Questions answered about the cause of the Servant of God Benedict Daswa

1.Why is the cause going to be examined only next year – why such a long wait?

This cause is one cause amongst thousands! According to an article in the catholicculture.org website published on 29 March 2008, there were 2 200 causes being investigated and most of these have not yet reached the stage for examination by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints’ theologian consultors.The decree by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on the validity of the diocesan inquiry on Benedict Daswa was issued on 5 November 2010 and the copies of the actual Positio Book for examination by the CSS theologian consultors were handed in on 3 April this year. In fact October next year is not a long wait at all. On the contrary it is an unusually short wait for a cause such as ours. Unlike the globally recognised public figures of the Catholic Church such as Mother Theresa and Pope John Paul II for whom public calls of “subito santo” were made with the backing of all the important Vatican officials, Benedict Daswa in contrast was unknown by most of the world and was killed in a relatively obscure poor village in the north of Limpopo Province of South Africa. It is very encouraging for the Catholic Church of the SACBC region that such a relatively obscure cause has caught the attention of the Prefect of the CCS and that even Pope Francis is now aware of it!

2.What will happen between now and then?

We need to make this cause known among the faithful people throughout the SACBC region, in Africa and the world. Furthermore we need more and more people of good will to pray for the success of the cause by seeking the special intercession of this Servant of God. We are hoping that the Novena for the Cause of Benedict Daswa will be prayed by more and more groups in all the dioceses of the SACBC region. We have a special request for a united Novena prayer campaign for the cause to begin on 6 until the 14 February next year. And then we intend to have a special Prayer Vigil and Eucharistic Celebration in memory of Benedict Daswa beginning on Saturday 15 at 6pm at Mater Dei Pastoral Centre near Mokopane in the Diocese of Polokwane.The Prayer Vigil will end with Holy Mass early Sunday morning around 6am. We are hoping that many people including bishops and other church leaders will participate in this important event for the cause. Also during the SACBC bishops ad limina visit to Rome during Easter next year, Archbishop Brislin will include in his address to Pope Francis the importance of this cause for the Church and people of Southern Africa. We would also like Catholic youth groups to learn about Benedict Daswa and to pass on the message of his life to their peers through a simple but well  performed drama. There is also a team of people (from the parish where Benedict Daswa lived and died) who are ready and willing to visit parishes in any diocese and present the story to the congregation.

 3.How strong is the case?

The cause for Benedict Daswa to be recognized as a martyr of the Catholic faith in Jesus Christ is very strong. Many people knew him and the events that led up to his being killed have been recorded and explained by many credible witnesses. People of faith of all cultures who hear about his life and death for the first time are always moved – some are even moved to tears – and they sense an inner conviction that he is indeed a martyr and prophetic figure of faith for Africa. I believe this is the reason why his cause has reached this critical stage in which it can now spread through a concerted prayer campaign throughout the SACBC region. God does not only choose the well-known or famous people for sainthood but usually chooses the lowly and unknown of this world to reveal God’s glory. It is up to the faithful of Southern Africa in particular to recognize this and to testify to the world that God does indeed raise the lowly to the altar of the saints such as we believe the Servant of God Benedict Daswa is.

4. What are the people of Tzaneen hoping for/doing – praying etc?

Many people of Tzaneen Diocese are very hopeful for the cause to succeed. The private devotion and interest in the cause continues to spread among young and old. Certainly it will be quite a challenge for the Diocese to take new steps in promoting the cause and this will also make new demands on the people of this diocese. Moving from a normally very localized and parish- driven memorial Mass to a Diocesan Event next year will be a big step.

Presently the diocese is in need of more funds for the development of a new pilgrimage centre where a special church - shrine will be built in honour of the Servant of God.

This plan will also mean that the mortal remains of Benedict Daswa will need to be authenticated and transferred to a more secure location. As the cause progresses there will be a need to choose an appropriate date of his feast day and to develop suitable liturgical texts of prayers. Finally there will be a need to prepare for the actual day of beatification at a venue where the faithful from Southern Africa and beyond may be able to gather together and give thanks to God for the newly acclaimed “Blessed” of God. These are some of the hopes of the Diocese of Tzaneen concerning the cause. May God’s will be done.

Bishop Joao Rodrigues