Long ago I was inspired, and still am, by this man. I had to look up the meaning of all those letters behind his name. While I'm not surprised he received all these awards they don't increase my admiration.
I lived in East Africa from 1985-2018. In the 1980s I was in peaceful Tanzania and South Africa was struggling with apartheid. I remember learning about him through the BBC radio. We didn't have TV or newspapers but the word got around to me in a remote village about the good things he was doing. President Julius Nyerere came to our annual Maryknoll Missioners meeting in Musoma and was very excited about the progress in South Africa. He told us that when South Africa removed apartheid it would become the engine to drive the whole continent of Africa. We were hopeful and excited.
In the 1990s I was in Sudan in the midst of war. South Africa did find its way and I remember being in Nairobi, Kenya when Nelson Mandela was inaugurated the new president. Being in the midst of war I was a bit afraid that South Africa would descend into war and chaos, too. But Archbishop Tutu agreed to chair the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The war I was fearing never happened.
In Sudan I gave one of his books to a friend for a Christmas gift in the late 1990s. I wanted the Sudanese to see a different way to solve their problems and this man seemed to be on the right track of peaceful, active nonviolence. I have no idea where that book is now but I am sure that it made the rounds of many other readers as was the usual case for most reading material.
Since his death on 26th December I have been remembering him and learning even more about his life and legacy. I am not sad at all at his death. He was 90 years old and lived a long and wonderful life. I am celebrating his life and thanking God for all the good he brought into our world.
I have learned that during the past ten years he was very committed to contemplative living. The current Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, would go to his home to celebrate the Eucharist. Sometimes he would arrive a bit early but Tutu wouldn't let that disturb his prayer. He told Makgoba he knew he had many things to do but Tutu had a prior engagement that he couldn't alter, even for him! I saw a clip where Tutu was describing his prayer life. He said something like...'When you are in love you want to be with that person. You just want to spend a lot of time together.'
Tutu was always trying to uplift those on the margins and he advocated not only for black South Africans but women, in general and in the priesthood, gay/lesbian and trans sexual orientations, an end to capital punishment, ecumenism and support for assisted dying. The latter I would disagree with, knowing that palliative care is effective and respects the dignity of life. He was human and didn't have all the answers. But he loved everyone and was committed to dialogue and the dignity of each life.
He has dictated the terms of his burial. The casket is simple and inexpensive and the family can allow one bouquet of carnations with it.
I, for one, am grateful for this man's life and hope that while South Africans, and indeed the whole world, are observing a seven day morning period until the funeral on 1st January they will be inspired to learn even more. Let's carry on his belief in 'relentless optimism' that he subscribed to and make our world an even better place.
MAY THE PEACE OF ARCHBISHOP TUTU BE WITH US
AND MAY HE REST IN PEACE
