FAITH
The Southern Cross, June 30 to July 6, 2010
7
St Thérèse’s relics in SA to inspire young and old Millions of Catholics worldwide have seen the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux. Now the relics are in South Africa for a 12-week tour to various parishes. MICHAIL RASSOOL looks at the special events planned around the relics.
T
HIS month the travelling relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux were received ceremonially by Catholic priests, the Carmelite sisters and members of the Catholic Order of the Knights of da Gama at the Carmelite Convent in Benoni North in the archdiocese of Johannesburg. Also at hand to receive the relics were the organisers responsible for bringing them to the country, Frs Vusi Sokhela CMM and Shaun von Lillienfeld The reliquary, an ornate casket containing some of the mortal remains of the saint, was borne in solemn procession, with rose petals strewn before it, into the convent chapel where it was due to rest for veneration purposes until June 28. It was then due to travel to Geluksdal parish, the next stop in a three-month tour across South Africa. Fr Sokhela, who initiated the tour after a chance visit to his parish by a French follower of St Thérèse’s Little Way, said he hoped the saint, who died aged 24, will be a rolemodel for the youth, especially since we “have no [South African] saints of our own. Maybe one day as a result of this tour the relics of a South African saint will tour France”. Johannesburg’s archdiocesan vicar for youth and parish priest of St Francis of Assisi, Yeoville, Fr Sokhela said that devotion to St Thérèse is “marvellous”, considering she died at the end of the 19th century, having been an enclosed Carmelite nun during her adult life.
He said despite the fact that there was cynicism before the relics visited England and Wales, a quarter of a million people venerated the relics at 28 venues. The bishops of Scotland regretted not hosting the relics after Scottish Catholics protested at being left out. A tour of Ireland in 2001 sparked the biggest mass movement of people ever witnessed in the country, with an estimated 75% of the population making pilgrimages to the relics with a later visit drawing two million people. During the 12-week tour more than 24 churches, monasteries and institutions will host the relics. After Geluksdal the relics will travel to Alexandria, Woodmead, Mulbarton, Edenvale and Christ the King cathedral before moving on, after July 11, to the diocese of Tzaneen, before returning to Johannesburg archdiocese. The relics will then travel to Aliwal North (arriving on July 22), Kokstad (July 26), Umzimkulu (July 30), the convent of the Capuchin Poor Clare Sisters in Mariannhill (August 3), and Morningside parish in Durban (August 5). The relics will arrive in Cape Town on August 11 for two weeks. The Carmelite Sisters of Retreat will host their fellow Carmelite’s relics, as will three parishes— Camps Bay, Welcome Estate and Bergvliet—before they return to Johannesburg on the 23rd, when they will be taken to Mother Teresa’s Home, a hospice in Yeoville. Back in the Johannesburg archdiocese, the relics will also be displayed at Regina Mundi in Moroka, in Alberton, at Nazareth House, in Northriding, Katlehong, Victory Park, Sebokeng and Craighall Park. They will leave South Africa after visiting Yeoville parish on September 27. What are some of the other parishes doing to mark the honour of their being there? Fr Maurice Chidiac of the Maronite Church in Johannesburg said there would be a procession of the relics before the Saturday evening Mass at Our Lady of the
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Pope Benedict prays next to relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux at the Vatican. The relics are in South Africa for 12 weeks and can be seen at various parishes. PHOTO: L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO VIA REUTERS/CNS
Cedars of Lebanon in Woodmead, the 08:00 Roman Rite Mass and the 10:00 Maronite Mass at Our Lady of Lebanon, Mulbarton. He said prayer petition boxes would be placed in the church vestibules for inclusion in the special prayers of veneration to be held after each Mass. St Joseph parish in Morningside, the only one in Durban archdiocese to host the relics, is having different services—a healing Mass, archdiocesan catechist Masses, youth Masses as well as one for the local Catholic Women’s League. Redemptorist Father Sean Wales said the reliquary’s arrival at his order’s monastery in Bergvliet, Cape Town on August 16 will be followed by a concelebrated Mass at Holy Redeemer church. For as long as the relics are there the church will remain open until 22:00, he said. The following day, said Fr Wales, there would be a healing service and talk on the relics. On August 18, there would be a service and talk by Carmelite Sister Bridget Edman on the relevance of St Thérèse today. He said the Redemptorists, who have a thriving print media evangelisation ministry, were also producing a booklet, St Thérèse of
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Lisieux: Heroine of Struggle, written by Immaculate Heart Sister Judith Coyle, who lectures at St Augustine College, Johannesburg. The fathers were also distributing leaflets prepared by the Carmelite Sisters, and painter and icon writer Br Richard Maidwell CSsR was producing a special flag for the occasion. Capuchin Father Nicklos Anthony of St Teresa’s in Welcome Estate, Cape Town, where the relics will first go after their arrival in the archdiocese on August 9 at 14:00, said the journey from the airport to the church, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, would proceed slowly and solemnly. He said there would be a Eucharistic celebration at 18:00, presided over by Archbishop-emeritus Lawrence Henry. Capuchin vice-provincial Fr Sean Cahill will give a talk on the saint’s life and her significance in the modern age. The relics would be present at the 08:30 and 19:00 Masses on the August 10 and 11. On August 12 at 10:30, Archbishop Stephen Brislin will celebrate Mass, and in the evening there will be a Benediction service where the Rosary, Legion of Mary and St Monica’s prayer groups will
offer special prayers. Pallottine Father Edward Tratsaert of St Theresa of Lisieux parish, Queenstown, where the relics will also be hosted for four days, sees it as a special occasion for young people in the 15-24 age group—15 is the age the saint entered the convent and 24 is the age she died. Fr Tratsaert said he was happy his parish, one of the oldest in South Africa and named after St Thérèse, was receiving this privilege and honour. Another reason for his happiness is that she is a patron saint of missions, along with St Francis Xavier, and her youth makes her relevant to young people. Missionary of Charity Sr Janice Mallappally of Mother Teresa’s Home in Yeoville, Johannesburg, said during the procession into the home, two children’s groups from the Children of the Little Flower and Children of Mary from St Francis of Assisi, will sing and throw petals on the reliquary during the procession. This, she said, would be followed by Mass, veneration (with a special liturgy), followed by the sisters’ own veneration, for anyone to attend. Following 07:00 Mass on August 24, there will be veneration for the sick and those visiting. On August 25, the sisters will have another session of their own (which everyone was also welcome to), and the relics would leave the home at 11:00, following morning Mass. Fr von Lillienfeld, who is also the administrator of Christ the King cathedral, said that the relics visit to the country is a boost to the local Church’s efforts to play a spiritual role during the football World Cup. “We would like to stress that we hope the coming of the relics will inspire people, strengthen their faith, and challenge us to live our faith and follow our callings, as St Thérèse followed hers,” he said For more information contact Fr Sokhela on 072 149 8703 or e-mail vsokza@telkomsa.net, or Fr von Lillienfeld on 083 763 0807.