Ad Laos - To the People of God – June 2023

The text of Archbishop Thabo's June Ad Laos, published in the Cape Town diocesan newsletter, Good Hope:

June is Youth Month in South Africa, and the youth uprising of June 16, 1976, is a painful reminder that if we are determined enough, we can use our agency and the Holy Spirit to take practical action to address the ills of our society and turn around the lives of our young people, many of whom face very bleak prospects at present.

In our national life, the prospects of big business coming alongside the government to help revive our transport and crime fighting agencies – in the form of Transnet, the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority – is a good sign, both in addressing the desperate need to grow the economy and create jobs, and in ensuring that the corrupt do not undermine the prospects of fixing our nation.

But as we address corruption and growing our economy, we must urgently find practical ways of addressing youth unemployment in Southern Africa. Youth Day is of course followed by Mandela Day on July 18th, when the Nelson Mandela Foundation urges us to volunteer for the good of our communities. This year, I encourage you to follow how God leads your heart in deciding how to observe both days, but please spare a thought and take some practical action to improve the employability of our youth.

In your parishes and dioceses, I strongly urge you to look at implementing the suggestions made by the report of the church's Commission on Youth Unemployment, which included the following recommendations:
    • Establishing a database recording the personnel resources available among church members:
    • Using the database to set up mentors to provide guidance to young people needing work;
    • Budgetting to employ more young people in parishes and dioceses;
    • Organising workshops to help young people write their C. V.s and develop their skills; and
    • Making church-owned land available for business ventures.
You can read the full report here >>
 

At Easter and in last month's Ad Laos I challenged you to adopt the “Archbishop's Ballot Challenge (ABC)”, the aim of which is to persuade young people to take their futures in their hands, to end the understandable scepticism they have about the political process in South Africa, and to register to vote. This month I am pleased to say that the SA Council of Churches' Youth Desk, as well as their Gauteng and Western Cape branches, have taken seriously the ABC and its invitation to the youth. We will be having a webinar on June 24th to explore ways of engaging this initiative further.

I also want to repeat my appeal of last month for generous donations to the College of the Transfiguration in Makhanda as it celebrates its 30th anniversary in August. Pray too for the College, and if you feel called, consider joining a preaching course, or devoting a year of your life to teaching there.

In a year’s time, from June 13th to 15th 2024, we will hold our Diocesan Synod. Please do start planning and reflecting on what missional and ministry matters are vital for you for the extension of God’s reign, especially post Covid, so that we can plan appropriately for the future.

Finally, winter in Cape Town is wet and cold, and especially so this winter. Please continue and if possible step up your pastoral work of feeding and clothing those without shelter and food. Your action and presence in their struggle for human dignity is a vital and real prophetic witness which is desperately needed.

Once again thank you for your prayers for my cataract procedures on both eyes. They have been successful, so now I can chuckle and sing along with Johnny Nash or Jimmy Cliff, “I can see clearly now the rain is gone” (though not yet in Cape Town!).

Keep warm, stay safe and God bless you.

†† Thabo Cape Town