Mandela letter shows activist was inspired by work of Catholic Church

By Gunther Simmermacher
Catholic News Service

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) -- South African human rights activist Nelson Mandela was inspired by the Catholic Church's involvement in social justice concerns during his many years of incarceration, he wrote in a letter from prison to the country's first black Catholic archbishop.

Mandela, who eventually was freed and elected president in South Africa's first inclusive poll in 1994, also wrote to Archbishop Stephen Naidoo of Cape Town that he was uplifted by the pastoral care provided by clergy on Robben Island, where he was imprisoned for 18 years.

The content of Mandela's letter, dated November 1984 was published for the first time in the July 9 issue of The Southern Cross, South Africa's Catholic weekly, to mark Mandela's 90th birthday July 18.

Archbishop Naidoo, who under apartheid laws was classified as "Indian," and Mandela had become friends before his appointment to Cape Town. Then-Auxiliary Bishop Naidoo regularly made pastoral visits to arid and tightly guarded Robben Island, where the former president had been incarcerated from 1964 to 1982.

The neatly handwritten and meticulously phrased letter was headed with Mandela's prison number: D220/82. It bears an official stamp and signature indicating that it had been passed by the prison censor. In the letter Mandela noted that "in my present situation it will not be possible for me to express myself as I would have liked," and in closing pointed out that he already had exceeded the permitted length. In a postscript, he added that incoming and outgoing correspondence had a way of disappearing.

Mandela expressed that his friend's 1984 appointment as archbishop of Cape Town "has pleased me beyond words."

"The elevation of black personalities to positions of authority in the church is a development which has far wider significance than many people may realize," he said. "For one thing, it will remove a sensitive problem which has repeatedly rocked South African churches, kept each congregation divided against itself, and generated strong and even violent passions not compatible with the teachings of the Scriptures."

In a response, dated Dec. 5, 1984, Archbishop Naidoo said he was encouraged by the positive reaction to his appointment.

"It has helped so many to see the (Catholic) Church not as a foreign import, but as ours, rooted in our lives, in our needs, aspirations, sorrows and hopes," the archbishop wrote. "On the one hand, I am awed by this terrible responsibility, but on the other, I am old enough to know that there is only so much I can do. Need I assure you that I shall do the very best I can, never forgetting my roots in this beloved country of ours."

Mandela also urged Archbishop Naidoo to encourage interreligious dialogue.

Noting that churches have made "many mistakes, some of them very serious," Mandela said, "it is insufficient to say that those errors have been completely dwarfed by the enormous achievements which have been made, and this is the aspect on which builders and positive thinkers will concentrate."

In a later address at a Mass in the Cape Town suburb of Athlone Sept. 12, 1993, Mandela singled out other priests who had visited political prisoners on Robben Island, at the Pollsmoor Prison in a Cape Town suburb, and in Pretoria, emphasizing the morale-boosting properties of contact with clergy.

In his 1984 letter Mandela also inquired about Archbishop Denis Hurley of Durban, South Africa's prominent Catholic anti-apartheid figure.

"Archbishop Hurley is often in my thoughts, especially now. I would like him to know that," Mandela said.

Acknowledging the difficulties of arranging prison visits, Archbishop Naidoo wrote to Mandela: "It would give me great pleasure if I could call on you from time to time. I am not sure whom the initiative has to come from, but may I state here my readiness to visit you whenever possible."

There are no public records of subsequent meetings between the two men.

Archbishop Naidoo did not live to meet his friend in freedom; he died suddenly at age 51 July 1, 1989, less than eight months before Mandela's release in February 1990.

After his release, Mandela, a Methodist who reportedly practices his faith discreetly, spoke frequently about the pivotal role of religion in society. At a 1993 Mass in Cape Town during which Mandela controversially received Communion from Archbishop Naidoo's successor, Archbishop Lawrence Henry of Cape Town, he outlined the Catholic Church's mandate.

