National RE Coordinator: Position

NATIONAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CO:ORDINATOR

The CIE is a dynamic, creative NGO serving Catholic schools in South Africa.

The position of National Religious Education Co-ordinator has become vacant and we are looking for an innovative, passionate Religious Educator to fill the position. The CIE invites applications for this post to start as soon as possible.

The successful applicant must have:

• A teaching qualification and registration with SACE
• A qualification in Theology, Scripture or Religious Education
• Experience of teaching RE in a South African Catholic school
• An understanding of the place of Religious Education in Catholic schools

In addition the candidate must be able to travel extensively across South Africa, have a driver’s licence and excellent writing skills. This is a Johannesburg based position.

Applications, together with a CV and contactable referees, to be sent to portia@cie.org.za by 30 October 2018.

A cry to the beloved country – meeting the challenge of land

 A statement by the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference

Urgency of the Land Issue

It is widely accepted that the matter of land ownership in South Africa calls for urgent attention.  The consultations conducted throughout the land have evoked and are evoking strong feelings which cannot be ignored or simply brushed away.  A nerve with strong historical roots and which cries out for healing and the restoration of justice, has been touched.

Based on Biblical teaching (1) and further developed by the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church, we affirm that the land is meant for all the peoples of the earth and is held by us in a sacred trust. There is no such thing as the absolute ownership of land. (2)  Human Beings are always at the centre of our social and economic life.  It is a matter of human and divine justice that people have access to the land and that it be equitably distributed. In this perspective, priority has to be given to the poor and the landless. (3)

To ignore these fundamental realities is to invite a backlash that can only be harmful to all the citizens of our land.

The Complexity of the Land Issue

The framing of the debate in terms only of the expropriation of the land without compensation is at best only the beginning of the process, at worst the opening of a Pandora’s box.  There is no easy or simple solution to this vexed matter.  In order to appreciate the complexity of the matter we have only to consider the following facts amongst others:

the magnitude of the demand for land; the shortage of land in sought-after urban areas; concurrent claims to the same land; the problem of long and drawn-out litigation; the reality and danger of corruption in the process; the limited capacity of the State in dealing with the whole process – cf. the present backlog…  And so, the list continues…

It is no exaggeration to say that the present situation calls for a great leap of creativity.  At this crucial time in our history we have to make this leap.

Challenges confronting us

In urgently seeking a creative response we need to broaden the conversation beyond that simply of expropriation without compensation. (4)  Amongst the many factors that have to be taken into account, are the following:

the unacceptable gap between the rich and the poor; a pervasive greed both old and new – a stubborn holding on to and a relentless pursuit of privilege; the collapse of the rural economy and the influx of people into our cities; the involvement of Traditional Leaders and security of land tenure; the productivity of the land; the building of capacity and access to markets; a destructive and dehumanizing consumerism; …. etc.

Towards a creative response

Enduring values and principles

We affirm the need at all times for the following: respect for human life and human dignity; a democracy at the service of the common good; transparent and incorruptible leadership; responsible dialogue; non-violence; respect for the Constitution and the judicial process; practical wisdom and the rejection of populism…etc.

New initiatives

Both old and new ideas must be revived and re-imagined, as for example: the publication of successful models of shared ownership; the active encouragement, development and incentivization of such models; the generous involvement of civil society and business; renewed economic decentralization and the revival of rural areas; the opening up of marketing bodies; support for socially responsible entrepreneurial initiatives; the encouragement of voluntary initiatives and the promotion of simple and selfless lifestyles…etc.  These examples only serve to highlight the urgent need for new creativity in the conversation around land and the other factors of production.

Conclusion

We the Bishops of the Catholic Church, maintain that these and other broad human and divine values are imperative.  To ignore these would be dangerously irresponsible, morally unacceptable and harmful to human persons and the common good.  Our call is addressed not only to our own Catholic leaders and communities but also to all people of goodwill who are passionately concerned to see a true and just flourishing of our Beloved Country – and indeed of the whole Southern African region and further afield.

At this critical time and recalling the best of decisions leading up to 1994, we believe we are once again called to respond to the critical challenge of this time.  Guided by the noblest of human values and divine truths we pledge ourselves to be a part of this creative process.

Archbishop Stephen Brislin

President Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference

Media Queries:

Archbishop William Slattery OFM
Archbishop of Pretoria and Spokesperson for the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference
+ 27 83 468 5473

Footnotes

1. Leviticus 25:23 ‘Land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land belongs to me, and to me you are only strangers and guests.”
2. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church states “Christian tradition has never recognised the right to private property as absolute and untouchable. On the contrary it has always understood this right within the broader context of the right common to all to use the goods of the whole of creation. The right to private property is always subordinated to the right to common use, to the fact that goods are meant for everyone.’ [#177]
3. The principle of the universal destination of goods which is at the heart of our tradition requires that ‘the poor, the marginalised and in all cases those whose living conditions interfere with their proper growth should be the focus of particular concern.’ [Compendium #182]
4. Our tradition allows for expropriation if it is for the common good. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states: “The universal destination of goods remains primordial, even if the promotion of the common good requires respect for the right to private property and its exercise…. The ownership of any property makes its holder a steward of Providence, with the task of making it fruitful and communicating its benefits to others. [CCC 2403. 2404, 2406]

Pope Francis in his encyclical ‘Laudato Si’, quotes Pope John Paul II as follows “The principle of the subordination of private property to the universal destination of goods, and thus the right of everyone to their use, is a golden rule of social conduct and ‘the first principle of the whole ethical and social order.’”

