Paddy Kearney: an example of the creation and re-creation of a Christian activist over five decades=Paddy Kearney: isibonelo sokwakhiwa nokwakhiwa kabusha Kwabashabasheki bobuKhristu emashuminyakeni ayisihlanu.

Abstract

Abstract

Paddy Kearney (1942-2018) was a well-known Christian activist operating in Durban during and after the Liberation Struggle (from 1970 until his death). He worked closely with Denis Hurley (Catholic Archbishop of Durban from 1947 to 1992) with whom he created Diakonia and in whose honour he later founded the Denis Hurley Centre. At Diakonia, Kearney brought together Christians of all denominations to work for social justice; later as Chair of the Gandhi Development Trust and the Denis Hurley Centre Trust his work broadened to include partners of all faith communities. Although he worked closely with religious leaders, Kearney had no official status as a member of clergy but he did spend 10 years in a Catholic religious order, the Marist Brothers. The thesis draws on Kearney’s own archive, the archives of the organisations to which he was linked, and interviews with 72 colleagues, friends and family members from across the decades. The documents of Vatican II are referenced extensively and also relevant secondary texts by contemporary (and where possible African) theologians. The thesis aims to show how Kearney’s ministry was shaped by the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) at which +Hurley had been a prominent participant. It is argued that Kearney’s life exemplified some of the new approaches to being Church that the Council (and +Hurley) encouraged: working with other Christians (Unitatis Redintegratio), respecting other faiths (Nostra Aetate), defining a role for lay people (Apostolicam Actuositatem), defending human rights (Dignitatis Humanae), responding to the sufferings of the world (Gaudium et Spes). While celebrating the degree to which Kearney epitomised Vatican II, the thesis shows the degree to which this had to develop over time and also highlights some ways in which Kearney did not go far enough. Nevertheless, it concludes that he provides an important model for Christian activists today. Appendices explore additional related themes such as Kearney’s links to Mahatma Gandhi and the status of +Hurley as a political priest. Kearney was also a prolific writer including the award-winning biography of +Hurley (Kearney, G Paddy. Guardian of the Light, Pietermaritzburg: UKZN, 2009); he awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Iqoqa

UPaddy Kearney (1942-2018) wayeyisishoshovu soMkhristu esaziwayo owayesebenzela eDurban ngenkathi yoMzabalazo Wenkululeko (kusukela ngonyaka we-1970 waze wafa). Wasebenza ngokusondelana kakhulu noDenis Hurley (UMbhishobhi omkhulu wamaKhatholika kusukela ngowe-1947 kuya kowe-1992) abakha kanye naye iDiakonia okwathi ngokumhlonipha nakamuva wakha iDenis Hurley Centre. EDiakonia, uKearney wahlanganisa amaKhristu azo zonke izinhlaka ukusebenzela ubulingiswa bomphakathi; kwathi kamuva njengoSihlalo weGandhi Development Trust neDenis Hurley Centre Trust umsebenzi wakhe wasabalala wafaka ayebambisene nabo kuyo yonke imiphakathi yokholo. Nakuba asebenza ngokusondelana nabaholi bezenkolo, uKearney wayengenaso isikhundla esisemthethweni njengelungu labefundisi abagcotshiwe kodwa wasebenza iminyaka eyishumi nohlelo lokholo lwamaKhatholika, iMarist Brothers. Ucwaningo lusukela emqulwinimlando yakhe uKearney, imiqulumlando yezinhlangano ayehlobene nazo, nezinhlolokhono nabalingani bakhe abangama-72, abangani namalungu omndeni emashumininyaka amaningi. Imiqulu yaseVatican II icashunwe kakhulu nemibhalo yongoti bezenkolo yeqophelo lesibili yesimanje (lapho okuvuma khona okube ngeyase-Afrika). Ucwaningo luhlose ukukhombisa ukuthi ubufundisi bukaKearney kwakhiwa yiSecond Vetican Council (1962-65) lapho +Hurley owayengumbambiqhaza oqavile. Kuqakulwa ukuthi impilo kaKearney yayisibonelo sezinye zezindlela ezintsha zokuba yiSonto okwakukhuthazwa nguMkhandlu (+Hurley): kusetshenzwa namanye amaKhrestu (Unitatis Redintegratio), ukuhlonipha ezinye izinkolo (Nostra Aetate), ukuchaza iqhaza labantu phaqa (Apostolicam Actuositatem), ukuvikela amalungelo abantu (Dignitatis Humanae), ukuphendula ekuhluphekeni komhlaba (Gaudium et Spes). Ngenkathi sigubha izinga uKearney amela ngalo iVatican ll, ucwaningo lukhombisa izinga lokhu okwase kukhule ngalo emva kwesikhathi, futhi kuphinde kugqamise izindlela uKearney aphinda wagubeka kuzo. Naphezu-ke, luphetha ngokuthi uyimodeli emqoka yezishoshovu zobuKhrestu zanamuhla. Izengezelo zihlola izindikimba ezelekiwe nezinobuhlobo njengokuxhumana kuka +Hurley kuMahatma Gandhi nesimo sika +Hurley njengomfundisi ongowezombusazwe. UKearney wayephinde abe ngumbhali osebhale kakhulu kubalwa nombhalo webhayografi owadla ubhedu ka +Hurley (Kearney, G Paddy. Guardian of the Light, Pietermaritzburg: UKZN, 2009); wahlonishwa ngeziqu zobudokotela yiNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natal.