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OMI NATAL Update VOL 6 No 4 July-Sept 2009

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OBLATES OF MARY IMMACULATE Natal Province The Mother Province of the Oblates in Africa www.omi.org.za/natal OMI NATAL Update VOL 6 No 4 July-Sept 2009 Good News about Oblate Mission 6. Education Ministry 1. Provincial Assembly 2009 St Josephs Theological Institute participated in the About eighty Oblates Second Meeting of from KwaZulu-Natal the Association of and Zimbabwe took Oblate Institutes of part in the 2009 Higher Learning in Provincial Assembly San Antonio USA. at Albini Hall Collaboration was Congella. (Page 2) on the agenda. (See Page 8) 2. Natal Response to Chapter 2010 (See Page 4) 7. A Saint for Southern Africa St Eugene de Mazenod is truly a saint for 3. Mission Development Programme Begins Southern Africa. As the direct Two workshops founder of the Natal Vicariate, his about project vision and charism has been carried motivation and into this part of the world by his development followers who today as Bishops, marked the start Priests and Brothers are by far the of the Mission largest group of male religious Development ministering in the Churches of this Programme in part of the world. (See Page 11 ) the Province ( Page 5 ). 4. Plans for Inchanga Good News about Oblates After many years spent dealing 1. Hurley biography published with land problems at Cedara The biography of Archbishop we are now ready to begin a Denis HURLEY was launched response to concerns about our in centres in the South Africa, property and mission at United States and Europe during Inchanga ( See Page 6) August and September (Page 8 ) 2. Ordinations 5. Mission Preaching in Northern Ireland Ewen SWARTZ ordained Three Oblates Priest (page 9 ) spent a month in Northern Pamidzai MUDZUDZA Ireland Ordained Deacon preaching in Page 9 ) parishes to help raise awareness of the Oblate mission here. (See Page 7) health. However by the end of July he had 3. Fr Duffy turns 90 recovered and requested to go home to Ireland to 90 year old Fr Frank DUFFY is visit his family and friends. After celebrating his now the oldest Oblate in the jubilee with his family and friends he was ready to Province. His September return to South Africa in September when he birthday was celebrated at suddenly took ill and was hospitalised. He died in Sabon House. Hospital on the 18 th of September 2009. On the 11 th of September the Provincial of the Oblates in Ireland wrote “he is in bed all the time but he is Transition: Death of Fr Mc Mahon really determined to go back. The doctor saw him Fr Patrick MCMAHON passed away in Ireland on yesterday, he is thinking of putting him into th the 18 of September this hospital to build him up and then see if he can year whilst on holiday and travel”. preparing to return to South Africa. He was born However his condition worsened. The nurse that rd on the 23 of April 1912 was attending him was from South Africa and in County Meath in Ireland spoke about how happy she was to be caring for and in September 1938 he someone who had spent most of his life caring for entered the Oblate people in South Africa. Just before his death he novitiate in Cahermoyle was visited by Fr Jean Baptiste MPUNI who said Ireland. He made his first that Fr McMahon had been very happy to see him vows in 1939 and this year and was speaking Zulu to him. Fr Jean Baptiste he celebrated 70 years of reported: he told me so many times that he would th his vows. He was ordained on the 29 of June like to go back home, when I asked him where is th 1944 and consequently celebrated his 65 your home, he replied, “Matikwe is my real anniversary of his Priestly ordination this year. He home”. The funeral was on Monday 21 of th arrived in South Africa on the 15 of August September at Inchicore in Ireland and he was 1946. After various appointments as assistant buried in the OMI community grave at Inchicore priest in Seven Oaks, Oakford, Dundee and on the same day, Forty members of his family Ladysmith, in 1956 he was appointed Parish Priest were present at his funeral. A memorial service in Besters. Then in 1961 he was appointed Parish was held for him in Matikwe on Friday 27 of Priest in Estcourt. But from 1963 he worked September; many people came and spoke very exclusively in the Inanda Valley area: until 1975 highly of him in speeches, May his soul rest in as Parish priest in Edwaleni and then in 1975 as peace. parish priest in Matikwe. From 1992 he continued to help in the parish but he focussed mainly in the Good News about Oblate Mission Inanda area especially around the Sukumawenze 1. Provincial Assembly 2009 