Vicariate Apostolic of Ingwavuma

Pope John Paul visits Swaziland (1988)

Fr. Alphonse M. Mooney, O.S.M.

(from our archives)

In mid September, 1988, Pope John Paul visited the tiny kingdom of Swaziland, in Southern Africa. It was a red-letter day, not only for the Swazi nationals, but for their neighbours from the surrounding countries. KwaZulu residents were well represented in witnessing the historic occasion. Fr. Mooney records some details of his people's experience of the Papal visit.

PREPARATIONS

Months of preparations, bureaucracy, thumb-printing, applications for passports, identity cards and birth certificates, numerous visits to Home Affairs Office, Mtubatuba, fund-raising, transport hunting, headaches, frustrations, and disappointments, all came to an end as all obstacles were overcome and parishioners were almost set to leave for the historic visit of the Pope to Swaziland.

Fr Mel Loftus OSM,50th anniversary

Fr Mel Loftus OSM

Click HERE to view photos

Last 23 April 2012, Fr Mel Loftus OSM celebrated his 50th anniversary of ordination.
At the end of Mass he addressed us with these words...

INTRODUCTION

One advantage of aging is that one's long term memory remains alive and well. Today my mind goes back to Manzini, Swaziland and the Episcopal Silver Jubilee of Bishop Costanzo Barneschi in 1965.. The after dinner speaker was Fr. Eugene Morgan, OSM and the theme of his tribute to Bishop Barneschi was: "A man is known by the company he keeps." If you want to know who I am you need to know the company I keep. If you want to know who I have been over the past 50 years of priesthood, well ask these invited guests present here today: fellow Servites, priests and religious and laity, because you are the company I have been keeping over the ears. Each one of you in one way or another has played a role in my life or touched me in a particular way.

ORDINATION AND PRIESTHOOD

This Jubilee has almost crept up me unawares. I almost have to pinch myself to realize that this is really happening. It reminds me a bit like my priestly ordination itself. Back in Rome in1962 I was in the final throes of my theological studies and taken up with preparing for final exams, thesis etc. Then there was Lent, Holy Week and Easter with all the liturgical services. Then on Easter Monday morning nine of us Servites from five different nations, processed into the sanctuary of San Marcello church for our ordination service. I was in a bit of a daze but it was when we were prostrate before the high altar for the Litany of the Saints, that it finally struck home to me: "This is it. There's no going back or pulling out now." Then I was caught up in the ebb and flow of the ordination service, the anointings, presentation with the instruments of the priesthood, the concelebration with Cardinal Traglia (Vicar of Rome) and our Prior General. Before I knew it we were back in the sacristy lining up for photos with the Cardinal. I remember how proud my father and mother were to be photographed with a real Cardinal!

A house. A home. A future.

Johan Viljoen

Click here for HOMEPLAN photos

Lieke, a Homeplan volunteer, learns the ropes They came. They saw. And they conquered the hearts of the people of Hlabisa. They were a group of 18 Homeplan members, who spent the week of 26 March to 1 April in remote villages around Hlabisa, staying in huts with local families, and assisting in building houses for orphan-headed households, which they are sponsoring.

Based in the Dutch city of Breda, Homeplan is an association of professional people, mostly in the construction and engineering sectors, who sponsor houses for the poorest of the poor in developing countries. A partnership between Homeplan and SACBC Aids Office was formed in 2010. In the initial pilot project, caregivers identified households with orphans most in need. Local builders were used to construct two-room houses. Ten were built around Ndumo, and another ten around Kosi Bay (both in the Vicariate of Ingwavuma, Northern KwaZulu/Natal). The pilot was so successful that the program has been expanded - in the current phase, 30 houses have been earmarked for Hlabisa, 20 for Ndumo and 20 for Swaziland.

Homeplan arranges a "building trip" several times each year - sponsors of houses visit the communities where houses are being built, live with local people, share in their daily life and assist in building houses. In the past these trips were always made to Latin America. This was the first trip to Africa.

Vicariate youth

VAI

The Youth of the Vicariate has just presented their new uniform: red Tshirt and black skirt or trousers.

The official "launching" of the new Tshirt will be done next 16 June at one of their annual gatherings.

The Tshirt has the coat-of-arms of the Bishop and his motto: "IZwi laba yinyama" (The Word became flesh).

At the back the words:

"Mina ngisebenzela iBandla ebusheni bami. Wena?" (I work for the Church as a young person. What about you?) which is not only a sign of their personal commitment but an invitation to others to join them.

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