A monthly publication of the Youth Department of the Diocese of Johannesburg No. 19

"God whispers to us in our pleasures,

speaks in our conscience,

but shouts in our pains.

Suffering is his megaphone

Spring has finally settled among us; it’s now a straight downhill rush to the end of the century… The commercial and entertainment world is making the most of this historical moment to bait people into spending lots of money in extravagant ways to celebrate the turning point. It doesn’t seem to matter much that the original reason for us reaching the end of the second millenium is in fact because it is 2000 years since the Son of God came to be one of us. Non-believers in the incarnation amazingly are accepting to celebrate unquestioningly this very Christian festival, while many Christians themselves seem to have lost sight of the fact that it is, should be at least, primarily a religious celebration!

Some are worried that it is gonna be the end of the world. Aren’t all these earthquakes and disasters that are happening on a weekly basis, signs which even the scriptures predicted would announce the end-times? Not at all!… For us Christians, the new millenium and all that, should rather be looked forward to as a new spring-time in human history! Let’s open our hearts to the Holy Spirit who wishes to renew the face of the earth!

Good luck all your Exam preparations! You are in our prayers, as are the many hundreds of teens who are receiving the sacrament of Confirmation at this time of year.

In the course of the outdoor mass with Bishop Reginald Orsmond and 7 concelebrants. Deacon Peter Motshegwa preached about listening to God’s call and discerning ones’ vocation…

After the picnic, swimming and sports break, the afternoon focused on the talent parade in which 16 groups competed.

Results of talent parade: In the musical category –

1^st prize including the floating trophy went to one of the Cathedral

Youth Groups (199 pts). 2^nd prize was won by St Albert’s, Vosloorus (181 pts)

and a third prize was allotted to Sacred Heart, Katlehong (172 pts).

Further runner ups were Coronationville with 171 pts and Kopano Youth Club, Khutsong, with 170.

In the "Other" section, Our Lady of Africa, Mohlakeng were awarded first place, and Emmanuel Sebokeng got second. Congratulations to all!

Thank you to all who contributed to making it a wonderful occasion.

In particular, we thank the panel of judges – Bro Mike Burke, Sr Mary Zulu and Deacon Peter Motshegwa who were assisted by Herman Makhabu. A video of the day available for purchase from Verga’s Video Recording. Contact - Tebogo at 018-7832679 or 083-3586243.

In some of our communities, we witness young men wearing rosaries for luck, fashion, fun, jewelry or any reason under the sun, even as macho tatoos. Rosary beads are popular as ornaments to hang from rear-view mirrors, as accident repellents or deterrents to would-be thieves. Are these ou’s really sincere. Do they have any clue what the sign of the cross or a pair of rosary beads signify? As for you, dear reader, do you know? This is the month of mission awareness and praying the rosary. Are you doing anything in this regard?

What do you think? Write to, e-mail, or call the youth office with your story & check this space next time.

4 more gossip on heavenly messages in fruits & veggies. (Tim Bernard)

Are you interested in learning more about how to pray? Do you have important decisions to make about your life and want to know how to discover more God's hopes for you? Are you committed to deepening your relationship with God? If your answer is "yes", then VUSELELA may be a resource for you. It is a project started by the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and a small group of lay people. Vuselela is a Zulu word which means wake-up; revive; renew'.

About four hundred years ago a man called Inigo (later known as St Ignatius of Loyola) developed out of his experience a journey of prayer called "The Spiritual Exercises." They are a powerful way of getting to know Christ more intimately and of helping a person become free to make important choices in their lives well. Originally the Spiritual Exercises were done in a 30-day silent retreat. Some people still do it this way, but St Ignatius realised that not everyone could go away for so long - or even wanted to - so he suggested other ways of doing the same journey at the same time as carrying on with being at home, work or school.