community which he founded together with Sr About 80 Oblates from KwaZulu-Natal and Mary Anne Mkhize who was a Matikwe sister. Zimbabwe participated in the 2009 Provincial He was also chaplain to the large community of Assembly at Albini Hall Congella. The theme of Sisters at Matikwe. In August 2000 he retired to the Assembly echoed that of the Congress last the Sukumawenze community which has become year: LIVING A FULLY COMMITTED OBLATE an important community centre for HIV/AIDS. In LIFE. 2007 it won an award from the Ethekwini Municipality as the best community development The Keynote Speaker was Fr Frank SANTUCCI, project in the Durban Metro region. a South African Oblate who for many years has ministered in the International Administration of In July this year he went on holiday to Ireland to the Congregation. He was Superior of the visit family members and celebrate his 70 th th International Scholasticate and then Postulator anniversary of religious life and the 65 of his General of the Congregation. Since 2006 he has ordination. In our last edition of OMI update we been based in Aix en Province focussing on reported that, whilst on his way home, he was off- animating the Charism of the Founder worldwide. loaded from a Virgin Atlantic Aircraft into the Johannesburg cold and this severely affected his 2 It was good to have him with us for this event. In policies which deal with many practical aspects of his presentation on the founder he noted that “the our life in South Africa and Zimbabwe charism of Saint Eugene de Mazenod is a gift of the Spirit to the Church, and it radiates throughout In the only evening session of the Assembly, we the world.” (R41) The charism of Saint Eugene were joined by a number of lay associates who are de Mazenod was born when he experienced and involved in supporting our ministries. Fr Andrew understood God’s love for him and from that KNOTT presented a vision of how we want to personal experience to he came to understand develop our lay associates through a greater God’s love for all people and his own mission to incorporation of lay people into our life and render that love present . Initially he ministered to mission. Mr Rob Redlinger presented plans for youth, the sick, the poor and the servants in his using the media to promote our ministries. Ms own area. Then he established a band of Veronica Young spoke of the growth and followers. They spread the charism by setting up developments at our Retreat Centre in Redacres pilgrimage centres and Marian Shrines, and then which she manages. Mr Paddy Kearney presented by establishing seminaries fro Priests. Finally the new biography of Archbishop Hurley. from 1841 this same charism spread to foreign missions: Canada, USA, Ceylon and finally in his The second day was devoted to reports on our life time to Natal. By 2009 his followers had ministries. Fr. Sipho KUNENE & Fr. Claude carried this charism to 67 countries throughout the LUKUBA reported on progress in the Zimbabwe world. Fr. Santucci led us on an extraordinary mission. This was followed by a report on our world wide journey of places and peoples where Youth Ministries by Fr Mxolisi NGCOBO. Next Oblates serve the poor. In parishes and amongst there were reports from our three formation migrants; in shrines and amongst the youth; in houses. First, Fr Vusi MAZIBUKO, Superior, seminaries and with the rural impoverished; in reported on formation at St Josephs Scholasticate. radio stations that inform the poor of their rights Then Fr Callistus KHATHALI, Superior, reported and responsibilities and in institutes of higher on Formation at Cebula House. And, Fr Charles learning preparing the leaders of tomorrow. In all NABWENJE reported on formation at Mazenod these the charism of St Eugene is alive uniting his House, Bulawayo. They were followed by Fr sons and daughters in a worldwide enterprise Zibonele NGUBANE who reported on the mediating Gods love for his people! It was with progress of the Province Regency Programme. this inspirational background presented by Fr Finally Fr Sylvester DAVID, President, reported Frank that we were able to enter into a review of on progress at St Josephs Theological Institute. our own ministries and community life. After these reports there was a session devoted to We began with a review of life workshop in our 8 International Oblate Affairs. The first was a local communities: 4 houses, 3 districts and a presentation and discussion of the responses of the mission. We saw both the quality and the Province to the questionnaires for the General difficulties of our life in local communities. We Chapter of 2010.
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