15.09.2010 Talking about time

Talking about time as I did in the last blog – once again time is faster flying than I can keep up with it.
The weekend saw me serving the Catholic Community in Belhar with a very interesting family mass on the Sunday morning. Preparation for the HOPE Cape Town management meeting and a talk, given to readers of “Die Zeit” , a German weekly newspaper, who were on a trip through South Africa. It is always interesting for me to hear opinions and different perspectives to our situation here in South Africa and to learn a lot about how our country is perceived in the first world.
HOPE Cape Town Management meeting yesterday with lots to discuss at senior level. Such a project is developing also in a rapid way and we have to be creative to keep on going in a way serving the communities. From an afternoon with management then directly to Brooklyn Holy Cross Primary School where we celebrated the Feast of the Cross with the school community.
This morning POZ meeting: the working group trying to put up a pastoral care structure for HIV positive priests and religious is battling a bit with the concepts some people of the church hierarchy have. It is not easy to find a way to serve those infected and affected in a sensitive and meaningful way if there is so much fear and phobia within the church tackling the pandemic within our own ranks. Fr Wim and myself had meetings in Rome about the subject in May this year and we intended to be back with first positive steps in November this year, but unfortunately it will take more time. So I canceled yesterday the Rome leg of the trip end of next month in the hope, that next year sees more results.

Making progress in sensitive matters within our church can be quite an issue; and it is not that people would not see the urgency of matters, but the apprehensibility in some quarters of our church makes it at times very difficult. On the other hand: we know that we are as the church moving: slavery, human rights, democracy – the latter have been directly from hell some time ago but today we are the champions when it comes to advocate them for others.
I ask myself whether we are so much different from other organizations – and I guess: no.

Well: Never give up was one of the favorite songs of our first HOPE Community Health Workers and I think, that is a good motto for the days and weeks to come.

Filed under: Church Matters, General, HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town, HOPE Cape Town POZ, Living environment, Networking, Belhar, democracy, human rights, positive priests, POZ, Rome, slavery, time

08.06.2010 POZ and more…

An amazing day – already on the road shortly after 6 am this morning and somehow I manage not to get to the office until 4 pm in the afternoon. My cell is ringing constantly – even during meetings I hardly can handle it…

POZ meeting, we have to deal with the situation, that the SACBC is not in favor of our pastoral work. Somehow it seems that all the positive response we got before handing in the official proposal diluted within the closed meeting of the bishops. We are still awaiting the official response in writing, but it is indeed a setback that bishops are against pastoral care for their own fellow brothers and sisters working within the church. Well, “never give up” is one of my slogans and we will carefully try to more detail our offer and to get into a dialogue which at the end hopefully brings a benefit to the church. I am again and again amazed how difficult it is to bring initiatives serving the wider community of the church into the church. Only dialogue can bring a solution – we don’t want to work against any bishop, but we also know how necessary the work is we have begun.

Meeting with the DED in the middle of the day – discussion around the “weltwaerts” volunteers and the rules of engagement to get the right one who fit into HOPE Cape Town. In between and during the day several interview requests, lots of response on the “Beckmann” talk-show and a flood of emails to be tackled directly.

Only the failure of the internet provides a break – thanks to Telkom and MWEB which are more and more seem to fail their customers every given evening. The TELKOM lines are rotten and MWEB tries to squeeze so much internet traffic through a narrow bandwidth – it is amazing to see that they both sell services they cannot deliver on…

Filed under: Church Matters, HOPE Cape Town, HOPE Cape Town POZ, Reflection, DED, HOPE Cape Town, MWEB, SACBC, telkom

25.05.2010 A long way…

This morning meeting with the Archbishop of Cape Town regarding our working group on “pastoral work for HIV positive priests and religious”.  We awaiting a letter from the SACBC on our request for support and I hope, this letter will arrive in time for the next meeting, so that we can consider it and then our way forward. Before today, bishops we have spoken to have had a very supportive attitude, telling us, that nobody could reject pastoral work for those infected within the church. One bishop even offered to be the patron for the project. The indication today was that this attitude might have changed during the discussion amongst the bishops. So we are awaiting the letter with great anticipation, specially after all the willingness of the authorities within the Vatican to tackle this problem pro-active. Ecclesia siemper reformanda – we are at a defining moment within our church seeing all the scandals in Europe and else in the world – there is always hope – as the title of this block also clearly states.
I am sure there is always a way forward.. in an email, a colleague of mine mentioned my “gnadenlose Hoffnung” – my merciless hope.. – a very interesting expression.

Otherwise a day to catch up with all the emails lying in the mail box and lots of contacts with the HOPE Cape Town office – running an organisation means lots of small nitty gritties.. from banking problems to missing keys… it is real life….

