CATHOLIC NEWS BULLETIN ARCHDIOCESE OF DURBAN JULY 2018 CARDINAL S CORNER Many of you will remember that when the Bishops Conference promulgated the 1989 Pastoral Plan - Community Serving Humanity - they also suggested three ways in which Dioceses could implement the vision that lay behind and was to drive the Plan forward. The three ways were: a) to set up Small Christian Communities; b) to launch the RENEW process, and c) to use existing Task Teams such as Sodalities, Social Action Groups, Parish Choirs and such like. Depending on the resources available, Dioceses chose one or other of the above. Some years ago the late Bishop Barry called a meeting of Small Christian Communities, Faith or Gospel Sharing Groups, etc. He was amazed at the number of people who turned up for the meeting and especially at what they reported, namely that many of these were not only alive and active but actually thriving! This is what gives me the courage to propose that, as the Bishops of Southern Africa ask every Diocese and Parish to prepare to launch the New Pastoral Plan - An Evangelising Community Serving God, Humanity and all Creation - by analysing and evaluating its situation as a first step towards choosing how it is going to take the renewed Pastoral Plan forward at diocesan and parish level. As was done the last time round, the Archdiocese is proposing available methods that will rely heavily on the Scriptures, on the vision and teaching of the Church in our Conference area, on how we will respond to the ad intra and ad extra Priorities identified by the Bishops. Recent developments in the Archdiocese suggest that there are two preferred methods for us to chose from - ALPHA and the Divine Renovation. What is ALPHA? What is Divine Renovation? And what is the relationship between them? As Tom Myles, who is responsible for ALPHA in Africa, answers the last question like this: "ALPHA is the On-Ramp that gives us access to the Highway of Faith Formation. ALPHA is not the Programme for Faith Formation, but an easy and attractive introduction to Divine Renovation, which is the Highway taking us from Maintenance to Mission. The Divine Renovation challenges us to move from keeping on doing things the way they are, to transforming the Parish into a living community that grows from strength to strength not just in 45
numbers, but even more in the depth of faith and especially in the outreach to those on the margins or even outside the Church. Another way of putting it. Our Diocese is what we have made it using the materials and resources especially personnel that were available at the time when we launched the Pastoral Plan in 1989. Much has changed since then. New insight has been granted us to see how to deal with new problems and challenges. If we stay with maintenance we will find ourselves more and more out of touch with what is happening around us, especially concerning our young people. We will continue giving yesterday s answers to today s questions which are very different. That is why it is such a delight to receive from both the Youth Commission and the Catechetical Commission the request to hold in depth consultation which are modeled on the Bishops' Synod in Rome and the Diocesan Synods that we have held over the years. A third initiative that I bring to your attention is the one that I am commissioning Fr. Cletus Mtshali to undertake. For some time we had thought that development work could be done under the auspices of the Commission for Justice and Peace. As new challenges become clear in the New South Africa it is obvious that Development has its own demands which Justice and Peace cannot really handle. Hence this appointment for Fr. Cletus, who showed while he was in Kranskop, that communities in rural areas can achieve a great deal if given the right leadership. It is surely not necessary to ask everyone to give Fr Cletus all the help and support that he needs to bring the Church outreach to those on the margins, as Pope Francis would put it. ALPHA has already been presented to a Clergy Study Day. Now it s the turn of Divine Renovation to have the same. So, ALL priests are required to participate in the next Clergy Study Day on 15th August. The full day programme will be conducted by Fr James Mallon himself. He is the author of the book Divine Renovation which sets out in a very gripping style how we can and should change our Parishes from Maintenance to Mission. The following day 16th August will be a workshop for all those who are interested in promoting the method of transforming the Church as set out in the Divine Renovation. So, I strongly encourage all in leadership or in formation in religious communities, those in pastoral ministry and those responsible for lay associations to make use of this unique moment of grace for our Archdiocese. The details were in last month s Bulletin and are reprinted in this one! + Wilfrid Cardinal Napier OFM 46
CELEBRATION OF BICENTENARY You will surely have noticed that the SACBC and a number of individual Dioceses have celebrated the Bicentenary of the official establishment of the Catholic Church in Southern Africa. So, you can be forgiven for asking What about us in Durban? When are we going to mark that historic occasion? The reason is quite simple. If things had worked out as expected, 2018 would have been the year when the Archdiocese would have bid farewell to its retiring Archbishop and then welcomed the incoming one. Given that the Archdiocese had already laid out a huge amount in order to celebrate a successful Mini World Youth Day, it was considered just too much to have two further celebrations at Diocesan level. We have therefore taken the decision, after consultation with the Council of Priests, to mark the 200 th Anniversary at the same time that we celebrate our Patronal Feast. In order to highlight the uniqueness of the occasion, the Patronal Feast Mass will be celebrated on Sunday 9 th December 2018 at 11h00 at a venue still to be confirmed. Someone told me this story recently. A group of priests were busy discussing who their new bishop was likely to be. Eventually they turned to one of them who had not said anything at all Would you like to be a bishop? they asked! His answer was swift and to the point: Why would I want to be Bishop of the Diocese, when I can be Pope in my Parish! While told as a joke the attitude that lies behind it is cause for reflection by us priests. Are we behaving as if we are Pope in my Parish? I don t think anyone would take kindly to the suggestion that he is behaving like that! But if a priest regularly and without reason absents himself from diocesan events, meetings or workshops, isn t he giving off the message that he is Pope in his Parish, so he does not need to do what the Bishop requires him to do. Doesn t that give us pause to think? + Wilfrid Cardinal Napier OFM CONDOLENCES We extend our sincere condolences to the families, friends and confreres of the following clergy who died recently: Father Emanuel de Passos priest of the Archdiocese of Durban Deacon Peter Venter retired permanent deacon in the Parish of Our Lady of Fatima, Durban North Father Phumlani Ndlovu OMI Father Thwalikhaya Mandondo priest of the Diocese of Mthatha We pray that the Lord will give them eternal rest and that his light will shine on them forever. 47
