AS JESUS WAS DYING ON THE CROSS, MARY, HIS MOTHER, WAS THERE STANDING NEAR THE CROSS. SHE SAW HER SON DYING AND SHE WAS HELPLESS BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT SHE WAS THERE, SHE WAS PRESENT DURING THE DEATH OF HER SOON. WE THE BAPTISED ARE THE CHURCH, THE CHURCH THAT IS A MOTHER TO ALL. MANY PEOPLE ARE DYING, LITERALLY DYING IN HOSPITALS, AT HOMES, AND EVEN IN THE HOP E HOUSE AND SIMILAR PLACES. SOME ARE DYING EMOTIONALLY, SOME ARE DYING OF HUNGER, SOME OF ALL KINDS OF ABUSES: DRUGS, ALCOHOL, SEXUAL, GENDER BASED VIOLENCE, PHYSICAL, STRUCTURAL, ETC. SOME ARE DYING IN PRISONS, SOME OF LONELINESS, SOME OF POVERTY, SOME OF DISFUNCTIONAL MARRIAGES, SOME OF ABSENT PARENTS, SOME DYING BECAUSE OF THE PAIN OF SEEING THEIR PARENTS DIVORCING. DEAR FRIENDS I CAN IMAGINE SUCH PEOPLE ASKING IN THEIR ANGUISH: WHERE IS MY MOTHER CHURCH IN MY MOMENT OF DEATH? WHERE ARE THE BAPTISED? MARY WAS THERE WHEN JESUS WAS DYING. DURING THIS PERIOD OF LENT LET US BE THERE FOR THOSE WHO ARE DYING. LET MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD CONTINUE TO INSPIRE US WITH HER LIFE. SHE WAS THERE WHEN HER SON WAS DYING.
Category: Uncategorized
Preparing priests for our Diocese
Pope Francis: world day of peace 2017
Nonviolence: a Style of Politics for Peace
1. At the beginning of this New Year, I offer heartfelt wishes of peace to the world’s peoples and nations, to heads of state and government, and to religious, civic and community leaders. I wish peace to every man, woman and child, and I pray that the image and likeness of God in each person will enable us to acknowledge one another as sacred gifts endowed with immense dignity. Especially in situations of conflict, let us respect this, our “deepest dignity”,[1] and make active nonviolence our way of life. Continue reading “Pope Francis: world day of peace 2017”
Ensure care and support
On the occasion of this years world AIDS DAY I invite you to consider the story of the Good Samaritan which was told by Jesus.
Despite the prevailing bad relationship that existed between Jews and Samaritans, the Samaritan gives generous assistance to the Jew.
Just as the Samaritan scaled the walls of division and prejudice towards Jews which prevailed at that time, so is the modern day family of humankind called to overcome the prejudice that manifests itself in the stigmatisation of those amongst us who live with HIV/AIDS.
Accepting that HIV/AIDS doesn’t diminish in anyway the dignity everyone has by virtue of being created in the image of God, we should scale the walls of stigmatisation by ensuring that our HIV positive brothers and sisters are not deprived of any advantage or benefit just because they are HIV positive.
This will ensure that they get all the care and support they need.
This freedom from the chains of stigma will promote open sharing of information about HIV/AIDS and instil behaviour which will stem the tide of new infections.
In this way zero stigmatisation, zero deaths from HIV/AIDS and zero new infections by HIV Our society is not only characterised by zero discrimination towards HIV positive persons but also has zero deaths due to HIV/AIDS.
Fr M. Makama
Supporting our children & their families with the school fees

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Caritas Swaziland interviewing people requesting financial support |
- all the requests were towards the payment of High School fees;
- High School fees are quite a challenge for families with many children,
- the financial situation is very challenges: no income or little income, high unemployment and the risk of losing their jobs,
- many of the children are single or double orphans in the care of relatives and guardians (who themselves have no or little income)
St Mary’s raffle

Our stars…!

