differences in confessional advice in south africa

8/7/2019 Differences in Confessional Advice in South Africa

1/22

DIFFERENCES

INCONFESSIONAL

ADVICE IN

SOUTH AFRICA

By

Stuart C. Bate, O.M.I.


2/22

CASE

Thembinkosi Ngcobo

- truck driver

-Highway from Durban to Johannesburg-Petrol stations, stopover points, Restaurants, Sex Workers


3/22

Married to Nomusa

(devout Catholic) (4

children)

AnotherFamily

(youngerwoman -

2 children)

(part of

Township

Culture)


4/22

RESULTRoutine Check-up of the Company

Thembinkosi has HIV

Nomusa +


5/22

ADVICE HIV Counselor -

use condoms to

prevent reinfection

(this troubled Nomusa)

PARISH PRIEST -

abstinence

Speak with the HIVCounselor ofthe

diocese


6/22

COUNSELING

- They wish to continue their sexualrelationship

-Abstinence might drive Thembinkosi

away from Nomusa to his family in

Johannesburg

-She was afraid of

the Churchs

women society if

she would not go forcommunion


7/22

HIV Counseling in the Diocese

-prevent retransmission(reinfection increased the viral load and weakened the already

struggling immune system)

-abstinence is not the answer

-Sexual relationship as expression of love

and bonding is a value to them

- (But they are afraid of going to hell)


8/22

RESULT

- They will use both

male and female

condoms

- Nomusa would go to

confession every

week


9/22

ANOTHER ADVICE

Primary value was the sanctity ofmarriage and the maintenance

of their bond

- Factors against the bond:Anxiety, their view as sinners, not going to communion, not

celibate

- Unprotected sex not open to life,- Possibility ofchildren with HIV

- Thembinkosi might look for otheroutlets

(IfNomusa would abstain)


10/22

SYMPTOM OF A DEEPER SOCIAL ILL

Eastern, Central and Southern Africa- 20%of the population is infected

- Majority of families either have someone

who died ofAIDS or is HIV positive

- Rapid rate: linked with social

breakdown and disorganization

- Acculturation of local belief and

ethical system into some of thewestern ones- Money has become a basic and fundamental need

- Migratory labor system

- Women are principal victims


11/22

Churchs Response

Ministry must

contain a social

and cultural

response (theologicalresponse should be also a

response to the these

phenomenon)


12/22

An Authentic Teaching The parish priest was concerned ofmaintaining an authentic teaching.

Pastoral level implies the effectivecatechesis of morality(includes humansciences like social and cultural analysis)

Churchs teaching seems so farfromreality(go for moral reconstruction that ispossible)

Example as people become moreaffluent, they have fewer children and

practice birth control.

Countercultural- township culture isin need ofevangelization. (like, youthformation stressing Christian sexual morality-commitment)


13/22

An Effective Pastoral Response

The Mission To HealNot onlyarticulation of

principles(The Parish priestaffirms ideal

principles but propose unworkablesolutions.)

Jesus responded to thepeople in suffering andaccused of breaking thelaw

This is his mission toheal

(Second priest was more helpfulbecause he provided a better linkbetween the ideals of the Churchs

moral teaching and the context ofhuman life)


14/22

Mission to Heal

-sacrament of penance-counseling

-prayer

Jesus

-Preached good news-Healed the sick

-Formed a group of disciples

to continue his work


15/22

-Healing in Greek- alwaysthe whole person

-Mission to Heal not medicaltreatment (which may fail)

HIV/AIDSis incurable

In medical anthropology

Disease refer to organicmalfunction

Illness psychosocialexperience and meaning

of perceived disease(cultural)

Two clinical tasks: curing the diseaseand healing of illness


16/22

HIV/AIDS an illness

and a disease

Organic malfunction(obvious)

ILLNESS

- As sickness unto death,

society hasstigmatized thissickness

- People who contracted HIV

go through a process ofcultural and social

isolation

(more sickening)


17/22

Mission to Heal should not only focus oncuring the disease because:

1.

AIDS is an illness and needs healingas much as, if not more than, curing.

2. Healing is concerned with the humanperson, whereas curing is concernedwith scientific processes which require

scientific expertise3. Curing is often out of ourhands as

missionaries and Christians, whereashealing is our vocation.

4. Care, affirmation,h

ope, andacceptance are not provided by thecuring model which is concerned withorganic processes, not humanprocesses.


18/22


19/22

Issue on Condom

- A marriage which has been compromised byseveralsocial, cultural, medical and religious factors

- A couple trying to save their marriage who are living alot of stress

- Sexual act separated by two plastic condoms ambiguous

to human relationship

What is more important- saving oftheir marriage or integrity of thesexual act?


20/22

We should not generalize!

condom focused pastoralresponse- bound to fail,because it only tackles a part of the

issue.

they provide temporarypreventive measure but

do not contribute to the

healing of illness.

Promote promiscuity and

irresponsibility


21/22

More Holistic Response:

ABC ProgramA- Abstain

B- Be Faithful

C- Condom

- Condom put in a bettercontext It

comes after two Christian values-abstinence and faithfulness (more

effective and moral)


22/22

In Africa, moral

reconstruction is a vital

one.

Promoting these two (abstinence and

faithfulness) will help

Church needs to play associetys conscience

Lifestyle change needed

The Church plays a vital

pastoral role in the

healing of our

communities

differences in confessional advice in south africa

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