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CATHOLIC NEWS BULLETIN

ARCHDIOCESE OF DURBAN

APRIL 2018

CARDINAL’S LETTER OF NOTIFICATION

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As you know, when I submitted my letter of resignation on my 75th

birthday, 2 years ago, I was

informed by the Holy See that I should continue in office until I completed my 77th

year.

Just before Easter this year I received another communication from the Holy See which says among

other things:

“After a careful examination of the results in question (namely, the informative process in order to

identify suitable candidates for succession) and having considered all the circumstances, His Holiness -

at the audience granted me on 16th

March this year – has decided to postpone sine die the nomination of

your successor. For that matter, you are kindly requested to stay on until another decision is taken.”

So in a sense my stay in Limbo has simply been extended not ended! Nevertheless, I take this

opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your help and support over the years, and ask you to

continue into the future. What I have treasured and will continue to treasure, are your prayers and

sacrifices for the successful mission of the Church in Durban for the duration of my time in office.

May God bless and keep you all in the love and goodness of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

Yours fraternally in Christ

+ Wilfrid Cardinal Napier OFM

Archbishop of Durban

ORDINATION TO THE PERMANENT DIACONATE

On Saturday 5th

May 2018 at 10.00am in St Francis Xavier Parish (Bluff) Cardinal Wilfrid Napier will

ordain Carl Emmanuel to the Permanent Diaconate. All Clergy, Religious and Laity are invited to this

joyous celebration. We offer our heartfelt congratulations to Carl and his family with a fervent prayer

that he may have a blessed and fruitful ministry serving the people of God in this special ministry.

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CARDINAL'S CORNER (1)

This month I offer you something in a lighter vane, reflecting on some of the Easters that I remember.

There can be no doubt that what we experienced as children can determine how we see things many

years later as adults. We will like them, be indifferent to them or even hate them later, even if the way

we experience them as adults has changed quite radically.

This truth came into sharp focus when I sat down to reflect on the simple question: "What does Easter

mean to you? Give our readers an idea of how you see Easter!"

My first recall of memories of Easter is that it was a significant day in the life of my family as well as

my first parish community, where as a child I was only just awakening to the deeper meaning of the

religious days that we celebrated together as family, and sometimes as extended family.

To my amazement the first thing that sprang to mind was that Easter was nowhere near as exciting as

Christmas or my Birthday! Not by a long shot.

I remembered the Washing of the Feet on Holy Thursday, especially my nervousness that my feet

shouldn't smell when I took my shoes off for Father to wash my feet! I remembered the sombre

atmosphere in the Church, the solemn, even patent sadness that pervaded the community as it re-lived

the Agony in the Garden, the Scourging at the Pillar, the mocking and shaming of Jesus, the slow and

painful Way of the Cross to unthinkable suffering of Jesus as he was nailed to the Cross and crucified

on Calvary. I have only very vague and non-descript memories of the Holy Saturday ceremony. But,

there certainly was no Easter Vigil the way we celebrate it now.

Easter was by no mean as interesting or as exciting as Christmas. Sure, Easter Sunday was special. For

one thing we rang the bells again, instead of the clappers, which took over from Holy Thursday until

Easter Sunday morning. What a delight to ring the bells throughout the singing of the Gloria! Then the

Mass resounded with Alleluias, and "Resurrexit sicut dixit" (He has risen, as he said) rang out

everywhere! Yes, Easter had something special, but it was hard to understand!

So you can imagine my amazement, or was it, consternation, when in Killarney, the Novice Master

turned my whole belief system upside down by insisting that Easter was by far the greatest feast in the

Church's life and calendar! I remember saying to myself, if not to my fellow novices: "Then what about

Christmas? Surely, God becoming man is far greater than Jesus rising from the dead!" I remember

thinking, the Irish must have a different way of seeing things!

It was only after the reform of the Liturgy (the Church's official way of worshiping introduced by

Vatican II) started taking effect, especially with the introduction of the vernacular that it began to dawn

on me why the Resurrection celebrated at Easter was the key mystery in God's revelation of his plan for

saving us from sin and perdition. With each liturgical day and its special focus, the Holy Week liturgy

began to assert itself as the primordial celebration of our Christian Faith.

