Cross of Nails

Prayers every first Friday of the month in  St Saviour's Lady Chapel from 12 noon for half an hour.

COVENTRY CATHEDRAL

The Litany of Reconciliation

Following the bombing of the mediaeval Cathedral in 1940, Provost Howard had the words ‘Father, forgive’ (Luke 23:34) inscribed on the wall behind the Altar of the ruined building. These words are used as the response in the Coventry Litany of Reconciliation, which is prayed in the ruins every Friday at noon, and is used throughout the world by the Community of the Cross of Nails.

Coventry Litany of Reconciliation

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class,
Father, forgive.

The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own,
Father, forgive.

The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth,
Father, forgive.

Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others,
Father, forgive.

Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee,
Father, forgive.

The lust which dishonours the bodies of men, women and children,
Father, forgive.

The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God,
Father, forgive.

Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Cross of Nails at Good Shepherd - Protea

When the Revd John Goliath became Rector at St Saviour’s in 1989, he started talking about reconciliation. I mentioned to him that our family had visited Coventry Cathedral in 1987 and passed on the information pamphlets which I had gathered there. With his encouragement, I contacted Coventry Cathedral for further information. Then in 1991, we were blessed with a visit from Canon Paul Oestreicher from Coventry Cathedral who told us the Coventry story and brought us the message of forgiveness, healing and peace.

Fr John Goliath, initially addressed the issue of Racism and made his confession which was a life changing experience for many. Several workshops were held in search of better understanding. We also started the Cross of Nails Prayers group which has met regularly since 1991 on the first Friday of the month in the Lady Chapel

Being a member of Good Shepherd, Protea since 1980, I had heard the many stories from the Protea people of life during the apartheid years & about their brutal eviction from their beloved Protea. Thus started a relationship of mutual understanding as brothers and sisters in Christ between the original coloured congregation and the newer white members who had now moved into the area.. Since, 1994, some members of Good Shepherd have actively pursued the Protea Lands’ claim . In 2006, the land was finally signed over to the Claimant community . A special Thanksgiving Service was held at Good Shepherd attended by many family, friends and dignatories including the Premier, Mr Ebrahim Rasool.

It was the small steps in reconciliation and the Protea Lands’ claim story that attracted the attention of Karl and Lynne Griffiths-Fulton who visited the Parish from Coventry in 1999. This inspired them to invite us to tell the Protea story which was seen as a story of hope coming out of the New South Africa at the first International Cross of Nails Conference in Coventry in August, 2000. It was then that Canon Andrew White invited the Parish to become a member of the International Community of the Cross of Nails. This was graciously accepted by the then Rector, Bishop Garth Counsell and Church Council. What an honour and privilege to be part of this amazing network of over one hundred and fifty centres worldwide.

Five of us attended this Conference, during which we were presented with the Cross which I carried back in my hand-luggage causing much anxiety to the security staff at Heathrow airport. I was able to tell them the story of Coventry as they waved their bomb detector over the Cross.

Over many years, St Saviour’s has been central to the activities of the Cross of Nails in Cape Town. In 1997 of the Coventry Cathedral choir which we hosted. Since then Marc Murray has played the organ in Coventry Cathedral on his visits to UK. Canon Chris Burch, Revd Oliver Scheugraf, Mrs Margaret Middleton and the Revd Henriette von Reupprecht have visited us from Coventry. . Always an encouragement and reminder of our responsibility for our commitment to the reconciliation ministry.

In 2002, Brent Sasman and Anthony Davids of St Saviour’s, represented South Africa at the first international CCN Youth Conference in Germany. In 2004, a group of us attended the second international CCN Conference in Coventry joined by members from other CCN Centres in South Africa. At this conference, the work of reconciliation in this Parish was honoured by Jenny Wilson being admitted as a Companion to the Order of the Community of the Cross of Nails. In 2005/6, St Saviour’s was the headquarters for the preparation for the Second International CCN Youth Conference which we hosted together with assistance from members from other CCN Centres here in the Western Cape. Four youths from our Parish attended this conference. Forty two young people from ten different countries arrived as strangers and left as friends. This, once again put St Saviour’s Parish on the international map.

In 2004, Good Shepherd was presented with their own Cross, so that both, St Saviour’s and Good Shepherd, have a constant presence of a Cross of Nails as a permanent reminder of our responsibility and commitment to a ministry of reconciliation to which we have been called.

The nearest Sunday to the18th August, is known in the Parish as ‘Cross of Nails Sunday. We always have a special service s a reminder of our commitment to the reconciliation ministry to which we have been called.