Abuse Summit Empty Repetition?
Caine Stadler, Cape Town – Watching highlights from the Vatican summit on abuse, I cannot see how SACBC head Bishop Sithembele Sipuka can make the sweeping statement that the summit “will be a turning...
Category: Letter of the Week
We have No Role At All in Electing our Bishops
Sr Sue Rakoczy IHM,Cedara, KZN – All that Raymond Perrier says in his column “Why we have to plan for successors” is true, but a larger issue is at stake. What role do the...
We Have Become Mere Merchandise
Sr Angelika Laub OP, Pretoria – Once the market was seen as a site of exchange, of encounter among people, as a place of demonstrating one’s own skills and productivity. It was also a...
Priest: Clericalism Leaves No Space for True Relationship
Fr Dennis Ongansie CO, Oudtshoorn – Clericalism is a big stumbling block to effective pastoral ministry because it imposes an artificial relationship on the clergy, particularly parish priests, and the Catholic faithful. As a priest,...
RENEW’s Small Groups Ongoing
Duncan Hyam, Johannesburg – In his letter “Offer us the best of our Church to stem exit“, Frans van Neerijnen offers a significant number of suggestions regarding engaging Catholics to keep them from leaving...
Truly Take Part in Mass: Explain the Proceedings
Antonio Tonin, East London – I was intrigued by Frans van Neerijnen’s letter on making the Church more attractive to the faithful to stem the loss of Catholics to Pentecostal churches. May I offer...
Wake Up to Stop Loss of Catholics
Mary Bowers, Cape Town – The article by Professor Michael Ogunu on the exodus of Catholics to Pentecostal churches personally concerns me. I have been affected by this sad loss for many years, with...
Married Priest’s Role Too Taxing?
Henry Sylvester, Cape Town – While your editorial on clerical celibacy valiantly attempts to make a case for the Church to possibly change or dispose of the “discipline” of celibacy, your argument highlights an...
Offer The Best of Our Church to Stem Exit
Frans van Neerijnen, Johannesburg – How can we stop the exodus from the Catholic Church to Pentecostal churches? A number of valid suggestions have been made, but several additional suggestions have been left out, as...
Pentecostalism is the Catholic Church
Fr Ralph de Hahn, Cape Town – In his two articles on the Pentecostal movement sweeping the world (January 16 and 23), Prof Michael Ogunu gives us an excellent history of Pentecostalism. What Prof...
Abortion Clinic Head Turns Pro-Life
Stephen A Clark, Manila, Philippines – An upcoming movie, Unplanned, due for release in the US in March, is an important account of repentance. It’s the true story of Abby Johnson, a former director of...
Neverending: Now it’s Nuns Stealing
Mickey Roberts, Cape Town – What I have learnt from the sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church, and in other religious denominations, is how the credibility of the Church has been tainted. I...