With the passing of time, greater, rather than lesser, emphasis was given to the more exact location of

each liturgical event in its proper time and place, from the Last Supper and the Washing of the Feet on

Thursday Evening, to the celebration of the Lord's Passion on Friday afternoon, and most significantly,

to the Easter Vigil being celebrated as a real vigil deep into Holy Saturday night, not early evening

when the newly blessed and lit Easter Candle was barely visible, as it competed with the yet-to-set sun!

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Add to this the use of nearly all the prescribed Scripture Readings and their accompanying psalms and

prayers. At Emmanuel Cathedral, Durban, we go even further, giving some of those to be Baptised or

Received into Full Communion the opportunity to give Testimonies as to what led them to become

Catholics. Some of their stories can be said to be a true resurrection to a new life!

Now, you have a real Vigil! Now you will have Alleluias ringing out in the early hours of Easter

Sunday morning, much closer to the time when Mary Magdalene and the other Women were making

their way to the tomb to embalm and prepare Jesus' body properly for burial!

As I now watch the Catechumens coming forward to be baptised and the Candidates for Full

Communion to be received into the Catholic Church, in the hours before sunrise, I understand why

Easter is THE Feast-day of the disciples of Jesus who are committed to walking with Him in the

journey of new life.

Christmas versus Easter

Looking back I have to say Easter is geared more towards adults in the faith. It was not really meant for

children. Christmas is the feast for children. One aspect of Christmas at Maria Telgte Mission,

Swartberg, that I will always remember because it was something my siblings and I always looked

forward to, was the Christmas Crib which Sister Alfreda prepared with great ingenuity.

Every year she did something original. The best was when she incorporated a little pond in front of the

Crib. To make the setting real she enclosed a little frog so that it could jump into the pond and swim

around whenever it felt like it. In our innocence we understood Sister to have done this to complete the

rustic scene common to our farm community. Of course it's possible that she was getting her own back

on the frog for keeping the Convent awake at night with its croaking!!!

Whatever the reason, that Crib was a hit, and I'll never forget it.

Other Sisters who had an impact on my understanding of Christmas and Easter were from the Holy

Cross Congregation, while Sister Alfreda was from the Sisters of the Precious Blood. Interesting, isn't it

that both congregations were named after the Suffering and Death of Jesus, a subtle reminder perhaps,

that Easter is the greater feast, whatever my childhood memories might suggest.

Of these I remember in particular Sister Clarence and Sister Scholastica because the one took us to

Baby School every morning and the other taught me to play the piano some years later. The latter was

also a great gardener, which never ceased to amaze us as she was also the Mother Superior of the

Convent. To our little minds Mother Superior sat around being waited on all day long. Well, here was a

Superior who served her community and set the example for the rest of the Sisters who always served

us so well!

May God's Easter blessings be with all of you as you recall how Jesus came into your life by dying on

the Cross and rising again to new life, which he now shares with you in every way that he knows you

need it!

+ Wilfrid Card Napier OFM

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BISHOP BARRY WOOD LECTURE

THEME: NICENE CREED

2 – 5 May 2018

Sacred Heart Parish, Woodlands, Durban

DATE GUEST SPEAKER TOPIC TIME

Wednesday

2 May 2018

Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM I believe in one God, the Father

Almighty, maker of heaven and earth 18:30-19:30

Thursday

3 May 2018

Fr Sylvester David OMI I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only begotten Son of God

18:30-19:30

Friday

4 May 2018

Fr Michael Gumede OMI “Bishop Barry Wood OMI, a

Minister of Mercy”

