26 John Street, Perth. P.O. Box 50 Perth Aberdeen Street
No. 2059. PERTH, THURSDAY, DECEMBER
BISHOPS AT
S.
1,
1977
Reg:stered by oosti^g as Category "A"
a
NEWSPAPER
(ii)
AGHAST
AFRICAN
DETENTIONS -
PRETORIA (NC). "We are aghast," said the Administrative Board of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC), "at the wave of bannings and detentions (of opponents of apartheid) and the forbidding of penalised persons to answer accusations against them in open court, also at the ruthless suppression of black opinion and organisations." "It is claimed that these measures are neces-
sary for the maintenance of law and order. We cannot accept a version of law and order that is so destructive of human rights and liberties." The protest at the recent South African crack down on anti-apartheid groups was issued by the SAC. B.C.'s Administrative Board following a plenary meeting of the country's bishops. In its statement the board endorsed a protest by the conference president, Archbishop Joseph Fitzgerald of Johannesburg, on October 19, the day that the government arrested about 70 antiapartheid leaders in coordinated early -morning raids and announced the banning of 18 organisations and two major newspapers.
The board also blasted the South African policy of creating separate tribal homelands for blacks, charging that the policy in its current form "is a grievous injustice."
The board argued that its opposition to government actions and policies was not an unwarranted
involvement of the Church in politics, say-
"Our concern is pastoral: that politics may be inspired by the spiritual values of the Gospel, so that people may live in peace and security and that violence may be eliminated, both the violence of oppression and the counter -violence of civil unrest and revo-
ludas."
In response to criticism of strong anti -government stands that the SACBC has taken in the past, the board commented:
"A good number of people, including many Catholics, query our de-
clarations, claiming that they do not deal with religious matters or that the statements are onesided. "They may appear to be one-sided to people who, perhaps through no fault of their own. have never known the other side. "They may also appear not to deal with religious matters until we
remember that Christian love and justice have their place in all human concerns, including livelihood, property and politics."
ing:
Last
February
the
committed thei Catholic Church in South Africa to a broad programme of positive action to integrate all/ its institutions and agencies and to promote black leadership and atAltiority in the Church at all' SACBC
levels. It also declared its opposition to apartheid in South Afri-, can society and called on the white minority government to give full political rights to the black majority.
Concluding three years as headmaster of Tri nity Junior School, Brother D. McMAHON gives diplomas to Year Seven students (left to right), Mark HARFORD, Craig ABUD, Michael BRENNAN and Paul TALLENTIRE.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL "SHOULD BE
Another statement by
The Catholic school should be a Christian community and as such offer a real alternative to the Govern-
the SACBC in February provoked hitter controversy throughout the country.
Phone39 17 I I Lic.No.3371.
A CHRISTIAN
Christian. "Religious education has to do not only with instrucment system, the tion. but also with values and attitudes, something headmaster of Trinity which cannot be achieved on Junior school said this Pursuing the theme of the curricular activities; in Moir a part-time tir occasional week. Christian school community, fellow students, parents and basis." Brother McMahon said: teachers. -The Catholic school now Addressing parents at the "For example, parents "Parents, too, should see exists and is necessary in annual speech night for the who send their child to a that, in Christ, they junior school, Brother D. make our modern society in order Catholic school and do not continual further discoveries to create a Christian comMcMahon said that it was engage themselves in their of what life is all about,", he munity where human knowIn its comments on the incumbent on students, own personal growth do not said. ledge, enlightened and enSouth African policy of teachers and parents to understand the Catholic by faith, is shared granting independence to make it a real alternative. school -they need to find the livened as a community. by teachers, students and As a Christian commun- Teachers tribal homelands a who believe that best ways of promoting an parents in a spirit of freeity, the Catholic school was policy which is the student growth can take awareness of the person and dom and love." not isolated. he continued, source of international place without their own meaning of Christ for themcontroversy the Ad- but was part of the larger personal growth fail to grasp selves and their children Brother McMahon said Church and the community ministrative Board did the depth to which member- praying together, celebrating that the friendliness between civic social and economic not address the basic the Eucharist together. students and staff had reship in a Catholic school idea of tribal homelands, communities. working together, learning ceived a particular mention really calls one. "The Catholic school but only the way together, socialising and re- in the official report of Broin should not be merely a col- "HE IS CENTRAL" creating together. which the policy is curther R. B. Healy. lection of individuals under trendy laid out. "A school administration the same roof. They must that does not develop edu"We understand," the be united in a common ef- cational programmes for board said, "that, if a's fort towards Christian hu- teachers and parents as Weil homeland accepts inde-( man growth." he said. as for students, and does not pendence, all persons of ,y organise community activi330 OUT OF 860 the ethnic group said to, ties, fails to understand the Brother McMahon was Catholic school as a be associated with that' commaking his third and final munity enterprise. /homeland become, int annual report as headmaster "The Catholic terms of South African of Trinity school Junior School. should ho a law, citizens of the homeChristian comwhich this year has had an munity organised land and lose automatithe enrolment of 330 in Years person of Christ. around He is cencally the legal rights, 4 to 7 out of the Trinity however tenuous, deriv- College total of 860 pupils. tral. ing from their former/ Brother McMahon and MEETING CHRIST South African status. Brother Bowman were the "The staff in a Catholic two Christian Brothers in school must be a religious "This applies to many the staff of 14 attached to group, having a Christian ,people who have never the junior school. outlook and purpose and seen the homeland and Accompanying the annual lead a Christian life. are unlikely ever to live presentation of diplomas, 87 "Students should see that fin it. Year 7 pupils presented a of all the persons who influmusical drama on the death ence their life, the person of and resurrection of Christ, Christ is unique. written by a Newfoundland "They should meet Christ Christian Brother, Brother in 'prayer and worship; in study; in sport; in all extra. In it the bishops backed conscientious objection to service in South Africa's military or police forces for those who believe that the military and police unjustly suppressed black rights.
COMMUNITY"
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Where quaky comes first" 385 Canning Highw ay, Mels ille.
"It takes a great deal of time and numerous kinds of experience if such a community is really going to be