Posts by Diocese of Manzini

World day of Peace 2019

Good Politics is at the Service of Peace
by Pope Francis

Pope Francis © Vatican Media

1. “Peace be to this house!”
In sending his disciples forth on mission, Jesus told them: “Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you” (Lk 10:5-6).

Bringing peace is central to the mission of Christ’s disciples. That peace is offered to all those men and women who long for peace amid the tragedies and violence that mark human history.[1] The “house” of which Jesus speaks is every family, community, country and continent, in all their diversity and history. It is first and foremost each individual person, without distinction or discrimination. But it is also our “common home”: the world in which God has placed us and which we are called to care for and cultivate.

So let this be my greeting at the beginning of the New Year: “Peace be to this house!” Continue reading “World day of Peace 2019” →

Tribute to a Faithful Priest: Fr Larry McDonnell SDB

by Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini
Prime Minister of Eswatini

new.observer.org.sz

So often we hear of scandals and bad examples within the priesthood. In reality, these priests constitute but a small percentage of the priesthood. Rarely do we hear about one of God’s faithful servants who (like the large majority of priests) day in and day out fulfills his ministry in quiet fidelity and love. In this issue of the Crusade for Priests we want to bring to your attention the life of one such faithful priest. The following are remarks to be shared in a memorial service of Fr. Larry – Inyoni (as he was fondly called by most of us who were his students) who faithfully fulfilled his ministry up until the last few months of his life, when ill-health finally overcame him. He was well known and loved by us students and the entire Eswatini nation. Father Larry was an extra ordinary person. His accomplishments and impact in the country will be felt by many generations to come. Fr. Larry was not the sort of a priest who gave brilliant homilies from the pulpit. Nevertheless, he gave an inspiring witness of his love for God and self-sacrificing service in his priestly ministry.

Continue reading “Tribute to a Faithful Priest: Fr Larry McDonnell SDB” →

Feast of the Holy Family (C)

by Fr Mark James OP

When we normally think of the Holy Family we think of the perfect family. Jesus, Mary and Joseph were the holiest of families otherwise why would God have chosen them for the task of raising his Son. However, is this the reason why God chose them? If we take the incarnation seriously then there is good reason to recognise that this family too had its share of hardships.

In today’s gospel, we see Mary and Joseph suffering the anguish of having thought they had lost their child. It took them three days to find him again. Mary even asked Jesus: ‘Why have you done this to us? We have been so worried?’

Continue reading “Feast of the Holy Family (C)” →

Christmas’ day


“The Word was with God and is God”
by Fr Mark James OP

Today Jesus Christ is born. We rejoice and are glad. We celebrate with enormous Christmas lunches. On this day, we come together as family and celebrate with special Christmas lunches. It is a time to be festive and give one another gifts. The Prince of peace is born. However, when we look around us very little seems to have changed. The poor are still poor, many of the rich are still greedy and the powerful continue to oppress. Evil still abounds in the world and sin still dominates our lives. What does it mean that Christ is born today? Continue reading “Christmas’ day” →

Diocesan Altar Servers’ retreat

By Siyabonga Kwanda Ndwandwe

Although the announcement for the altar servers retreat was dispersed a few weeks back to all the parishes in the diocese, the young men did not disappoint, they came in large numbers. To show their devotion to their work, altar servers gathered at the Sisema building in Manzini on the 13th to the 15th of December 2018.

The organizing team which included Fr Theodomir Sibomana and seminarians: Khonzumenzi Dlamini, Thokozani Mkhonta and Kwanda S. Ndwandwe tried their best to do a good job. Continue reading “Diocesan Altar Servers’ retreat” →

Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

by Fr Mark James OP

Sharing our joy

The visitation of Mary and Elizabeth is a story of meeting. It is an encounter of two pregnant women, one elderly and the other a youth probably in her teens, that speaks about love, compassion and joy. It speaks of the ordinary human experiences of solidarity and concern for others. However, our faith helps us understand that this ordinary human encounter, like the encounters of our own lives, can also be encounters with God’s grace. Both these women were ordinary but at the same time extraordinary. They were extraordinary because they had both agreed to cooperate with God’s plan of salvation for humanity. Consequently, this is no ordinary encounter but rather one that is pregnant with meaning. Continue reading “Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Advent” →

Advent “P”: Prayer and Poor

by Bishop José Luis IMC

The advent season has ended and the time to celebrate Christmas has come. I was thinking of our advent season at Our Lady of Assumption (Cathedral). 

It was certainly marked by prayer, by joy and celebration. This year we were blessed with two Christmas’ carols service. The first one was organised by the town council and was held at our Cathedral. I could not join them as I was on my annual retreat.

Two weeks’ later we had another one organised by the children, the youth and young adults. It was called “The nine lessons of Christmas”.

Click HERE to continue reading from the bishop’s blog