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A new religious charism in Africa
The African Synod II last October proudly marked the growing number of Africans in religious congregations, some whom occupy important positions. There is a promising future as there are still many young people entering formation houses in Africa. For this, indeed, we can intone Te Deum for such blessing. However my query is: will the African Church continue this present picture of religious life?
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Wear a ribbon of repentance
from Dorothea Russell, Cape Town
As Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg has said, the Church’s credibility is in ruins because of the sexual abuse scandal.
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Why remain a Catholic?
It has not been easy to be a Catholic lately. The scandal of sexual abuse by Church personnel and the subsequent cover-up of criminal acts has been compounded by a series of embarrassing statements made in supposed defence of the Church.
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April 28 to May 4, 2010
Headlines
» Abuse: What SA Church is doing
» Zuma’s first years as president
» Bishop on breakdown of family
» Review: Pope in Malta
» The Catholic vs atheist debate
A battle of memory in the new SA
DANCE OF THE RAIN, by Tom Naude. Heinemann Publishers, Johannesburg. 2009. 142pp.
Reviewed by Michael Shackleton
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Cry, the beloved mission station
By Fr Smangaliso Mkhatshwa
Until the recent past many Catholic churches, especially in rural areas, were called “missions”. This, in the main, was a description of the developmental state of the local Church. Today many of them would be called parishes.
My family once lived on a mission farm. I was later to learn that every diocese comprised several mission stations. When I started my pastoral work in Witbank, I was responsible for 17 such outstations!
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Misguided love for animals
Every now and then I am inclined towards a temper tantrum, usually brought on by an over-indulgence of chocolate or some other diet-induced aberration to my blood sugar which seems to be as temperamental as a touchy tennis player at times. And every year at Lent, I vow and declare to try to last 40 days and 40 nights without disturbing my inner and outer calm.
This year, however, a troop of local baboons decided to put me to the test. They descended on my home, looking for anything edible. This involved scrambling on to my roof and destroying drainpipes along the way.
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Why I am a Brother
By Br Simeon Banda FSM
One day last year I was doing my reflection on the very top of our tank. It was soon after I had turned 50 years old.
I had received messages from diverse friends. The question that fascinated me most was: “Who is a brother today?” Or if I had to ask, like our Lord: “What do people say we are today?” In my context we call a brother “Mchimwene”. The term denotes closer relationships among the members of the blood family.
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Ways to be ‘brides of Christ’ in the world
By Colleen Constable
Recently my brother and I saw a religious sister dressed in a modern jacket and skirt combination, platform high heels and a veil. It disappointed him, as he supports the traditional image of religious sisters: they should wear a habit.
We approached her and met a well-groomed, dynamic, professional woman with a pleasant personality. She is a member of a well-known religious community. We had a vibrant discussion about the image she projected. She loves Christ and his Church. The dress code is an indication of a religious order that has moved with the times. Read more…
Vocations, abuse, and the family
Traditionally this 4th Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday, has been regarded as Vocations Sunday. Again traditionally, it had to do mainly with vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
As vocations to the religious life have declined so drastically, the focus has changed to thinking of vocations more broadly, and so we speak of the vocation of marriage and even sometimes parenting as a vocation. So what does Vocations Sunday call us to do during this year, 2010, with all the hoo-ha and shenanigans going on around us?
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