Category: Associations

St Joseph: model of manhood

By Maduduza Gabriel Zwane

Italy – St. Joseph and the art of custodyFrom St. Jose Maria Escriva we get to understand that St. Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied on to do great things.  He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each event that went to make up his life. Members of the St Joseph sodality are proud of the fact that the husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus is the model for every man.

One might say – but we know so little about him! How can we imitate a man we barely know? We know more about St. Joseph than you might think. St. Joseph has close to 20 virtues which are found in the Litany of St. Joseph but I will highlight only a few of these that men in the church can imitate. I am sure bomake will be pleased to know what we men aim to live up to in our families. In the sodality our aim is to be Holy “for God did not call us to impurity but to holiness”.

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Living a Christian life

By: Innocent Maziya

Living a Christian life is not easy. We can all attest to that. It comes with challenges. Probably because there always seems to be someone ready to recruit us for the other side. The metaphor presented by Christ of sending us like sheep among wolves and that of St. Paul of a lion roaring looking for someone to devour is very apt. It would therefore be a mistake to believe that being a Christian is an easy journey on this earth.


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There is more happiness in giving than receiving

By Maduduza Gabriel Zwane

(From left: Richard Mavimbela – Good Shepard chapter Coordinator, Makhosi Simelane – Deputy Secretary of the Sodality, Bishop José Luis Ponce de León IMC, Sithembiso Sibiya – Deputy President of the Sodality).

St. Joseph Sodality in the Diocese of Manzini donates food items for the hungry as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

On the 27th May 2020, the St. Joseph Sodality donated food items ranging from maize meal, beans, cooking oil and more. This was in response of “Covid 19 Campaign” pioneered by the Bishop of the Diocese of Manzini, José Luis Ponce de León IMC.

The delegation of the St. Joseph Sodality led by the Deputy President Sthembiso Sibiya from Our Lady of Sorrows presented donations to the Bishop representing the Diocese of Manzini. In his remarks the Deputy President thanked the Bishop to have given guidance to his followers as to what interventions they would like to support those who have challenges brought to them by the pandemic.

The Sodality did not waste time convened conferences through Zoom and WhatsApp. Out of the five Appeals proposed by the Bishop, in these conferences the Sodality chose appeal 2: Hunger Alleviation. Each chapter of the Sodality would contribute according to its own capacity any or all the three food items namely maize meal, beans, cooking oil and any other that a Chapter would be comfortable to donate with. Hence on that day the delegation brought the items. Continue reading “There is more happiness in giving than receiving” →

St. Joseph Sodality gives to new parish

by Maduduza Zwane

A Twenty-Five-member delegation for St Joseph Sodality in the Diocese of Manzini visited St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish on the 23rd February 2020 for the purpose of recruiting married men at the parish to be members of the St. Joseph Sodality.

When the delegation got to Siphofaneni, it was difficult for them to locate the Parish because there was no road sign showing where the Parish was at Siphofaneni.

The Sodality felt there was dire need for a road sign to show where the home of the Word of God is at Siphofaneni.
The Sodality undertook to provide a road sign for the Parish. On Thursday 2, April 2020 observing the Social distance, and having washed their hands, Thamsanqa Mpanza and Gcina Mndzebele presented the Road Direction  Sign on behalf of the Sodality to Sanele Dlamini the Parish Pastoral Council Chairman on behalf of the St Ignatius of Loyola Parish.  Father Alwyn the Parish Priest was over the moon and said ” Thank you very much for this precious gift for the parish. May God bless St. Joseph Sodality”.
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St. Joseph Sodality Pilgrimage to Kevelaer

By Maduduza Zwane

St. Joseph Sodality is an association of Married Catholic Men in the diocese of Manzini. These men are dedicated to becoming spiritual leaders of their families by strengthening their faith and being “real world” examples of Christ. They pray and give themselves new ways to reflect upon their lives and be better servants to God, church, communities and their families.

As they are dedicated to praying and reflecting, these men joined hundreds of other Catholic men from different dioceses in South Africa to collectively pray at Kevelaer in Kwa Zulu Natal (Ixopo).
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CFC Mission in Eswatini

by Innocent Maziya

VISION: “Families in the Holy Spirit Renewing the Face of the Earth”
MISSION: “Building the Church of the Home and the Church of the Poor”

CFC Mission in Eswatini 8 – 12 August 2019

As Couples For Christ (CFC) Eswatini we are pleased to announce that we will be hosting Couples For Christ Missionaries from the United Arab Emirates from the 8th to the 12th August 2019.

During this time the visiting team will hold sessions with both Couples and Singles.
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St. Joseph Sodality Donates to Esigcineni Torched Family

by Maduduza Zwane 

The St Joseph Sodality showed the works of mercy when they donated blankets, shoes, cooking appliance and clothing items to a torched family in Esigcineni. Below is Maduduza Zwane’s(Chairman of the Sodality) presentation on the day.

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Father Mbongiseni Shabangu the parish priest for St. Don Bosco and caretaker rector at Salesian High School, Father Mahazule, Chairperson of St. Don Bosco Parish Council Sibongile Masuku, members of the St. Joseph Sodality and all present, I greet you with our important and significant greeting in the Catholic church. “Akadunyiswe uJesu Khristo! ” Izwi Laba yinyama:

Babe we are representing St. Joseph Sodality in the Diocese of Manzini an organisation of Catholic Married men.We have now a membership of more than forty men in the Sodality. Due to their work commitments, they could not come instead they delegated us to perform the presentation. Continue reading “St. Joseph Sodality Donates to Esigcineni Torched Family” →

Coop for Catholic women in Eswatini

by Babongile Mlambo

“Exploring the role of the church in the Economic Empowerment of God’s people in Swaziland
for Vision 2022”.

The above vision was shared by the former Hon. Minister of Trade and Commerce with different Church bodies at a meeting held sometime in November 2015. One of the SCCW members, Ms Patsy Zeeman, who was also a part of the Council of Churches representatives attending that meeting, shared with us the vision in detail.

The Eswatini government invited the religious people (Christians) to think of how they could contribute to the economic empowerment of Christians in the country. After a few meetings and presentations by Mr Charles Khumalo from the Department of Cooperatives in the Ministry of Trade and Commerce, the members of SCCW decided to venture into a Multi-purpose Cooperative for financial and economic empowerment of Catholic women.

A meeting was then organised by the SCCW where Mr Khumalo, in the presence of Bishop Jose Luis and the spiritual advisor Fr. Ndwandwe, explained what was expected to set up and sustain such a Coop, and how his department was going to help the women. The wish to start a Coop by the SCCW was approved by the Bishop after that meeting.
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