Bishop's Letter to Catholics of Tzaneen Diocese

6 September 2013                                

 Dear Family of God

During this Year of Faith we have been focusing on the importance of the catechetical ministry in the Diocese of Tzaneen. During September we give praise to God for the many volunteer catechists to whom we are most grateful for willingly and diligently teaching and forming our young and old in the way of the Catholic Christian faith. I appeal to all the parishes to consider September month as a “Month of Catechesis” and to celebrate on Sunday 15 September “Catechetical Sunday” during which the importance of the catechetical ministry can be presented anew with an appeal for more to be done in organising the programmes of religious formation in our Catholic families and adult catechumens. Formation in the Faith is concerned with our character and how Christ calls us in the grace of the Holy Spirit to be people of dignity who act with justice and peace in all our relationships both near and far. I urge you to consider Sunday 22 September as a day to emphasise this and to pray for the needs of many people in the world today who are crying out to God for justice and peace because of human selfishness shown in violence and greed. Pope Francis has made a special appeal for us to pray and fast for the people of Syria who are involved in a terrible civil war and to remember many other nations that are caught in violent conflicts.

October month is World Mission Month for our diocese and the 20 October is World Mission Sunday. During October we are challenged to share more of ourselves and resources in the missionary work of the Church throughout the world. Tzaneen Diocese is still heavily dependent on the missionary congregations of priests and sisters who serve in many different ministries and projects. During October we give thanks to God for the missionaries and at the same time we are called to make a substantial financial contribution to the Pontifical Mission Societies of the Propagation of the Faith and Holy Childhood. We are still benefiting from these mission societies so in a very real sense we are helping ourselves as well when we take up these special mission collections in our parishes.

Because of widespread corruption in the public and private sectors of South Africa, I make a special appeal that during October month we also pray that corrupt practices may be exposed, that “whistle-blowers” may be protected, that the guilty may be justly punished and that better ways of preventing corruption may be implemented in our work life. Honesty is the best policy for South Africa to develop as a united nation.

 

May God bless you all with the peace of  Christ.

 

Bishop Joao Rodrigues