CATHOLIC NEWS BULLETIN. Thoughts for Easter ARCHDIOCESE OF DURBAN APRIL 2017

Transcription

1 CATHOLIC NEWS BULLETIN ARCHDIOCESE OF DURBAN APRIL 2017 Thoughts for Easter From time to time one hears of people questioning the date for Christmas, probably because there is nothing in the Gospels to suggest the time of year when Jesus was born. The same can certainly not be said about Easter. Whatever the technical calculations that went into setting the date for the Lord s resurrection, what is absolutely clear and beyond doubt is that Easter always falls at the time of year when nature is undergoing most dramatic changes in the season. This cannot be by accident! Nothing that God inspires mankind to do is ever by accident. Rather it is tied to the revelation of God s plan for us! The meaning of Easter This leads us to reflect on what God wants to reveal to us through the celebration of Easter, or rather the Triduum three solemn holy days that culminate in Easter Sunday. The Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus are intended by God to be the Days when his people celebrate, commemorate, or even better still, re-enact the mysteries on the deeply significantly ways in which God reveals to us the changes that he wishes to see taking place in our life and relationship with him as well as with our fellow men our brothers and sisters with whom we share his love and providence. In this regard, it is really wonderful to observe how many parishes even those in the rural parts of our diocese are increasingly enabling parishioners to participate in the profound change that Jesus gained for us by suffering, dying and rising from the dead, to open up for us the possibility of doing the same in our daily life. I am referring, of course to the Penitential Services which are a special feature of our observance of Lent. What is particularly gratifying is to see the number of young adults who avail of this opportunity to respond to God s call repeated so often in the Scriptures selected for Mass during Lent Return to me! Come back my People. What better way to return than by turning away from a sinful way of life, confessing our sin, and committing ourselves, as individuals and as a community to the new way of living which Pope Francis describes as walking with Jesus, building up the Church by our faith and good works and witnessing every day and in every way to Jesus, but the Jesus whom we actually know and experience in our daily life. 25

2 Easter is not just a season If we read the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles with an Easter mind, we will quickly realise that Easter is not just a season of special grace. No! It is the introduction or continuingly renewed introduction to the way of trying to be like God unchanging always new as the Hymn for midday prayer puts it. This is what lies behind a number of initiatives which are being promoted in the Archdiocese of Durban, namely the Reflection Material being promoted by the Adult Faith Formation Team. The same Team is promoting ALPHA a programme aimed at reminding all Catholics practising or not practising that the foundation of our life with God is the basic Gospel message the Kerygma which reminds us that God loves us so much that he has become one of us in Jesus Christ and that Jesus in turn loves us so much that he gave his life for us, and did so in the most painful way imaginable so that no one could ever doubt his love! Alpha reminds us that the essence of our faith is not so much the doctrine, dogmas or rituals of our Church as the relationship with Jesus that is created by these and expressed by them. A third initiative aimed at making the life of the risen Christ evident in and to the world, is the corporal work of mercy which we are carrying over from the Year of Mercy, namely the Napier Centre for Healing. One of the features of the Kerygma the core message of the Gospel was the healing ministry of Jesus. He went about doing good. More often than not, doing good involved healing illness and conditions that were so deep seated there was no hope for those held bound by them. In our day the group of people who fit the bill are those held bound by addiction to alcohol and drugs. Sadly one has to add another group those addicted to pornography, including child pornography. The worst aspect of child pornography is that it also involves human trafficking in children. It is our hope that through these three initiatives of faith formation and social outreach, our Diocese will bring the Easter message to life in a very real and concrete way. God bless you and keep you in his love. + Wilfrid Cardinal Napier OFM Archbishop of Durban CONDOLENCES 26

3 We offer our condolences to Fr. Georges Bidzogo SAC and his family on the death of his grandmother Veronique. Please remember Fr Georges and his family in your prayers. INAUGURATION OF THE HURLEY SHRINE Crowds gathered at Emmanuel Cathedral when a shrine to Archbishop Denis Hurley was inaugurated on 19 March 2017, the 70 th anniversary of his being made a bishop in the same Cathedral. At all the Masses, a chalice was used which had been given to Hurley by the Marist Brothers in 1947 on the occasion of his Episcopal consecration. Hurley (like Paddy Kearney) had been a student at the Marists St Charles College PMB. In front of the altar, Hurley s mitre and crozier were placed on the simple velvet chair that he had used as his cathedra : all of them symbols of his authority as bishop and pastor. The shrine was blessed at the end of Mass by bishop Barry Wood OMI (Auxiliary Bishop of Durban) who compared Hurley to St Joseph: a just man who wants to do what is right. He also challenged the congregation: Hurley was wonderful but he wants us to be wonderful too; to take our vocation seriously; to care for the poor; to speak out as prophets; to have the courage to do the right thing. Other Masses over the weekend were celebrated by fellow Oblates including the Natal Provincial, Fr Vusi Mazibuko. After each Mass, the whole congregation joined in saying the special prayer which, like the shrine, has been approved by Cardinal Napier to encourage public devotion to Hurley. For a copy of the prayer in English and isizulu or to purchase copies, shrine@denishurleycentre.org 27

