MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

"The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.”

The New Testament begins with a migration and immigration story! Christ, the Messiah came from heaven as an “alien” and took the form of a human being to become for us the “Refugee Christ”. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, to which his parents had traveled because of the taxation decree.  Tradition say the Christ Child was born in a manger, a stable, a shed like the children of many of today’s migrants and refugees, who are born ‘along the road’ as their parents seek work and a place to call home. The news of his birth was given first to the shepherds, the group of people lowest on the social scale at that time.  They were also a group of migrants, who moved and lived with their flocks doing seasonal work.  Also, at the birth of Jesus, “Magi” from the east, foreigners come to Jerusalem seeking the “child who has been born King of the Jews.” Strangers/foreigners from afar read the stars and identified the Messiah. 

According to Luke, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph stayed in Bethlehem until they took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to be dedicated and then returned to Nazareth..  According to Matthew, they stayed in Bethlehem until the visit of the Magi. Meanwhile, in Bethlehem, Herod had plans to find and kill Jesus.  When he discovered the Magi had left without telling him the location of the Child, he ordered the killing of all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under. It is estimated that Jesus was about two years old at that time when the flight to Egypt took place. (Matthew 2:13-15) Jesus, Mary, and Joseph became asylum seekers in Egypt.  Without travel documents, they crossed the border, looking for safety and sanctuary.  Although they were strangers, someone took them in.  Someone welcomed them and protected them.

Jesus and his family fled political and religious persecution.  These are both present-day grounds for asylum and refugee status.  After the death of Herod, the family was able to return to their home, in the district of Galilee, in a town called Nazareth.  That was not Jesus’ last move.  Matthew 4:12 explains that eventually he left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea.  It was from there that he, as a ‘refugee’ began his ‘pastoral’ by calling his disciples to follow him…

Warm greetings from Durban! We (our Refugee Pastoral Care – RPC) have our own website: www.refugeepastoralcare.co.za

                                                                                Fr. Stan Augustijns, CSSp. Chaplain 



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Happy moments at Fr Chileya Moba's CSSp parish (Volksrust)

 Volksrust Parish celebrated four in One events with Bishop Graham of Dundee Diocese.
It was the feast day of St Theresa of Avilla, Patron Saint of the Parish, commissioning of 12 Lay Ministers for the sick, funerals and Sunday service, confirmation of 12 young people and the opening/blessing of the Parish Hall. We give all Glory and honour to God for such achievements.

 Fr Chileya Moba, CSSp

 

 

Christifidelis laici is a post synodal Apolistolic exhortation that Pope John Paul II issued in 1987. The document speaks about the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the world. It acknowledges that Christ’s faithful people are the majority members of the Church. As such they ought to play an active role and assume responsibilities within the Church that are proper to their status.

Many other Church documents have echoed the spirit of Vatican II and Christifidelis laici in encouraging the laity to find their place in the Church and collaborate with ordained Ministers in shaping the Church into a real family of God. Each member of the Church should therefore participate fully for the proper functioning of the body of Christ. (1 Cor. 12: 4-30).

Establishing and empowering local churches is an essential task of the Spiritan Congregation. We always strive towards establishing a strong local Church that will eventually be self ministering and supportive. It is for this reason that Bishop Graham on 11^th October welcomed and commissioned 12 trained lay Ministers of St Theresa and Michael communities, Volksrust. They will serve in the ministries for the sick, Funerals and Sunday service. These ministers underwent a year of intensive training in all aspects of the Catholic Church. We thank God for their readiness to serve the Church with their time, energy, talents and resources.

BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION AND MARRIAGE BLESSING

"....He drew all men to himself......" Fr Chileya Moba baptizing Baba Jabulani Hadebe this Easter. Baba Hadebe apparently did not attend any Church before he joined Charlestown Catholic Church in Kwazulu Natal in 2008, which is under Volksrust Parish.

Baba Hadebe and his wife Rose Nomusa Hadebe also brought their marriage for blessing. May God continue to draw people to the life in Jesus Christ.