- deepening their passion, passion for God and passion for his people. Passion for God manifested in reading, reflecting and living God’s Word. Passion for people sharing their joy and struggle;
- being people of hope (and not hopeless people!) in a time of lack of vocations, trusting the One who called them;
- being experts of communion. In a world so many times divided, they should live in such a way that we could become places where we could learn to live together.
Church building fundraising vehicle raffle
Sunday 6th July 2014 saw the launch of a bakkie raffle at St Mary’s parish (Lobamba).
Fr J. Mahazule, Vicar General of the Diocese, represented the bishop.
Here they tell us about the event.
Theme
1 Chronicles 22:11
“Now my son, the Lord be with you and have success and build the house of the Lord your God. As He said you would”
Objectives
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To raise awareness of the church building project
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Launch the car to be won on the 27 December 2014
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Advertise the car and promote the sales of tickets
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Sell other accessories to raise funds for building the church
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Request pledges so to assist in building of the church
The Event
The event was divided into three stages:
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The Grand March
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The Eucharistic celebration
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Speeches/Entertainment
The Grand march
A beautiful day it was! The weather was in favour of the St Mary’s Parishioners as they gather at the Lobamba bus terminal commonly known as Emasilahheni. The brand new Chevrolet utility van was the center of attraction even for non Catholics. All members of the church were there before the commencement of the grand march at 0900hrs.
Parish priest Fr Maseko, the Vicar, Fr Mahhazule, PPC, fundraising committee and the congregation in their numbers.
The grand march was led by the Salesian brass band and St Mary’s High drum majorettes. With excitement and joyful sound the congregation followed after the priced car. Lobamba community was stirred with awe to witness something never seen before. Whole Community came running to the road to behold and marvel what was unraveled before there sight. The congregate sang and dance all the way to St Mary’s mission where the Eucharistic celebration was to take place.
Eucharistic celebration (Holy Mass)
The ushers did a wonderful job to usher the multiple number of congregates into the small church structure. The Holy Mass was of high spirit. It was uplifting and edifying. The songs and prayers blended excellently with the atmosphere of jubilation and excitement. Fr Mahhazule (the vicar) and Fr Maseko led the congregation through the celebration. The choir responded with angelic melodies that embellished the house with full praise and adoration to God.
Fr. Mahhazule delivered a well prepared homily that encouraged and challenged the St Mary’s parishioners. “It begins with you”, is the phrase the vicar tied his homily to. It was his emphases to the congregation that St Mary’s Parish members must take the lead in the church building project.
After the Holy Mass was completed, the congregation was led by the Silesians Brass band to the tent. This is where the final part of the Launch was to occur.
Speeches/ Entertainment
Vibrant program directors did not disappoint as they kept dishing more to the congregation gathered under the tent. The directors thrilled the members with jokes and motivational words. All congregates remained gloomed to the front where speeches and entertaining entertainment was unfolding. Ticket sales personnel were as busy to, selling multiple of tickets at E50 each. Fr Mahhazule bought 20 tickets and promised to add even more, the Lobamba Member of Parliament doubled that and bought 40 tickets. A number of congregations promised to top that! Speeches were delivered from a number of individuals of whom most even pledged their support to the success of the project. Speakers included the Lobamba member of Parliament, Mr M Masilela, and GM motors sales representative to name but a few.
Entertainment included the Salesian Brass Band (yooooo…h! This boys are phenomenal, salute!), St Mary’s Girls and Boys dance group, St Mary’s Catholic Heavenly Voices and a Poem by Mrs Bazuzile Khumalo.
The Chairperson of the Parish pastoral council, Mr Sandlasenkhosi Ndlela made his closing remarks. He voiced out his vote of thanks and emphasized that this is just the beginning of a very long journey. He told the members that they still a lot to be done and requested assistance from every member. Lastly he informed members that the car was not donated by GM motors but is to be paid back in full at the end of the project.