4 ! Bishop Barry Wood OMI preaching in the Cathedral before inaugurating the new shrine. Also visible are Hurley s mitre, crozier, cathedra and a chalice gifted to him. LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINAR 2017 Father Georges Bidzogo SAC has been tasked with gathering together all Charismatic Groups in the Archdiocese. The aim is to begin formation sessions and to bring all the charismatic renewal groups of our Diocese under one umbrella so that we are in line with the National and International Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church. There is also the possibility of establishing groups in parishes, with the permission of the Parish Priest, and under the guidance and supervision of the Church authority. St Peter s Parish (Point) have planned a Life in the Spirit Seminar which will take place in the parish beginning on and ending on with effusion of the Holy Spirit and, if possible, the gathering together of all Charismatic Renewal Groups. The Seminar consists of 1½ hour sessions usually given once a week for 7 or 8 weeks. Below is the suggested programme for this year: Session 1 God s Love by Brother John Thursday pm God loves us with everlasting love Session 2 Salvation by Fr. Phumlani Makhaye Thursday pm God freed us from darkness and the power of Satan through Jesus Christ Session 3 New Life by Fr. Phiri White Sunday pm God wants to give us a new life through the Holy Spirit Session 4 Receiving God s Gifts by Jacques Sadiki Sunday pm How to turn to the Lord (repentance and faith) Session 5 Commitment and Prayer by Fr. Chrysostome Sunday pm This entire session is set aside for making the commitment to Christ and prayer for the release of the Holy Spirit, already present from the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation Session 6 Growth by Fr. Georges Bidzogo SAC Sunday pm Growth Receiving the Holy Spirit prayer, study, service and community 28

5 DIZIMO 2017 Session 7 Transformation in Christ by Fr. Sabelo Mkhize Sunday pm We are the body of Christ The Cardinal will bless all members at 10.00am during Mass Session 8 Become my Witnesses by Fr. Georges Bidzogo Sunday pm Going on with Life in the Spirit in a new relationship with the Lord For more information about establishing a charismatic group in your parish or about the Seminar contact Father Georges on or bidgeor@yahoo.fr A Dizimo function will be held at St. Joseph s Parish, Morningside on 1 June 2017 at 9.30am. All Parish Priests, Finance Committee Chairpersons and Stewardship Committee Chairpersons are to please attend. Lunch will be served. Please contact Norma at the Chancery by 20 May 2017 with the names and contact details of the Chairpersons who will be attending. May 2017 DIOCESAN DIARY 1 Memorial Lecture, Little Eden Cardinal 2 5 SACBC Admin Board Cardinal 3 Mass at Westville Bishop 6 Catholic Women s League AGM, Assumption Parish Cardinal 7 Mass at Westville Cardinal ACTS Mass, Wentworth 8 Chancery Meeting Diaconate Board Bishop 9 Caritas Durban AGM, St Anthony s Parish Dbn. Cardinal Liturgy Commission Cardinal 10 MWYD Durban Team Cardinal Mass at Westville Bishop 11 Council of Priests KZN Inter-religious Council Cardinal 29

6 12 Building Committee Cardinal Mass and Procession, Fatima Parish Durban North Cardinal 13 Everybody s Birthday Celebration, MWYD Fundraiser Cardinal Mass, Centenary of Fatima apparitions, Durban North Bishop 14 Confirmation: Esigodini Bishop Rome Cardinal 17 Mass at Westville Bishop 21 Couples for Christ Mass Cardinal Confirmation: Durban North Bishop 22 Catholic Schools Board Cardinal 23 Praesidium Meeting Cardinal MWYD Fundraiser Meeting 24 Diocesan Clergy Social, Chatsworth Cardinal 25 Chancery Staff Retreat 26 St Augustine s School Bishop DPC Steering Committee Ntshongweni Pilgrimage 29 Finance Board 30 Caritas Durban Executive Diakonia Council of Churches Cardinal Triduum of Holy Spirit, Pinetown 31 Pastoral Visit, Matikwe School and Clinic Cardinal Bishop REQUEST FROM NAZARETH HOUSE 30

7 Nazareth House is in need of good quality second-hand clothing for their charity shop. They also require plastic shopping bags. If you can assist in any way please contact Charmaine Eldridge on or Your generosity will be highly appreciated. 31

8 32

9 33