Dropping the ‘Father’?
Pope Francis frequently condemns a culture of clericalism in which priests “lord it” over the laity and pursue a path of self-aggrandisement rather than of service. It is a culture of clericalism in which...
Category: Editorials 2019
Driving Out Christians
Pilgrims to the Holy Land will see in abundance the holy shrines of Our Lord and the rocks of the prophets. These are often referred to as the “Ancient Stones” of the faith. These...
Spirit’s Searing Grace Can Hurt and Heal
Guest Editorial by Michael Shackleton – An archbishop from Australia has unwittingly provided us with something to think about on Pentecost Sunday. As president of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Mark Coleridge of...
For the People
Guest editorial by Michael Shackleton – With South Africa’s 2019 general elections behind us, it would not be inappropriate to ponder again the Church’s expectations of the newly elected government. Our bishops have once...
Celibacy Needs More Explaining
Guest Editorial by Michael Shackleton – “The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into the harvest” (Mt 9:37). This exhortation from the...
The State of Vocations in the Church
On Vocations Sunday we pray in a special way that God’s call to service in the priestly or religious ministry will find many open ears and hearts. The vocations crisis in Europe and North...
The Southern Cross: A Question of Survival
Later this year, The Southern Cross will enter its 100th year of publication, culminating in its centenary in October 2020. That jubilee will be a good time to reflect on a long history of...
South Africa After 25 Years
The Rainbow Nation, it has turned out, was just as elusive as the appearances of colours created by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light. In the 25 years since those exhilarating days when South...
Our Own Exodus From Egypt
Guest editorial: Fikile Moya – There seems to be an appetite among some modern Christians to downplay the Jewish roots of their faith It is as though the only scriptures worth paying attention to are...
Why We Can Say: Hosanna in the Highest
Hosanna! The crowds in Jerusalem afforded Jesus a euphoric entry into Jerusalem. Within five days, the blink of an eye in a lifetime, Jesus died an unheralded death on a cross. At Mass...
Mentality of Arrogance
The report that British officials turned down asylum applications by Christians from Iran by mocking their faith is symptomatic of the increasing lack of respect given to people of faith in secularised countries. An...
The Ideal Politician
As South Africans prepare to vote on May 8, they will survey the promises, ideologies and track-records of the various parties and the candidates they are fielding for election. By and large, they will...
