WELCOMING MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES

WELCOMING MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES

(SECAM’S 50^TH ANNIVERSARY)

Today the Catholic Church in Southern Africa celebrates the 50^th Anniversary of the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagasca (SECAM).  This forum is the embodiment of a collective aspiration to become one Catholic Church that embraces diversity and complementarity.  But it also symbolises another aspiration of the people of the continent: the promotion of peace, unity, solidarity, economic progress and a freer movement of peoples.

Made in God’s Image

Male and female, He created them.  He created them both in His own image.  We all belong to one Father who created us in His image.  Now, we celebrate the feast of all nations to remind ourselves of that reality of a collective belonging.  We celebrate the day of all nations because the nations no longer stand together.  The image of our common belonging and common origins, is no longer visible.  It is perhaps the long and arduous journey through time that has made us strangers to each other or even worse, enemies to each other?  The truth is, today we human beings, we appear to have been made in the image of the biblical CAIN.  We appear to be thirsty for each other’s blood.  We seem to delight in inflicting pain on each other.

Race, nationality, ethnicity, culture and religion – are the ideological walls we build in order to keep the unwanted people away from us.  Do you remember the Berlin Wall.  Now see the obnoxious wall in Bethlehem that keeps the Palestinians at bay.  Listen to the distressing debate on the Mexican-US border.

Listen to St. Paul writing to the Corinthians:  He uses the analogy of the body:  “God has formed the body together, giving all the more honour to the least members so that there is no bodily rupture and members are mutually concerned about one another” (1 Cor.12.24).  This powerful metaphor acknowledges the rich diversity of members and calls for mutual-recognition and collaboration.  But these words of scripture do not appear to have moved our hearts.  They are regrettably like water on a duck’s back.  We are enjoined to embrace each other, to embrace the stranger with warmth because of the inborn love we possess in our hearts.

Compassion.  A Defining Virtue of Christian Living

We ought to accept people as they are because they are people.  We are moved by their plight and seek to be hospitable; to soften the blow of their predicament.  That is what we would wish them to do for us were we to find ourselves in a similar situation.  At any rate we show kindness and mercy because these virtues are the hallmark of being truly human and of being truly Christian.  These are in fact the qualities of God Himself.  For St. Paul, this is in fact the very essence of love.  This is the power of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5.5).  Reaching out to those who are in search of a home and in search of the basic necessities of life, is in fact showing love to a neighbour, “loving one’s neighbour as one-self”.  One shows compassion to migrants and refugees because they are pushed from pillar to post.  They are blamed for the tardiness and even incompetence of the local people.  They are called names and castigated simply because they genuinely seek better opportunities for themselves and for their children.

Some of them have taken great risks in leaving their own countries.  They have fled wars and persecutions.  They have fled hunger and lack of opportunities.  They have made the ultimate sacrifice a man or woman can make for his or her family; to rise, to cross boundaries, to move into unknown lands and countries and seek to establish oneself.  It takes a specific courage for a people to uproot themselves from their country of birth in order to find a home elsewhere.  Migrants and refugees are thus the vulnerable people of our society.  They are like the many women and children in our communities who bear the brunt of us abusive men.  Migrants and refugees are the ones whom Christ calls the least of my brothers and sisters.  “When you show any kindness to them, you show it to me” (Mat. 25).

Exploitation of Refugees

Many migrants and refugees remain fearful and vulnerable.  Many employers exploit their predicament and do not pay them a living wage.  They exploit especially those migrants and refugees who do not have proper documents.  Many receive slave wages and are continuously threatened with arrest.  Some are victims of corrupt police officials.  And, as if that was not enough, many have been victims of xenophobia.  When local communities go on a service delivery protest, they take out their anger on foreign nationals.  They harass them, attack them, destroy and loot their shops.  It is most unfair for migrants and refugees to be made scapegoats for the glaring shortcomings of the government and local authorities.

Mention must be made of the fact that there are those within the migrant community who give migrants and refugees a bad name.  There are those who are heavily involved in drug-trafficking.  Drugs have become a scourge in some of our communities.  Thus the palpable anger of the communities is understandable.  There are those migrants who are involved in robberies and human trafficking.  These aberrations by some should not lead to the wholesale condemnation of the entire community of migrants and refugees.

The freedom of individuals to host migrants and refugees into their homes should be protected and promoted.  But, realistically, local families are themselves under tremendous pressure because of the shortage of housing.  The rapid expansion of informal settlements attest to the chronic shortage of land and residential areas.

