| "BUT YOU DON’T LOOK SOUTH AFRICAN!”
-TALKING TO FR. BYRON SAMUEL FROM THE CAPE TOWN FLATS ABOUT BEING AN EASTER PEOPLE. |
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So how did we get an Anglican Minister from South Africa to talk at SJA? Paul Marincel and Maureen Geddes are senior staff people to ISAIAH, an Interfaith Action coalition of 70 church congregations in the Twin Cities and St. Cloud area. They are good people committed to using community organizing as the best way to empower people in our society who experience lack of housing, employment, safe neighborhoods, or education. St. Joan of Arc has a very active ISAIAH group. About three years ago a group from South Africa came to the ISAIAH group whose national headquarters is in Chicago, and asked for training in community organizing. The ISAIAH staff went over to South Africa and that began what has now become a growing international partnership. This year the local ISAIAH group under the direction of Paul and Maureen committed to host and co-train no less than three South African pastors from Durban, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town. One was an Afrikaner from the Dutch Reformed Church, and the other two were Anglican ministers. This was to be a three-week project that meant a calendar of events, churches, meals, meetings, transportation all had to be arranged. Paul Marincel asked if I would join the planning team and help with the hosting of these three pastors. You do not say ‘No’ to Paul and once again I was to be taught by three strangers from South Africa who had come to the United States for training. George Wertin asked if I might interview and attempt to tell the story of one of the three and since Byron Samuels spoke at St. Joan of Arc on Sunday, May 25th, I have attempted to tell part of his story. - Chuck MacDonald |
WHY DO THEY KEEP ASKING ME WHERE I AM FROM?
SO WHO WAS THIS TALL MAN WITH AN ACCENT?
a desert area of no redeeming value. Byron says it was total poverty and it was dark as only Africa can be dark. He grew up without electricity or running water. He studied by
candlelight, which Byron says sounds very romantic, but it is not. Byron finished high school this way and went on to college and into the world of prohibited political organizing. The young Byron Samuel became a member of the leftist movement known then as the United Democratic Front. To use his words, he flirted with Communism and with armed revolution. He had been raised in the Anglican Church but the local church threw him out because of his political activities. Under Apartheid no black or colored peoples were allowed to politically organize themselves and they had no voice in government. Byron’s political activities did get him arrested and he spent a short time on Robbins Island, the same prison that housed Nelson Mandela for over 20 years.
For a long time Byron’s mother supported him until he found employment as a teacher. He taught school for a time and eventually started to experience a spiritual change. He jokingly says that he became a priest because he was in such great spiritual need that he felt he had to do this full time! He tried to enter the seminary but they would not take him until he paid off his college debts so he was not ordained until he was 36 years old. He is now 43, ordained in 1996. He is married and has two young boys ages 4 and 8. His parish is Mary Magdalene with about 1,300 parishioners. It is located about four miles from Guguletu where many St. Joan of Arc people have visited.
ISAIAH AND ST. JOAN AND BYRON SAMUEL, A NEW MIX
The Reverend Byron Samuel is on the surface a quiet man, but if asked he freely shares his ideas and thinking. He repeatedly said over the last three weeks that we Americans take our democracy too much for granted. We must not avoid staying involved in the process of government. Even before he preached at St. Joan of Arc, he heard much about this parish and was intrigued by the level of social ministries. He saw the parish struggle with its battles for inclusion of all people; an experience he knew first hand. The Catholic Church has leaders who want to create or maintain a system of spiritual Apartheid whereby some are identified as lesser members of the community.
On a Thursday evening in the home of a St. Joan parishioners Bill and Susan Simmonds, he spoke to some members of the ISAIAH group and people who have been to South Africa. He talked about being angry at how one is treated. He said he was sympathetic to the issues of St. Joan but he warned that anger could not be the response. Then he talked about his own personal experience with being angry at the cruelty and injustice of what had been done to his people by a white Apartheid government. “At first I wanted blood and a war, but I do not think violence is ever the answer. If we are to be a people of the Gospel, we must expect some measure of persecution.
