Holy Cross Day, Saturday 14th September 1996 in the Cathedral of St George the Martyr, Cape Town

I greet you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am deeply humbled and greatly overwhelmed by the confidence that the Diocese of Cape Town and the Church of the Province of Southern Africa have placed in me. It is a distinctive honour for me to have been elected Archbishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa at this momentous period in our history. I am a child of this church. I am a servant of Christ. I am very conscious of the fact that it is only through God's Holy Spirit that I shall endeavour to exercise the responsibilities that have been entrusted upon me by the Church. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord. (Zach.4:6)

If I were asked why am I Christian, I would respond by saying: JESUS TOUCHED ME. This happened at a most unlikely place when I was a political prisoner on Robben Island. There was much pain and suffering around and I was wrestling with the question: How can a God of Love allow so much evil. Yet it was at that moment when I heard that distinctive call of God in my heart which was later confirmed by the church. My response to that call has been a lifetime of ministry in the following of Christ.

All of us have been called by God for service in the world. Each one of us has been endowed with gifts to equip the people of God "for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ," (Eph 4:12). God makes available to us freely the gift of the Holy Spirit to enable, empower and strengthen us for service in our pilgrimage of faith. "To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life." (Rev. 21:6) God requires nothing from us but an emptiness ready to be filled and a thirst to be quenched from the spring of the water of life.

Just as Jesus was sent by the Father, so is the church constantly sent by Jesus in the name of the Father and in the power of the Holy Spirit to live and proclaim the good news. (Jn. 20:21). I see my role as bishop as that of gathering together the people of God and expressing their mind. Perhaps, it is at this point that we would do well to pause for a moment's silent prayer of thanksgiving for all who have served this church faithfully: our predecessors, our parents, families and friends, both those living and those who have died. Words cannot express adequately the magnitude of our gratitude. We remember them in our prayers and we thank God for them.

II

The church exists for mission. Its reason for being is service to the world in response to the God it worships. At all times, therefore, the church has to read the signs of the time and interpret them in the light of the Gospel, if it is to fulfil God's mission in the world. Jesus came so that we may have life and have it abundantly.(Jn 10:10).

We are a church that is rooted in Africa - a continent with a very rich heritage. The story of Africa is a story of hope and survival. It is a story of a people with a deep faith in God that has enabled them to overcome many challenges. In the Gospel according to St Matthew it is recorded that the baby Jesus and his parents fled to Egypt by night. This, the evangelist says, was to fulfil what has been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I have called my son".(Mt.2:15). Outstanding theologians such as Augustine, Cyprian and Tertullian who made a significant contribution at the formative period of Christian theology came from Africa. Committed Christians like Videa Perpetua and her companions who were martyred c.203 were Africans. There are countless stories which indicate how faith in God sustained the people of Africa throughout the centuries until the present time.

The unshakeable faith in God, that he wills only what is good in the world is that which sustained us during the most hazardous and difficult moments of the liberation struggle in Southern Africa. The words of a Mozambican woman bears testimony to this:

"We are the Church. When they locked our churches, we had church under trees. When we took our children to the river to baptize them and the Commissar told us not to do so, we took them to the sea at night. Tell them we are the church."

In that part of our Province, i.e. Mozambique, there is a continuous effort of church planting which is evidence of growth in people's commitment to Jesus as Lord of their lives.

We thank God for the high level of solidarity that existed among the various churches during the liberation struggle as well as their continuing co-operation in their new role as midwives of the transformation process in Southern Africa. As we participate in the process of building the newly formed democratic societies in our region, we should always be guided by the famous 'Lund' principle: "Never do alone what we can do together." Our co-operation as different churches should also extend to areas such as liturgy and worship. As we approach the new millennium we should continue more vigorously our search, of how we can become more united in faith and witness as a fulfilment of our Lord's high priestly prayer: "That they may be one as we are one."(Jn.17:11). We have a rich heritage upon which to build in order to be effective witnesses to the crucified, risen and ascended Lord.

III

Alas, Africa has been beset with many problems such as poverty, hunger, disease, lack of basic human rights, war, genocide, corruption - some of which are not of Africa's making. In the first instance, Africa became a victim of colonialism and neo-colonialism. The struggle between the Western and Eastern European power blocks together with their allies saw Africa being utilised as a pawn. There is a well-known African proverb: When two elephants fight, the grass suffers.

Secondly, there are always present forces of darkness that seek to destroy what is good in human beings. St Paul aptly reminds us that we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. We need to be alert to the presence of evil forces and seek means to exorcise them.

Thirdly, and most importantly, there is the awesome burden of the repayment of the international debt which makes it difficult in the extreme for governments to engage in human development programmes. The 1996 United Nations Human Development Report states that "between 1990 and 1993, debt servicing cost Sub-Saharan Africa about $13 billion annually - considerably more than its combined spending on education and health." If a question were to be asked as to what use African governments could have made of that $13 billion, the answer would be: it could have been used to meet basic human needs such as health, education, nutrition and reproductive health for everyone in Sub-Saharan Africa whose total annual cost is around $9 billion. The same report also refers to the international economic imbalances between the industrial and developing nations as "inhuman". As an example of these imbalances, the report points out that the wealth of the world's richest 360 people is greater than the combined annual incomes of nearly half the world's people.

