10
CHURCH LIFE
The Southern Cross, March 17 to March 23, 2010
St Patrick’s Parish, Mowbray, Cape Town
Diversity shines at Mowbray BY NADINE CHRISTIANS
T
UCKED away in the Cape Town suburb of Mowbray is a parish that is as multicultural as the country it is situated in. St Patrick’s parish boasts a rich 81-year history. It was founded in 1929, its first stone laid on March 17 that year, said parish priest Fr Brian Gelant. He said the church was formally opened for worship in October that year with the first parish priest, Mgr John O’Rourke, serving the first community from 1929 to 1935. Over the years many priests ministered to the needs of St Patrick's parishioners. The late historian Margaret Cairns, a long-time parishioner, said several priests had their own unique way of ministering and some had their own special traits. “Fr Edward Graham was elderly and somewhat austere,” she said. “Fr John Burke was a lively Irishman, as indeed were most of the priests; Fr James Butler had his faithful dogs; Fr Francis McManus enjoyed his golf. “There was the outspoken Fr Patrick Quinlan; the saintly Fr Michaels, who walked every inch of the suburb refusing all lifts from concerned parishioners.” Fr Gelant said that in the early days “the parish was the
life-blood of the community”. More recently “the parish has become involved in helping Loaves and Fishes, an economical rehabilitation centre”. Teaching is an important aspect of the church’s work. One of the parish’s first lay catechists, Jutta Haupt, recalls the first group of catechists formed in 1972, which was trained by the Schoenstatt Sisters. The methodology currently in use, the Good Shepherd Catechesis, is presented to pre- and post-Communion classes and confirmation candidates. “A primary school comprising Grade 1 to 3 and a commercial school from Grade 10 to 12were administered by the Dominican Sisters,” said Fr Gelant. He said parishioners also give much of their time to community work. “The deacon and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist regularly take Holy Communion to sick and housebound parishioners, and to those who live in retirement homes,” Fr Gelant said. “Some bereavement ministry is provided to parents, especially at [nearby] Red Cross Children’s Hospital, who have lost their children to some illness or accident.” Fr Gelant said members of the 450-strong parish enjoy gathering socially outside of church hours, with several social events providing oppor-
tunities for interaction. “The parish’s social club meets once a month to listen to a talk or to go to a restaurant for a meal, or to go to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens,” he said. “The primary aim is to get older persons to socialise and interact with each other. “Annual events are Shrove Tuesday for the traditional pancake evening and St Patrick’s feast day for a social evening.” The parish, Fr Gelant said, reflects a rich cultural blend of people from different walks of life. “The significant presence of individuals and families in the parish from Central, East or North Africa does indeed add a great deal of value to the life of the parish,” he said. When asked about the significant role The Southern Cross plays at the church, Fr Gelant admitted that more needed to be done to market the newspaper. He said there was one parishioner in particular, who is dedicated to selling the newspaper each week. What does the future hold for St Patrick's parish? “There is urgent need for fundraising for the parish,” Fr Gelant said, “and we hope to get a fundraising committee off the ground to improve the parish's finances.”
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St Patrick’s parish stands proud in Mowbray, Cape Town.
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INVITATION
e-mail: vocdir@brescia.co.za website: www.ursulines.org
R E D E M P T O R I S T S
The Divine Mercy Parish, Walkerville, delights in God’s Mercy and invites all people of goodwill to come and celebrate the
STILL SEARCHING?
Feast of the Divine MercyMercy of God,
CONSIDER YOUR CALL WITH THE REDEMPTORISTS AT A VOCATIONS WORKSHOP
on the fist Sunday after Easter, that is Sunday 11th April, 2010 at Mass celebrated at 15.00hr. Priests will be available for confessions between 12 noon and 14.30hr prior to the Mass. Enquiries:
Fr Stan 083 468 6985 Edith 082 495 2879 Rona 083 450 6300
TUESDAY MARCH 30 TO SATURDAY APRIL 3 AT REDEMPTORIST COMMUNITY MERRIVALE, KWAZULU-NATAL CONTACT: BROTHER LEHLOHONOLO TAPOLE, CSsR 033 330 3384 OR l_tapole@yahoo.co.uk
AND AT
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