It makes ample sense for the Church to promote welfare institutions that will be of service to migrants.  The efforts of non-governmental organizations and other religious institutions need to be strengthened in their serious attempt to alleviate the plight of migrants and refugees.  As Church, as Christians, we are concerned with relieving human suffering and enhancing human well-being on a large scale.  Every person, irrespective of origins, deserves to be given a change, a golden opportunity to make ends meet, to take care of his or her family.  This is what the golden rule of the Gospel demands.  The going out of our way to serving others.  To do to others what we would greatly appreciate, if it were done to us.

Becoming Truly Human

The parable of the Good Samaritan cautions us “not to worry about who deserves to be cared for”.  Rather, we should be concerned about (us, ourselves) becoming a person or persons “who treat everyone we meet with dignity, respect and compassion”.  This is the heart of the Gospel message.

In the parable of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Jesus says: “Mary has chosen the better part”, the listening part.  Here the emphasis of Jesus falls, not on providing a service such as in the case of Martha, but the emphasis falls on receiving a gift, that is, receiving the other person who comes into our space.  This person, this migrant or refugee, is a messenger of grace.

We are encouraged, not to see the migrant, the other unknown person as a threat, a rival, a competitor.  No, we should see the other as a blessing in disguise; as an opportunity or as an instrument that brings the best out of us, making us worthy of being called: human beings with a heart.

It has often been said that if we are not going to be helpful to others, at least we should not harm or hurt them.  We should not burn their houses, destroy their properties, loot their shops or inflict pain on their persons.

Indifference.  The Grave Sin of Our Time

The grave sin we commit in our times, is the sin of indifference to the plight of others.  We walk on the other side of the road like the Priest and the Levite.  We don’t want to see, we don’t want to know.  We carry around with us hearts of stone.  We measure the worth of persons by applying the misguided criteria of race, nationality, culture and religion.  When we discriminate against our fellow-Africans, we betray our own humanity; we diminish our own honour and the worth as human persons.  We obscure the image of God imprinted on our faces and in our hearts.  The fact is, we are creatures that find our perfection only by establishing a relationship with others.  It is this mutuality that makes us truly human.  It is a mutual relationship that cuts across man-made boundaries, geographical frontiers, cultural fault-lines and racial divides.  Person to person relationships irrespective of origin, language, race or culture, are generally warm and pleasant.  Relationships are poisoned by a prejudice that is embedded in society.

St. Paul writing to the Galatians reminds us that we are all sons and daughters of God:  “All of you have been Baptised into Christ.  Therefore there is neither Jew not Greek, slave not free, male nor female.  We are all heirs according to the promise” (Gal.3.26).

We must learn to bring down the walls among us, embrace each other and “do as God would want us to”.  This is the moral posture and attitude human beings should assume.

We owe this one to ourselves.

“All you nations, praise the Lord, for He is good”.

+Buti Tlhagale omi
10/02/2019
Durban
St. Henry’s School
SECAM’s
50^th Anniversary        

Thank you

Dear Catechists,

As we are in this New Year and as we begin another new catechetical year I wish you all A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2019 and ALL THE BEST in your mission as catechists. As we look back to the year gone by, let us thank God for all His blessings. You have worked hard to teach the faith in your parishes and also we have learnt something more about our faith in different ways.

This year we will concentrate on Precepts of the Church and so I am taking the theme “MY CHURCH MY RESPONSIBILITY” for our retreat. And we will be dealing on the precepts of the Church on our Formation and Creativity day. Throughout the year try to concentise the parishioners and children on the Precepts of the Church and come up with different programs in your parish as it is possible for you. Try to make the catechism more interesting by bringing creativity in your teaching other than the scheduled catechism. I wish you all the best for the year ahead of us. May you be filled with spirit and zeal to teach faith to others. May Mary, Mother of Mercy accompany us in our journey of evangelization.

God bless you all

Fr Boniface D’Souza
(Episcopal Vicar of Catechesis)

Formation and Creativity Day Oct 2018

This annual formation and creativity day, organised by the Catechetical Department with assistance of the deanery coordinators, was held at the Cathedral on 25 August. About 650 catechists in the Archdiocese attended making it a great success.

The event was based on the Creed and themed “This is our Faith”. Vicar General of the Archdiocese, Fr Paul Beukes OMI was the main celebrant at Mass. He was assisted by Vicar for Catechetics, Fr Boniface D’Souza and Fr Kgomotso Sebopela.

In his homily, Fr Paul encouraged all catechists to reflect on the question “Who do you say I am?” from the gospel of that day (Matthew 16:13-16). He further encouraged catechists to have a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

As teachers of the faith – it’s important that they encounter our Lord, Jesus Christ in their everyday life. Fr Paul stated that the answer to the question “Who do you say I am?” should come from catechists having a relationship with Jesus and living in union with God

He asked whether if Jesus asked them the same question, whether they would they be able to answer based on their relationship with Him.