"The Catholic Church in particular has played a very important role in the fight for justice," Mandela said. "The present pope (John Paul II) is well known for being upfront in this regard. I made the point to meet him when I was in Rome in 1990 and what he said gave us ... a great deal of strength and hope."

Mandela retired from politics in 1999 after one term in office and was succeeded by President Thabo Mbeki.

END
SAFRICA-MANDELA Jul-10-2008 (820 words) With photos. xxxi
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Pope to visit Africa in March to help prepare for October synod

By John Thavis
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI announced that he plans to make his first trip to Africa next March, visiting Cameroon and Angola.

The pope will make the trip to help prepare for the Synod of Bishops on Africa, scheduled for October 2009, and to mark the 500th anniversary of the evangelization of Angola.


He announced the trip Oct. 26 at a closing Mass for the Synod of Bishops on the Bible. When he repeated the announcement shortly afterward to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, a wave of applause swept through the crowd.

Sub-Saharan Africa has not hosted a pope since 1998, when Pope John Paul II visited Nigeria.

Pope Benedict said his intention was to meet with representatives from African bishops' conferences in Cameroon and hand-deliver the African synod's "instrumentum laboris," or working document.

The Synod of Bishops will be the second for Africa and is scheduled to take place in Rome. The theme is "The Church in Africa at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace."

The first African synod took place at the Vatican in 1994. Ten years later, Pope John Paul said another synod would be held to allow church leaders to address the continent's changing religious, demographic, social and political scenes.


Pope Benedict said he would go from Cameroon to Angola, where he will celebrate the 500th anniversary of that country's evangelization. The Angolan church has been marking different stages of the 500th anniversary for many years, beginning with Pope John Paul's visit there in 1992.

Exact dates for Pope Benedict's trip have not been released. The Vatican's advance team was in Africa in mid-October to firm up preparations.

Pope Benedict has made 10 foreign trips since his election in 2005. So far, the African trip is the only one on his calendar for 2009.

END


POPE-AFRICA Oct-27-2008 (320 words) xxxi
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Jesuit discusses moves to renegotiate mining contracts in Congo

By Mary Durran
Catholic News Service

KINSHASA, Congo (CNS) -- A Congolese Jesuit said he is optimistic that 60 government contracts with international mining companies will be renegotiated in favor of the government, raising more revenue for one of the poorest countries in Africa.

"Mining companies have already accepted to renegotiate the contracts in 57 out of the 60 that were revised," said Jesuit Father Ferdinand Muhigirwa, director of the Center for Studies for Social Action. "I am optimistic that the government will come to some agreement over the remaining three contracts."

In 2007 the government appointed a commission under the Ministry of Mines to review 60 mining contracts signed between the state and international mining companies from 1996 to 2006, a politically unstable period before President Joseph Kabila was elected in 2006.

The commission also was charged with following up on the work of a U.N. panel, which found in 2000 that many mining companies had paid bribes to government officials and local strongmen to obtain lucrative mining concessions. The panel said there was a link between mining activity and the armed conflict that has persisted in certain regions of the country.

The government commission, which called for more "justice and ethics in business," concluded that 29 of the 60 contracts should be renegotiated to ensure a fairer share for the government and that 31 should be eliminated and drawn up again on new terms. Of the 60, none was determined by the commission to have offered satisfactory terms for the Congolese government.

For example, Father Muhigirwa told Catholic News Service recently, the original contract between Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold "and the government over the Tenke Fungurume copper mine, worth some US$20 billion over the next several years, set out that the company got 83 percent of the profits and the state only 17 percent."

The Tenke Fungurume project represents one of the world's largest supplies of copper, with an annual output of 40,000 tons.

In 2002, a new mining code stipulated that 55 percent was to be allocated to the company and 45 percent to the government. The commission is proposing that 51 percent of profits go to the Congolese government and 49 percent to the company concerned.

"Such revenues over the long term would make a huge difference for the Congolese state and raise revenues for development," Father Muhigirwa said.

Congo has some of the world's richest mineral resources but its people are extremely poor. Renewed violence in eastern Congo has displaced a quarter-million people.

