SLOGAN-HUNTING

MARFAM has been promoting the cause of family life for more than 10 years. Your financial support helps us to operate, produce the publications, including this monthly enewsletter and maintain our website. Advertise your company or project on the website, enewsletter or various publications or send a donation to P.O. Box 2881, Randburg 2125. South Africa. Every Rand, Dollar or Euro helps to strengthen families somewhere, somehow.

This month’s Family Matters newsletter takes a brief look back at 2006, with its Family Life theme of marriage and the December focus on marriage as gift. It also looks ahead at 2007 with the theme of children, described by Gaudium et Spes as the “crowning glory of marriage.”
With joy we take to heart the gift of Christmas and the message of God’s love on which Pope Benedict XVI has written so eloquently in Deus Caritas Est where the Holy Father spoke of “human love as a measure of God’s love.” He also regularly highlights our task as followers of Jesus, soon to be born again, to extend this love to those around us. How are we to do this?
Strange how a slogan can pop up from different directions at the same time. “Live simply so that others may simply live.” I was reminded of it while doing a little websearch on the subject of hope in the context of marriage as a gift and the future of our society. I came across it in an excellent article “A Tradition of Hopeful Intelligence” by Anthony Kelly (to be found at http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/research/theology/ejournal for those who have the interest and leisure to read over this period.)
Then, just this week a Christmas wish from the UK referred to CAFOD’s livesimply campaign (see www.livesimply.org.uk ) which developed from Pope Paul VI’ Populorum Progressio. “God calls us to look hard at our lifestyles and to choose to live simply, sustainably and in solidarity with the poor. In this way we can help create a world in which human dignity is respected and everyone can reach their full potential.”
We, in South Africa are no doubt in midsummer madness mode where we combine midsummer holidays with what is described in another popular slogan, we “shop till we drop.” On my recent travels around the country I became more acutely aware than ever of the disparity between those who can afford to shop for the many awesome toys and gadgets on offer and those who can hardly afford to shop at all.
But that concept, living simply, is not so simple to apply in any family. If one member decides to become a St Francis how does the whole family react and where does one draw the line between living simply and becoming a miser? No presents this Christmas? No increase in pocket money or simply being careful not to be wasteful of water, electricity etc. It certainly takes a communal lifegiving decision to examine lifestyles and personal choices.
At the same time is it trite to say, all of us rich and poor have access to the greatest and simplest of gifts; of life and our families, whatever form they might take, but still given to us by God and modeled this month by the Holy Family.
Marriage was this year’s Family Life theme, promotion of, support for and encouragement towards better marriages. I know that some have taken the theme seriously to heart during the year and celebrated this gift. Thousands of migrant workers go home for a few weeks at this time. In spite of the fact that these Christmas holidays can be filled with stresses for a whole lot of reasons, financial and otherwise, what a blessing that now, more than at any other time of the year, families do have an opportunity to be together. Maybe more parishes could make a point of a greater celebration of Holy Family Sunday after Christmas, which this year is also New Year’s Eve and another appropriate time to take stock.
Are we as individuals, as Church, as citizens promoting the fullness of life? The Church, using different ways and means, has interacted with the State on a number of occasions, to defend marriage, to participate in the process of moral regeneration and to consider ways to fight crime and poverty.  Our common concern is to promote human wellbeing. However from a Catholic perspective while some legislation promotes this well-being other legislation is anti-life. The Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio of John Paul II is 25 years old this year. One of its messages to us as Catholic family people is to nurture life. Particularly during 2007 let us as parents give our children, to whom our love gave life, the ongoing love they need to grow and develop. In the words of a well-known song, let us teach them well for they are our future. Parents, foster parents, adoptive parents and families in general have an awesome task, an extension of the gift of life itself.
So, on whatever journey we are during this time, may those who travel “arrive alive.” And finally, if you give it some thought, how would living simply apply to this last slogan, “The more you buy the more you save?” Can it perversely not be adapted and applied in responding to the call of Jesus Christ, the one who saves, whose generosity cannot be outdone? May your Christmas and New Year be filled with his saving grace.  
Many thanks for your support to all forms of family ministry during the past months.  
Toni Rowland

“The Church exists to evangelise” is a slogan often heard in our Evangelisation department and the Family Life Desk has this same overall vision of evangelization and family life education. Particular welfare needs and psycho-social aspects of family life are referred to other specialist agencies within the Church and beyond.

