God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

06/24/2012 • 4:58 am Comments Off on In between Helsinki and St. Petersburg

In between Helsinki and St. Petersburg

Being a chaplain to sea means to be away from the usual “always being connected” and living in an environment so completely different from the usual daily life in South Africa. More than 800 people constantly around you, from which are almost 300 on board to make the life pleasurable for the rest of . As the “Grosse Ostseereise” means many ports to call on, it also means that almost every day I am somewhere on shore to go with a busload full of passengers and a local guide exploring the respective country. Little time to focus on TV, news and there-like.
Nevertheless I try to keep myself informed and note with excitement, that the dialogue between Archbishop Zollitsch and the signatories of the “Freiburg Aufruf” concerning the divorced-re-married couples seems to go well and that all parties are concerned about the problem and wish to get it right and end the discrimination of those in question. Ideals can never be enforced by punishing those who have failed for the rest of their lives. Good to hear reason in this case also from the authority.
Also news from Uganda with their madness to re-introduce the death penalty and other harsh measures to punish those being born gay and trying to live out their affection for a person of the same-sex. It will never match my understanding of logic and God’s love that the church punishes those affected with life-long celibacy claiming that God wants it like this. It will one day end up like the quest to abolish slavery, because at the end, we ask them to be obeying slaves of an idea connected with a hostile look at sexuality instead embracing and emphasizing their love and the newest academic research on this subject.
In Kenya, I note, HIV rates are climbing with those using drugs by injecting them. The topic of needle exchange versus a conservative view of society will have to be solved in favor of protecting those who are depended on drugs. It might be the first step into getting drug users off in keeping them alive and healthy in a way.

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

06/01/2012 • 7:15 pm Comments Off on Weekend in reach…

Weekend in reach…

What a week it was again – full of encounters and many of them very enriching for one’s own life. But also dull moments, moments that hurt and were you suddenly realise how different other people look at you and judge you.
The transformation process of HOPE Cape Town is still in full swing and my guess is, that end of the year we are sorted in a way that has prepared us for the next 10 years to come. Transformation time is often traumatic, because beloved habits or ideas have to be abounded and fresh, unknown wind is blowing. But I belive that there is that meaningful line in everybody’s life,  also in a life of an organisation, that makes sense and brings the best out of people.
I remain concerned about the state of the church – Vatican leak, the conservatism of church leaders, the anxiety to let the Spirit roam freely, the unification and streamlining instead of bringing out the best of diversity in the universal church, the fight against a relativism which might be none at all, empty churches in Europe, structural reforms which sometimes destroy more than it supports what is still left – I read that the US Catholic church is doing politics in going to court over the health reform – contraception – the most ignored teaching of the church as a catalyst to fight government. Not sure I do understand it in full. I just wonder…

Tomorrow I will say Mass in Milnerton – Holy Trinity Sunday – what a challenge for a priest.. – but at the end it is not about a theological construct but about the unconditional love of God. Not more and not less..

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Networking, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

05/30/2012 • 4:20 pm Comments Off on Bidding farewell to IAM

Bidding farewell to IAM

We all are learning to bid farewell at times, it is like a repeated rehearsal for the big farewell of dying.  Today I bid farewell to IAM where I was for 6 years on board as a trustees. IAM stands for Integrative Affirmative Ministry and deals with the question of inclusion of gay and lesbian and transgender people into the mainstream churches. It is an amazing bunch of people, straight, gay and lesbian, priests, reverends and bishops are taking seriously the situation of the gay and lesbians who are part of the churches, but most times are not welcomed. Take my church: Homosexuality is intrinsic evil, so I have read – but being a homosexual is ok – well, as long as you don’t live it out. Not even in a committed partnership. It’s one of the most contradictory teachings in the church: Your God-given sexuality is not allowed to be practised, you are sentenced to a life in chastity to be certain to go to heaven… So they think or so some think.. Not sure what God thinks.. But I am sure that his unconditional love allows more than the church’s teaching. Other churches are fine with homosexuality – as long as it is not the pastor. Some are fine with a homosexual pastor – but not that the boyfriend or partner is living in the parish house. And vividly I remember the fight in the Anglican church when the first openly gay living bishop was ordained. What kind of threats from African and US Anglicans wanna – know – it – better – what – is – God’s – will…

The churches teaching is based on the scripture – well, the scripture did not know about committed relationships, it did not know about sexuality as we do – but what St. Augustin and others thought to know some hundred years ago – nothing has changed for the official church. Or has it? The permission of a bishop in Vienna to allow for a gay parish council chair is a light at the end of a very long tunnel. But the fight continues about the issue – and we often forget that we talk about brothers and sisters in Christ – this is not an academic study or reflection. I personally believe that we should leave it to God and the people concerned what happens between two adults in a bedroom as long as it is consensual and committed.