"In 2007 revenues from mining amounted to US$25 million to the state," Father Muhigirwa said. "However, the World Bank has shown that just with the new terms of these 60 contracts mining can generate at least US$184 million annually for the state."

Although some companies have shown reluctance to renegotiate contracts, the Jesuit priest said he believes that the investments they have made are so important that they will ultimately prefer to renegotiate.

"If they refuse to renegotiate, then we believe that the government will just not renew" their contracts, said Father Muhigirwa.

The lucrative Tenke Fungurume contract will expire in 2026; Father Muhigirwa said that if Freeport McMoRan refuses to renegotiate, then they will have to leave Congo.

"I do not believe they will do that because there is too much at stake," the priest said.

Some observers have said that, even if companies pay a higher percentage of the profits from mining to the government, there is so much corruption in Congo that the poor will not profit anyway.

But Father Muhigirwa said he is optimistic that things can change.

Nine ministries are involved in the work to review the mining contracts, and the Center for Studies for Social Action has worked to keep Congolese lawmakers informed about the process.

A government bank account recently has been set up to receive revenues from mining. Funding used to be paid into different accounts and could be kept hidden.

"It would now be very difficult for a few individuals ... to pocket any of the mining revenues because the whole government and a wide range of civil society organizations are aware of the monies that will be generated," he said.

Congo also has signed on to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, launched by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2002. The initiative requires all revenues and payments by mining companies to be made public.

"Up until now no one knew what mining companies were producing or the revenues they were generating. But now, they will have to reveal everything that they produce," said Father Muhigirwa.

END

CONGO-MINING Jan-2-2009 (770 words) xxxi
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KAE Bikin Misa Perutusan Uskup San

Oleh Avent Saur

ENDE - Keuskupan Agung Ende (KAE) menggelar misa perutusan untuk Uskup Denpasar, Mgr Silvester San Pr di Paroki Katedral, Jumat (6/2).
Mantan Praeses Seminari Tinggi ini diangkat Tahta Suci Vatikan tanggal 20 November 2008 jadi Uskup Denpasar, menggantikan almarhum Mgr Benyamin Bria.
Misa perutusan dipimpin Uskup Agung Ende, Mgr Vincentius Sensi Potokota. Uskup Agung mengatakan, tidak ada Gereja tanpa perutusan. Perutusan adalah refleksi lanjut dari perintah Yesus.

Medan perutusan itu adalah tanah Flores, tanah Denpasar (Bali). “Perutusan itu berjalan dalam proses yang terus menerus tanpa putus sebab manusia tidak bisa dirohanikan secara sempurna. Tapi manusia harus belajar untuk terus dirohanikan,” kata Uskup dalam kotbahnya.
Uskup Agung mengatakan, penunjukkan Romo San jadi Uskup Denpasar bukan saja berita gembira bagi Keuskupan Denpasar, tapi juga bagi Keuskupan Agung Ende.
“Kini kita merayakan ekaristi perutusan bagi putra terbaik Keuskupan Agung Ende. Saya yakin, dia telah siap untuk diutus dan siap bekerja di tempat dan orang yang memiliki kebudayaan lain serta karakter yang lain. Dia pasti telah tahu tugas-tugasnya sebagai seorang uskup. Tuhan pasti menyertai Mgr San,” katanya.

