The SSoouutthheerrnnCCrroossss September 17 to September 23 , 2014 Reg No. 1920/002058/06 No 4891 www.scross.co.za R7,00 (incl VAT RSA) Benedict Meet our new Is this SA’s Daswa’s friend columnist: most integrated on martyr Gushwell Brooks parish Page 9 Page 7 Page 10 Hanging with pope a ‘life-changer’ BY DYLAN APPOLIS The list of questions included: what the pope did in his spare time, whether he had OR an East London primary school, chat - met Nelson Mandela, what he would do if he ting with Pope Francis on a video link had complete control over his citizens, and Fthat brought together the pontiff and his opinion of why humanity has been sepa - pupils from five schools around the world rated from God. will remain a memory of a lifetime. Teagan Bok from Selborne Primary said “This was a life-changing experience not not only did the session represent an oppor - only for me and the school, but for the 12 tunity to learn, but also to put the school’s boys who took part as well,” said Aubrey name on the map. “My question was where Pepler, deputy principal of Selborne Pri - he grew up and what his best memories of mary School in East London. childhood are,” he said. The pupils could barely conceal their ex - “This is huge, I don’t think the boys even citement when their school was one of five realise how big this is. This was also the first schools invited, and the only school from hangout session ever done by Pope Francis. It Africa, to have a conversation with Pope was most definitely a massive success for my Francis in a Google Hangout session. school,” Mr Pepler said. Google Hangout is an instant messaging During the session, Pope Francis recalled and video chat platform. getting into trouble in Grade 4. The students from schools in South Africa, “I wasn’t respectful towards the teacher, Australia, Israel, Turkey and El Salvador heard and the teacher called my mother. My advice from Pope Francis, who was speaking mother came, I stayed in class and the in his native Spanish from the Vatican. teacher stepped out, then they called for me. Pope Francis also allowed the pupils to ex - A screen-grab of 13 students from Selborne Primary School in East London putting their “My mom was really calm. I feared the press their views during the video conference. questions to Pope Francis on Google Hangout in an event that brought together five schools worst,” he said. After getting him to admit to He participated in the Google Hangout from across the world to chat with the pope through the Internet video conferencing facility. his wrongdoing, his mother told him to apol - project after meeting with the directors of the ogise to the teacher. Scholas Ocurrentes organisation, an interna - contact with the head of Google South Africa, video equipment, to use for the virtual hang - The pope said he apologised and remem - tional education initiative based in Argentina Karen Welstra, who has visited Selborne Pri - out session, sent from the United States via bered “it was easy and I was happy. But there that promotes development of young stu - mary “to see what we have achieved as we courier. was an Act 2 when I got home,” insinuating dents through technology, sports, arts and have gone Google”. The Google Hangout project started at stiffer punishment had followed. culture. The invitation to participate was issued by 16:45 with all the schools logged in simulta - However, today, if a teacher notes a prob - The Scholas initiative was begun in the Google Hangout project in California, neously. lem with a student, “the next day, the mother Buenos Aires and supported by its then-Arch - which selected the five schools. The session lasted 15 minutes and was and father denounce the teacher”, Pope Fran - bishop Jorge Bergoglio, who also used to Mr Pepler said he worked with the school’s conducted in Spanish. The public could view cis said. teach high school when he was a young Je - headboy, asking him “to send me a list of the hangout session via YouTube. The family, schools and culture have to suit priest. Grade 7 boys he would recommend”. Part of Selborne’s team was Grade 6 learner work together for the well-being of the child, Mr Pepler told The Southern Cross that his The confirmation of their participation Christian Zacapa, who is fluent in Spanish he said. People have to “rebuild this village school’s involvement came about through its came in the form of a package of camera and and spoke on behalf of the school. in order to educate a child”. 