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Emmanuel Cathedral is looking for a proactive, professionally presented Office Manager to manage the Office Administration, a team of workers and Buildings. Education : Grade 12 Human Resource Diploma Experience : At least 3 years working experience in a management position with Human Resource Practice and be up-to-date with the BCEA/LRA Office administration; Overseeing the Gardens/Parking and managing external Security staff and volunteers. This also includes organizing on site and external parking for Archdiocesan events taking place at the Emmanuel Cathedral. Negotiating for good prices Writing skills; Coordinating Processions; MSOffice (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access, and Communication (Outlook and Internet) Some background knowledge of finance, understanding of Excel Spreadsheets Building Maintenance for both the Church and Presbytery Liaising with the Archdiocese Building Committee Understanding of Structures of the Catholic Church Attend Meetings when requested by the Archdiocese Building Committee and one Evening Meeting a month to present a report to the Parish Finance Committee Closing Date : 31 August 2018 Telephone : 031 3063595 Fax : 086 7785613 Email : secretary@emmanuelcathedral.org.za MEN S RETREAT From 8.00am on 22 nd September to lunch on 23 rd September 2018 Red Acres Retreat Centre, Merrivale Facilitators: Fr. Allan Moss OMI and Ms. Dawn Gaillard Cost: R575.00 Contact Person: Veronica 083 7847455 48
NEWS - NEWS - NEWS LAUNCH OF THE YEAR OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND A SYNOD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE On 21 July 2018 about 50 Young People gathered together at St. Henry s College, Ridge Road to celebrate the Launch and Opening for the Year of Young People. We were a bit disappointed with the turnout, but nonetheless we had an amazing day. We were blessed with beautiful sunshine, much to the dismay of our Vicar General, Fr. Sylvester David OMI, who with three other priests had to endure the heat on their semi-covered heads. Holy Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM, with Frs. Sylvester David OMI, Bongmusa Mkhize OMI (Diocesan Youth Chaplain), Julius Onuoha OSA (Highway Deanery Youth Chaplain) and Lamec Ciza M.Afr. (Pietermaritzburg Deanery). Cardinal Napier s homily was on the topic: Year of Young People the reasons, the roles and the rights of their place in the Church. Jeandra Hufkie and his Choir provided the music for the Liturgy, and with very short notice he did a magnificent job. After Mass and a short break our Guest Speaker none other than our Cardinal addressed the young people explaining what is a Synod, what young people ask/need from its Church Leaders what they give back to Young People, but most important what the two can do together to evangelise themselves, the Church and Society. For the next three months the Diocesan Youth Commission will be providing reflection and discussion material for young people to use at their meetings, gatherings, etc. Please watch this space for continual up-dates for the next year. Thank you. For further information please call the Youth Commission: Fr. Bongmusa Mkhize OMI: 076 5407433 Miss Mpilo Khumalo: 031 3031417 49
JUSTICE AND PEACE COMMISSION MEN S CONFERENCE Men from parishes in the Durban South, North Coast, Umvoti, Pietermaritzburg and Central Deaneries gathered at Albert Falls Conference Centre from 29 June 1 July 2018. About 55 participants (young and old) attended the Conference - there were father/son; uncle/nephew and some who were Father figures in their communities. Many topics were discussed e.g. Who is a Man? What defines the role of a man at home and in society? What is a man s role within the Church and its teachings? What is associated with Masculinity in Men? Marriage and Fatherhood Verbal evaluation after the Conference: it was fruitful, educational, productive, enlightening, excellent, informative and strengthened relationships and bonds. 50
DIOCESAN DIARY August 2018 1 7 SACBC Plenary Session Cardinal 5 Confirmation: Kloof Vicar General 8 St Benedict School Feast Day Mass Cardinal 9 Women s Day Celebrations Cardinal 10 Building Committee Cardinal 12 Confirmation: Chatsworth Fr. B. Williams 13 Chancery Meeting 14 Liturgy Commission Cardinal 15 16 Clergy Study Days, St Joseph s Morningside 17 St Theresa s School Mass Cardinal 18 Couples for Christ Women s Conference Cardinal 20 Diaconate Board Meeting 21 Evaluation: Ntshongweni Pilgrimage 23 Caritas Durban Napier Centre 4 Healing Meeting Cardinal 25 World Youth Day Meeting Cardinal 26 Confirmation: Woodlands, Pietermaritzburg Cardinal 27 Finance Board Meeting 28 St Augustine s School Feast Day Mass Cardinal 51
Bringing your Parish from Maintenance to Mission DIVINE RENOVATION CONFERENCE 15 16 August 2018 Parish of St. Joseph, Morningside Father James Mallon will address the Clergy of the Archdiocese of Durban in the afternoon of Wednesday, 15 August at their Clergy Study Day beginning at 11h00 In the evening Alpha will host an Alpha Experience for all who would like to see how Alpha works. On Thursday, 16 August Father James will host a workshop for clergy, parish leaders and lay faithful beginning at 8.30am with Holy Mass. The cost is R150.00 Please register online at: www.maintenancetomission.co.za DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY IT WILL CHANGE YOUR MINISTRY! 52