Fr Paul also asked them to be careful about how they carry themselves before the children. Jesus looked at the scribes and Pharisees and realised they were not practising what they were preaching. Catechists must not fall into the same trap – they must try to live what they teach.

This year’s event focused more on the formation and it was facilitated in two sessions by Fr Patrick Mphepo CP, who is a visiting lecturer at St John Vianney seminary and Fr Arvin Tauro, OCD a chaplain at OR Tambo International Airport. Fr Patrick gave a talk on “Profession of Faith” whilst Fr Arvin spoke on “The Paschal Meal”.

Catechists were also entertained by Thabang ka Mmimo from St Matthews Primary, Moroka with a dance related to the Creed.

As always, catechists were generous by donating some toiletries, non-perishable food and clothes to the friends St Martin de Porres, a shelter chosen by the Far East Deanery.

Veronica Mofokeng
Department of Catechism
Secretary

Caritas Department

Caritas is a new department of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg under the leadership of Auxiliary Bishop Duncan Tsoke, at different levels within the diocese.
Training for volunteers starts this month, from 4 to 8 September in Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Parish priests are invited to promote Caritas at parish level and, more precisely, at the level of the basic Christians communities. This makes a presence in society to fulfil and carry out effectively the work of charity.

According to Pope Benedict XVI, in his document Intima Ecclesia Natura, Caritas is the social arm of the Catholic Church and, as such, it is under the responsibility of the Catholic bishops, who send Caritas to fulfil the mission of charity.

The work of Caritas is one of the three dimensions of the mission of the Catholic Church: diakonia (ministry), Martyra Kerygma (preaching of the Gospel) and Litourgia (liturgy). The three are inter-linked and pre-suppose each other and consequently, Diakonia becomes part of the mission of the Church (Pope Benedict XVI Encyclical- Deus caritas Est).
As the socio-pastoral instrument of the Church, Caritas, along with the other Church organisations, and under the leadership of the Bishop, is called to implement the work of charity in coordination with the other services of the Church.

The mission of charity is a pedagogical work of building a community of love and solidarity as was the case in the early church – charity liberates and restores social justice for the poorest.
Caritas Johannesburg follows the social teachings of the Catholic Church. The Caritas interim coordination committee has met with some deaneries and would like to thank to the deans and the priest for the support and appreciation shown to them. They will continue to visit other deaneries according to the schedule given to the department.
On 25 August, a Caritas meeting was held with the interim committee, coordinators of each parish and other organisations. Caritas Johannesburg is growing and God is blessing us with many people eager to volunteer themselves for the most vulnerable people in our communities.

Caritas South Africa has organised training for diocesan Caritas coordinators to be held in Pretoria from 4 to 7 September, who will be trained by Aloysius John and Moira Monacelli from Caritas Internationalis.

Further training will be taking place on 8 September for the coordinators of Caritas Johannesburg, including parish coordinators and Catholic charitable organisations. The venue will be at the Small Hall of Cathedral of Christ the King from 9:30 to 15:00.

For more information, please contact the Caritas Johannesburg Office at the Chancery of Johannesburg on 011 402 6400.

Sr Maria de Lurdes
National Co-ordinator of Caritas SouthAfrica

St John the Baptist was “an outcast’ too’ – World Refugee Day

Different nationalities gathered at the Cathedral on 24 June to commemorate World Refugee Day.

The event was organised by the Department of Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees, Bienvenu Shelter, the Department of Justice and Peace, the Jesuit Refugee Service and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa.

Mass was celebrated by the episcopal vicar for Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees, Fr Pablo Valesquez and Fr Thabo Motshegwa. They were assisted by deacons Raymond Oupa Matseke and Philippe Lukusa-Lumpunga.

Wishing to drive home the importance of the four pillars that Pope Francis speaks of in his 104^th letter for the World Day of Refugees, he enlisted the help of children to help dress a teddy-bear. This was aimed at welcoming, protection, promotion and integration of refugees.

Fr Pablo drew parallels between St John the Baptist and refugees in that John was regarded as an outcast, was persecuted, jailed and even killed.

Robinson Sathakge from the City of Johannesburg said as South Africans, we need to understand the push and pull factors that drive refugees to flee their native countries and the challenges they go through. He encouraged South Africans to understand, embrace, welcome and protect them until their issues are resolved. “Together with organisations like Pastoral Care, the City host events, dialogues and promote social cohesion in communities,” he said.