Post on 08-Apr-2018
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DIFFERENCES
INCONFESSIONAL
ADVICE IN
SOUTH AFRICA
By
Stuart C. Bate, O.M.I.
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CASE
Thembinkosi Ngcobo
- truck driver
-Highway from Durban to Johannesburg-Petrol stations, stopover points, Restaurants, Sex Workers
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Married to Nomusa
(devout Catholic) (4
children)
AnotherFamily
(youngerwoman -
2 children)
(part of
Township
Culture)
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RESULTRoutine Check-up of the Company
Thembinkosi has HIV
Nomusa +
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ADVICE HIV Counselor -
use condoms to
prevent reinfection
(this troubled Nomusa)
PARISH PRIEST -
abstinence
Speak with the HIVCounselor ofthe
diocese
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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
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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)
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RESULT
- They will use both
male and female
condoms
- Nomusa would go to
confession every
week
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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)
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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
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Churchs Response
Ministry must
contain a social
and cultural
response (theologicalresponse should be also a
response to the these
phenomenon)
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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)
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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)
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Mission to Heal
-sacrament of penance-counseling
-prayer
Jesus
-Preached good news-Healed the sick
-Formed a group of disciples
to continue his work
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-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
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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)
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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.
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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?
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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
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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)
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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