Terpilihnya Uskup San juga merupakan sebuah rahmat yang tidak bisa dihindari atau dielakkan. Sebab kemampuan manusia tidak cukup untuk mengelakkan rahmat itu.
“Semua imam pasti menghindari keterpilihan menjadi uskup, tapi ketika terpilih kita tidak memiliki kemampuan lagi untuk menghindarinya,” ujarnya.
Uskup San dalam sambutannya mengatakan, dia memilih moto uskupnya Deus incrementum dedit” yang artinya Allah yang memberikan pertumbuhan (1Kor 3:6).
“Saya hanya bisa menanam tapi Allah yang memberikan pertumbuhan”.
Ketika pertama kali ditunjuk jadi uskup, Uskup San merasa berat memikul tanggung jawab ini. Tapi saat ini “Saya merasa gembira karena banyak umat KAE terlibat dalam pelepasan ini. Ini menunjukkan, saya direstui dan didukung oleh umat. Terima kasih untukmu semua. Emas dan perak tidak ada pada saya. Yang ada hanya sebuah lagu “You race me up”.
“Saya konsisten pada keputusan saya sejak awal untuk menjadi imam yang siap diutus, sekalipun hanya misionaris domestik. Saya hanya menjalankan misi gereja”.
Uskup San kepada Flores Pos mengatakan, dia tidak bisa menampik ada kesan Keuskupan Denpasar didominasi kultur Flores, “Karena memang 70 persen umatnya berasal dari Flores”. “Hanya tiga paroki yang mayoritas Bali dan Tionghoa”.
Bagi Uskup San, perbedaan itu tetap ada. Ada minoritas dan ada juga heterogenitas.
“Kita akan memperhatikan semua umat yang datang dari latarbelakang berbeda”.

Mengenai program pastoral keuskupan, Uskup San mengatakan, program tidak bisa dibuat sendiri oleh uskup tapi tim di Pusat Pastoral Keuskupan Denpasar.
“Meski seorang uskup memberikan gagasan-gagasan pastoral, karena kalau dibuat hanya oleh uskup, berarti dia single fighter” katanya.
Perayaan ini , kata Paulus, salah seorang umat yang hadir, sangat agung. “Saya terharu dengan sambutan Uskup San. Saya harap dia konsisten”.
“Kelihatannya umat sangat antusias dengan perayaan ini,” kata Theresia, umat yang hadir dalam perayaan ini.
Perayaan ekaristi ini dimeriahkan koor Lingkungan XIII dipimpin Laurens Laki. Musik kolintang SMP Margot di bawah bimbingan Sr Irmina CIJ meriahkan misa perutusan ini. Umat penuh di dalam gereja dan luar gereja.*


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Pembaruan Terus Menerus

Oleh Frans Obon

PEMBARUAN. Itulah kata kunci ketika kita memasuki tahun baru. Dengan ini kita tidak hanya melihat perayaan tahun baru sekadar pergantian kalender. Tapi lebih sebagai refleksi untuk menilai kembali sepak terjang kehidupan pribadi dan kehidupan sosial kemarin, hari ini dan demi merancang masa depan yang lebih baik.

Di dalam konteks kehidupan publik, mendesak rasanya kita melakukan pembaruan-pembaruan di segala sektor kehidupan kita. Dalam ranah politik, misalnya, kita perlu menegakkan kembali komitmen kita untuk memahkotai seluruh aktivitas politik dengan kesejehateraan umum (bonum publicum). Kita membalikkan semua sepakterjang politik yang hanya mementingkan klik politik daripada mengusahakan kebaikan umum dan kebaikan bersama.

Kongsi antara pemodal dan elite politik (birokrasi dan legislatif) telah mengaburkan tujuan sejati dari politik. Aktivitas politik lebih hanya memobilisasi masyarakat untuk mendapatkan dukungan politik (kepentingan suara dalam pemilu) daripada mengusahakan kebaikan bersama. Legitimasi dukungan rakyat itu dipakai untuk mengumpulkan keuntungan pribadi daripada memperjuangkan kepentingan rakyat.Orientasi pembangunan kita juga mesti diubah.

Pembangunan tidak lagi dilihat sebagai proyek oleh birokrasi, legislatif dan para pelaku yang terlibat di dalamnya. Sebab pengalaman selama ini, miliaran dana telah digelontorkan melalui dinas-dinas, tetapi dampak proyek pembangunan itu tidak terlihat. Ini disebabkan karena orientasi pembangunan lebih dilihat sebagai proyek. Karena di sana ada setumpuk uang. Tiap dinas berlomba-lomba menciptakan proyek pembangunannya sendiri. Namun semua itu berjalan secara parsial.

