Dear Friends in Christ

Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Duncan Tsoke as Bishop of the Diocese of Kimberley. Bishop Duncan served  5 years as the Auxiliary Bishop in our Archdiocese and 25 years as a priest. Our congratulations to Bishop Duncan is mixed with sadness because this appointment means he is leaving the Archdiocese of Johannesburg. His pastoral presence will be deeply remembered in the Archdiocese. 

On Thursday 22^nd April, our parish hosted a farewell lunch for Bishop Duncan. Archbishop Buti Tlhagale and about 80 priests gathered in the Emmaus Centre to share memories and express congratulations and good wishes for Bishop Duncan. We had a delicious meal and lots of conversations as this is the first time the priests of the Archdiocese have gathered together since lockdown began. This is also the first function we have hosted in the hall since the renovations and painting were finished. A big thank you to Veronique Jones and her team for their hard work in making the lunch a fitting send-off for Bishop; Duncan.

Our prayers accompany Bishop Duncan as he undertakes  this new leadership position within the Church. 

God bless,
Fr Keith


Picture Above: L to R: Fr Keith, Bishop Duncan Tsoke (Bishop of Kimberley), Archbishop Buti Tlhagale (Archbishop of Johannesburg), Fr Paul Beukes (Vicar General).

Easter is the most important feast of the Christian year—so important that the Church sets aside a seven-week season to rejoice in Christ’s victory over sin and death. 

How can a family sustain this “Easter spirit” of celebration all the way to Pentecost? Here are a few  ways to continue our celebration of Easter. 

1. Use a special candle at family meals to recall the light of Christ.

2. Every day, read together from the Easter story: Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20-21. 

3. Put up a sign or banner that proclaims, “He is risen!” 

4. Add an “alleluia” song—or three alleluias—to your grace before meals.

5. Put on an Easter play. Invite relatives and friends to a performance.

6. Make a poster of a life-giving cross. Add paper flowers and leaves to it throughout Easter.

7. Celebrate new life by doing something as a family to support unborn children and their parents. 

8. Keep fresh flowers around.

9. Use the old Easter greeting and response: “Christ is risen! – He is risen indeed!”

10. Visit a lonely neighbour or do some other family act of kindness to express thanks for the resurrection.

LORD OF THE HARVEST,
Bless young people with the gift of courage to respond to your call. Open their hearts to great ideals, to great things. INSPIRE all of your disciples to mutual love and giving—for vocations blossom in the good soil of faithful people. INSTILL those in religious life, parish ministries, and families with the confidence and grace to invite others to embrace the bold and noble path of a life consecrated to you. UNITE us to Jesus through prayer and sacrament, so that we may cooperate with you in building your reign of mercy and truth, of justice and peace. Amen. — Pope Francis

This weekend lay Your hands of peace, love and healing on the people of the Parish of the Resurrection, especially: Brian Richardson, Chihera, Chris Busschau, Collette Drewes, Didi Tomsett, Estelle Jacquet, Fatima & Sieraaj Haffejee, Gail Solomon, Gillian Green, Goodwill Ntamehlo, Inez Braford, Jean Broens, Lettie Nda, Luzia Bento, Manfred Sussmann, Marilyn, Mary-Anne Alho, Olivia Tanyanyiwa, Paula Britten, Pierre Kedziersk, Quinton, Renatus Marol, Rose Kin, Simon van Wyk, Sister Notburga, Tania Noach, Trevor Fenton and Yvonne Mupenda, Erica Woxholt, Felix Finch, Loretta's granddaughter, Wayne, Robert, Next Alpha Online, Clive Williams, Penny Dercksen, Yvonne, a victim of kidnapping, Julie, and a young man.

In the weeks leading up to Easter we provided a Paschal meal booklet and encouraged you to prepare a Paschal meal at home.  Joan and Robert Ashby were kind enough to share their experience with us.  Joan has celebrated many Pascal meals at the church so it was lovely to see the comparison to celebrating at home. 

We were grateful to have the Paschal Meal this year as last year we did not have the Paschal Meal as we were just beginning lockdown. I really did appreciate all the work done by the authors of this Paschal meal booklet. 

I have been doing the Paschal meal since 2000, when Br Kevin from the Catholic Bible College came to teach us Biblical Studies at the Emmaus Centre. Br Kevin held a Paschal meal with us.  I can remember then "teaching" this to my Anglican spiritual director; Rev Gerald, who introduced it to his flock and it became a yearly function.  Three years ago Fr Jonathan held an amazing Paschal Meal at which we had these dried wheat on the tables as decoration, so I placed these wheat on the table this year and it now reminded me of the journey thus far in my Catholic conversion, which started way back when my Mom Letitia wanted the best education at a Dominican Convent, St Catherine's.

We prayed the psalms this year while we waited for the lamb to cook.  Because it was just the two of us we were able to slow everything down and the whole meal from start to finish took about 7 hours, if we had had guests they may have got hungry! There we sat having found each other late in life, but only the beginning of life.

Peter Van den Bergh dropped off a wheelchair, crocheted blanket (wow they loved it!) a shower chair and a food hamper with Raymond and Amelia. Thank you to everyone who forms part of the community that changes people’s lives.

There will be training for live streaming on Saturday 24 April at 4:30pm in the choir loft of the Church.
If you are interested to learn and become one of the team, then don't miss this opportunity!