In South Africa the total debt is approximately R311 billion. 20% of South Africa's annual budget is spent on servicing this debt. This is the second largest national expenditure item on the budget, the first being education. It is clear as day break that the South African government's programme of reconstruction and development is being seriously hampered by the servicing of this debt which it has inherited from the apartheid regime.

It is considerations such as these as well as the demands of responsible stewardship of the resources that God has made available to us in this world, that I propose that the Church of the Province of Southern Africa adds its voice to those calling for the year 2000 to be the year of the Jubilee which entails the cancellation of the international debt and redressing the imbalances in the World Economic Order. Such an action will enable Africa, a continent of ancient ruins, to have an opportunity to make new beginnings for the general well-being of humanity.

IV

In our region of Southern Africa, there is so much good that has happened. The miracle of transformation is a ground for hope for humanity about possibilities that exist under God for human beings to rise above their egos, ideologies and personal agendas and be united by a common desire to seek only what is good for the people and their respective countries. In Angola, war has ceased and peace is being brokered. Namibia and Mozambique are in a process of building democracies after a long night of war. After 8 years of military rule, Lesotho had democratic elections in 1993. Since then, democracy has survived an attempted coup in 1994.

South Africa had its first democratic elections in April 1994 and there is now in place a New Constitution, a Constitutional Court, a Commission for Human Rights, a Power Protector and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. All these instruments are there to ensure a sustainable democracy, a guaranteeing and protection of Human Rights, and the maintenance of the Rule of Law. Recently in Swaziland, the King has called for the Constitutional Committee to undertake the drafting of the new constitution. This development has to be seen against the background of regional democratization in Southern Africa and the sustained calls from many quarters for Swaziland not to be left alone in this epoch-making move in the region.

Although so much good has come and is coming to our region, nevertheless, the ravages of war, violence and apartheid have left their indelible mark. So much healing of the past is needed. The church and society seem destined to live with the human, physical and spiritual devastation caused by these events of the past. There is a breakdown in family life. Crime, violence and corruption are rife. The moral fibre of society in our region is collapsing and moral bankruptcy prevails in all sectors of society. We have lost the core value of the sanctity of human life, which is so fundamental for the being of a people or a nation. As the Church in Southern Africa we need to support initiatives and be fully involved in undertakings that are aimed at combating violence and crime.

However, we should not feel powerless in the face of all this. The difficulties and problems that we encounter are largely due to humanity's imperfection. The good news is that although human beings have a tendency towards corruption, they are, nevertheless, full of promise and are always the object of God's redeeming grace. There is available to us the divine power from which we need to draw daily in order for us to do the good. "We have no power to resist the truth, only to further it.(2Cor.13:8).

V

In chapter 21 of the Book of Revelation, John shares with us a magnificent vision of a new heaven, a new earth and a new Jerusalem. These symbolise a new creation, a new humanity, a new society. This is made possible by the redeeming grace and transforming power of God. "Behold I am making all things new".(Rev.21:5). God is forever renewing the face of the earth; and therein lies the hope of the world. Therefore, we should not loose heart, because we stand under very ideal possibilities of "being renewed day by day".(2Cor.4:16). In this new humanity God dwells among his people through the Holy Spirit. St Paul puts it clearly when he says: "The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us".(Rom.5:5). It is the Holy Spirit within us that invigorates us, renews us, and empowers us for mission in the world. What an abundant resource we have at our disposal as we flex our muscles, ready to start the work of rebuilding Christian communities at the dawn of a new millennium.

VI

What then are the specific areas that require our attention as a church in Southern Africa at this moment in our history? There is a saying that when you want to eat an elephant you would be wise to take one slice at a time. Otherwise you will choke and die. I would, suggest three:

1: HEALING OF OUR MEMORIES

We have emerged from a crucible of fire where many people have been deeply wounded and scarred. The churches in Southern Africa have identified that the healing of our memories is one distinctive contribution which the faith community could and should offer the people of Southern Africa. It was a wounded Christ whom God made the instrument of healing in the world. "By his wounds we have been healed".(1Peter 2:24). God has the power to transform agents of brokenness into angels of healing. He calls us to be agents of change in a broken world. he calls us to be angels of healing in a wounded society.

To do this effectively, we need a caring church - a church without walls, i.e. a church that has visibility in the community, a people-centred church that journeys with people in their pain, agony, hopes and fears. We need a church that helps people understand the meaning of forgiveness, reconciliation and justice. We need a church that uses all its resources that God has made available to us creatively and imaginatively for the fulfilment of his mission in Southern Africa. We have to use all our energies to bring people to a closer relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. We have to use all our talents and resources to equip God's people with adequate skills to live and proclaim the Gospel.