Di dalam kehidupan sosial dan budaya, kita juga memerlukan perubahan. Kita hidup di zaman serba instan. Kita ingin mendapatkan keuntungan dengan cara gampang. Korupsi diduga kuat berakar di dalam mental instan ini. Orang ingin mendapakan setumpuk kekayaan dengan cara melanggar prinsip dan nilai-nilai moral. Kita telah melencengkan makna kerja (keras) sebagai bagian dari nilai kemanusiaan. Kehidupan sosial kita tidak lagi mementingkan kebersamaan, solidaritas, melainkan semangat untung diri. Kita tidak lagi peduli dengan rintihan orang lain. Kita selalu ingin cari selamat sendiri.

Budaya kita masih belepotan dengan kekerasan. Ada orang mengambil begitu saja kebun orang lain dengan dalih riwayat kekuasaan masa lalu. Kita merampas hak orang lain atas nama kepentingan umum.

Kita juga memerlukan pembaruan di dalam kehidupan beragama kita. Karena agama telah kehilangan nilai transformatifnya. Keagamaan kita lebih pada formalitas dan ritualitas. Agama kita ubah hanya sebagai sebuah identitas pribadi dan kelompok. Kita lupa pada esensi agama sebagai jalan transformasi sosial.
Singkat kata, kita membutuhkan perubahan yang terus menerus.


Diambil dari fransobon.blospot.com

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Selamat Jalan Uskup Edu

Oleh Frans Obon

KEMATIAN seorang uskup adalah sebuah kehilangan. Itulah yang dialami oleh umat Keuskupan Ruteng. Kematian Uskup Eduardus Sangsun SVD, tanggal 13 Oktober 2008 adalah kehilangan besar bagi umat Katolik di wilayah itu.

Uskup Edu ditahbiskan Uskup 25 Maret 1985. Itu berarti selama 23 tahun, dia membaktikan dirinya bagi pengembangan Gereja lokal Keuskupan Ruteng. Dia merencanakan reksa pastoral bersama umatnya. Sebagai seorang gembala, ia jatuh bangun bersama umatnya. Dia berjalan dari stasi ke stasi, dari komunitas ke komunitas, dan dari paroki ke paroki. Dia mendengar dengan setia Firman Allah, merenungkannya dan membaginya kepada umat kawanannya. Dia membimbing umatnya pada masa-masa sulit baik oleh gejolak sosial-ekonomi dan budaya maupun gejolak politik.

Secara teratur dia menggelar sinode keuskupan di mana umat Katolik bersama hirarki Gereja membahas bersama-sama reksa pastoral yang memberikan kesejahteraan jasmaniah dan rohaniah bagi umat.

Tantangan Gereja lokal, yang kadang-kadang serani sai kontas bokak, bukanlah perkara mudah. Namun oleh tanggung jawabnya sebagai gembala Uskup harus sabar menuntun umatnya menuju padang rumput hijau.

Seperti dikatakan oleh mantan Gubernur NTT Ben Mboi dalam sinode keuskupan beberapa waktu lalu, Uskup Edu membawa kawanannya dengan filosofi Manggarai sendiri yakni tinu, titong, toing, dan teing.

Tinu dalam bahasa Manggarai adalah memelihara. Tugas pemimpin Gereja adalah memelihara perbendaharaan iman (depositum fidei). Titong adalah tugas kegembalaan agar menuntun domba-domba ke padang hijau. Agar dengan gala dan tongkat kegembalaan, domba yang lari keluar dituntun kembali ke jalan yang benar. Teing adalah memberi. Gereja sebagai penyalur rahmat harus terus menerus menyalurkan rahmat kepada umatnya. Toing adalah mengajar, memberi nasihat.