The 2007 Family Life theme is CHILDREN, GIVEN THEM LOVE.  More than 10 000 calendars have been distributed so far, mainly within South Africa, and some are still available. The calendar highlights the monthly subthemes.

THEMES FOR 2007: CHILDREN, GIVEN THEM LOVE!

An overview of the themes is published on the website www.marfam.org.za A drive is under way to get this project moving through diocesan level to parish level. Pastoral Councils should have a portfolio for family life to coordinate the ministry to families which can include this awareness project too, but everyone else, and in particular educators and youth departments and those working in development, are also active roleplayers. Activities from simply including the monthly topic in the weekly bidding prayers or in various prayer groups, to organizing a retreat or seminar or building the current theme into a Lenten programme and lessons for children can help to focus on the needs of children and possibly in collaboration with other agencies these can be addressed.

For future information it is hoped that in collaboration with other departments and agencies Children’s Day will be celebrated around 1st November. 

CATHOLIC PARLIAMENTARY LIASON OFFICE  (CPLO)

The CPLO is an office of the SA Catholic Bishop’ Conference and is the Church’s eyes and ears in Parliament, engaging in lobbying and debate in the parliamentary process. Briefing papers are produced regularly by researchers to enlighten Catholics about current legislative matters.  CPLO reports that the Portfolio Committee for Home Affairs had three important pieces of legislation referred to it in the final session of Parliament this year, namely The Civil Union Bill, the Immigration Amendment Bill and the. Film and Publications Amendment Bill. Papers that were prepared and further information can be obtained from Desire@cplo.org.za.  

Concern had been expressed about the Film and Publications Amendment Bill. CPLO reports that during briefings the Portfolio Committee had made it clear that the harm they are trying to remedy is that which is being done to children. The Bill is seeking to outlaw child pornography and also exposure of children to all forms of pornography.
The briefing paper states :” All steps taken by government that seek to protect children and others from exploitation and exposure to harmful material are to be commended. The Bill would not seem to be excessively restrictive, or to interfere with any fundamental freedoms in an unjustifiable way. In serving the common good a balance needs to be struck between freedom of expression and the responsible exercise of that freedom; this Bill goes some way to striking that balance.

MORE ITEMS OF INTEREST

There are very many organizations in South Africa concerned with children’s rights, and aiming at addressing children’s needs.  We intend to highlight some of these, particularly Church-based ones over the next months.

PROLIFE AND NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING
As the January Family Life focus is LOVE GIVES LIFE, visit Human Life International website www.hli.co.za for information about Pro-life issues.
For Natural Family Planning contact Martin and Ursula van Nierop 011 948 9915.  Marriage and Family Living article on NFP is available on the website www.marfam.org.za
Catholic Portal at metanoia@icon.co.za has a range of Catholic resources and links to many local Catholic sites.

CHILDREN FIRST  www.childrenfirst.org.za
Through its journal and website Children First monitors and advocates for children’s rights in South Africa and Africa.
It provides:

• A forum for sharing experience and knowledge that may help develop models of good practice.
• A platform for debate of issues that affect children and their carers
• Opportunities for children to express their views and concerns
• A tool for advocacy with policy-makers and opinion formers
• An African perspective on the situation of children in South Africa and Africa.

Children First depends solely on grants and public generosity.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN SA ADVOCACY INITIATIVE
A lobbying group has been formed that will be instrumental in initially lobbying for legislation reform so that Human Trafficking is tabled as a specific crime with specific legislation to safeguard vulnerable women and children in our country.
To join please contact Mary-Ann Alho on (012) 429-6224 or email: alhom@unisa.ac.za with your name and contact details. This will prompt an  electronic information sheet being sent to you with more details on the extent and prevalence of Human Trafficking in SA.

Also on child trafficking see www.childtrafficking.com/Docs/save_sweden_06_vawca_report.pdf

WEEKEND RETREAT FOR WIDOWED PEOPLE IN FEBRUARY AT GOEDGEDACHT (near Cape Town) 
Ministry to widowed people is something close to my heart. It is a form of peer ministry where we, as facilitators rather than retreat directors, provide an opportunity in a structured manner for the widowed, men and women, to reflect, share if they choose, but be a support for one another through their common experience. Sometimes the widowed feel uneasy to join a group, even afraid, but I highly recommend this weekend at Goedgedacht in the beautiful setting of the Cape. It promises to be a deeply comforting and healing experience.
There will be a priest for part of the weekend and to end with Mass on Sunday afternoon. 
See the advert for details.

