January 12 to January 18 , 2011 www.scross.co.za R5,50 (incl VAt RSA) Reg No. 1920/002058/06 No 4712 Fists and fury in Pope Benedict: How to reach Christianity’s Music can speak your goals for holiest place where words fail 2011 Page 10 Page 5 Page 7 SA youth gears up for WYD ’11 By CLAiRe MAtHieSON fact all groups—need clear focus in terms of their goals for WYD,” said Mr Pillay. OCAL preparations for World Youth He explained the beginning of the jour - Day (WYD) 2011 in Madrid, Spain, ney focused almost exclusively on Lare underway. fundraising activities. The pilgrimage has While pilgrims are allowed to attend been quoted at costing individuals individually, various dioceses are arrang - between R1 5 000 and R2 5 000. However, ing tours to the event which will be held Mr Pillay said, “we realised [fundraising] during August—and the archbishop of was not our fundamental purpose of being Johannesburg hopes pilgrims from his together, since fundraising was only a archdiocese will help persuade organisers means to an end, and not the end itself”. to stage the next WYD in South Africa’s largest city. rchbishop Tlhagale said it is important Onlookers watch as firefighters extinguish a fire on the roof of the Our Lady of St Remy Archbishop Buti Tlhagale said he hopes Athat pilgrims attend for the right rea - abbey in Rochefort, Belgium. the abbey is the home of a community of trappist monks, and the archdiocese of Johannesburg will sons. He reminded parishes sending pil - houses one of the world’s five breweries operated by the order. the Rochefort brewery was attend as one. Failure to do so could grims to bear in mind that these young due to resume operations in the second week of January. Nobody was injured in the blaze “result to the world thinking that the people represent the archdiocese, so repre - which some 70 firefighters put out. (Photo: thierry Dricot, Reuters/CNS) archdiocese of Johannesburg is not uni - sentatives should be of “good morals and fied, which could result to possi - values, as this is going to be a bilities of us hosting the next spiritual journey which we’ll be WYD being slim”, he warned. taking with the pope”. Nigerian head urged to act on attacks The archdiocese of Johannes - Likewise, the group from Port burg has strongly advised pilgrims Elizabeth has taken a “holistic” By PeteR AJAyi DADA to register through its youth approach to the preparations to office. Archbishop Tlhagale has ensure the spiritual dimension of RCHBISHOP John Olorunfemi said that WYD is “a pilgrimage for the journey is properly estab - Onaiyekan of Abuja has urged Niger - young people from all over the lished. Some exercises to achieve Aian President Goodluck Jonathan to world, representing their different this included rediscovering tradi - take bold steps to address the level of inse - dioceses, metropolitans and vari - tional Catholic prayers, reciting curity in the country. ous organisations”. the Rosary, Eucharistic adoration Archbishop Onaiyekan, former president Youth in the Johannesburg and spiritual reflections. of the Christian Association of Nigeria, archdiocese have been meeting Mr Pillay said it is important spoke to journalists after a bomb blast in his monthly in preparation for the WYD. that the pilgrims be united in their jour - city and other violence and attacks in and They have started working on musical ney. Through bonding with each other around the city of Jos. beats, lyrics, and working on designing the “we begin to experience the face of Christ “What is expected of Jonathan’s adminis - uniform. in a personal and profound way”, he said. tration at the moment is clear, vivid and The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ The Sacred Heart pilgrims have, as part strict measures in tackling the continuous Conference is also expected to propose a of their preparations, tried to take their cases of bomb blasts in the country,” the A man mourns at the grave of people who specific design of t-shirts for the entire work outside of the visible boundaries of archbishop said. died in last month’s riots in Nigeria’s central Southern Africa to unify pilgrims even fur - the Church and have become involved in He said that in dealing with issues of ter - city of Jos. (Photo: Afolabi Sotunde, ther. soup kitchens and Amnesty International Reuters/CNS) rorism, politics should be separated from Preparations in the diocese of Port Eliz - campaigns. Mr Pillay said the goal of the criminality. He added that suspects in ter - abeth have included a busy fundraising Sacred Heart group is to mirror the theme rorist acts are treated with kid gloves. be the most powerful nation in Africa, schedule. Diocesan youth chairwoman of WYD 2011: “Rooted and built up in “If you bombed and killed people, that is parading the strongest military might, to be Gail Smith said various parishes were Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith”. criminal,” he said. “If you carry bombs held by the jugular by a faceless group of undertaking projects to mobilise the Fr Charles Prince of the youth desk in around and detonate them with the aim of individuals. Where, then, is the security of youth. the archdiocese in Cape Town said indi - killing and destroying not only this country? Who are members of this The parish of Sacred Heart in Port Eliza - vidual parishes are sending pilgrims and persons...but their properties, that is a crimi - group?” the cardinal asked. beth has devised a three-tier strategic pri - have been arranging the pilgrimage over nal act that requires the prompt action in “My advice to the president is for him to ority plan to ensure the pilgrims are ready the past few months, but have simply punishing the culprits.” show now that there is a government in to attend the event. been guided by the archdiocese. In late December, Lagos Cardinal Antho - place in this country by taking the bull by “Our parish pilgrims operate under a Those still interested in getting ny Olubunmi Okogie warned that if the cur - the horn,’’ he said. three tier priority plan which entails spiri - involved in WYD should contact their rent government fails to deal with perennial Meanwhile, prominent Christian and tuality, fundraising and team building and local diocese office. sectarian crises, Nigerians would be forced Muslim leaders have accused politicians social engagement,” said Alexis Pillay, pil - This year will mark the 16th time the to pick up the gauntlet and defend them - who want to sabotage the April national grimage leader for Sacred Heart. world’s youth has been called together for selves. and local elections of instigating the recent “Very early on in our meetings, Sacred the World Youth Day (WYD) which was “It is not right for a country reputed to violence.—CNS Heart pilgrims realised that our group—in initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985. JP2’s sainthood cause gets miracle boost By CAROL GLAtz still have to sign a decree formally recog - the congregation and, finally, Pope Bene - nising it before a beatification ceremony dict. PRESUMED miracle needed for the can be scheduled. In 2005, Pope Benedict set Pope John beatification of the late Pope John Mr Tornielli, who covers the Vatican for Paul, who died in April that year, on the APaul II reportedly has reached the the newspaper Il Giornale , wrote that the fast track to beatification by waiving the final stages of approval. process is so far advanced that Pope John normal five-year waiting period for the The miracle—involving a French nun Paul could be beatified sometime this year. introduction of his sainthood cause. said to have been cured of Parkinson’s dis - Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombar - The initial diocesan phase of the cause ease—has been approved by a Vatican med - di SJ said that the final step before beatifi - was completed in April 2007. After a team ical board and a group of theologians and cation requires the pope’s approval and of theological consultants to the Congrega - is now awaiting judgment from the mem - that the pope is free to make his own deci - tion for Saints’ Causes studied the 2 000- bers of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, sion on the matter. page positio , the document that makes the according to Italian journalist Andrea According to Mr Tornielli, at the end of case for beatification, Tornielli. 2010, the presumed miracle passed the first Pope Benedict formally decreed in Sr Marie-Simon-Pierre who is said to have If the congregation accepts the healing three stages in a five-step process that December 2009 that Pope John Paul had been cured of Parkinson’s disease through as a miracle attributable to the late pope’s involves medical experts, a medical board, heroically lived the Christian virtues and the intercession of Pope John Paul ii. intercession, then Pope Benedict would theological consultants, the members of was venerable.—CNS (Photo: Serge Pagano, Reuters/CNS) 2 the Southern Cross, January 12 to January 18, 2011 LOCAL Bishop slams ‘vocation drought’ Cardinal slams ‘annoying’ StAFF RePORteR N his homily at the final profession of Mass confusion Cecilia Mavutheka, Bishop Sithem - Ibele Sipuka of Mthatha spoke out on By CLAiRe MAtHieSON ground for 40 years and is now the Mass, the people rise and the “rarity of vocation to religious life” a widespread error saying answer: “May the Lord…” and “lack of perseverance”. ARDINAL Wilfrid Napier “sadly it seems to be nearly as Cardinal Napier said in prin - “In the drought of vocation, Sr Cecil - of Durban has criticised widespread now as it was ciple the liturgy requires con - ia dares to make her final vows,” Bishop Cthe confusion and “aber - then”.