The focus for this ministry is the parish church. The second focus in our Province is: 'The Empowerment and Renewal of the local church as an agent of Healing, Reconstruction and Development'. We, therefore, need well equipped, well trained and well motivated parish priests and committed lay workers who will take a lead in developing a new sense of vigour and goodness at the local level and to transform the "lost" people into "found" people by means of education, service and pastoral care.

In this regard, we as a church need to do two things:- Firstly, we need to release financial resources that will give an opportunity for renewal, refreshment and amendment of life to our battle-weary and tired bishops, clergy and their spouses who have served the church so faithfully especially during the era of struggle.

Secondly, we need to urge our bishops to encourage clergy to attend Continuous Ministerial Education courses and where possible release them for further study in courses like Hermeneutics, the Use of the Bible, Method in Christian Ethics, Pastoral Counselling and Mediation Skills. Such training will equip clergy to provide adequate teaching and guidance at parish level so that the people of God can make informed choices when dealing with ethical issues that confront them from time to time.

2: EDUCATION

The church has had a long and honourable tradition in the establishment of educational institutions in South Africa. These institutions produced leaders of the region - not only in South Africa. Tiger Kloof for example, produced the first two State Presidents of Botswana and a large number of cabinet ministers. It produced South African leaders of note. The same story can be told of many others. President Madela attended Clarkebury, R M Sobukwe, Healdtown, Z K Matthews, Lovedale, and the litany goes on. If one looks at the calibre and the role played by the leaders that emerged from these schools, not only were the graduates great statesmen and women, their lives also reflected a dignity, tolerance and respect for human beings. It is that which was destroyed by Verwoerd and apartheid and it is that which has to be rebuilt. The re-opening of these institutions and building on their history, presents the church with one of the most creative opportunities at the dawn of a new millennium.

However, it must be recognised that the church does not have the resources to run educational institutions. That time is past. The way forward is to create new partnerships, with government, the private sector, interested donors, the alumni of these institutions and the communities, to build on the foundations that were laid. In saying that the church does not have resources to run these institutions, it must be recognised, however, that in many instances, the church does own the property, and, therefore, needs to be challenged to release these buildings so that new life can once again breathe through them. Many are standing derelict, others although derelict, are a drain on the resources of the church because of maintenance costs.

Furthermore, as a matter of urgency, the churches ought to enter into a dialogue with government on the question of subsidies for schools and hospitals. Education has a particular contribution to make in laying down a foundation of values which benefits all society and which are so desperately needed.

3. POVERTY

Poverty is the scourge of our times. It is estimated that 40% of the total South African population live below subsistence levels, whilst in rural areas the proportion of people who live below subsistence levels is probably as high as 80%. On the outskirts of almost every city in South Africa there are informal settlements or sprawling townships that are fraught with poverty. There are also appalling living conditions in single sex hostels which are an affront to human dignity. Of course, along with this poverty, comes serious environmental degradation as people attempt to subsist on land on which the carrying capacity through a long history of forced removals has been seriously overstretched. As long as we have the poor, the hungry and homeless in our society, there will never be any stability. We will never be at peace with ourselves.

What is required in the first instance is the sharing of the resources that God has made available to us as well as the redistribution of wealth. We need to forge a partnership with all sectors of society - the public sector, the private sector, the religious community and the non governmental organisations to determine strategies for the eradication of poverty in our region.

Secondly, the question of poverty requires a holistic approach. it is inextricably bound up with human development, economic growth and access to productive assets, such as land, physical infrastructure and financial credit. The magnitude of the problem of poverty requires our urgent attention. It is, therefore, my intention that after due consultation with our ecumenical partners, to propose that an Ecumenical Commission on Poverty be established. This commission will consist of representatives from business community, religious community, government, none governmental organisations and academics to determine a comprehensive strategy and concrete plan of action for the eradication of poverty.

Meanwhile, we urge the South African government to allocate far more resources to the Land Commission so that the enormous backlog of claimants can be speedily processed. Thereafter, more resources be allocated to the ministry of land Affairs to enable the ministry to acquire more tracts of land for which people have legitimate claim. The urgent development needs of the rural poor would need to be serviced by a vigorous and effective development programme once they have gained access to land ownership.

I invite you my brother bishops, my sisters and brothers to invoke with me the Holy Spirit to give us the courage, the power and the wisdom for this important mission of rebuilding. Nothing is impossible with God. All things are possible for all who believe.

VII

Let me conclude by quoting from a New Pentecost by Cardinal Sureness.

Give us, oh Lord,
Eyes for seeing,
A heart for loving,
Breath for living.

Give us eyes for seeing.

Give us, we beg, your eyes,
To see through them
The world and all humanity,
To see their history and our own
As you see them.
Grant us to think your thoughts
Day by day,
Hour by Hour,
Help us gradually to become that for

Which you created us;
Let us adopt your view of things,
Your way of seeing things.
Make us responsive to your word
which can enlighten and transform
the life of each of us.
Now and always. Amen.