161005 by The Southern Cross

The Southern Cross, October 5 to October 11, 2016

LOCAL

Charismatics look to Rome By MANDLA ZiBi

OR local Catholic charismatics, all roads lead to Rome next year following a recent gathering in Johannesburg where current activities were assessed and the national leadership re-energised. “The meeting sought to revive the national service team of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) in South Africa,” said Joe Sengooba, one of the attendees, in a statement. For some years now, the team in South Africa had been dormant. But this all changed when the CCR leaders of dioceses with active prayer groups met at Christ the King cathedral in Johannesburg, he said. And according to Jackie Mokwena, one of the national coordinators at the meeting, an immediate goal of the CCR is to be part of a bigger family of charismatic Catholics by “attending meetings nationally, regionally and internationally”. She said the movement is looking forward to its golden jubilee celebration with the pope in Rome next May. Other plans, Ms Mokwena said, included the empowerment of the movement “through leadership

training courses and also reaching an academic level of our formation to fulfil the prophetic desire to establish a Catholic Charismatic Renewal University of the Holy Spirit in Rome”. Five dioceses were represented at the meeting: Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Klerksdorp and Rustenburg. There is a need to find out how many dioceses actually host CCR activities, Ms Mokwena noted. “I would say all dioceses do have a CCR element in one way or the other. We intend to find out by visiting all the provinces. We have grown spiritually and are eager to do God’s work,” she said.

he Holy Spirit had given the CCR a “special role” in the Church, Ms Mokwena believes, and that was supported by Pope John II’s statement to the International Council of the CCR in March 1992, when he said that “the emergence of the Renewal following the Second Vatican Council was a particular gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church”. She emphasised that each member of the CCR shares in the task of enriching the Church by helping to

incorporate the special gifts of the Spirit into the life of the Church. “We are called to help people grow in faith, by emphasising the immediacy of a loving God in their lives. We also recognise that we too need to be helped to grow in faith and ability to serve. We need to protect the Renewal by correcting errors and perceptions by being spiritually mature. It needs to start with us before we proclaim to others.” Responding to perceived negative attitudes harboured by fellow Catholics towards charismatics, she pointed out that the movement is supported by the Church hierarchy, “but there will be those who still don’t adapt to change. Some take time while others adapt easily. “I understand their concerns and fears because they are still in their comfort zone, and now the CCR comes and tells them to accept salvation, Jesus as Lord and Saviour and to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. Most don’t like accepting that having Jesus in their lives means to sacrifice some of the earthly things.” Ms Mokwena said the best antidote to negative stereotypes is discussion, accompanied by humility and love.

Heritage Day at college

EACHERS and pupils of De La Salle Holy Cross College junior school in Johannesburg wore traditional clothing to celebrate Heritage Day. The learners all donated R20 to wear their outfits, and the money raised will go towards the “Christmas Gift Boxes” initiative that the college donates to various charities at the end of the year. The children had a special assembly, where the staff and teachers told them about the various traditional garments they were wearing, the customs and the different languages. The college also hosted a “Heritage in Song Concert”, featuring the Welsh Male Voice Choir (From left) De La Sale College staff members Lydia Ramof SA, the school’s senior choir and the Chick- puane, Lydia Mthembu, Sophy Ngcobo and Dumisile Ndlovu adees. in traditional outfits.

US nun with links to SA reaches 60

Sr Jean Tobin

S DOMINICAN Sister Jean Tobin, who served in South Africa in the 1990s and 2000s, has celebrated the 60th anniversary of entering her order in Adrian, Michigan. She professed her first vows on December 28, 1957 and her final vows five years later. She served from 1993-98 as administrator at St Anne School in Boshoek, North West, and returned to South Africa as executive assistant to the management team at the Catholic Institute of Education in Johannesburg from 2002-07.

Sr Jean returned to the United States in 2007 and since then has served as assistant in her congregation’s history department. She said she had entered the congregation at a young age because she had witnessed the “joy, excellent teaching skills, and the way Adrian Dominican Sisters searched for truth, justice, and peace in service to others”. Serving in South Africa gave her the opportunity to “come to know, love, and work with all levels, from the poorest of the poor to bishops and cardinals”, Sr Jean said.

The South African Church celebrated the ordination of two new priests. Above left: Oratorian Father Stephen Okwuchukwu ilechukwu was ordained to the priesthood at Sacred Heart cathedral in Bloemfontein by Archbishop Jabulani Nxumalo of Bloemfontein. Above right: Jesuit Father Matthew Charlesworth was ordained by Bishop Duncan Tsoke, auxiliary of Johannesburg, at Holy Trinity church in Braamfontein, where he will serve. (Johannesburg photo: Sheldon Reddiar Photography)

Parishioners give preschool a bright new lick of paint STAFF REPORTER

HE charitable organisation of a Cape Town parish put brush to wall to live up to the motto of an educare centre in the community’s township. CatholiCare, a registered NPO of Milnerton-Brooklyn parish in Cape Town, refurbished the premises of the Masibambane Educare preschool in Joe Slovo, a township that falls within the parish’s boundaries. Brights Hardware donated paint and parishioners collected toys and books before youngsters from the church brightened up the preschool’s walls with lively paintings. Masibambane is isiXhosa for “Let’s work together”. “This is exactly what we did that Saturday: we worked together and hopefully lived the message that faith without works is dead,” said CatholiCare’s Telana Halley, citing James 2:14-26. Southern Cross staff reporter Mandla Zibi juggles a cellphone while being interviewed on Radio Veritas. The radio station devoted a full day to interviews and tributes to The Southern Cross on September 28 to celebrate the national Catholic weekly’s 5 000th issue, starting with interviews by Fr Emil Blaser on his morning show of Southern Cross editor Günther Simmermacher and Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria.

Brescia House pupils (from left) Jessica Jooste, Nikita Lledo and yeshanti Narismulu won gold at the Model United Nations conference.

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young people from MilnertonBrooklyn parish in Cape Town painted bright murals on the walls of Masibambane preschool in Joe Slovo township.

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RESCIA House School in Johannesburg entered two delegations in the annual Model United Nations conference hosted by the South African Institute of International Affairs. Some 120 delegations competed from 83 schools in five different committees. The event exposes young people to real-world issues and gives the youth a say in what kind of world they would like to live. Nikita Lledo, Yeshanti Narismulu and Jessica Jooste represented Uganda in the CITES conference, which focused on trade in endangered species, and were awarded the prize for the best delegation. In the committee which looked at how the United Nations could help prevent and respond to epidemics like the Ebola and Zika viruses, Kate Watson, Vedanta Ramasary and Mokethwa Mkalipe represented Mali and were awarded the prize for the third-best delegation.