Putting an end to water pollution

Water is a scarce natural resource which should be preserved, not only for human beings, but for vegetation and wildlife as well. On 4 May, the Justice and Peace Department, together with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and members of Palm Spring’s Section A cleaned a stream coursing through the area.

The stream was assessed for safety and depth. DWS donated rubber boots, masks and rubber gloves. Equipped with their own picks, shovels, spades, wheelbarrows and hoes, the community got down to business.

To build an environment that is clean, liveable, beautiful and conducive to health, everybody has to play their part, said the committee. They noted that illegal dumping is exacerbated by non-collection of waste by the municipality. Some of this waste unfortunately ends up in streams.

During weeks in which weeks waste bins were not collected, households had elected to bring them to a common area where they are taken to a landfill site to be emptied.

Because the stream crosses areas, the task team has committed to creating awareness in neighbouring areas as some of this waste streams into their area.

Tebello Rampo, a Justice and Peace volunteer who champions for an end to pollution, said when the church introduces something, it is important that they include the community. The community will, in turn, embrace the initiative and be responsible for it.

Lerato Mohone

A spotlight on the vocation of marriage

The monthly vocations discernment workshop sought to highlight the beauty and importance of the vocation of marriage on 24 June.

The day started with marriage preparation, with counselling couple Mahadi and Robert Buthelezi sharing their journey of marriage.

They were followed by Nono Sibuyi who described the sacrament of marriage as a communion of life and love, designed by God, which is full and intimate, freely given, faithfully lived, forever for the good of the spouses and for children.

She also described marriage as a covenant which is indissoluble. “Once you are married, in the eyes of God you can never be divorced”.

Lolo Nkamankeng encouraged young people to be celibate until marriage as sexuality is a gift from God which should be enjoyed in conjugal union. As there were young ears in attendance, the groups were separated according to age. Sr Esther Okoro and Sr Dawn Niro facilitated the session with the little ones.

The speakers sensitively and deftly answered difficult questions such as why the church deems masturbation immoral and why she does not recognise same-sex unions and polygamous marriages. Mass was said by Fr Peter Neeman Aboki He commended Sr Esther and the vocations department for organising a programme on the vocation of marriage ‘as it is the primordial vocation’. He said he, Br Sicelo Ntuli, a seminarian who was helping during Mass, Sr Esther and Sr Dawn would not be called to their respective vocations had it not been for the sacrament of marriage which has always been there for a long time.

Young people who had earlier expressed that they did not believe in marriage as they are yet to witness exemplary unions, came out of the workshop converted.

Lerato Mohone

Vocations Day 2018

The first-ever Vocations Day was hosted at St Francis Xavier, Small Farm by the Vaal Deanery on 5 May. Mass was said by Bishop Duncan Tsoke with Frs Malesela Dikgale, Simphiwe Kheswa, Emmanuel Dim, Emmanuel Kaloma, Jorge Guerra, Thabo Mabaso, Fr Tlaile Lingoane, Henri Gonson, Kifle Kentamo Kirba and parish priest, Fr Sergio Lorenzini concelebrating.

They were assisted by Revs Simon Mokoena, Vincent Booysen, Boshom Mpetsheni, Dennis Machaba, Raymond Matseke.

Bishop Duncan commended the vocations department and everybody who was involved in organising the day. He expressed the hope that, even if it is once a quarter, every deanery gets to host a Vocations Day.

In his homily, he exhorted young people to be courageous, live their own lives and to explore what their gifts and talents are.

One way of finding out what your talents is, is by keeping the company of positive people. They are likely to affirm the good you do, he added.

The Bishop managed to recruit at least 22 ladies and 28 gentlemen to partake in a journey of discernment to religious life or priesthood.

This does not mean this is their vocation, they are just going to discern, he said. On sharing about his vocation journey, Bishop Duncan said: “Like Jesus asked Peter, God kept asking him, Duncan, son of Tsoke do you love me?” Fr Malesela said the church needed young people. He implored them to respond positively and generously to God’s call.

Dean of Vaal, Fr Simphiwe Kheswa said he hoped the Bishop enjoyed celebrating Mass and his episcopal motto especially since the Gospel was about the good shepherd. When he was ordained, he implored God to assist him be a good shepherd, he said.

He shared that the bishop’s crosier faces backwards, whilst Archbishop Buti Tlhagale’s OMI one faces forward. This means whilst the Archbishop ensures he leads the flock, his auxiliary takes care of the flock from the back.

A young man, Tshekedi Moiloa from the deanery who died tragically in a car accident was prayed for.

Lerato Mohone