Pastoral Letter – July 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters

LAUDETUR IESUS CHRISTUS! (PRAISED be jesus christ!)

NUNC ET SEMPER! – Now and forever!

 

Dear Brothers ad Sisters

We have all been affected by the untimely death of Fr Adrian Tsoeli Lelimo. His departure has left us devastated and shaken. Let us pray for his soul, for his family, his communities and the diocese at large. Thank you for your generous donations. We succeeded in giving him a dignified farewell.  The Diocese is still waiting patiently to get the police report so that we can understand exactly what happened to him. May he rest in peace.

 

THE SYNOD ON SYNODALITY

Thank you for participating in the Synodal workshops organized by the diocese. It is my hope that, as agreed, you will all organize listening sessions according to the methodology recommended by the Jesuit Institute during the workshop for the clergy and the workshop for our parish representatives. Create Listening Circles and allow people to share freely.  Share and then record your discussion. The next level is to start a discernment process, where you ask yourself after listening to the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit, what God could be saying to us as His Church. Where is the Spirit leading us? Each parish must collate your answers and send them to the chancery so that our Synod Team can put them together and then write a Diocesan Report.

 

They Synod gives all of us an opportunity to share our joys, hopes, concerns and recommendations in response to building a better parish community, a better diocese and a better Church Universal or Global. It is my hope that your sessions will be spirit-filled; that the conversations will be animated, reflective, energetic and constructive. The Synod gives you a chance to pray together, listen to the Spirit, listen to each other and dialogue on important matters affecting our Church. THE CHURCH, THROUGH POPE FRANCIS, WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR VOICE! All our voices matter because the Church does not belong to bishops and priests only. It is our Church! All of us!

 

Let us respect this process, listen to each other with empathy and love. Let us embrace Synodality with joy. This path of journeying together will transform the Church and bear good fruits. We have a Diocesan Synodal Team, led by Mr Earl Smiles (083 557 8187), Fr Retselisitsoe  and Fr Raphael.  Please choose your own Parish Synod Coordinators and make sure that they know what to do. Let them start with what is called “Sharing or Listening Circles” from the parish community, children’s groups, youth, Small Christian Communities and Sodalities. Give people the questions to share about and collect responses (Mr Smiles can share with you the questions we have agreed upon). Many of our participants have already shared their own ideas and feelings. We will share them with you as an attachment, but do not allow them to influence your own thinking. Say your say. Your voice must be heard!  The responses we have received will be forwarded to the Bishops’ Conference while we await your own responses.

 

PARISH PASTORAL COUNCILS AND SODALITIES

I am grateful to all of you for participating in the election of new leaders in your parish and deaneries. The next phase is the election of Diocesan leaders. You will receive letters inviting you to send your representatives to the diocesan meetings. Continue with your leadership training and workshops. The leaders must know what is expected of them and must understand the way things are done in the Catholic Church. Every Catholic has the potential to be a leader or to become a better one. Your Christian duty is to exert more loving influence over others so that you can totally penetrate and transform the world. To succeed in your mission as a new leader in the Church, familiarize yourself with the Vision of the Bishop for Klerksdorp Diocese called; BECOMING AN “E” DIOCESE ( Encounter God, Encounter others, Empower, Enlighten, Evangelize and Endure). We will put it up on the Diocesan Website.

 

CALLED TO BE A LAY LEADER IN THE CHURCH

  1. An effective leader has a disciplined prayer life

A solid, continuous, and disciplined prayer life is the key to being an effective leader. An effective leader spends time with his Lord and Savior daily, without failing, and without excuses ever to miss the prayer time.  This is a sacred duty: meeting with the Friend par-excellence. The effective leader knows too well that disciplined prayer is a vital part of God’s “guiding business.” Private prayer must lead you to Communal Prayer, especially Holy Mass. You cannot be a good leader in our Church if you do not attend Mass regularly, if you do not have time to read the Word of God and to meditate on it. Encounter God in prayer. Lead a life of reflection and devotion. Pray the rosary, go for adoration attend prayer services in your church.  It is for this reason that I always recommend leaders to have Catholic Calendars and Catholic Diaries, to be able to follow the Readings of the day and the Saints of the day. You must also have a Prayer Book, a Hymn Book, a Weekday and a Sunday Missal.

