Please see the most recent letter from Bishop Sylvester David OMI regarding changes to safety measures for our liturgies.

Attached below please see a letter of condolence from Bishop Sylvester David OMI, on behalf of Archbishop Stephen Brislin, as well as a link to the Vatican website carrying Pope Francis’ statement on the death of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-12/pope-francis-sends-condolences-on-death-of-archbishop-tutu.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NewsletterVN-EN

Please read the following statement from the president of the SACBC on gas and oil exploration in the Eastern Cape.

You are invited to participate, by prayer and action, in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. Prayers for each day have been prepared by the Sisters of St Joseph – Justice and Peace, Archdiocese of Cape Town.

A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings. It is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking, unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted. This compromises the very meaning of our struggle for the sake of the environment. It is no coincidence that, in the canticle in which Saint Francis praises God for his creatures, he goes on to say: “Praised be you my Lord, through those who give pardon for your love”. Everything is connected. Concern for the environment thus needs to be joined to a sincere love for our fellow human beings and an unwavering commitment to resolving the problems of society. – Laudato Si’

Archbishop Stephen Brislin will launch the Synod in the Archdiocese of Cape Town from St Mary’s Cathedral at 10.00 a.m. on Sunday 17 October 2021. The Mass will be livestreamed to the Cathedral and to the Archdiocese of Cape Town Facebook page.

Dear all,

Attached please find our FREE extra digital issue of The Southern Cross to mark our first birthday as a magazine, and 101st as a Catholic publication. It includes some of our best articles over the past year. I hope you will enjoy it, whether you see the magazine for the first time, or catching up with articles you might have missed or forgotten about.

Unlike with our monthly issues – and October is out now and November is coming soon – we invite you to share this extra edition widely, to anyone you know. Please spread it widely: we want people to see that The Southern Cross is a great read, and hopefully they’ll want to see more of it.

HOW TO SHARE?

1. Forward this letter to anyone who you think might be interested in receiving it. If you’re not sure, you could send the link www.scross.co.za/sc-first-year to your contacts, with an invitation to get their free extra issue there.

2. Share the issue on all your social media: WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. If you don’t want to upload the document, you can give the direct Download link: 
https://app.box.com/s/u2fd1dddmqik2k5y7wkp1lsdn09235kz

If possible, please encourage people to share the document and/or links to it widely as well. And ask them to subscribe at www.digital.scross.co.za/subscribe.

Let’s make it go viral!

Thank you for your support,

Günther Simmermacher 
Editor 
 
The Southern Cross
Southern Africa’s Catholic Monthly Magazine

This livestreamed interfaith event on theological dialogue and practical ethics, hosted by the Catholic Church in Cape Town and the Ahlulbait Mosque in Ottery, took place at St Mary of the Angels Church, Athlone on 12 October at 7.30 pm. Presented by Fr Chris Clohessy (from Rome) and chaired by Fr Peter-John Pearson.

HOT OFF THE DIGITAL PRESS! Synod 2021-2023; Buckets of Love 2021; 2021 Directory Update; Youth Upcoming Events; St Catherine’s expands Soup Kitchen; News from St Kizito Children’s Programme; Life Teen and Edge; News from our Schools’ Office; CPLO Responses and Digests; God for Grownups; Kolping and Tafelsig parish collaboration; The Little Carpenter; the Xhosa Apostolate in the Archdiocese of Cape Town; Stella Maris Ministry; Do you have a fear of Missing Out; Archbishop celebrates 65th birthday; Double Celebrations in Grassy Park parish.

Please see correspondence and documentation from our Bishops with regard to the guidelines for Adjusted Alert Level 2 for the Covid 19 pandemic.