indeed of the whole towards the success of the day, encouraging us all to continue to sought-after urban areas; concur- Southern African region and further live our faith with joy and hope. See a gallery of pics and the live rent claims to the same land; the afield. stream video on the Home Page of our website – www.adct.org.za problem of long and drawn-out At this critical time and recalling the litigation; the reality and danger best of decisions leading up to 1994, of corruption in the process; the we believe we are once again called to is always subordinated to the right to limited capacity of the State in respond to the critical challenge of this common use, to the fact that goods are dealing with the whole process – cf. time. Guided by the noblest of human meant for everyone.’ [#177] the present backlog… And so, the values and divine truths we pledge 3. The principle of the universal ecclesia list continues… ourselves to be a part of this creative destination of goods which is at the It is no exaggeration to say that the process. heart of our tradition requires that ‘the present situation calls for a great leap poor, the marginalised and in all cases THE CHURCH IS AN OPEN DOOR of creativity. At this crucial time in our those whose living conditions inter- history we have to make this leap. Archbishop Stephen Brislin fere with their proper growth should Challenges confronting us President Southern African be the focus of particular concern.’ In urgently seeking a creative response Catholic Bishops’ Conference [Compendium #182] we need to broaden the conversation 4. Our tradition allows for expro- beyond that simply of expropriation Media Queries: priation if it is for the common good. without compensation. (4) Amongst Archbishop William Slattery OFM The Catechism of the Catholic Church the many factors that have to be taken Archbishop of Pretoria (CCC) states: “The universal destina- into account, are the following: and Spokesperson for the tion of goods remains primordial, even the unacceptable gap between the Southern African Catholic if the promotion of the common good rich and the poor; a pervasive greed Bishops’ Conference requires respect for the right to private both old and new – a stubborn hold- + 27 83 468 5473 property and its exercise.... The owner- ing on to and a relentless pursuit of Footnotes ship of any property makes its holder a privilege; the collapse of the rural 1. Leviticus 25:23 ‘Land shall not be steward of Providence, with the task of economy and the influx of people sold in perpetuity, for the land belongs making it fruitful and communicating into our cities; the involvement of to me, and to me you are only strangers its benefits to others. [CCC 2403. Traditional Leaders and security and guests.” 2404, 2406] of land tenure; the productivity of 2. The Compendium of the Social Pope Francis in his encyclical Training for Facilitators – 1 September 2018 the land; the building of capacity Doctrine of the Church states “Christian ‘Laudato Si’, quotes Pope John Paul II and access to markets; a destructive tradition has never recognised the right as follows “The principle of the sub- Season – Five Sessions and dehumanizing consumerism; to private property as absolute and ordination of private property to the … etc. untouchable. On the contrary it has universal destination of goods, and 30 September to 28 October 2018 Towards a creative response always understood this right within the thus the right of everyone to their use, • Enduring values and principles broader context of the right common is a golden rule of social conduct and DVD = R15 each Booklets = R15 each We affirm the need at all times for to all to use the goods of the whole of ‘the first principle of the whole ethical Order now from the CPD office 021 462 2417 the following: respect for human life creation. The right to private property and social order.’” ARCHDIOCESAN NEWS July-SeptemberVisit the Archdiocese2018 of Cape Town’s website on www.adct.org.za / Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/archdiocesecapetown 1 A lot of exciting things have been hap- From pening over the past few months! We h ave h a d t wo yoUng ADUlts talKS, one at Durbanville and one the at Wynberg parish, with the topics of Stress (by Lisa Horn) and Relationships (by Sven and Franci Ruygrok). Both were well attended by young adults from a variety of parishes. HEART The talks are part of our efforts to build a young adult community in the Archdiocese across parishes, and we “Thank you” are two simple words the choirs, the liturgists, the chan- would really encourage people to to say and yet they can make all cery staff, the volunteers who put attend the next talk on 26 October. the difference. So often we take out the chairs and arranged the the assistance and kindness we altar area, ushers – it was one receive from others for granted great team effort. Thank you to all and forget to say those two words of you, you are absolutely great. of acknowledgement of the help we It was such a pleasure to have have been given. Much the same the bishops present, or their applies in our relationship with representatives for those who God – so often, especially when could not make it. The sacrifice we are feeling rather desperate, of those who had travelled from we turn to God and pray for help other dioceses in order to par- and intervention, and when the ticipate in the liturgy signalled crisis passes we forget to express the unity we have as Catholics our gratitude, or we may do so in a in the three countries of the cursory way. Bishops’ Conference. Diverse in Our YOUth Day celebra- parishes participating in a Mass cel- it’. Fr Peter-John Pearson gave us a And so my message to all of you every way, we are united in our tions were a great success with ebrated by the Archbishop – and then rousing sermon, as he always does! is “thank you”, especially for the faith and love of God.