Vuselela offers the chance to experience an adapted version of the Spiritual Exercises. You are helped to experience different ways of praying and meet up with someone to chat about how it is going and to get more help. If you or anyone you know is interested in deepening your prayer life you can contact any of us and we will arrange to meet you. If your parish group is interested in a day or weekend retreat or a prayer workshop we also offer these- but you would need to phone and book in good time. From 13-17 October in Braamfontein parish there will be

You can reach us at any of these numbers:

Annemarie Paulin-Campbell-782-8406

Max Tsehla - 367306 (H) 406-0261 (W)

Fr Peter Knox 403-3767.or pknox@cosmos.wits.ac.za

Nellie Zeilinga 648-0097 or nelz@netactive.co.za

[Some other ways of growing in prayer: Life in the Spirit seminars, Alpha courses, Taize experiences, Retreats at Bosco, Ha Phororo or Bible study, General Prayer groups. ]

The selection committee will in March 2000 take care of the identification of regional reps.

We are still in most regions looking for a priest, sister or brother to be "chaplain" to such a body. Any volunteers?

Youth Groups PTY(Ltd)?

By the way, when we speak of YOUTH groups… we include all the groupings which fall under different movements and sodalities, like Bana ba Maria, Chiro, Y.E.S., Y.C.S., C.L.G., Scouting, Masolenyane, Youth choirs and folk groups, young prayer or bible study groups, confirmation preparation classes, etc.

Forthcoming attractions:

- Revival on the 16/10/99 – at Our Lady of Africa, Mohlakeng – at 21h00. Admission = R2.50. Contact Lehlohonolo via the Youth Office – 402-0757..

21^st Nov – 14h30 at the Standard bank arena – a prayer and music service coordinated by the Drive Alive Campaign and the Order of Compassionate Friends. A stark wake-up call for all who will be travelling in the summer holidays and especially all the jollers on matric after-parties and trips. Tributes will be presented by Sibongile Khumalo, Louiso Sobala (T.K.Zee), Rainbow Youth Dance Drama Group, among others. For more info contact Moira Winslow at 7889789 or Ann Mokhine at 3338980 and look out for details in the press.

I felt like crying!

On Thursday 23^rd September having noticed posters all over the city about the launch of yet another AIDS awareness campaign, Timothy and I (Fr Francois) walked down to 51 Plein Street (previously Shell House, now Luthuli House) to see what exactly it was all about. Lots of "big shots" from government bodies and from the entertainment world (singers especially) were present and we were treated to a few speeches and musical items about guess what: not HIV/AIDS really, but rather about "safe sex" and the Rubber Idol – the mighty condom! I could have cried! At every pause the crowd were invited to join in the praises of this wonder-product, which is supposed to save us from the mother of all afflictions. They even hired a traditional praise-singer (an imbongi) to give a full five minute "toast" to the blessed condom.

I could have cried while the crowd around me echoed parrot-fashion the lead of brainwashing conductors: "Viva condom viva!" "Freedom - Condom!" "One condom-one round!" "Youth Condomize and Care for others!" This one is the main slogan of the new campaign which was emblazoned on hundreds of T-Shirts distributed for mahala at the rally. In the silence of my heart, I cried! A few young children happily mingled among the crowd with safe-sex stickers plastered on their foreheads, shirt fronts, caps,…

The MEC for health for our province urged us to make sure to use our churches as channels to promote this campaign and to distribute condoms from church points… What do you think? Sometimes as I go round our parishes, I find safe-sex posters and stickers up on the walls of the hall, catechetical room, and even inside the church. Several times I have popped in to parish youth meetings where the guest speakers’ main focus was the promotion of safe-sex. Again I could cry! I know that it is not the young people who are to blame. The condom-mentality is promoted for the most part by adults. Please, don’t let them fool you into a false sense of security. Again as in the last issue of the Y-Link, I challenge you to sing the war-cry in the battle against the spread of HIV and AIDS to different words and tune, where the words "abstain until marriage", "be faithful" and "chastity" are the key ones, and the tune is a "full gospel" one! (Fr Francois)

Which of the 2 following pledges would you be more inclined to sign and live by?

ANCYL’s Youth Aids Pledge

I, ______________ , pledge to all the people of South Africa that I will practice safe sex!

I will abstain from sex until I am ready, and/or I am at a consenting age.

In the event I decide to have a relationship, I will have one partner to whom I will be loyal, otherwise I will use a condom.

I pledge that as of this day onwards, I will show care and support for all those who are infected.