  1. The effective leader has a clear mission as a Christian

Jesus had a clear mission Himself: “I have come that you may have life… and have it in abundance” (John, 10:10). He also said that with His anointing the blind could see, the deaf could hear, and slaves became free (Luke 4:18). Like Jesus, the effective leader has a passion for helping others see the light, hear the truth, and become free from the pestilence of a life without God, burdened by fun, drinking, socializing and leading carefree and pagan lifestyles. It is for this reason that we need leaders who have the zeal for proclaiming the Good News of salvation and who are ready to sacrifice and to serve others. Evangelize and bring Enlightenment. We need leaders who are concerned about the poor. Leaders who believe in, and work for justice, peace, human rights and human development. This is faith-in-action. We work for the salvation of souls while listening to the cry of the poor (caritas) and the cry of the earth (environmental justice). You cannot do this if you do not have Caritas on the parish level and a Justice and Peace Group.

  1. The effective leader has a positive self-image

The effective leader sees himself or herself primarily as a human being created in God’s image and likeness with an awesome potential to change the world. “You are Baptized and Sent”. You are a disciple and at the same time, a leader. This explains why John Paul the Great called the laity “the sleeping giant”. As the laity, you are not second class citizens. Through your Baptism your are Priests, Prophets and Kings. Take your rightful role in the life of the Church. Know who you are in Christ. Know that you are unique, chosen, redeemed, loved and forgiven. An effective leader will help others to accept themselves and to celebrate who they are in God. No one must feel superior to others. No one must feel inferior. We are all equal before the eyes of God and are precious to Him.

  1. The effective leader loves to empower others

The smart, effective, leader recognizes and lives by the tenet that leadership is about focusing ardently on the gifts and talents of others. Identify the gifts and talents that are present in your community. Encourage them to come forward to use those talents for the Glory of God and for the good of the community. We need their Time. We need their Talents. We need their Resources. We need their Generosity and Goodwill. We need their Prayer and Faith. The one point of empowerment is to ensure that we become a self-reliant and self-supportive church. People need to know that they CAN and they MUST take care of their parish and their pastors materially and financially. Yes we all need spiritual and moral support but without material support, the church will not grow. Empower others to give. Read our vision on Empowerment and see how you can implement it in your parish environment.

 

  1. The effective leader evangelizes without fear and promotes Catholic culture with integrity

The effective leader studies, knows, analyzes, defends, and profoundly believes and promotes the Catholic faith. He knows faith is power and wisdom. He walks and actively leads others to walk in the brilliant, illuminating, exciting, smart, and effective Christian path, the path of holiness. He studies Scriptures and is familiar with enough illustrious Church documents that clearly, skillfully, and persuasively elucidate what we believe and why we believe it (For this reason, that I recommend  that every lay leader and lay minister must  have “The Catechism of the Catholic Church” and the short Tswana version of the Catechism, which available here at R80 per copy). Many people do not understand that the Catholic Church has its own way of doing things. For example the PPC is not a Union, it is not an Opposition Party, it is at the service of God, collaborating with the priest in serving the parish. They cannot and must give in to the temptation of bullying or even dictating to the priest. They do not have to power to hire and fire the priest. They cannot use ‘majority rule’! They are a consultative body. They must advise their priest, dialogue with the priest/deacon and reach consensus. There has to be mutual respect between the clergy and lay leaders.

“All of the faithful have the right, sometimes even the duty, to make their opinions known on matters concerning the good of the Church. This can happen through institutions which have been established to facilitate that purpose: […]the pastoral council can be a most useful aid…providing proposals and suggestions on missionary, catechetical and apostolic initiatives […] as well as on the promotion of doctrinal formation and the sacramental life of the faithful; on the assistance to be given to the pastoral work of priests in various social and territorial situations; on how better to influence public opinion etc.” (Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, Circular Letter Omnes christifideles (25 January 1973), nn. 4; 9). The pastoral council is to be seen in relation to the context of the relationship of mutual service that exists between a parish priest and his faithful. It would therefore be senseless to consider the pastoral council as an organ replacing the parish priest in his government of the parish, or as one which, on the basis of a majority vote, materially constrains the parish priest in his direction of the parish.

In accordance with the norms of law on just and honest administration, organs which have been established to consider economic questions in a parish, may not constrain the pastoral role of the parish priest, who is the legal representative and administrator of the goods of the parish (Cf. CIC, canon law. 532 and 1279, §1.).