18:30-19:30

Saturday

5 May 2018

Fr Sizwe Nxasana I believe in the Holy Spirit, the

Lord and giver of life

09:00-10:30

5 May 2018 TEA BREAK 10:30-11:00

5 May 2018 Fr Sabelo Mkhize I believe in One, Holy Catholic

and Apostolic Church

11:00-12:30

LECTURES: FREE – Please RSVP the Parish Office 031 4690865

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St Joseph’s Theological Institute

in collaboration with the

Association of Oblate Institutes of Higher Learning and the

Kusenberger Chair of Oblate Studies

presents the inaugural

Kusenberger Chair of Oblate Studies Annual Lecture

Keynote speaker

Fr. Ronald Rolheiser OMI

Topic

The Oblate Charism Today: Its Essence, Its Modesty, Its Vitality,

Its Struggles, and Its Urgency

Date: Friday, 1 June 2018 Time: 2 - 5pm Venue: The Fr Paul Decock OMI Auditorium,

St Joseph’s Theological Institute

*** Owing to limited capacity, it is important to RSVP: *** email: tracyn@sjti.ac.za; or phone: 0873538940 (office hours)

The full programme will be available on the SJTI website closer to the time,

as would the URL for livestreaming of the event. (www.sjti.ac.za)

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Fr Bryan Massingale, Professor of Theological and Social Ethics at Fordham University in New York, will

deliver this year’s Winter Living Theology in South Africa.

Fr Massingale is a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and previously taught at Marquette University.

He is a much sought after speaker and will speak on Racial Justice and the Demands of Discipleship.

He will deliver the lectures in Johannesburg at Lumko 26-28 June, Port Elizabeth 3-5 July, Durban 10-12

July and Cape Town 17-18 July.

ORDO FRANCISCANUS SÆCULARIS

National Fraternity of South Africa 25 Kort Street, Rietvalleirand, 0181, Pretoria

PO Box 914-1192, Wingate Park, 0153, Pretoria

Tel + 27 12 345 2817 / +27 72 673 2521

E-mail: ofssouthafrica@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE

Overview of the Secular Franciscan Order – OFS (Ordo Franciscanus Sæcularis)

From the beginning, (the time of St Francis), the Secular Franciscan Order has had its own proper place in the Franciscan family. It is formed by the organic union of all the Catholic fraternities throughout the world, whose members moved by the Holy Spirit, commit themselves to live the Gospel in the manner of St Francis, in their secular state, following the Rule approved by the Church. Our secular state, with respect to our vocation and to apostolic life, expresses itself according to our normal state of life, which contributes to building up the Kingdom of God by our presence in our life-situations and in our temporal activities (parents, families, farmers, nurses, doctors, engineers, carpenters, politicians, secretaries etc.)

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Our Presence in Africa Since 2011, through fraternal and pastoral visits, and Congresses that have taken place in Africa, the Secular Franciscans, especially in countries of Francophone Africa, shared their feeling of isolation and the need to communicate with the sisters and brothers of other national fraternities. A Project Africa co-ordinating team was commissioned at the General Chapter 2014, that would focus on animation and guidance of national fraternities in Africa. The team immediately recognised that Formation was a priority, and 3 formation workshops were organised in Lusaka, Zambia in June 2016, (English and Portuguese) in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, June 2017 (French) and Mondou, Chad in August 2017 (French). All of these were very well received and attended. 1st PAN African OFS-Youfra Congress 2018

It was then decided that the 1st PAN African OFS and Youfra Congress will be held at Padre Pio Spirituality Centre, Rietvallei, Pretoria, South Africa on 20th to 25th July 2018.

The theme of the Congress is “OFS at the Service of Reconciliation, Peace and Social Justice in

Africa” (cf. Africae Munus), and it comes as a response from the theme of the XV General Chapter

2017: “As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.” (Jn 17:18)

The participants will be the National Ministers, International Councillors and National Spiritual Assistants , Youfra and delegates from OFS National Fraternities of: Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cameroun, Central Africa Rep, Congo Dem Rep, Madagascar, Mauritius, Tchad, Togo, Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Egypt, Eritrea, Nigeria, Rwanda, Burundi, Benin, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lesotho, Namibia, Uganda. During the Congress the Presentations will cover the topics taken from the Apostolic document

“Africae Munus” – Africa’s Commitment;

a) Church in Africa, b) Present situation socio-political situation in Africa, c) Protection of life, respect for creation, good governance, d) Youth, what future for our children, e) Embracing the lepers around us and

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f) Family as a school of reconciliation, peace and social justice Our General Minister, General Assistants and those of the presidency responsible for the above countries of the International Council will be present. This will also give an opportunity for dialogue, which will ensure that we fully understand our vocation and fulfill the mission of St Francis, that we

have been called to continue, “Go rebuild my Church.”

