By Fr Seamus Finn, OMI
Fr Seamus Finn, OMI recently participated in a mining meeting in South Africa hosted by the Anglican
Archbishop of Cape Town.
While there he visited several local Oblate communities.
During my recent visit to South Africa for an event on mining,
hosted by the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, I had the
opportunity to connect with three different oblate communities in South Africa.
These visits provided a great opportunity to connect with oblates in frontline
ministry and mission, to learn about their missionary priorities and
challenges, and to celebrate with some members in the local communities.
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Alvin
Ryan Tshuma OMI, Siyabonga Dube OMI
and servers in Khayelitcha
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The first stop was to an initiative that is very fresh in Mitchell
Plain on the outskirts of Cape Town and in the nearby township of Khayelitcha.
I had a chance to visit the area where four young oblates are in mission and
debrief with them on my reason for being in the area and discuss their work
over a very tasty pizza. They also talked about their memories and relationships with Oblates in the US province, specifically with Oblate Frs.
Jim Datko, Bill Clarke, John Staak, Paul Waldie and Tom Singer.
On Sunday I had the opportunity to join in the celebration of the
Eucharist in a township chapel. It was a very small corrugated iron
construction building, squeezed in between a number of domestic dwellings.
There was one single file aisle available, which made the different processions
and collections that are usually part of the Catholic experience of Mass very
interesting. That is saying nothing of the music, movement and swaying that
were part of the celebration.
In Johannesburg I visited the well-known Soweto area and on the
northern side of the city, the Alexandra township where oblates have maintained
a missionary presence for decades, and the retreat center and novitiate at
Germiston. The stories that form part of
these missionary endeavors and
the oblate characters who came from places like Lowell, MA and Inchicore in
Ireland who were part of this long-standing missionary effort are legend here.
Their courage and creativity in the face of grinding political oppression and
oppressive police and state force, and ingrained and deep racism is inspiring.
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| Left to right: Zweli Mlotshwa OMI, Bufana Ndlovu OMI, Seamus Finn OM |
Twenty years after the release of Nelson Mandela from prison and
the beginning of the new South Africa, the wheels of development appear to have come
off the bus. Unemployment is persistent at over 25% with no clear path to
address this debilitating experience for so many. The absence of a substantial
opposition political party has allowed the African National Congress (ANC) to dominate the
space and control most aspects of society.
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| Bronze statue of Nelson Mandela near downtown Johannesburg |
Political corruption and graft are expected in every transaction and few
institutions have the strength or the presence to respond strategically to
these issues.
The country’s energy policy remains very dependent on coal mining and
burning and this continues to contribute to very dramatic public health and
social challenges that have not been addressed. This, after making great
strides in addressing an HIV-AIDS epidemic, made catastrophic by a misguided
government policy. The forthcoming global meeting on developing both sovereign
and global responses to the issue of climate change puts South Africa at the
center of a number of pivotal debates.
The effects of this very tragic and repressive period in the
recent history of South Africa are present across society. They are more
prevalent and obvious when you visit a township and see the grinding poverty
and violence that is deeply rooted. To watch these young oblate missionaries in
each of these townships continuing a religious and gospel presence, pastorally
comforting the afflicted and aged, and standing in solidarity against
oppression and indifference was encouraging and hopeful.
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