  1. The effective leader promotes love and unity

The effective leader promotes love and unity in the parish. He or she helps people to Encounter each other and to form a family of love and forgiveness in the parish. The project of building a community of people to love and respect each other; people who are reconciled; people who can share; people to care for each other practically; people who can heal each other and work together, is a noble project for any leader. It means refusing to be partisan and factional. It means being a mediator and a peacemaker. Read our vision on Encounter Others and let it inspire you to be a unifier and not to be arrogant and divisive. We must build and not destroy. Read John 10;10 and John 17.

 

  1. The effective leader has a relationship with the hierarchy

The effective must be able to relate well with the clergy and see them as friends and fellow workers in the vineyard of the Lord. A sign of a matured and an effective leader is the ability to relate with the deacon, the priest and the bishop with respect and with affection. This ‘affection’ is the recognition that these pastors are given to the church by God to look after the flock of Jesus Christ. They deserve respect, collaboration and unity. They are not the enemies of the people. They are not the oppressors of the people. They are ordained servants of the Lord, ready and willing to cooperate with lay leaders in the administration of the local parish. The leader will also encourage the community to love their bishop, give him moral support and to support the diocese with all that they have. The leader will encourage the community to pray also for the pope and to support Peter’s Pence and other Pontifical Collections throughout the year. A leader must also have interest in the Bishops’ Conference. He or she must always desire to know the thinking of our bishops and their Pastoral Plan. We must find a way of implementing this Pastoral Plan in our diocese as well. DO YOU KNOW THE NEW PASTORAL PLAN OF THE SACBC?

 

BISHOP’S PROGRAMME

31 July: Diocesan Men’s Forum, 31 July 2022 – Holy Cross Catholic Church, Itsoseng, 9h30. (Guest Speaker from the Archdiocese of Johannesburg, Mr Simon Mohapi, a Financial Planner). Bring your contributions: Diocesan Account: Diocese of Klerksdorp, FNB Cheque account, 52680945635. Branch Code 250053. Ref Men’s Forum and parish name.

1-5 August – Bishops’ Plenary

09 August – Women’s Forum – Calvary for Ditsobotla and Potch, 10am.

14 August – Assumption Celebration, Installation of Lay Ministers and Confirmations at Assumption Parish, Ikageng.

16 August – Recollection for the Clergy – 9H30. (R120 pp) – 9h30-t0 1pm.

20 August – Youth Reps from the parishes to prepare for the Season of Creation (9h30-1pm). The afternoon will be for the election of the Diocesan Youth Council.

Parish Pastoral Council at  St Charles Lwanga – 2pm

21 August – Assumption Celebration at Immaculate Conception, Orkney. The Opening of the Jubilee Year, 50 years of the parish (21 August 2022-20 August 2023).

27 August – Women’s Forum – (Kosh and Scweizzer) at St Paul Joubertina – 9h30

28 August – St Peter Boikhutso, Confirmations.

29 August – Bless the Sisters’ Chapel in Schweizzer (Good Shepherd). All clergy and religious are invited. We will also receive new candidates.

END OF AUGUST TO 04 OCTOBER is the SEASON OF CREATION FOR SACBC. IN OUR DIOCESE THIS SEASON IS LED BY THE YOUTH. THEY ANIMATE THIS PROGRAMME AND THE NOVENA OF ST FRANCIS FOR THE PARISH AND FOR THE DIOCESE. DURING THIS TIME WE ALSO CELEBRATE LAUDATO SI’.  WE TRY TO IMPLEMENT LAUDATO SI’ ON THE LOCAL LEVEL.

3 Sept – The Consecration of the Auxiliary Bishop of Pretoria Archdiocese.

7 Sept – The Diocesan Finance Committee

10 Sep – New Sodalities’ Forum – (Handover) 9h30 t0 1pm)

10 Sept – 2pm-5pm all Parish Treasurers/Parish Finance Committee representative.

11 Sept – Confirmations at St Michael – Potch

17 Sept – THE INAUGURATION OF THE NEW DIOCESAN PASTORAL COUNCIL: 2022-2024. The New Sodalities’ Forum. 2 Reps from the Deanery Pastoral Council. Diocesan Youth Top 5. Chancellor, Chairman of the Priests’ Council, Youth Chaplain, Vicar for Pastoral Development.

