Winter Living Theology 2018

Racial Justice and the Demands of Discipleship

presented by Rev Fr Bryan Massingale.

Lecture 1 of 6

Introduction and Overview: What is "Racism?"

Why Is It So Difficult to Talk about?

“Johannesburg Airport has become a ‘narco’ airport. In the last 2 years, something like 22 people were arrested in Hong Kong for drugs. December 6 last year, two passengers caught a flight from Johannesburg, each of them had twelve kilos of cocaine…”

Matthew Charlesworth SJ talks to Fr John Wotherspoon OMI about drug mules, corruption and prison ministry.

“If you go on pilgrimage and you experience what you experience specifically… and I always talk about the Holy Land. You give people the hope that your faith is still that strong and that it still exists. When they read that Gospel in church, you go back and you see it and you experience the Gospel. The Gospel comes alive.”

Russell Pollitt SJ, talks to Gail Fowler who is the owner and operator of Fowler Tours as well as Günther Simmermacher, editor of Southern Cross, South Africa’s Catholic weekly about pilgrimages.

Please note that the next podcast will be released in January 2020. Thank you for your support.

“People are very critical of Pope Francis… I keep on reminding myself, don’t forget how conscious you were of the presence of the Holy Spirit during that conclave. Therefore, the man you’ve got now has to be the choice of the Holy Spirit.”

Cardinal Wilfrid Napier is the Archbishop of Durban, South Africa. He recently published a book entitled “The Here and Now Christian”.

Russell Pollitt SJ talks to Cardinal Napier about his book, his life, his studies and formation during the Second Vatican Council, being a bishop for over 30 years and the challenges we face in South Africa today.

“Above everything else, I’m a Catholic as Günther Simmermacher but I am also a professional journalist. As a journalist, it is not my job to do PR for the bishops or the Vatican. I have to reflect truthfully and fairly what is happening.”

Next year, South Africa’s Catholic weekly The Southern Cross celebrates 100 years of publication. Günther Simmermacher has been with the paper for 25 years and almost 20 years as editor.

Russell Pollitt SJ talks to Günther about Catholic media in general as well as the specific challenges around editing a Catholic newspaper.

“We’ve got this great Constitution, it certainly prohibits any form of violence. But when we step inside of our homes, many of us leave that constitution behind and we subscribe to a set of values determined by a religion. Most religions are made in this patriarchal mould. So you have got women across religions and cultures having to grapple with this in their homes…”

Joanne Joseph presents Talk Radio 702’s Afternoon Drive. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Drama, Film and English, and an Honours and Master’s Degree in Modern Languages and Literatures. Joanne has worked for many years in the media industry and has always chosen to face issues of social justice. This was instilled by her Catholic education.

Russell Pollitt SJ talks to Joanne about gender-based violence, the systemic issues and the struggle for justice.

Fr Laurence Freeman OSB is a Benedictine monk and a teacher of Christian meditation. He’s the author of several books on the topic and has been involved in the World Community for Christian Meditation since 1980.

“We need to work together! Politicians need to put their positions aside and come together as a united front! Julius Malema, Cyril Ramaphosa, Musi Maimane… let’s hold hands, walk in the streets of Johannesburg and bring the citizens together.”

Jean Bwasa is a husband and a father of four children. Originally from the DRC, he is a pan-Africanist, a motivational speaker and a humanist. Defending human rights is his passion. Jean has a degree in education and over 35 years’ experience teaching at several high schools and universities.

Russell Pollitt SJ talks to Jean about migration, human rights and xenophobia.

“All of our children come from the Department of Social Development and they’ve either been abandoned, removed or orphaned. They’ve all experienced trauma and loss. We’ve had babies that were 4 days old, 5 days old, wrapped in tinfoil, found in a field…”

Nina Neubauer is a German-American volunteer and missionary. In the past eight years, she has served full-time at a children's home in Johannesburg. She has been a foster mother, and is currently an "Aunty" to more than 40 children.

Russell Pollitt SJ talks to Nina about working with children, single parenting and leaps of faith.

“The Church should be about community. The Church should be about inclusion. Often in the Church there seems to be quite a territorial sentiment about some of these things. When we are so territorial about something we think that we’re seeking to make it perfect, but actually, it starts to exclude and the Church is not an exclusive club!”

Janine Scott-dos Santos is mom to Owen, a superhero boy with Autism. She runs her own HR business.

Ricardo da Silva SJ talks to Janine about Autism, the joys and challenges of being a mom to a child with special needs and the impact this has had on her family and church life.