Finally, with the conclusions from the Congress, all the participants as “you are the salt of the

earth…. You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:13-14), will return to their countries, with the message

of the Gospel, “Behold I make all things new”. (Rev 21:5)

This letter is a request for a donation, which would be greatly appreciated. Due to the financial situation of our brothers and sisters in Africa, we have had to ask for a minimal registration fee, as the flight costs are also very expensive. Therefore we are in need of financial assistance as besides the fixed costs for the congress, we have to hire translation services, which we will need for the 3 different languages (English French, and Portuguese) We would be very grateful of any assistance and if you are able, we have attached our bank details. Please would you detail the reference "Pan African Congress donation" and fax/scan the deposit slip to the email address above. . Secular Franciscan Order of SA Bank: FNB Branch - Bank City, Branch no - 250805, Account no - 62017137812 May God bless you abundantly and we thank you in anticipation of your generous donation which will assist us as we unite with our brother and sister Franciscans, to make a positive impact on our continent. God bless. Nina Richards ofs Communications Local Organising Committee +27(0)836948118 PANAfricancongress2018@gmail.com ninarichardscapetown@gmail.com

SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL – DURBAN CENTRAL COUNCIL

2017 Report of Main Activities and Events

Members of the Society of St Vincent de Paul serve the poor cheerfully, listening to them and

respecting their wishes, helping them to feel and recover their own dignity. Members, also known as

Vincentians, observe the utmost confidentiality in the provision of material and any other type of

support.

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The Society started in Paris (France) in 1833 and grew rapidly. Among the many countries it expanded

into was Scotland who in turn brought the Society to South Africa. The first Conference was opened at

St Mary’s Cathedral in Cape Town in 1856. The first Conference in KZN opened in around 1905 at the

humble parish of St Patrick’s in Queensburgh.

As a lay ministry the Society is present in 29 parishes in KZN (excluding Pietermaritzburg and the

Northern Natal areas). From the far south coast town of Port Shepstone up to Stanger in the North, the

Society can also be found in Hillcrest and their surrounding outstations including St Leo. There are

approximately 350 members. In 2017 we inducted 48 new members of the Society.

Blessed with the generosity of our parishioners and donors, we received almost R5.9million in cash and

kind. R1.3m was received directly from parishioners via the plate collection. With this money we have

managed to reach approximately 4000 families in need. We provided mainly food parcels, clothing,

blankets, household goods and help with the costs of medication, accommodation, education and

emergency relief.

We are also involved in supporting several orphanages, crèches, retirement homes, soup kitchens,

hospices, clinics, vegetable gardens, and community feeding schemes. This type of support is normally

done on a temporary basis as it is usually done with surplus funds.

The Conference (the term we use for our branches) meet at their local parishes at least twice a month

and are always on the lookout for new members. Many years ago we broke away from the all male

membership and invited women to join. Currently we are making efforts to move away from the

impression that we are a retired persons club. We are encouraging younger members to join the

Society. This is in line with the fact that the founding members of our Society were young university

students.

Four times a year we come together from all over KZN for what we call a Festival Meeting at a hosting

parish where all our members get to interact, share ideas and hear the goings-on in the Society.

In September 2016 we were blessed with the appointment of our youngest (47 years at the time)

international President General, Renato Lima de Oliviera from Brazil. In December of the same year

we also appointed our new National President in Johannesburg, Peter Keshwar (originally from

Durban).

If any parish would like to open a Conference they are encouraged to contact us for assistance. We

humbly appreciate the support we enjoy from the Archdiocese, the parish priests, the parish pastoral

councils and the parishioners and pledge by the grace of God to continue to assist all who are referred

to us.