But back to the farewell – after six years of serving on board of this fine organisation I retired today from service and it was a touching moment. I really learned a lot about the Afrikaans culture, about LGBTI, about church and Christian communities – it was a humble experience and an eye opener in many instances. Judith, Peter, Retha and all the rest: I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love, your friendship and the joined efforts. David, who also left today after 8 years of service: Have a great sabbathical, bishop and keep your friendly and welcoming attitude…  And yeah, we all keep in touch…

Filed under: General, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

05/26/2012 • 8:56 am Comments Off on Being a priest…

Being a priest…

Since I picked up the topic “HIV and AIDS” in the context of being a priest, life became more difficult. Touching and questioning the moral teaching did not go well with the authorities and even being outspoken about it and publishing my concerns, experiences and questions lead in late nineties to the fact, that I could not be a chaplain to a German-speaking Catholic Community anymore. obedience hurrying ahead and being scared of the mighty Vatican – induced with some jealousy at times brought an end to it – and let me to pick up the pieces and – being lucky – brought me to the position I am now in. And I honestly cannot complain as it gives me all opportunities to work in my beloved South Africa and with and amongst those less fortune.

But I have the feeling that the atmosphere in my church is changing. The unfortunate attempt of Benedict XVI to get the Pius XII Society on board, the permission to more mass services of the old order as the exceptional rule brought warfare into the church – instead of achieving more peace and stability within the church, we are in a constant battle between Latin and mother tongue, between a salvation only within the RC church and a Holy Spirit who is able to work where he wants to work. The attempt of the Vatican to be inclusive – at least for those living in the past and refusing to come out and face modern life – is for a normal priest dealing with everyday’s sorrows and plights a situation not asked for and making the pastoral work more difficult. Reading the pamphlets and attacks of right wingers in the church on mainly European websites make me feel sick and tired. The church has come a long way in its tradition and in its way to comfort and proclaim the love of God to those living today. Tradition is a way, not a status quo. I am not sure what drives the Vatican, the pope and others to bring the church in turbulent waters without any need or necessity. But they should be aware that in doing so they make the life of priests not easier, they divide energy into directions without any need or positive outcome and they force us to focus on topics put to rest a long time ago.

The way of the church is forward, God calls us to a future, not back into the past and I hope and pray that this storm of arguments, attacks and unwarranted battle is over soon. And that we can concentrate again on a liturgy which has a meaning to most people of God, a way forward answering the questions of today’s faithful in a way understandable for them. Let those hanging on to old traditions be as they are – God does not mind diversity and if they think that salvation only happens within their church – so it be.. They are then happy and we can continue to serve the people without having an extra battle field within the church.

Filed under: General, Networking, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

08/17/2011 • 9:33 am Comments Off on Young, gay, religious and the thread of HIV.. a deadly mix?

Young, gay, religious and the thread of HIV.. a deadly mix?

In one of the newsletters relating to HIV issues I found this email. I am touched because once again I am reminded how difficult it is for a young person from a religious background and family to be gay and when HIV is added as a concern – faith becomes a deadly threat. There is so much still to do to get it right and to bring faith to be the liberating factor, not the killing factor… The burden to carry seems for this young man, having life still in front of him, too heavy. The RC youth day in Madrid where so many young people gather now for prayers and to meet the pope – wouldn’t that not be a great opportunity to bring out this powerful message that God loves unconditional – no “but” added. Just love and acceptance.

 Young, depressed and confused – Aug 14, 2011

I am 16 year old gay teenager. My 20 year old boyfriend recently found out he may be HIV positive. The doctor told him his viral load is very low and that the virus is almost detectable in his blood and that he needs to revisit in 6 months again to do another hiv test to see if he is really positive. I am confused. We had unprotected sex before his results. I topped him but did not ejaculate inside of him. I am not circumcised and I am really worried about my chances of infection. I got a test done privately with my boyfriend by his doctor but it came back negative. It’s been eight weeks since that incident and I have noticed slight pains under my arms pits, on my legs near my groin areas and even under my chin, but the area is not swollen. I am very depressed because I was being very young and stupid.  My parents will surely kill me if they knew I have contracted this disease. There is the possibility of me being thrown out of the house because my father is a pastor. I have not been sleeping nor eating much and it’s really affecting my grades in school. I hate myself of being gay and wonder why this has happened to me. At the same time the pressure of all this is really overwhelming and I don’t want to make the wrong decision in killing myself. Nobody understands besides my boyfriend but this lifestyle is looked down upon from the church and many people in our society. Please sir, I need your advice. Thanks.

Source: http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Mental/Q216792.html?ic=700101

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, Society and living environment, , , , , , , , , ,

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