By Bishop Jose Luis
By Bishop Jose Luis
By Fr Zweli Ngwenya
I used to hear about her but I was never interested in her story. I saw her and I fell in love. This love made me to be even more interested in her story. The more Iwas interested in her story the more I was inspired by her.
I love Rome, I am more interested in her story, and yes I love the eternal city. Love is a mystery because even in the midst of pain and frustrations one continues to love.
By Maduduza Zwane
The St. Joseph Sodality at Christ the King celebrated the Feast of St. Joseph the husband of the Virgin Mary. The celebrations included Mass presided by Father Pius Magagula, adoration of the Eucharist, speeches, lunch with the needy and praying the Holy Rosary.
The Shiselweni Region of St. Anne seized this opportunity to present the new priest Father Wiseman Nkomo with an Alb. Continue reading “Feast of St Joseph at Christ the King”
The St. Joseph Sodality at Christ the King will be celebrating the Feast of St. Joseph on the 18th March 2017 at our parish Christ the King. We celebrate the Feast with the disadvantaged people and people with special needs. We will have Mass which will be followed by the adoration of the Eucharist.
Thereafter, we will have presentations from three presenters on topics indicated in the program attached. We cherish St. Joseph for various reasons. St. joseph with humility accepted his role as guardian, husband and father in the Holy Family. He is very close to our Lord Jesus and took care of the Virgin Mary.
On Saturday 18 February, delegates from most of the parishes gathered at Bishop Ndlovu’s Hall (Bishop’s house) for a training in preparation for the coming Lenten Season.
Last year’s Jubilee of Mercy made us aware of the need of many people for “healing” and “forgiveness”. That is why the priests of the diocese suggested to follow the Jubilee with a year dedicated to those two important elements of our lives.
The first step will be done with the help of “Renew Africa”. Our Small Christian Communities will meet once a week and be guided by a booklet they have produced called: “Forgiveness and Reconciliation. Putting on the Mind of Christ” (by Jean Marie Hiesberger).
Sr Marie (from the USA) and Sr Aine (from Cape Town) came to the Diocese of Manzini to run the training. The diocese will be providing the material both in English and Swazi by the end of this month.
This followed by the handing over of the material to be used in the parishes.
During the homily I reminded the catechists once again of something I believe we always need to keep in mind.
By Bishop José Luis IMC
As soon as the Christmas and new year’s holidays are over and people are back at work at “Caritas Swaziland” and the offices of the “Diocese of Manzini”, long queues are also seen outside our premises. The reason is always the same: they are looking for help to pay the school fees.
At the beginning of the year there is a day when myself, as the bishop of the diocese, welcome those asking for help. For the last three years, I do this in partnership with Caritas Swaziland. People have to come twice. The first time they are interviewed by the Caritas Swaziland team. The second time, only those to whom help has been granted, come again to collect it.
While this happens every year, what keeps on changing is the number of requests. While around 200 people came in January 2015, 600 came in 2016. Three times’ more!
Still, nothing prepared us for the more than one thousand that came this year. The total amount requested was E 1.400.000 (more than US$ 100.000 !!!).
Unfortunately our resources are limited and only 360 were selected by the Caritas Swaziland team to receive some help. We are never able to pay the full amount of their fees but we want to make sure these families are able to send their children to school at the beginning of the year.
I was able to allocate three days to welcome each one of them. Had I known the number I would have allocated the whole week…
For me it is always an opportunity to listen to their situation…
In some cases the request is presented by “caregivers”, people who feel compassion and look after these orphans in every possible way: their health, food and education.
In some others by their neighbors who feels for the family when they see both parents are unemployed and the family is struggling seriously.
Two situations touched me in a particular way:
Though the amount we helped them with was much smaller than last year because of the number of requests, they were all very grateful as in many cases they really did not have anything at all and children would have had to stay at home.
We are always grateful to all those who make this help possible. Part of the money is collected in our diocese but another part comes from friends and organizations who want to be part of this project towards our teenage brothers and sisters.
“Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father, is this:
coming to the help of orphans and widows in their hardships,
and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.”
(James 1: 27)