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?’

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SCCM and St Joseph Sodality visit Star of the Sea

by Maduduza Zwane

On the weekend of the 10th to 12th August 2018 the St. Johannes Sodality of the Vicariate of Ingwavuma held their annual and elective conference at the Star of Sea Parish in KwaNgwanase.

The Swaziland Council of Catholic Men (SCCM) was invited to this St. Johannes Sodality conference in the Vicariate of Ingwavuma. The SCCM came to the conference in a reasonable number to the Conference. The members of the Council in all were Twenty-Two. Individual members of the St. Joseph Sodality attended the conference as individual members of the SCCM and as well as members of the St. Joseph Sodality in Swaziland. The delegation from Swaziland was led by Father Rodney Khuluse the Regina Mundi Parish Priest in Piggs Peak. Continue reading “SCCM and St Joseph Sodality visit Star of the Sea”

Rendering to Caesar

by Fr W Nkomo

We must render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, but who gets to say what is Caesar’s – Caesar  alone, or does God have a say?

As attempts to increase taxes both in our country and in neighbouring South Africa intensifies tempers and emotions rise in the taxpayers. Objectively, increasing tax without the increment of salaries means taking what has for the recent past been used for the livelihood of families because there has never been surplus for the working class. That therefore will mean a huge amount of the people’s useful labour is spent funding the government. What does the Church have to say about this? Below is an article by Professor Michael Pakaluk answering the question.

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The Chrism Mass and Holy Oils explained

By Fr. William P. Saunders

Article taken from :  Catholic Herald

On Holy Thursday morning, the bishop, joined by the priests of the diocese, gather at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More to celebrate the chrism Mass. This Mass manifests the unity of the priests with their bishop. Here the bishop blesses three oils – the oil of catechumens (oleum catechumenorumor oleum sanctorum), the oil of the infirm (oleum infirmorum) and holy chrism (sacrum chrisma) – which will be used in the administration of the sacraments throughout the diocese for the year. This tradition is rooted in the early Church as noted in the Gelasian Sacramentary (named after Pope Gelasius I, d. 496), but was later absorbed into the Holy Thursday evening Mass; Pope Pius XII issued a new Ordinal for Holy Week, which reinstituted a special Mass of the chrism distinct from the evening Mass.

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