Category: Diocese of Manzini News

Fr Angelo Ciccone OSM (1930 - 2016)

Fr Angelo Ciccone OSM (1930 – 2016)

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Dearest brothers,
today the 22nd February 2016, in the early afternoon, as a consequence of a road accident in Swaziland, has lost his life:
Fr Angelo (Natale) M. Ciccone, osm
a friar priest aged 85, with 69 years of religious profession
Fr Angelo M, a member of the Servite Community at St Joseph’s Convent, Mzimpofu, Swaziland, has tied up his name in an unbreakable way with the missionary centre of St Joseph.
A person of good character and a friar with a deep faith, has been able to enter and understand the cultural, religious and artistic reality of the Swazi people and to make good use of the positive aspects in the expression of the faith and community life and becoming a point of reference for all the nation.
He gathered around himself many young people encouraging them to study and turn their dreams into reality.
Another aspect which needs our attention is his missionary activity in taking care of the poor and of the people with physical or psychological problems giving them, first of all hope, making them feel loved and accepted, teaching them a trade so that they could build a future for themselves.

More here

6th Congress of the English speaking Nurses

6th Congress of the English speaking Nurses

swaz6th CONGRESS OF THE ENGLISH SPEAKING
AFRICA REGION OF CICIAMS

“Scaling up Africa Health Services, through Nurses,
the Merciful Carers of Humanity”

Catholic Diocese of Manzini,
Swaziland, Southern Africa

23 – 26 August 2016

 

 

 

Opening the 'door of mercy' in the diocese of Manzini

Opening the ‘door of mercy’ in the diocese of Manzini

IMG-20151212-WA0003Announcing the celebration of a Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis explained he would open the door of mercy at St Peter’s on the feast of the Immaculate Conception (08 December) and invited the dioceses of the rest of the world to do the same the following Sunday (13 December).
Looking back I realise we all chose the day we thought better according to our local situation. The Vicariate of Ingwavuma did it on Sunday 06 December (before Pope Francis did it in Rome), other dioceses chose to “join” Pope Francis and did it on Tuesday 08 December. The Diocese of Manzini… on Friday evening. Pope Francis himself had opened the first door of mercy in November during his visit to Central African Republic.
While probably most of the dioceses chose to do it during a daily Mass, our priests suggested we begin the Jubilee with a vigil of prayer to be started at 8 pm outside the Cathedral and would finish at 6 am. So we did!
Fr Dumisani Vilakati led the very first moment of our gathering explaining briefly and clearly the meaning of a Jubilee in the Bible and of this particular Jubilee of Mercy. We read a passage from the Gospel of Luke and a few paragraphs from Pope Francis’ letter announcing the Jubilee. We then proceeded to the entrance of the Cathedral and the door of mercy was opened. Led by the cross and the book of the Gospels we all went in. We were not just going into the church like we do every day. Going through this “door of mercy” we wanted to welcome this special time of grace being offered to us.
Click HERE to read the rest of the post from the bishop’s blog
Consecration of Holy Rosary Church (Mankayane)

Consecration of Holy Rosary Church (Mankayane)

1The feast of the Holy Rosary was the date chosen to consecrate the new church at Mankayane (Diocese of Manzini, Swaziland). It is a project that took many years and was led by Fr Antonio Dora who is now a priest of the archdiocese of Naples (Italy) but worked in our diocese in the past.

We remembered him at the beginning of our celebration together with Fr Moses Lupupa who served in that parish until he got sick on Christmas’ day 2014 and was called to the Lord the following March.

At the beginning of our gathering and after listening to the history of the Catholic Church in Mankayane, I received the keys of the building and handed them to Fr Theodomir Sibomana who has been the parish priest after Fr Lupupa and led the completion of the project. He opened the door for us and we all went into the Church.

It was full to capacity with the local Catholics, non Catholics from the area, traditional leaders and Catholics for other parts of the Diocese, particularly from Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral (Manzini).

It was a community and diocesan celebration which also included: confirmations, welcoming in the Catholic Church a member of the Lutheran church and a baptism. The celebration of these sacraments became a reminder that this new church building calls us to continue building the Church sharing the Good News of Jesus with everyone.

But probably the centre of attention was the altar. It is a rock. It was already there and, if I understood properly, the church was built around it as a sign that we build our faith on the rock that is Jesus Christ.

After Mass (and lots of photographs, of course!) it was time for music, dances and speeches. The representative of the town council underlined the presence of the Catholic Church in Mankayane area as a special one: it deals with our Christian faith, our commitment to the education of our children and youth (through the primary and high schools) and also with health. This was pointed out as, during the announcements, Fr Makama spoke about an initiative to be taken in our diocese to commemorate HIV/Aids day at the end of November – beginning of December.

An interesting and unexpected comment came at the time we were walking towards the place where we would share lunch. Someone approached me and said: “Bishop, do you remember what the prophet Haggai said?” and he somehow quoted the following text:

“Yahweh says this, ‘Think carefully about your behaviour. You have sown much and harvested little; you eat but never have enough, drink but never have your fill, put on clothes but feel no warmth. The wage-earner gets his wages only to put them in a bag with a hole in it.’ Yahweh says this, ‘Think carefully about your behaviour. Go up into the hills, fetch timber and rebuild the House; and I shall take pleasure in it and manifest my glory there'” (Haggai 1: 5 – 7)

He felt that now that the temple has been completed, blessings will flow over the people of the area. We pray it is so!

(Click HERE for photos and videos)

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Global Catholic Climate Movement

Global Catholic Climate Movement

downloadWe have partnered with the Global Catholic Climate Movement to raise awareness about the climate change crisis in the Catholic community. We urge world leaders to commit to ambitious climate action and solve this urgent moral crisis (for more information, see climate change facts and Catholic teachings on climate change). Pope Francis said:“On climate change, there is a clear, definitive and ineluctable ethical imperative to act.” If you agree, click “Yes” below:” – See more at: http://catholicclimatemovement.global/embed-petition-in-your-website/#sthash.o1Hm7AIp.dpuf

“The scandal of Christian disunity – a biblical approach”

“The scandal of Christian disunity – a biblical approach”

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The Jesuit Institute South Africa has invited world-renowned New Testament scholar, Fr. Nicholas King SJ, to South Africa in 2015 to lead the annual Winter Living Theology (WLT) week.

He will also include a one day visit to the Diocese of Manzini. He will be addressing us on June 20, 2015 at 10.00 at the George Hotel on The theme of the three-day study in each location will be: The scandal of Christian disunity – a biblical approach.

Fr. King recently published a fresh new translation of the bible. Fr. King, who writes a weekly column on the Sunday Scriptures for the Southern African Catholic Weekly, The Southern Cross, is currently teaching at the Jesuit School of Ministry at Boston College in the USA. He has published extensively on the New Testament.

He began working on an innovative and fresh translation of the New Testament in 2004 after being approached by Kevin Mayhew Publishers. In 2013 Fr. King finished the translation work; he had not only translated the New Testament but the whole Bible!

Director of the Jesuit Institute, Fr. Russell Pollitt SJ, says that we are “delighted to welcome Fr. King to South Africa. Fr. King’s enthusiasm and love for the Word of God is infectious.” King last visited South Africa in 2008 when he presented WLT in the year of St. Paul – which was called by Pope Benedict XVI – on the writing of St. Paul.

“Fr. King will help us reflect deeply on God’s word and its implication for us” Fr. Pollitt from the Jesuit Institute said.

 

Presenting "Renew Africa" to Swaziland

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/