Francis I: The right Pope at the right time

History was made on Wednesday, 13 March 2013 when Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauram announced, “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum.  Habenus Papam.” (I announce to you a great joy.  We have a Pope). Francis I become the 266^th pontiff in the Church’s history.  He is the first Jesuit to become Pope; this is powerful considering the clashes the Jesuits have had historically within the Church, including Popes themselves.

Francis 1^st has been entrusted by a Church in crisis.  The terrible crisis caused by priestly child abuse and leaks, now come to be known as “Vatileaks”, of secret papal documents that uncovered corruption and rivalry inside the Curia, or Church government.

I have no doubt that our Pope, the first non-European Pope since the Syrian Gregory III in 731, the first from the southern hemisphere, and the third non-Italian Pope in a row, will provide a different outlook into the Church.  This is evident from the very beginning when he first appeared on the balcony in public after being elected; he started off with a joke.  He told the thousands of soaking Catholics huddled in the Vatican City’s St Peter’s Square that the cardinals had gathered to “give Rome a bishop” but said that they had “gone to the ends of the earth to get one.”

The world media have already noticed our Pope’s humility, truly emulating the saint of simplicity and poverty that he took on as name; Francis of Assisi.  Although a Cardinal, entitled to reside in an official residence; Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio instead opted for a modest Buenos Aires apartment.  He refused to be driven around in the official limousine and opted for public transport instead.  

His style is the antithesis of Vatican splendour.  But going against the Church’s protocol is not the only thing that Francis I has gone against; the Pope, when he was Cardinal, has also modernised the Church in Argentina; traditionally known for being of the most conservative in Latin America.

There is no doubt, Pope Francis I is the right man to lead our Church at this critical time:  Europe confronts a crisis of faith.  Dealing head-on with the curia and abuse by the clergy will restore faith to Europeans who have left Mother Church in disgust.  This may well encourage them to return to the Church.

Already in the short time as Pope, Francis I has already made history when Bartholomew I, patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church attended a papal investiture; the first to ever have done this ever. Amazingly, Bartholomew is quoted saying that the unity of the two great Christian Churches, that of the Catholic and Orthodox, is “the first and foremost of our concerns”. This, in my opinion is earth-shattering stuff!

The Pope is a modern Pope, where he tweeted on his personal twitter page (and not the official @Pontifex), after being elected as leader of the Church, “perhaps a little humility in saying I am simply representative of God on earth, just as God is a representative of me in Heaven.”  It is a modern Pope that we need.  One that is not afraid to speak out when it is necessary.  He has even critized the Argentine government when he saw human rights violations being perpetrated and inequalities in society.

He recognised that the Church is in trouble.  As Cardinal he said; “if I had to choose between a wounded Church that goes out on to the streets and a sick, withdrawn Church, I would definitely choose the first one.” He is supportive of unmarried mothers and the use of condoms to prevent diseases.

Indeed, this forward thinking Pope, I believe, is the man that will deal with those issues and others such as the ordination of married men.  Only time will tell.

DA Joburg South commemorates Human Rights Day

The Democratic Alliance Joburg South Constituency commemorated Human Rights day by visiting the Apartheid Museum. “The visit to the museum reminded all of us of our recent horrific past,” said de Freitas. He said that we must never forget how before our 1994 democratic elections most of South Africans were treated as second-class citizens so that we never ever go back to that.

“The reality is that the rights of all people are in the Bill of Rights in our beloved Constitution,” explained de Freitas. De Freitas said that this does not mean that we must not be vigilant that these rights are secured as although they may be guaranteed in our Constitution, we all need to practice them every day. “It is up to each one of us to secure these rights for all,” said MP de Freitas, “it is unacceptable that a provincial government does not deliver school text books to our children timeously; this threatens our children’s rights. It is unacceptable that our Police do not respect citizens but using force or violence even if a person is contravening a law; this too threatens people’s rights.”

Manny de Freitas explained that until we all recognise that everyone has rights and we do not regress to the attitude of the past, we must never be “relaxed” in ensuring that the Rights tabled in our Constitution are translated to reality. “This is our duty so that we can develop into the best country that we can be for all,” said de Freitas.

De Freitas concluded that in doing this we will know that those 69 that gave up their lives in Sharpville did not die in vain.

Photo Caption: Manny de Freitas, (kneeling fourth from the left in front) Member of Parliament for Johannesburg South leads a delegation in visiting the Apartheid Museum to commemorate Human Rights Day. Included in the delegation are Cllr Rashieda Landis (standing on the extreme left), Cllr Peter Stewart (standing next to Cllr Landis), Cllr Osman Cassiem (standing fourth from the left at the back), Cllr Tyrell Meyers (kneeling second from the left in front), Cllr Bev Turk (Standing fourth from the right second row), Cllr Dennis Jane (standing at the back fourth from the right) and Cllr Sergio dos Santos (kneeling second from the right in front).