1,5 million small steps towards heaven STAFF REPORTER catechetical content. The short messages have newspapers and radio. been drawn from the documents of Vatican II, A similar idea among this month’s SMSs fter three years in operation, the JOY the teaching of popes from St John XXIII on - captures the challenge of this service. It comes text message service will send out its wards, Vatican commissions, and the Cate - from the Pontifical Council for Social Commu - 1,5 millionth SMS on September 24. A chism of the Catholic Church. nications which said: “Media and advertising In May 2011, as part of the Hope&Joy net - have two options: either to help humans grow work, the Jesuit Institute launched a world- Each period takes a theme. This month, fol - in their understanding and practice of what is first SMS service. Each day JOY has been lowing Catholic Communications Sunday, the sharing extracts of Church teaching in the focus is on communications, media and adver - true and good, or to be a destructive force.” form of an SMS available on any cellphone, tising—and shares short sharp messages that Mgr Janvier Yameogo from the council, no matter how old. tie in with the theme. who visited South Africa this month, com - Since the launch almost 6 000 people have The service started with a famous quote mended a service like JOY as a good example signed up to the service at one time or another. from the 1963 Vatican II document Inter Miri - of how modern media can be constructive. The service was inspired by the Redemp - fica which encourages Christians to use all the Fr Russell Pollitt, the new director of the Je - Fr Russell Pollitt, new director of the Jesuit torists’ motivational SMSs which share a media at their disposal to build the Kingdom suit Institute, said: “I love Twitter and Face - Institute, said that no medium has wider reach book but I also know that no medium has as than SMS. He is seen addressing a media thought for the day or the readings for the day. of God, which was in stark contrast to a previ - workshop for bishops earlier this month. The JOY service focuses on educational or ous Vatican stance that had been suspicious of Continued on page 3 The SSoouutthheerrnn CCrroossss PILGRIMAGE 2015 For info HOLY LAND • ROME • TURIN phone Gail at 7 - 21 May 2015 076 35 2 3809 or 021 551 3923 See the Holy Land, the pope and the Shroud of [email protected] Turin with ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM SLATTERY fowlertours.co.za Jerusalem | Bethlehem | Nazareth | Boatride on Sea of Gailee | River Jordan | Turin with reserved viewing of the Holy Shroud | Florence |Papal Audience in the Vatican |Catacombs | Ancient & Baroque Rome | Four Major Basilicas | and much more... 2 The Southern Cross, September 17 to September 23, 2014 LOCAL Bricks saved SA to pray for Middle East peace for building of BY STUART GRAHAM Israel or by Palestinine, the use of violence would “never bring a solu - IOCESES across South Africa tion to the problems of the Holy Hurley centre will hold a week of prayer for Land”. Dpeace in the Middle East and “We call on the leaders of Pales - for the “suffering people of Gaza” BY DYLAN APPOLIS tine and Israel to put an end to the from September 21-27. war and to cease the violence—to HEN Durban’s Emmanuel The week of prayer will include a stop killing each other,” he said. cathedral parish centre collection in all dioceses to support “We call upon them, in the Wwas demolished last year, a children’s home in Gaza. name of the God of Love they both 500 bricks were saved from the rub - “At the last plenary session of worship—and with the collabora - ble and are now being used to build the bishops of the Southern African tion of the international commu - a coffee bar in the new Denis Hur - Catholic Bishops’ Conference, it nity—to commit themselves to ley Centre (DHC). was decided to express our solidar - respect their common and funda - “We saved 500 bricks in order to ity with the suffering people in mental dignity and rights and to di - create a link between the old and Gaza,” said Bishop José Luís Ponce alogue, to real negotiations and the new centre,” DHC coordinator de León of Manzini, Swaziland, on building of a lasting peace.” Paddy Kearney said. his blog ( bhubesi.blogspot.com ). The week of prayer will start with The bricks used in the coffee bar “This would be done by support - a prayer for peace by Pope Francis, come from the 108-year-old build - ing a week of prayer for peace to be which was composed for the meet - ing, which housed St Augustine’s held in all our dioceses and by taking ing with Palestinian President Mah - School before it was the parish cen - up a collection by the end of Septem - moud Abbas and then-Israeli tre.