I commit myself to actively participate in the fight against the spread of HIV/Aids, whilst simultaneously advocating for affordable treatment. Signed: ___________________

True Love Waits

I believe that I am created in God's image, and so am called to live a wholesome life.

I believe that by respecting myself and others,

I give glory to God!

I believe that I am personally invited by Jesus to live out the vision and values of his gospel.

Recognising that true love waits; strengthened with courage by the Holy Spirit;

and supported by the Christian Community, I promise to live chastely,

honouring the gift of my sexuality and avoiding sexual intercourse before and outside of marriage.

Signed: _________________

Some day when my children are old enough to understand

the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them:

I loved you enough... to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough... to insist that you save your money and buy a bike for yourself even though we

could afford to buy one for you.

I loved you enough... to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.

I loved you enough... to make you take a Milky Way back to the drugstore (with a bite out of it) and

tell the clerk, "I stole this yesterday and want to pay for it."

I loved you enough... to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that would

have taken me 15 minutes.

I loved you enough... to let you see anger, disappointment and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.

I loved you enough... to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.

But most of all, I loved you enough... to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it.

Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.

2. Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something REALLY big.

3. Don’t listen to critics - do what has to be done.

4. Build on high ground.

5. For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.

6. Speed isn’t always an advantage. The cheetahs were on board, but so were the snails.

7. If you can’t fight or flee – then float!

8. Take care of your animals as if they were the last ones on earth.

9. Don’t forget that we’re all in the same boat.

10. Stay below deck during the storm.

11. Remember that the ark was built by amateurs and the Titanic was built by professionals.

12. Remember that the woodpeckers INSIDE are often a bigger threat than the storm outside.

13. Don’t miss the boat.

14. No matter how bleak it looks, there’s always a rainbow on the other side.

15. When God shuts the door on this world for the last time, be sure you are on the RIGHT side.

taller buildings, but shorter tempers;

wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;

we spend more, but have less;

we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families;

more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees, but less sense;

more knowledge, but less I judgment;

more experts, but more problems;

more medicine, but-less wellness.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.

We've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back,

but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbors.

We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;

We've done larger things, but not better things;

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.

We've split the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less.

We plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait.

We have higher incomes, but lower morals.

We have more food, but less appeasement.

We build more computers to hold more information,

to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication.

We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion;

tall men, and short character; steep profits, shallow relationships,

and fancier houses, but broken homes.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom;

a time when technology can bring this letter to you,

and a time when you can choose either to make a difference, or to just hit delete...

(A useful 5 minute scripture drama text)

So this big dude tunes the Israelites to send their sterkest ou to fight him. If Goliath wins, the Philistines will be the champs and vice-versa. Well these Israelites only catch a big spook – like they were all too chicken to take this ou on.

Now there was this little laaitjie, David – a real good ou – who like grafted with the sheep. One day he transports some grub to his boets in the army. He hears this big breker shouting his mouth off and this starts this little laaitie thinking.

So he jols up to King Saul and tunes him: "Never fear, I’m near. I’ll sort this ou out for you." The King gawks this little oke out and thinks – No ways! But David says: "Listen Mr King Sir; while grafting with my sheep I’ve wiped out lions and bears; so this oke will be small fry." The King, with nothing to lose says: "Go my boy and may the Lord be with you".

So the King takes out some heavy armour, but this is only an out scene and David tunes the king: "No ways, I can’t handle that." Instead he moseys down to the little river and grabs five smooth stones and grafts them in his bag.

Well I never-did-you-ever! When Goliath spots this little ou he only mocks him and tunes him: "Sonny, get lost!" But David schemes: "Vasbyt my mate!" and pulls out his kattie, grafts one stone in, and aims at Goliath.

Well far out man! This stone only goes straight and true and hits this breker square in the middle of his dial. Like man, he drops dead. No trouble – David vints over and lops this oke’s head off. Too much. The Philistines only catch a big skrik and pull out, like sharp!

So, good buddies, the moral of the story is: when you’ve got the Good Lord on your side, you don’t need no heavy-scene giants, armies or weapons. Put your hand in his hand, and let him sort out hassles for you!