Filed under: Church Matters, HOPE Cape Town, HOPE Cape Town POZ, Living environment, Networking, Reflection, theology, church, hope, HOPE Cape Town, HOPE Cape Town POZ, pastoral work for hiv positive priests and relgiious, SACBC

17.05.2010

The ash cloud is approaching, but Frankfurt Airport promised to be a good boy and be open until midnight. That should do the trick to bring us out. This morning a talk for 150 students of the Gesamtschule Stromberg and I once again realise how far away the real world is for those kids, or better: how well protected they are not to know the realities of life in all its facets.

Then back to Frankfurt to check in the luggage and go quick to town for a last shopping. A sms telling me, that a friend of mine got a heart attack and is lying in hospital, another phone call from South Africa telling me, that a person I know from Rotary has been found dead floating in his swimming pool with 42 – and some last-minute chaos regarding the Ball of HOPE… I feel it is time to get back home.

Now sitting at the airport and trying to sort out all the emails of the last three days.. there was no time to really read and answer every of those and now it looks like work down a hug pile of emails from around the world.

So what is the result of the trip?

Many talks, new connections and the renewal of old connections with sponsors and donors of HOPE Cape Town. Quite a lot of invitation to give talks or preach – a donation from the Kolping family Muenster – Sarmsheim, a couple of new HOPE Cape Town fans and supporters – re-connecting with those who are faithful sponsors the whole years and finally a big step regarding our new project for HIV positive priests and religious.

This trip was full of wonderful experience, little sleep, some flu in between but when Fr. Wim and I will write our final report and outline future steps, I am sure that it is to the benefit of HOPE Cape Town, Justice & Peace Cape Town and the joined venture we persue. Thanks to all and everybody who made this trip worth the efforts – thanks for all cooperation in Wolfsburg, Rome, Munich and Muenster-Sarmsheim as well as Stromberg.

And of course I am always grateful that LH grants me the pleasure of flying with them.. those encounters at the counters have been a real inspiration – in the best and in the worst way possible.. alternating…  as usual.

Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town, HOPE Cape Town POZ, Living environment, politics, Reflection, theology, donors, Frankfurt, HIV positive priests and religious, HOPE Cape Town, HOPE Cape Town POZ, Muenster Sarmsheim, sponsors, Stromberg

13.05.2010 Ecumenical Church Day Munich

Breakfast with Prof. Hilpert, moral theologian of the Theological faculty of Munich to discuss his possible input into our POZ project for HIV positive priests and religious. There after finding our way to the VIP International Visitors Lounge to receive the necessary documentation for the Ecumenical Church Day.

Meeting with a representative of MISEREOR to discuss some financial affairs and possibilities before heading to the Technical University to prepare for the podiums discussion about “HIV positive kids and youth in South Africa”.  the 1.5 h presentation included a film-strip from the film “thembi” and my role is to present the actual situation – social and political – in South Africa  and then the experience of HOPE Cape Town with children infected and their life experience.
During the discussion of course also the questions of condoms arise and the need of change in moral theology.

Interviews, meetings with known and long – not – seen friends surround the podium discussion and then quick back to the hotel – another meeting with a editor of a magazine before heading to the reception of the SPD in the Bavarian parliament. There I meet a lot of known and new people, amongst others Franz Maget, Archbishop Marx, the Vice President of the German Bundestag, Thierse, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Steinmeier, SPD stalwart Nagel, the Catholic Dean of Munich, the Finance Director of the Archdiocese of Munich, the secretary of the German Bishops Conference and many more. And at the end I agree to be part of the World AIDS Day in Munich and a week early to preach at the Hannover Marktkirche at the traditional service to commemorate the HIV/AIDS victims of the area, which is an honour as they have to show off with an impressive row of preachers in the last year.
So much networking for both of us this evening…

And so much more in between – a really full day and tomorrow the day starts with a breakfast at 7 am. Time to say Good Night…

Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town, HOPE Cape Town POZ, Networking, people living with the virus, politics, Aids, children, Ecumenical church day, hilpert, hiv, HOPE Cape Town, infected children, pastoral work with HIV positive priests and religious, SPD, theolocigal faculty, youth

13.05.2010 Finally Muenchen…

Last day in Rome and meeting with the Papal Council for Justice & Peace – a very intense and meaningful talk and we leave with the impression that it was more than good and just to approach this council for our work with HIV positive priests and religious. A lot to think about and a lot of planing ahead.
After visiting the church used by the prayer circle of St. Egidio in Rome and reminding us of all the modern martyrs we get to the airport to fly to Munich.

Our first meeting is with Prof. Beckmann from the TU Munich and we discuss certain aspects of common work lying ahead between the TU and HOPE Cape Town. Then after 10 pm we arrive at our hotel and we are left with a last drink while preparing for our first meeting tomorrow. A long day draws to an end and the 2nd ecumenical church day is waiting for us.

