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Highlight of the Catholic week
By Fr Kevin Reynolds, Pretoria
The plethora of letters and articles in your newspaper since the introduction of amended English liturgical texts is understandable. Read more…
Let’s stick to the truth
IN 1974, President Richard Nixon of the United States was forced to resign office because of the Watergate Scandal. In 1978 the South African prime minister John Vorster was likewise ousted after the so-called Muldergate Scandal. Both men’s countries had become disgusted by the deceit and lies associated with these men of high office. Read more…
Is there still a need for religious vocations?
By Joseph Falkiner OP
While coordinating a team promoting vocations for ten male religious orders and congregations in KwaZulu-Natal, I heard it said that the Church needs diocesan priests rather than those of male religious congregations. This raises the question: is there still a need for men and women religious? Read more…
Open Door
Michael Shackleton answers your question
Creed rooted in specific meaning
In the past Nicene Creed form, we used the words “begotten of the Father”. In the new form we say “born of the Father”. The two words have totally conflicting implications. Please elucidate. Read more…
Change the mind’s moral furniture
I was very glad to read in The Southern Cross’ Christmas edition that some parishes have decided to make 2009 a year to promote social justice in our country. The truth of the matter is that South Africa does have progressive laws, but we’re failing to implement them effectively. Read more…
Anagrams for Africa: what an army of winners!
Well, the judges have put their heads together, and I’m delighted to say they have been unanimous in their choice of winners of The Southern Cross Anagram Competition which came to an end at midnight on December 31.
From a quick glance at the entries, it is clear that many Southern Cross readers thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. A very special thanks to all those who entered and commiserations to those who were disqualified because the number of letters in their anagrams did not match up to the number of words in the original phrase they chose. Read more…
Waiting for Vatican III
26th January was the 50th anniversary of Blessed John XXIII’s announcement that an ecumenical council would be held beginning in 1962. He asked the whole church to pray that it would be a “new Pentecost”. I remember praying that prayer each day with my class in a Catholic high school in the US. I dídn’t know what a “new Pentecost” for the church would mean. And maybe he didn’t either. Read more…
The Law of Unintended Linguistic Outcomes
In many ways South Africa is a laboratory of social change. Most unexpectedly, our little Catholic community has become an experiment in the minor religious department of that laboratory. I refer of course to the new English texts of the Mass which have generated such surprising friction. It appears that the South African church has jumped the liturgical gun and we find ourselves well ahead of the rest of the anglophone Church in the process of implementation. Our experience seems to be providing some valuable food for thought. Read more…
How much for my sock?
I find it quite alarming how rapidly the gap between rich and poor is widening. And to make matters worse, it seems that the rich are going to far greater lengths to see which of them can find the most ridiculous reasons for getting rid of excess cash in pursuit of keeping up with the Joneses. Read more…
TV violence fosters real-life violence
by Mark Pattison
A new American study, to be published in February, shows that exposure to violent media makes adolescents more likely to be violent or aggressive themselves.
Even when other factors that can contribute to violent behaviour are present, according to the study, the tendency for young people to become violent or aggressive as the result of watching violent media still exists. Read more…
