Presenting “Renew Africa” to Swaziland

1No time to rest! On the second day of the new year I sent an sms to all the priests calling them to an “extraordinary meeting” at the Bishop Ndlovu’s Hall (Bishop’s House) on January 12.
It all started when last year I attended our “Metropolitan Meeting” which gathers the dioceses of Klerksdorp, Witbank (both of them in South Africa) and Manzini (Swaziland) under the archdiocese of Johannesburg.
Fr Duncan Tsoke, vicar general of Johannesburg, told me about “Renew Africa” and how well it had been received in the archdiocese. The following morning Mr Duncan and Mr Odilon came to see me, explained as much as they could in a few minutes and gave me plenty of material to read.
Back in the diocese I shared the information with the consultors who felt it would be very good to present it to the clergy of our diocese. We have just finished our centenary celebration and it is a very important time as we discern our way forward. It might not be regarding the next hundred years but at least our immediate future…!
Two priests and two lay people came to Manzini to present “Renew Africa”. They might have been a bit surprised when I told them we had allocated the whole meeting to present it and much more then they saw that practically all the parishes and most of the priests attended the meeting. It was our way to show our appreciation to the time they were given us, coming all the way from Johannesburg.
For three hours they presented how it started in the archdiocese, what is being done, the material being used, the successes and challenges being experienced together with what could be done if we decide to start it in the diocese of Manzini.
Everyone was grateful and enthusiastic. It was then decided to dedicate the first part of our next presbyteral council to reflect on what we have heard and make the final decision.

We then finished with the prayer below. Join us in prayer as we discern our service in the diocese:

 

For more information, go to:

http://www.catholicjhb.org.za/renew-africa/