Plenary Meeting of the Bishops of the Southern African Conference

CANAA || By Fr. S’milo Mngadi, Pretoria || 17 August 2015

The bishops of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) gathered at the Mariannhill Retreat House (part of the Monastery) from to 11 August for their bi-annual plenary assembly. The whole 29 of them were present. The Conference is made up of 5 metropolitan archdioceses, 22 dioceses and 2 Vicariates Apostolic. One vicariate apostolic (Ingwavuma) is vacant and one archdiocese (Durban) has an auxiliary bishop, Bishop Barry Wood OMI.

Being an auxiliary bishop and the liaison bishop for the Leadership Conference of Consecrated Life in Southern Africa (LCCL-SA) made him a critical role-player during this plenary. On Monday (10^th August), he had to preach a homily during the Celebration of the Year of Consecrated Life which he help put together. During this homily, he challenged the religious to keep the “dangerous memory” of Jesus Christ. Switching from English to isiZulu and back very comfortably, he kept the packed St Joseph’s Cathedral, Mariannhill attentive throughout his 20 minutes presentation. Only the fear of the 28 mitres kept the congregation for giving a round of applause after his sermon brightly coloured with stories including the one of the “mouse and the lion.”

Two days earlier, he had had to be a single-man IEC as he conducted the elections for the administrative Troika of the SACBC for the years 2016 to 2018. The results were as follows:

Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town was re-elected for the second term and Bishop Sithembele Sipuka of Mthatha and Bishop Valentine of Gaborone (Botswana) were elected vice-presidents. They are all members of the diocesan clergy. Sr Hermenegild Makoro was also appointed for the second term as the Secretary General.

The plenary always begin with a moment of prayer. This time around prayer focused on the role of the bishop as the chief priest of the diocesan church. This was … by the fiftieth anniversary of the Vatican II’s Decree on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium). After a presentation and common sharing, the bishops put themselves at the feet of the Lord in the exposed Blessed Sacrament resolving to renew their role as the pontifecis of their local churches.

The Plenary also had to listen to the sad and tumultuous turn of events in our South Africa-landlocked Lesotho.

A delegation of three Lesotho bishops; Archbishop Gerard Lerotholi OMI of the capital city Maseru, Bishop Augustinus Bane OMI of Leribe and Bishop John Thlomola SCP, presented the plight of the Lesotho situation. It was shocking to hear of the death threat of Archbishop Lerotholi who is the president of the Lesotho Catholic Bishops’ Conference (LCBC), the chairperson of the ecumenical Lesotho Christian Council and, by birth, a member of the royal family. The bishops of the SACBC resolved to issue a statement and pay a solidarity visit to Lesotho very soon.

The challenges pondered upon were not only Lesotho, South African problem of racism and racial intergration was also on cards. A sociological presentation made by of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation for Non Racialism revealed to the bishops the stark reality of perennial racial tendencies among the South Africans.

The “rainbow” nation is increasingly becoming illusory. Professor Nick Rowe of St Augustine’s College gave a theological analysis and a “reconciliation model” towards the proper and lasting racial integration.

The plenary was formally presented with the preparations for the Beatification of the first martyr of the region, Benedict Daswa. They acknowledged this as the fruit of almost two centuries of initial evangelisation. They also saw this as a great opportunity for catechesis, robust stand against witchcraft beliefs and reaffirmation of the noble vocation and mission of the family especially pertaining the role of husbands and fathers.

On the family note, the bishops sent their representatives to the October synod on the family with the position of “mercy” and of virtue that stands in the middle, not too harsh but not relative either. The representatives are the president, Archbishop Brislin, and Bishop Zolile Mpambani SCJ who is the SACBC bishop for the family.

The year of Mercy, beginning on the 8^th December, will be characterised by each bishop writing a pastoral letter. This will hopefully develop a concrete theology of mercy for our region. A team of priests, both religious and diocesans, will form teams to preach missions on the theme of mercy.

