The
S outher n C ross
September 14 to September 20, 2016
Donât pull the plug: Awake in a âvegetativeâ state
Page 10
Reg No. 1920/002058/06
No 4998
www.scross.co.za
Start up the epic chariots: Ben-Hur is back
Page 9
R8,00 (incl VAT RSA)
Motherâs lesson for a father
Page 7
Priest: All must fight crime By MANdLA ZIBI
I
N the wake of the latest crime statistics released by the police this month, the head of the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CPLO) called on both clergy and laity to âactively participateâ in the fight against crime in South Africa. Although the April 2015 to March 2016 crime statistics released by police minister Nathi Nhleko showed decreases in three of the four broad crime categoriesâproperty; other serious crimes; crimes heavily dependent on police action for detectionâincreases in contact crimes caused deep concern. Contact crimes include murder, attempted murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, sexual crimes, and robbery with aggravating circumstances. âA central pillar of the Churchâs teaching on social justice is our commitment to protecting the vulnerable in society,â said CPLO director Fr Peter-John Pearson. âThe latest crime stats paint a worrying upward trend with regard to violent crime, and therefore as Catholics we need to translate our commitment into active participation to diminish violence in our communities,â the priest said. âPlaying our part in the fight against criminal violence can range from joining a local anti-crime forumâsuch as a neighbourhood watch, or a street committeeâto being part of a national campaign like Crime Stop and others,â he suggested. Fr Pearson also spoke out against those who buy stolen goods, thereby encouraging crime. âDonât play into the hands of criminals by creating a market for their illegal products and services. In many cases someone was injured or even lost their life in the process leading up to those products appearing at your doorstep.â In a briefing paper, Fr Pearson identified the crucial role that syndicates play in crimes such as armed robbery, hijacking and the sale of illegal and stolen goods. âThese violent crimes can be reduced. They result from planning, are usually carried out by syndicates or networks, and very often involve repeat offenders. These crimes are organised and a greater will to tackle
Pope: New saint will always be âMother Teresaâ
H
The Southern Cross/Radio Veritas pilgrimage group that travelled to Italy of the canonisation of Mother Teresa is seen here in front of the basilica of St John Lateran. The group was led by Radio Veritasâ Fr Brian Mhlanga OP (front third from right), who substituted for Fr Emil Blaser OP, who could not travel for health reasons. The group saw Pope Francis twice, had Mass in St Peterâs Square with Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Parolin, crossed the holy dors of the four major basilicas, venerated the relics of St Teresa of Kolkata and the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, travelled to Assisi to see the places of the lives of St Francis and St Clare, and to Greccio, where St Francis invented the Nativity Scene, and experienced much more. A photospread of the pilgrimage will appear in the issue of September 28. them would be a positive first step,â he said. âA more diligent use of crime intelligence, with proper forensic support, could go a long way to bucking the present trend. Greater cooperation between branches of the police and allied organisations would enhance the fight against crime considerably.â Fr Pearson quoted the Institute for Security Studies, which ânoted that crime intelligence is in shambles, and that it is important for a crime intelligence unit to be able to identify, infiltrate and neutralise the syndicates behind organised crimes such as robberies, business robberies
and hijackingsâ. He also welcomed remarks by acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane, that the internal tensions and âpoliticalâ fallout around the situation of Commissioner Riah Phiyega, and presumably the deflection of energy and focus that it occasioned, had been resolved. âIt is worth remembering also that Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe announced in June that crime statistics will now be released quarterly in order better to track crime trends in the country,â said Fr Pearson, hailing this as âa good moveâ.
On sexual violence, Fr Pearson noted that non-governmental organisations âworking in the area, especially rape counselling, have again called for rape to be treated as a separate category in future reportsâ. Although âreporting of sexual offences decreased by 3,2% over the period, with seven provinces showing a decrease,â the Institute for Security Studies has cautioned against too positive a reading of these statistics, since its own research showed that only one in 13 rapes was recorded and that more generally only 46% of victims reported sexual assaults to the police.
ER formal title may be St Teresa of Kolkata, and descriptively as âSaint of the Guttersâ, but âher sanctity is so close to us, so tender and fruitful, that spontaneously we will continue to call her âMother Teresaââ, Pope Francis has said. âMother Teresa, in all aspects of her life, was a generous dispenser of divine mercy, making herself available for everyone through her welcome and defence of human life, those unborn and those abandoned and discarded,â the pope said in his homily during the canonisation Mass in St Peterâs Square. An estimated 120 000 peopleâ including 42 from the Southern Cross/Radio Veritas canonisation pilgrimageâpacked the square, many holding umbrellas or waving fans to keep cool under the sweltering heat of the Roman sun. In his homily, Pope Francis said Godâs will is explained in the words of the prophets: âI want mercy, not sacrifice.â Like Mother Teresa, he said, Christians are called not simply to perform acts of charity, but to live charity as a vocation and âto grow each day in loveâ. âWherever someone is reaching out, asking for a helping hand in order to get up, this is where our presenceâand the presence of the Church which sustains and offers hopeâmust be,â the pope said. After the Mass, 250 Missionaries of Charity Sisters and 50 Missionaries of Charity Brothers served pizza to about 1 500 poor people who had come to the Mass from shelters, dormitories and soup kitchens the order runs throughout Italy. Pope Francis, through the office of the papal almoner, funded the lunch, which was prepared by a team of 20 pizza makers, who brought three ovens with them Continued on page 4