LOCAL
The Southern Cross, January 2 to January 8, 2013
Jubilees for Schoenstatt STAFF REPORTER
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Schoenstatt Sisters celebrated diamond and gold jubilees at their chapel in Constantia, Cape Town.
HE jubilees of eight Schoenstatt sisters in Cape Town were celebrated at a special Mass. Three of the sisters were celebrating their diamond, and five their golden jubilees. Archbishop Emeritus Lawrence Henry, who officiated at the solemn Mass in Schoenstatt, Constantia, said it was an occasion which would not appear in the headlines of the secular press, but would “certainly be taken seriously by God”. The eldest of the jubilarians, Sr Vincentis Gahweiler, is from Switzerland and is still very active at Villa Maria students’ residence in Tamboerskloof. South African Sr Sheila Bell worked for 50 years at the chancery in Cape Town for various bishops including Cardinal Owen McCann and Archbishop Henry. She was also the archdiocesan archivist. The remaining jubilarians, Srs Linda Drees, Christjosa Krause, Doreen Stockinger, Vivienne Scholl, Florence Henkel and Judith Steib, are originally from Germany and over the years have “rendered outstanding service to the Church in our country,” said Sr Glynis Kirchhoffer, superior at Villa Maria hostel. The celebrations continued and the house chapel of the Schoenstatt Sisters in Constantia was filled with well-wishers, both laity and religious, who attended a second celebration of the jubilees. Archbishop Stephen Brislin of
Cape Town was the main celebrant at the Mass, concelebrated by Frs Peter-John Pearson, Job Kaleekarampil, Otmar Behlich and Ivanhoe Allies. In his homily, Fr Pearson said that the sisters had, both individually and collectively, protected whatever was threatened and provided life-giving energy and a “legacy of blessings”. “Through prayer and loyalty to the vision and mission of the founder, they have borne witness to the presence of Mary in a world which is often angry, disappointed, cynical and confused. “Together they met the challenge of the founder’s exile as also the experience of the apartheid years during which Schoenstatt’s doors were open to everyone,” the priest said. Fr Pearson said throughout all these events the sisters were protectors of all that was meaningful and precious. He also convinced them that “the best is yet to come!” Sr Kirchhoffer said it was a powerful moment when the jubilarians renewed their promises and pledged themselves forever, by the help of God’s grace and the covenant with Our Lady, to remain true to their calling. Each Sister was applauded as she was introduced to the congregation by Sr Iona Mackenzie, the Provincial of the Sisters of Mary. Sr Kirchhoffer said the social gathering that followed proved to be a “happy, family-like, noisy occasion”.
Potjie competition to start pro-life year BY CLAIRE MATHIESON
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ULTURE of Life Apostolate’s Divine Mercy House on Johannesburg’s West Rand will start 2013 with a fundraising effort aimed at heightening the awareness of the home and raising the much-needed funds to keep the home running. The Culture of Life Apostolate (Cola) was an initiative which Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg launched and in early
2012, the Divine Mercy homes were established in a response to the abortion laws of South Africa. Chairman of the home in Wilgespruit, Tom van der Marck, said the house serves women who opt not to abort their babies but lack the support to see their pregnancy to term. “The women receive basic life skills training and other inputs that will better prepare them to sustain themselves and their baby post-birth,” he said.
“The homes are served by dedicated people who ascribe to the anti-abortion movement spanning the world.” The Divine Mercy home on the West Rand serves women in crisis pregnancy situations over the age of 18 and the home on the East Rand serves girls under 18. To kickstart the year, the West Rand home is hosting a potjie competition and karaoke day in Ruimsig, suitable for the whole family.
DIRECTOR
CATHOLIC BIBLE FOUNDATION of SA BOARD The Board invites applications from suitably qualified and experienced individuals for the position of
Director of Catholic Bible Foundation of SA.
The successful candidate will have the following key qualities: • Be a practising Catholic • Have a deep love for the Scriptures • Have done at least one year of intensive Scripture Study • Have an appreciation of the new methods of presentation in the Biblical Pastoral apostolate • Have the ability to design and develop Scriptural programmes for all levels: children, teenagers and adults • Teaching experience of at least five years • Be a skilled and dynamic presenter • Possess the necessary managerial experience (minimum five years) • Have experience in financial controls • Ability to fund raise Practical Requirements: • A driver’s licence – must be able and willing to travel all over the country • Computer skills • Good oral and written English communication skills • Knowledge of an indigenous language is an advantage • Essential to the post is the availability to work in the evenings and over the weekends • Be able to commence duties on 1 July 2013 Applicants should submit: • Curriculum Vitae (please limit to two pages) • A letter of recommendation from your Parish Priest • Names, addresses and contact telephone numbers of three referees
Applications should be mailed to: Catholic Bible Foundation of SA Board of Governors P.O. Box 1233 Rosettenville 2130 Or E-mail: jhb@catholicbible.org.za Closing date for applications: 15 February 2013 Only shortlisted candidates will receive notification of the interview date.
Mr van der Marck said there were prizes to be won and fun to be had but that the benefits of the day would far outlast the event as the effort would help avoid and educate people on abortion and support the Christian way of thinking. n The competition takes place on January 19 at Sunset Rock restaurant, Doreen Road, 10am. For more information contact Tom van der Marck 011 768 5754.
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Benedictines to Jesuits for retreat STAFF REPORTER
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HE Benedictine monks of Inkamana Abbey have made their annual retreat under the direction of Jesuit Father Peter Knox. At the suggestion of Abbot Godfrey Sieber OSB, Fr Knox introduced the 35 monks to the spirituality of St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. Sharing on the Autobiography of St Ignatius, and some of the key techniques, meditations and contemplations of the Spiritual Exercises, Fr Knox gave the monks some insight into the spirituality of the Jesuits, who are a much younger order than their own monastic order. “As Inkamana is an abbey of the Missionary Benedictines of St Ottillien, the monks discovered that there are many similarities between the apostolic spirituality of the Jesuits and their own,” Fr Knox said. “This is not altogether surprising, since we all drink from the same Gospels. In addition, St Ignatius had many encounters with Benedictine monks, most notably at Montserrat.” At the same time as the monks were making their Ignatian retreat, Fr Gilbert Mardai, a Johannesburg Jesuit, was making his annual retreat in the monastery, joining with the monks in their sung daily office. “What was particularly touching was that during the final Mass of the retreat, in which the monks renewed their monastic commitments, Abbot Sieber included St Ignatius’ prayer of offering from the Spiritual Exercises,” Fr Knox said. The prayer goes: “Take, Lord, receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all I have and possess. You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. All is yours, dispose of it wholly according to your will. Give me only your love and your grace, for that is enough for me.”
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