Cape Town

My decision to go to Cape Town was made when I learned that my Seminary roommate was going to be there leading a retreat. We’ve been close friends almost 28 years and being this close in Africa made the trip a “must”.
Br. Clark joined the Franciscans a few years after we graduated and is now the Minister General which is the highest office in that order. It’s his role to visit each house and brother in the world once a year. No small task. Most people don’t know that the Episcopal church has monastic orders and they are relatively small communities, but they are strong and engaged in witness and ministry around the world. The diversity of members in any of the traditions (i.e. Benedictine, Franciscan, etc) makes uniformity a challenge. Having brothers in the US, England, Korea, Columbia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands makes his work challenging to foster a wider sense of community among the brothers and address the issues that are unique to each cultural setting. Like a microcosm of the worldwide Anglican communion, the brothers in different regions hold different views on sexuality and social witness. Tension can be creative or destructive depending on the commitment of the parties involved. For the Franciscans, their commitment to unity is a model for the rest of the church to work through our differences.
I tagged along with Clark’s official visits to Diocesan dignitaries and attended Eucharist at the Cathedral of Cape Town and later a Taize service. The Cathedral of St. George is a beautiful structure in a classic stone design whose newer windows draw in contemporary images of the church. Seeing the pulpit and chair from which former Archbishop Desmond Tutu preached against Apartheid had a deep effect on me. History was made here and for an important period of time this was the front lines of Christian witness. I’ve hard Bishop Tutu preach before and I imagined the quiet thunder of his voice reverberating from these stone walls to the furthest reaches of the world. Many in South Africa saw him as a terrorist and trouble maker. The world outside gave him a Nobel Peace Prize.

Egazini Outreach Project

“They shall beat their swords into plowshares…” (Isaiah 2:4) In 1819 the Xhosa tribe fought a combined army of Dutch and English and were driven out as they lost the battle. Engazini is the Xhosa word for this battle and it’s considered a turning point in South African history for the European settlers expanding into the country. The Joza Township was built for the Black South Africans on this site since it‘s well outside the commercial range of town. Placed in the corner of the township was a detention center during the Apartheid era called an Internal Stability Unit.
The building is a stark construction fit for it’s grim purpose. Since 2001, however a local group of artists have entered the space and use it to create art, sell their work on commission and stage dramatic performances. The bloody history of that site is a common theme of the wood carving, painted fabrics, and linocut prints. The artists also provide a prophetic voice for current events and conditions in modern South Africa. But most prevalent is the pride in the beauty of the land and their traditional ceremonies. The building itself has become a artistic canvass with a relief of historical references.
Art is healing. Creating beauty out of the rubble of unconscionable abuse is the ultimate triumph of the spirit. Art is the voice deeper than words to salve the pain deeper than words. The artists’ pride is not only in their craft but the strength of their people, as well as their courage and determination to overcome. Each work shines a light on the place where evil lived in secrecy and moral darkness. It makes sacred that which was profaned and witnesses that the deepest Spirit of God living in human frailty will overcome evil.

The Monastic Hours

The monks of the Order of the Holy Cross are of the Benedictine tradition. St. Benedict began what became the order bearing his name in the early 500’s AD. He placed an emphasis on prayer, study, and work creating an order to the day, or Rule, that basically continues to the present. Benedict’s Rule became adapted by Monastic communities in later years.
The first community prayer is called Vigils and begins at 6:00am.The opening words of this service are from the psalms, “Lord, open our lips…” ending the great silence begun the night before. Breakfast at 7:15 is in silence. Lauds and the Eucharist have been combined and happen at 8:00am and talking is allowed after this service. The morning is to be used for personal devotion and study.
Noon prayers and lunch shift the day into work. Originally Benedictines were self sufficient communities with their own farms and services. Work was concentrated in doing what needed to be done to feed and take care of the essentials of the community as well as create the beautiful manuscripts for which monasteries were known. Today work involves local parish programs, social services or education. The monks here divide their time in the hospitality of the guest house they run as well as lead quiet days and retreats for individuals and groups. They also run an after school program for local children and youth to supplement a troubled public school system.
Vespers brings everyone back together at 5:30pm followed by supper and conversation. Compline at 8:00pm ends the day and begins the Great Silence, after which all go to their rooms or quietly read in the common rooms.
There is a gentle rhythm to the day that draws in both brother and guest. The schedule of services or “hours” as they are called take their names from the Latin words describing the time of day they occur. It sets the focus and maintains the pace of the day keeping God at the center and the chanting or recitation of the psalms the heartbeat of the monastic life.
Parishes that we’re used to follow a similar order of worship and yet each is very different in character. The same can be said for monastic houses. Even by its name Mariya uMama we Themba (Mary, Mother of Hope) this monastery’s commitment to the people of South Africa is evident in their multi lingual services, the worshippers they draw from the area and the work they do in education. White, Black and Coloured South Africans are welcome during the week but mostly join on Sunday at 9:00am in a beautiful reflection of the hope they each carry for a united South Africa gathered in love and service to God and each other.