18 Sept – Leeudoringstad – Confirmations

21-24 Sept – IMBISA Plenary

25 Sept – Cathedral of Johannesburg Charismatic Group – Silver Jubilee.

28 Sept-  Clergy Meeting

30 Sept – Consultors at St Michael

01 October- Caritas Workshop by SACBC – All parishes to send representatives, R120 PP. 9 to 4pm.

(Rustenburg Catholic Men’s Association at Rabbuni)

02 October – Installation Acolytes and Confirmations – St Patrick

9 October – Confirmations at St Louis Bertrand and Installation of Lay Ministers

10 October – Focolare Bishops’ Zoom Meeting

15 October – Diocesan Family Day. All our families, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, widows and widowers, etc. Come let us celebrate FAMILY DAY TOGETHER. During the Mass we will also celebrate the 4 Pontifical Mission Societies Jubilees:

  • 400thanniversary of the establishment of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (previously known as Propaganda Fidei) by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.
  • 200thanniversary of the foundation of the  Society for the Propagation of faith by the Venerable Pauline Marie Jaricot in 1822.
  • 150thanniversary of the birth of Blessed Paulo Manna, Born in 1872, founder of the Missionary Union (PMU), which was designated Pontifical by Pope Pius XII in 1956..
  • 100 Anniversary of the Pontifical designation of the three Societies, namely: Propagation of Faith, Holy Childhood and St Peter the Apostle, by Pope Puis XI in 1922.

The parishes can continue the celebrations of these jubilees on the parish level on the 23rd of October 2022, Mission Sunday.

9h30 – 3pm = (Venue to be announced. The programme of the Day will be sent soon)

16 October – Confirmation at Promosa and the blessing of the Church renovations.

23 October – Mission Sunday Celebration and Collection

Parish celebration of the Season of Creation… Laudato Si’ Mass.

Confirmations at St Ephraim

25 October – Clergy Meeting:

Election of Presbyteral Council Executive

Establishing the Deacon’s Board

SACOP AND AGROP

Diocesan Borders

27-31 October – All are invited to the National Charismatic Conference. Venue: ATKV Drakensville Resort in the Drakensberg.  Theme: “redeemed, Restored, Renewed and Transformed in His likeness” (Phil 3:8-12). To get the form please phone Ms Charity Obi at 078 736 4832. Fill the form, pay your deposit now and organize transport. You will meet Archbishop Mpambani SCJ, Archbishop Slattery OFM, Bishop Phalana other speakers from Ghana, USA, etc. Our local organizer is Sr Olivia 0823430875 – please contact her.

5 November – Sodalities’ Forum

6 November – All Saints at St Charles Lwanga parish – Khuma

7-11 November – Clergy Annual Retreat (Rabbuni)

13 November – KOSH DEANERY HARVEST

19 November – Diocesan Pastoral Council

20 November – CHRIST THE KING – Confirmations at St Daniel Comboni

27 November – WOLLIES DEANERY HARVEST

29 November – Last Clergy meeting of the year

30 November- Diocesan Finance Committee

3 December – The meeting with all the Parish Treasurers or Parish Finance Committee Chairpersons

4 December – DITSOBOTLA DEANERY HARVEST

11 December – POTCH DEANERY HARVEST

13 December – Clergy and the Religious Christmas Dinner

15 December – The Chancery closes

16-20 – Spiritual and Healing Seminar at Rabbuni. All are invited.

24 December – Christmas Vigil at the Cathedral

25 Dec –  Glaudina – Our Future Pastoral and Retreat Centre

26 Dec – Pastoral visit to the future Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady – Matlwang. The altar servers are invited to come and celebrate St Stephen at the location of the shrine at 11am to 3pm. Bring your chair/mat and your provision (Mofago).

 

Act of Love by St John Mary Vianney, Cure of Ars

I love You, O my God and my sole desire is to love You until the last breath of my life.
I love You, O infinitely lovable God and I prefer to die loving You than live one instant without loving You.
I love You, O my God, and I do not desire anything but heaven so as to have the joy of loving You perfectly.
I love You, O my God, and I fear hell, because there will not be the sweet consolation of loving You.
O my God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You, I want my heart to say it in every beat. Allow me the grace to suffer loving You, to love you suffering and one day to die loving You and feeling that I love You. And as I approach my end, I beg you to increase and perfect my love of You.

 

PRAYER FOR SYNOD ON SYNODALITY 2021-23

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.

With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts;

Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.

We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.

Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path

nor partiality influence our actions.

Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life

and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.

All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time,

in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.