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town POZ, Networking, theology, Aids, hiv, justice and peace, papal council, pastoral care for HIV positive priests and religious, POZ, St. Egidio

11.05.2010 Wolfsburg – Rome

First station on our tour to Europe is Wolfsburg to attend a working session of the World AIDS Awareness Campaign II.   A day later we are already in Rome and today we had an appointment with the secretary of the Papal Council for Health Care Workers, Bishop Jose Rotrado, on the topic of “POZ – pastoral care for HIV positive priests and religious”. When we arrive at his office – to our surprise – our first meeting is with His Excellency, the President of the Papal Council, Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski himself. Fluently in German and English we have the chance to discuss with him the relevant topics before seeing Bishop Jose Retrado and discussing with him in detail the next steps and possibilities.

In the afternoon then visit of St. Peters and other “must see” places in Rome – the Manenberg parishioners are waiting for some pictures of the trip their parish priest is doing. Late afternoon/evening then reflection of the morning meetings and preparations for the next meeting  with the secretary of the Papal Council for Justice & Peace, whom we will see tomorrow.

Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town POZ, Networking, theology, HIV positive priests, papal council, pastoral care, Rome, Wolfsburg

09.05.2010 On the way…

Cape Town – Johannesburg – Frankfurt – Hannover… the first leg of the trip, Fr. Wim Lindeque of Manneberg and I are flying to meet a lot of interesting people and to hopefully push forward our common agenda regarding the pastoral work for HIV positive priests and religious. While the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference considers our proposal, we are heading also to Rome to introduce our concept to two papal councils. After that to Munich where I am invited to join a podium about South African children and HIV. Lots of talks with politicians and church people are also on the agenda. Finally to Muenster Sarmsheim to join for a fundraising evening in lieu of HOPE Cape Town and the next day discussion with some students of a local school.

But first to Hannover and Wolfsburg to meet “brother” Joachim and Sandra and their team to prepare for some challenging events next year.

Filed under: Church Matters, HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town, HOPE Cape Town POZ, medical, Networking, politics, theology, Uncategorized, Ecumenical church day, HIV positive priests, Muenster Sarmsheim, munich, papal councils, Rome, Wolfsburg

22.04.2010 working group for HIV positive priests and religious

What has the working group for HIV positive priests and religious in mind?

We want to provide excellent and confidential service and pastoral care for Catholic priests, religious, deacons and seminarians, but open to other denominations – which includes:

• Advice for priests, religious, deacons and seminarians regarding VCT for themselves and their communities
• Confidential and non judgmental counseling (in person, by email, phone, letter)
• General information about HIV and AIDS
• Assistance in the work on AIDS policies in religious institutions, diocesan structures, church related business
• Workshops for interested priests and religious
• Networking for priests and religious infected or affected by the HI virus
• Advocacy against stigma
• Transforming the stigma of HIV into a meaningful tool of service to others in our churches
• Working on a theology of HIV and AIDS
• Cooperation with relevant authorities, especially with the papal council for health care workers

Filed under: Church Matters, HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town POZ, Living environment, Networking, people living with the virus, prevention, theology, Aids, Catholic, hiv, positive clergy

05.03.2010 Just some bits..

Today was quite a day.. in the morning it took me two hours to get a number within the headquarters of TELKOM to report my grievance. There is still – after 8 days – no progress on re-establishing the ADSL line. The PA of the person in charge promised to phone me back.. well, maybe tomorrow…

Caught by police having a cellphone in the hand… the fine is 500 Rand. But as it is almost usual in South Africa I got away with donating towards some chicken wings for the hungry police.. – much cheaper than the fine…

I had to go to a dentist – and landed in Fourways at a dental clinic. The dentist spoke an excellent German – he was from Namibia and as far as I could see and feel, he did an excellent job. After finishing – the dentist said: “We all belive in one God” – and scraped the payment.  What a nice surprise..

Talk with Archbishop Buthi about our POZ initiative regarding HIV positive priests and clergy. Once again after the nuncio and Archbishop Steven in Cape Town a positive talk and sometimes I really feel home in my church, because there is a basic understanding for the care of people, even if theological positions seems to be far away. But the pastoral care is a level, where we all can meet and stand our grounds.

In the evening visiting friends – why are so many robots out-of-order in Johannesburg?? To drive 2 km in 1 hour can make one very nervous. On the way back seen a very bad accident – the motorcyclist was still treated on the road.. May God be with him and may he survive – the bike certainly did not…

These are only some of the bits and pieces of today – small stories but also needed to be told…

Filed under: Church Matters, HOPE Cape Town POZ, Reflection, dentist, hiv, HOPE Cape Town POZ, johannesburg, positive clergy, telkom