Di sisi lain, Uskup Edu dalam segala kesederhanaannya memandang penting kehadiran Gereja Katolik di Flores. Ketika Flores Pos, harian pertama di Flores berdiri tahun 1999, Uskup Edu adalah salah satu Uskup yang ikut memberi andil. Dia mendukung kehadiran media massa. Dia melihat posisi Flores ke depan. Dia ikut membangun dan memperkuat demokrasi di tingkat lokal. Dia ingin menegaskan kembali pentingnya keterlibatan dan kehadiran Gereja Katolik di bidang media massa.

Uskup tidak hanya membangun fondasi Keuskupan Ruteng tapi juga dalam konteks penciptaan masyarakat adab di Flores melalui media. Uskup Edu, selamat jalan.

Dikutip dari fransobon.blogspot.com
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Selamat Uskup San

Oleh FRANS OBON

UMAT Katolik Keuskupan Denpasar boleh bergembira. Karena dalam waktu tidak terlalu lama, mereka mendapatkan uskup baru menggantikan almarhum Uskup Benyamin Yosef Bria, yang meninggal setahun lalu.

Tahta Suci Paus Benediktus XVI, Sabtu (22/11) mengangkat Romo Silvester San Pr, Praeses Seminari Tinggi Ritapiret, Maumere jadi Uskup Denpasar. Pengumuman pencalonannya di istana Keuskupan Maumere yang disiarkan melalui Radio Keuskupan Rogate disambut gembira umat Katolik. Pengangkatannya diumumkan juga di keuskupan-keuskupan di Flores.

Romo San meraih doktor dalam bidang Teologi Biblis dari Universitas Urbanianum Roma, Italia (1995-1997). Dia ditahbiskan imam, 29 Juli 1988 di Maumere. Romo San lahir di Mauponggo, Kabupaten Nagekeo, 14 Agustus 1961. Uskup San meminta dukungan doa dari umat Katolik di Flores untuk tugas kegembalaannya di Keuskupan Denpasar nanti.

Umat Katolik menyambut gembira pengangkatan seorang uskup bukan karena jabatan uskup itu sebuah prestise, melainkan karena tugasnya membimbing, menuntun umat Katolik menuju Guru Agung Yesus Kristus cukup sentral. Karena Uskup dengan tongkat kegembalaannya menuntun kawanannya di tengah arus zaman globalisasi yang begitu deras sekarang ini.

Tugas uskup menjadi tidak ringan di tengah dunia yang terfragmentasi oleh kepentingan duniawi, di tengah situasi sekularisme dan kapitalisme yang menggurita, di tengah transisi politik Indonesia menuju demokrasi. Seorang uskup harus dengan tekun merenungkan Sabda Tuhan, memelihara perbendaharaan iman (depositum fidei) dan menyiarkannya kepada orang-orang zaman ini.

Seorang uskup yang dengan tekun berdoa dan mendengar bisikan Roh Kudus mewartakan iman dan moral kepada dunia zaman ini dan ajaran iman dan moralnya didengarkan sehingga menimbulkan ketaatan iman dan moral pula. Ketaatan iman dan moral itu tentu perkara ke dalam kehidupan Gereja Katolik sendiri. Tentu lebih berat lagi adalah bagaimana ajaran iman dan moral Gereja Katolik bergema di tengah kehidupan masyarakat yang makin plural, sehingga menarik orang-orang zaman ini.

Dalam hal tertentu, pengangkatan ini adalah kebanggaan iman umat Katolik Flores. Kebanggaan keluarga-keluarga Katolik di Flores. Kebanggaan seminari-seminari di Flores. Flores kembali memberikan sumbangannya pada kepentingan Gereja Lokal di Indonesia. Bahkan kepada kepentingan Gereja universal.

Kebanggaan ini tentu sekaligus menuntut tanggung jawab yang lebih besar agar keluarga-keluarga Katolik di Flores sungguh menjadi tempat persemaian iman Katolik yang benar di bawah bimbingan para uskup. Seminari-seminari menjadi tempat persemaian yang subur. Tempat para calon ditempah untuk mampu menjawab tuntutan zaman ini. Kita bangga, tapi serentak memberi kita tanggung jawab. Selamat kepada Uskup San.

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