RADIO VERITAS will be bringing listeners the “Good News for a Change” right through the month of December, broadcasting on channel 71 on DSTV and streaming on the www.  Why not give the family a gift of DSTV this Christmas?  In addition to all the TV possibilities, on Radio Veritas in addition to the local programmes EWTN also features quite prominently at certain times. The programme FAMILY MATTERS hosted by me brings the Good News of Family life and is broadcast on Wednesdays from 10-11am and Saturday 11-12am.  Subject matter normally includes the current family life themes.

CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
With a focus on Children for 2007 we bring some information on the topic of education. 
The CATHOLIC INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION (CIE) was established in 1985 by the SACBC to provide in-service training and support to Catholic schools across South Africa. 342 Catholic schools in South Africa, both public and independent serve approximately 160,000 learners in mainly urban township and rural communities. Some 6200 educators work in these schools.   Visit www.cie.org.za
The National Office deals with such matters as Policy, Governance, Religious Education, Pastoral Care, and HIV/AIDS. There are also a number of regional offices.
There is concern that the majority of children attending Catholics schools are not Catholic and the vast majority of Catholic children receive their religious instruction in parish catechesis. However it is necessary to note that the primary aim of Catholic schools is not the provision of religious education and in fact preparation for sacraments should be done in the parish. We welcome some discussion on the whole subject of the Catholic school and the Family. 

ST AUGUSTINE COLLEGE is a private higher education institution dedicated to formation for ethical leadership. The college offers a number of MPHIL and D PHIL degrees as well as postgraduates Diploma in Political Leadership and Religious and Values Education.
The college was opened in 1999 and moved to its present location in Victory Park, Johannesburg in 2002.
The degrees are divided into eight quarters over two years and the final quarter is devoted to a Research Paper. Attendance at the college is required for the week of intensive tuition at the beginning of each module while the balance of the work is done at home, with many of the students traveling long distances some from foreign countries.  Visit www.staugustine.ac.za for full details of courses and other relevant information. 

Sr Zelia reports from Papua-New Guinea about the 16 days of activism campaign to combat violence against
women and children.  with a march

But this is Christmas a time for warmth and closeness where children often bring us a good laugh and some good cheer, even when it means living simply.  From www.wwj.org.nz
Christmas cheer.
Marilyn was given an untrained puppy for Christmas
An hour later, her dad found her in the kitchen, looking at a puddle in the centre of the floor. “Look Dad,” she said, “My pup runneth over!”
 
Once upon a time
After the fall in Garden of Eden, Adam was walking with his sons Cain and Abel. They passed by the ruins of the Garden of Eden. One of the boys asked, "What's that?" Adam replied, "Boys, that's where your mother ate us out of house and home."

“I want to hold your hand.” From Smartmarriages.com.  
A University of Virginia neuroscientist has found that women under stress who hold their husbands' hands show signs of immediate relief, which can clearly be seen on their brain scans. "This is the first study of the neurological reactions to human touch in a threatening situation, and the first study to measure how the brain facilitates the health-enhancing properties of close social relationships," says Dr. James A. Coan, author of the study, which is published in the December 2006 issue of the journal Psychological Science.

Contact Marfam

Tel: +27 11 789 5449
Fax: +27 11 789 5449
Email: info@marfam.org.za
Web:
www.marfam.org.za

“A weekend for widows and widowers of all ages to reflect on their experience of bereavement in the past, how they are dealing with life in their present situation and a look into the future. Like marriage widowhood has its practical, psychological and spiritual elements. Widowhood is a process from grief to healing and those who have been through the experience can be a great source of support to others too.

Toni and Moyra are widows, who together with their late husbands had been active presenters in various forms of marriage ministry. Experiencing the tremendous sadness and adjustment to the loss of a spouse who was also a soul-mate has led them to this new ministry to support those who are widowed."

Cost R450,00. Booking through carligoedgedacht@telkomsa.net

Contact Marfam

Tel: +27 11 789 5449
Fax: +27 11 789 5449
Email: info@marfam.org.za
Web:
www.marfam.org.za