God Bless!

Lucien Buckley

President: Durban Central Council

Cell: 061 040 9294 / Email: lucienbuckley01@gmail.com

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CARDINAL’S CORNER (2)

“Then he will say to those on his right: Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared

for you from the foundation of the world” Mt. 25: 34

Introduction

While these words taken from the Last Judgement in St Matthew’s Gospel, may not have been the

direct cause of the setting up of Kwa-Zulu Natal Catholic Health and Welfare Commission a number of

years ago, what the 7 Dioceses of the Durban Metropolitan Province did, was inspired by the same

LOVE which Jesus Himself says is to be the trademark of the true disciple.

This joint effort arose out of the forced closure of the ODNS (Oblate District Nursing Services) which

coordinated the Catholic Clinics in Durban and Dundee dioceses.

The closure of ODNS resulted in an extensive survey which sought to discover and engage with all

Catholic Health and Welfare institutions in the Durban Province. Given the number and qualities of

these services the Durban Metro Bishops decided to set up KZN CHAWC, to facilitate the work being

done by a wide variety of projects.

When the SACBC decided to establish Caritas SA to complete the Caritas structures in the Conference

area together with Botswana and Swaziland, the Durban Province adopted the Caritas structure to

replace KZN CHAWC, thus giving birth to KZN CARITAS.

For the past few months the KZN CARITAS coordinator, Ms Jenny Boyce has led the various diocesan

teams in the concerted effort to set up the Caritas Roadmap for our KZN Dioceses.

This has included the following steps:

1) The Coordinator or Diocesan Representative reporting to the Bishop how the Roadmap is to be

implemented in the Dioceses of the SACBC;

2) All the Clergy (priests and deacons) to be briefed on the Roadmap with a view of getting them to

buy into it;

3) This briefing is to be done via the Deaneries so that the briefing takes the form of a dialogue;

4) Next would follow a Diocesan Workshop on Caritas for all who will be involved in Caritas;

5) The full time worker of the Diocese i.e. Diocesan Coordinator would develop a Constitution for

Caritas and register it with the Department for Social Development;

6) The last step would be a General Assembly which would adopt the Constitution, officially

acknowledge the registration and begin capacity building work plans as well as institute a disaster

plan.

One of the immediate challenges facing the Caritas Durban is how to get into each of our parishes the

concept of the Charity of the Church which was practised by the early Church under the leadership and

supervision of the Deacons. In other words, how do parishes on a daily and ongoing basis take care of

the poor and needy in a coordinated way. Of course this will mean a new responsibility for the Parish

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Pastoral Council, because it is best placed to coordinate what is already being done by the Sodalities.

Perhaps each PPC should consider appointing someone from SVDP or CWL or St Anne’s or St

Joseph’s as a member with the special portfolio for the Charity ministry in the Parish.

Obviously where there is a Sodality dedicated to this work e.g. St Martin de Porres, a member of that

Sodality should be considered. Also if there is a Deacon in the parish, he would be a natural choice.

These details are what the Diocesan Workshop on Caritas would be dedicated to reflecting on.

God bless.

+ Wilfrid Cardinal Napier OFM

May 2018

2 Chancery Meeting

3 KZN Church Leaders Group Workshop Cardinal

Diakonia Special Meeting Cardinal

4 Building Committee

Diocesan Pastoral Council Steering Committee

5 Ordination to Permanent Diaconate: Carl Emmanuel

5 – 17 Rome Cardinal

18 Thanksgiving Mass St Mary’s Mariannhill Cardinal

19 Confirmation: Bluff Cardinal

20 Confirmation: Umbilo Cardinal

Confirmation: Point Vicar General

21 Finance Board

22 Liturgy Commission

23 Diocesan Clergy Social, Stanger

24 Council of Priests

Napier Centre 4 Healing Meeting

26 – 27 Ntshongweni Pilgrimage

28 Cape Town Cardinal

29 Diakonia Council Meeting Cardinal

30 KZN Church Leaders Group Cardinal

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