More Luso-descendents enter public life

At the recent Merafong City (Carletonville) by-election held on 6 March 2013 the Democratic Alliance (DA) won ward 28 with 67,35% of the vote. The candidate, and new councillor, is Luso-descendent 52 year old Carlos Rebelo, who was born in South Africa and whose parents are from Fornos, outside of Porto.

Manny de Freitas, Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister of Home Affairs said that this is a victory not only for his party but for the Portuguese community in particular as another member of the Portuguese community is now serving in public office.

“I am even more excited as the DA candidate for the by-election that is to take place on the 24^th of April 2013 in ward 115 in Johannesburg, which covers the Fourways and Northriding areas, is Chris Santana, another Luso-descendent who is 42 years of age of parents from Madeira,” explained Manny de Freitas.

De Freitas said that he is confident that their candidate will win this by-election. Should this happen it would mean that there would be 3 Portuguese or Luso-descendents in the DA Johannesburg caucus alone.

Manny de Freitas said that this is part of the on-going project to attract more Portuguese or Luso-descendents to become public representatives. “Watch this space,” said de Freitas.

Now is the time for the Church’s next big step

The world is abuzz with the Holy Father’s recent resignation; the first in a few hundred years.  My respect and administration for Pope Benedict XVI has grown even more.  The dramatic decision was surely not taken lightly.  The Pope was well aware that his resignation would not only be a personal one but one that would impact the Church and indeed its history.  How courageous and humble for the Head of the Lord’s Church to step down and “climb the mountain to dedicate [himself] even more to prayer and meditation” but now “in a way that is more appropriate” to Ratzinger’s age.

After the pioneering John-Paul II, Benedict XVI was installed as a “bridging” Pope so that a new historic phase in our Church can begin.  The next Holy Father should come from Latin America, in my opinion, Brazil in particular – the fastest growing Catholic community on the planet.  It is time for our Pope to be non-European. But it is not only important that the next leader of the Church be from outside of European boarders; also the needs of the Church needs to be considered; where it is to go and its future.

It is time for serious and official debates to take place about the option for priests to marry.  True traditionalist, if they are indeed traditionalists, would logically welcome this as this is the way it was back in the day of our very first Pope, St Peter, who himself was married.

I will now be even more controversial, however I suspect that the Church is not ready for this; it would be to start looking at the ordination of women Priests.  Jesus had female disciples; His mother being the supreme female priest.  Alas, I think this won’t be considered for at least another 100 years.

The reality is that just as Vatican II opened the windows of the Church and let the light and fresh air in, the Church now needs to move beyond its Eurocentric perspective and to look at the Church’s “next step” in its evolution as it becomes even more Universal than ever before.

Electoral Reform Bill displays Parties true colours

 

This week the Democratic Alliance tabled a Private Members Bill that proposes dramatic reforms to our electoral system.  This Bill proposes a constituency system where voters would vote for their constituency representatives. Under our proposal 100 constituencies would exist with the same number of voters.  Three MP’s would represent each constituency elected proportionally.

To ensure that smaller parties with pockets of support spread throughout the country are not excluded, a further 100 MP’s are elected proportionally from national lists.  All this meets proportional principles and ensures that votes are not “wasted”.

All political parties and civil society in general have been talking about the need for a change to our electoral system.  Calls have been made for a system that ensures that Members of Parliaments (MPs) are accountable to voters.  This Bill proposes exactly that.

No sooner was the announcement made about this Bill when the ANC reacted without even having read the Bill!  ANC Chief Whip, Mathole Motshekga reacted by saying that changing the electoral system would not guarantee MP’s becoming more accountable. The ANC failed to explain what would!

Motshekga accused the DA of being “guilty of deliberate distortion and overlooking the complexity of the subject of electoral reform.”  If this is so, then let’s debate the subject so this issue can move forward.  If a different electoral system is, to quote the ANC again, “no panacea”, then what is? 

What is the ANC’s alternative? I suggest that there is no alternative by the ANC.  It suits them well to keep the system in its present form.  In so doing, it can completely dominate, control and muffle its Members of Parliament as it is currently doing.  An MP with its own constituency, not dependant on his or her party, and dependent on and working for the voter simply doesn’t suit the ANC. Simply put; they fear their loosening on their grip on power.

Other opposition Parties are quick to give lip-service in support for electoral reform, but as soon as something concrete, such as this Bill is tabled their true intentions are displayed.  I’d be interested to see COPE’s Juli Killian’s “entire picture” that needs to be looked at that she talks about.  I suspect that there’s “no picture” at all.

As much as the ANC may hate it, this Bill is now public knowledge and must now follow a public process.  The Bill must now be tabled at the Portfolio Committee of Home Affairs where the Bill needs to be considered.  It will be at this stage when the public will see the true intentions of each party on this matter and who truly wants to be accountable to the voter.