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January 9 to January 15, 2013
What we can expect from pope’s 2013
No 4807
Why men must embrace their chosen life
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Archbishop on how to be a good Catholic STAFF REPORTER
T A child walks below a large painting of Christ during Mass at a church near Taiyuan, China. (Photo: Jason Lee, Reuters/CNS)
Businessman offers donation of Our Lady of Fatima statues STAFF REPORTER
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PORTUGUESE Catholic is making an offer to donate 12 statues of Our Lady of Fatima to churches in Southern Africa. The retired businessman, who previously lived in South Africa and prefers to remain anonymous, said his offer is intended to foster devotion to Our Lady of Fatima and to the rosary. “On May 13, 1917, Our Lady in the first apparition at Fatima asked us to recite the rosary daily. So in order to bring about Our Lady’s wish I will donate 12 statues to churches that apply in South Africa and also in neighbouring countries,” the donor said. He said that the offer comes with two requests. Firstly, he asks that the parish as a community recites the rosary once a month, particularly during the period from May 12/13 through to October. This, he said, would bring Southern African parishes in line with the rest of the Catholic Church. Secondly, the donated statue must be placed at an altar in the main church or in a side chapel or shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. The statues measures about a metre in height. Parishes in Cape Town will be able to make arrangements to collect the statues. Statues can be delivered to parishes outside Cape Town by Advance Transport. The donor said that applications for the donations must be made by the parish priest via e-mail. He will then select the successful
parishes at his discretion. Applications should be received by February 1. Applications can be made by e-mail to jjvcamara@gmail.com
O deepen their faith, Catholics must make the Scripture the subject of their reflection and sharing, make Sunday truly the Lord’s Day and give time to make their parishes “homes where all experience belonging, profound unity and warm hospitality”, according to the archbishop of Pretoria. In a message to his diocese, Archbishop William Slattery outlined how Catholics should experience the Year of Faith, which was launched in October and will run until the last Sunday of November. Noting that he had witnessed “faith, generosity and love of God” in the Pretoria parishes he had visited in the past year, Archbishop Slattery encouraged Catholics “to make 2013 a Year of Faith and a special occasion of sensitivity to God”. He said there will be many events in 2013, at archdiocesan and parish levels, “to encourage us to know our faith, to be proud of it and to experience it together”. These events include monthly lectures on the meaning and history of the Catholic faith, to be held at Sacred Heart cathedral on weekday evenings. Santa Sophia in Waterkloof will be set aside as a church of prayer and host monthly days of prayer and recollection, with the opportunity for confession, adoration and spiritual conferences. The dates for both initiatives are still to be announced. Archbishop Slattery emphasised the importance of the parish in Catholic life. “The parish is the primary presence of the Church in neighbourhoods, the place and instrument of Christian life, which is able to offer opportunities for dialogue among Christians, for listening, and announcing the Word of God, for organic catechesis, for training in charity, for prayer, adoration and joyous eucharistic celebrations,” he said. The archbishop warned against division in the parish, saying that when disputes arise, these must be addressed through existing protocols, instead of “running to the media [which] creates scandal within and without the community,” he said. “Let our parishes be living cells, places to promote personal and communitarian encounters with Christ, places to experi-
Archbishop William Slattery during the opening of the Year of Faith in the archdiocese of Pretoria at Pilditch Stadium in November. (Photo: Mathibela Sebothoma) ence the richness of liturgy, to give initial and permanent Christian formation, and to educate all the faithful and priests in fraternity and charity especially towards the poor,” the archbishop said. He also expressed his gratitude to the archdiocese’s priests “for their generous service and zeal”. “All priests must experience that unity we share in the Priesthood of Christ. All priests, diocesan and religious and no matter where they originate, are equal priests of God and equally important here.” At present, some 14 young men are studying for the priesthood for the Pretoria archdiocese, the archbishop noted. Archbishop Slattery also commended the archdiocese’s permanent deacons for “their love for the Church, their closeness to the people and their helpfulness at important moments in the history of individuals and families”. He also praised laity who are involved Continued on page 3
Co-founder of Little Eden Home dies at 91 STAFF REPORTER
T Domitilla and Danny Hyams, founders of Little Eden Home in Johannesburg. Mrs Hyams died in January 2011; Mr Hyams followed his wife of 63 years on December 28.
HE co-founder of Johannesburg’s Little Eden Society for children with intellectual disability died on December 28 at the of 91. Danny Hyams founded Little Eden in 1967 with his wife Domitilla Rota Hyams, who died in January 2011. They were married for 63 years. A successful chartered accountant in the corporate
world, Mr Hyams was active in the local community. He was very involved in St Thérèse parish in Edenvale and also served on the Community Chest and the board of trustees of the Holy Rosary School. He was the honorary treasurer of the South African National Council for Mental Health from 1969 for over 25 years and served the council as president from 1980-82. After his retirement from
corporate life, he worked as the accountant for the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference for 16 years. Mr Hyams was the chairman of the board of governors of the Little Eden Society from 1967 to 1974 and served on the board from its initiation until recently. In 2003, Mr Hyams was presented with the papal Bene Merenti medal, one of the highest papal awards which
can be bestowed on a lay person in recognition of a parishioner’s dedication, service and work for the Church and the community. Mr Hyams is survived by six children, 21 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. His funeral was scheduled to take place on January 7 at St Thérèse church. Donations in lieu of flowers could be made to the Little Eden Society (011 609-7246).