A SUNDAY SERMON TO THE PEOPLE OF ST. JOAN OF ARC
He was not wearing his church robes. He said that the people of South Africa, that many of us have come to know, consider themselves to be an Easter people. They have known the Good Friday of 40 years of Apartheid that saw fit to drive Byron’s parents and all the other colored and black peoples out into the desert flats. He spoke of Nelson Mandela who spent his Good Friday for 20 years on Robbin’s Island in prison. Byron in his twenties had the same short experience of that island. Byron repeatedly spoke of the reality of the Gospel as one of struggle and one with Good Fridays. “Some people,” he said “think that religion is only about Resurrection and they do not want to face the reality of life where there are Good Fridays.” He strongly hinted at the fact that St. Joan of Arc will face the condemnation and persecution from others. But he strongly encouraged us to stay the course and not bow to those who would want us to be something different. He said that many people had spoken to him about St. Joan of Arc and he said, “You are known as a good and generous people. I for one have benefited from your kindness to me.”
On Monday, May 26 Reverend Byron Samuel and his two fellow ministers boarded a plane for home. They had come to America is search of others who would help them re-build their nation and strengthen their young democracy. They needed funds but they were more interested in finding partners. In the beginning all of us who worked on this project had the naive idea that we would be helping them. All of us who listened to these men and spent time with them knew that they had been great spiritual leaders and teachers to us. They taught us well the lesson of brotherhood of mankind and about being an Easter People. We already miss their presence amongst very much.
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If you are interested in becoming involved in the ISAIAH movement, in either of it’s Twin city projects or the South African projects, please contact either: ED WALSH: 952.929.3547 SARAH GLEASON: 651.642.2090 You can also talk to Julie Madden at the Parish office. There are several groups Working in South Africa on AIDS, education, medical assistance, and community Development. You can contact: Chuck MacDonald at chuckmacdonald@attbi.com about these groups if you wish to help. |
Features From the Past Year
What is the Adoption Ministry(5/03) by Nancy Lynch
Paul Lipetzky to 'Brake the Cycle'(5/03) by Michele Jansen
Rev. Byron Samuel from South Africa(5/03) by Chuck MacDonald
Doug Lohman's Maintenance Ministry(5/03) by Mark Scannell
Fr. Wertin on Women in the Church(5/03) as printed in StarTribune
Mother Church(5/03) by Jo Youngren
Soup Supper Recipes(5/03) by the community
Voices in the Community: Rik Murray(5/03) by Chuck MacDonald
Cable TV Project(5/03) by Michele Jansen
Women in Peace(5/03) by Jo Youngren
Mel White Controversy(4/03) by Chuck MacDonald/Michael Reinbold
"Behold the Cross"(4/03) by Ronnie Angelus
SJA Voices: Norine Larson(4/03) by Chuck MacDonald
SJA Reacts to Archbishop's Ruling(4/03) by SJA Parishioners
Grief: Embedded in this War(4/03) by Jo Youngren
Staff Profile: Rosie Rogers(4/03) by Mark Scannell
“to my larger self, to truth"(4/03) by Cyril Paul
Lenten 2003 Preview(3/03) by Jeanne Morales
A Peace Family(3/03) by Nancy Emery
A New Irish Blessing(3/03) Tom Gilsenan
The Right to Travel to Cuba(3/03) by Joe Selvaggio
Parishioner Appeal for GLBT Fairness(2/03) by Michael Reinbold
Private Musings on Public Reading(2/03) by Roger Dick
Barb Trumble: Quiet Angel(2/03) by Jo Youngren/JJ Jackson
Dying Lessons(2/03) by Bridget Galeigh
Staff Profile: Tom Smith-Myott(2/03) by Mark Scannell/Amie Rankin
Saturday Mass Nursery(2/03) by Katrina
Aloha and Peace from Maui(1/03) by Nancy Lynch
The Privilege and Obligation of Voting(1/03) by Nancy Olson
Peace Resources(WebLinks)(1/03) by Conversations on Peace
Parishioner Responds to Catholic Spirit Editorials(1/03) by Rik Murray