Providentially, its beginning will be pre-fixed with the Mini World Youth Day to be held at Bosco Centre, Johannesburg from the 3^rd to the 6^th December 2015 and during it, the great exorcist Fr Denis McManus will conduct workshops throughout the region on releasing people from the clutches of the evil one (exorcism)

The finances are looking well. The Lenten Appeal brought in over R9 million (some funds still forthcoming). The SACBC Foundation is slowly growing under the capable hands of the newly-appointed director, Monsignor Barney McAleer. St Augustine’s College is still on shaky financial grounds while the adequate care for the clergy (remuneration, pension, medical aid) is still a challenge for many dioceses.

Finally, the bishops approved the campaign against pornography and approved the new Catholic body for education, the CBE with the Catholic Institute of Education as its operating agency. They also gave a go-ahead to the publication of the new catechism for teenagers, namely, “Living the Word, Learning the Faith”

STATEMENT BY THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE

ON THE EXTENSION OF THE SEPARATION BARRIER IN THE CREMISAN VALLEY

This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another' (Zech 7:9)

The Catholic Bishops of Southern Africa, gathered in Mariannhill for their plenary session, are saddened and dismayed to learn of the recent decision by the Israeli Supreme Court to allow the Separation Barrier to be built in the Cremisan Valley.

The extension of the Separation Barrier will severely affect the livelihoods and the quality of life of 58 Christian families, whose land and olive orchards have been in their families for generations. Furthermore, it will separate them from the spiritual and pastoral care of the Salesian Sisters and the Monastery both of which which will remain in Palestinian territory.

The extension of the Barrier will be a further encroachment on Palestinian lands close to Bethlehem, squeezing the population once again into a smaller area. The building of the barrier on Palestinian territory is arguably illegal in international law – most certainly it places more obstacles in the way of finding peace in the Middle East and contributes to further destabilization of the whole region.

We believe that peace can only be achieved by seeking justice for all. The separation of peoples through walls and barriers can only further divide and anger people, and will not contribute to peace. We call on all leaders in the Holy Land to work for peace by seeking justice, and to show mercy and compassion to one another. We express our solidarity and support for the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Faoud Twal, his auxiliary bishops and all the suffering peoples of the Holy Land.

Furthermore, we hold all people of the Middle East in our hearts and in our prayers.

Archbishop Stephen Brislin

President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

SACBC SOLIDARITY MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF LESOTHO

We, the Bishops of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) gathered here in Mariannhill this August 2015 wish to express our solidarity with our brothers and sisters from the Kingdom of Lesotho. We would like to express that Lesotho is not alone, the Bishops and the Catholic community are with you in this time of need.

We have been following the events in your country since the outbreak of violence in August 2014 with shock and dismay in particular the recent killing of the Lesotho Defence Force Commander, L.G. Maaparankoe Mahao on the 25^th June 2015. We are shocked that such a horrendous act was done by some members of the Lesotho Defence Forces. This action reflects the predicament in which many Basotho people find themselves, that they are not safe in their own country. It brings fear and threatens the foundations of human rights, especially the right to life, and throws out the democratic principles on which many constitutions are founded. We are well aware that even last year some disturbances took place in Lesotho. We call upon leaders in Lesotho to come together to seek a lasting solution to the Lesotho problems. As leaders, we condemn any attack on any person.

Affirming that Basotho are best positioned to solve their own problems, we also commend the actions of SADC leaders who acted swiftly and quickly to try and solve the challenges that had befallen the Kingdom of Lesotho. We believe that as long as one of the countries in Southern Africa is unstable, it affects all its neighbours.

We call for open dialogue as a way of solving the problems that are facing Lesotho. We therefore need to stand together with all the Basotho people and condemn any form of violence, especially when it is being done by the state.

We pray for peace in Lesotho and ask the government to respect the human rights of its citizen and to promote tolerance of different opinions.

Issued by: Archbishop Stephen Brislin

President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference