Saturday, June 9, 2012

What happens to the POSITIO on Benedict Daswa?

The Diocese of Tzaneen is in the process of finalizing the Positio which is a collection of documents related to all the different aspects of the Cause.A sufficient number of copies will be published for the members of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints. One copy, called the copia publica,will be kept in the archives of the diocese. This work is being done by a priest Fr Lucio de Stefano MSC who is residing in Rome.He is woking on the Positio under the relator Fr Kijas OFM Conv. from the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints.
Once this is done the next steps will be as follows:
1. The Positio is presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
2. A group of theologians will scrutinize the evidence and documentation. If majority pass it, it goes to the prelates of the Congregation.

3. If the prelates of the Congregation approve, the Prefect of the Congregation publishes the "Decretum Super Martyrio of the Servant of God " and authorizes that the person be called Venerable.
4. The Prefect of the Congregation will then present the cause to the pope for the pope to decide on whether the Venerable martyr can be beatified or not.
5. Finally the pope declares beatification at a special Mass in honour of the newly acclaimed "Blessed martyr."

The process in the Congregation can be quite slow but we have an advantage because a miracle is not required for the beatification of a martyr. As soon as his martyrdom is approved by the Congregation then the door is open for the pope to declare him a martyr for beatification.

Tell people about Benedict Daswa

Why not join http://awestruckglobal.com/ and become a member of the Group "Benedict Daswa - Apostle of Life" (which fits in the group category of Saints and Holy People). Tell other people about the life and martyrdom of the Servant of God Benedict Daswa. God chooses the humble in order to impart great blessings.

Pray for Fr Lucio MSC and Fr Kijas OFM Conv

 I think we should continue to pray to God for Fr Lucio de Stefano MSC who is in Rome doing all the work on the Positio documents and also remember to pray for Fr Zdzislaw Kijas OFM Conv. who is the relator appointed by the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints specifically for the cause of Benedict Daswa.We pray that the Holy Spirit may guide them and help them to co-operate well together so that the work can be completed successfully before the end of the year.We also continue to pray to God for more people to give financial support so that we can have the work published successfully.Servant of God Benedict Daswa pray for the successful outcome of this work which we are doing for the greater glory of God.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Deaconate Ordination of Vicky Rikhotso



Seminarian Vicky Rikhotso will be ordained a deacon on 17 June this year at Motupa in the parish of Tzaneen. He completed his formation at St John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria.We all wish him well and pray that God may affirm his calling with all the graces that he needs for his life and mission in the Diocese of Tzaneen.

Servant of God Benedict Daswa Cause


Promoting the Cause for the Beatification

of

TSHIMANGADZO SAMUEL BENEDICT DASWA





                         Greetings in the grace of Christ from Tzaneen.



 I am pleased to give you an update on the recent developments concerning the Cause of the Servant of God.



At the moment we are in the process of obtaining the plot for the development of the Benedict Daswa Pilgrimage Site in the Thulamela Municipality We are deeply grateful to the following Dioceses who contributed towards our appeal for the purchase of the plot: The Archdioceses of Cape Town and Johannesburg, the Dioceses of Dundee, Francistown, Kimberley, Witbank and the Vicariate Apostolic of Ingwavuma and the generous donation from Bishop –emeritus Fritz Lobinger.



Father Lucio is completing his work on the Positio document in Rome on our behalf. We are hoping to have it published by the end of this year. An Official copy is to be presented to the Roman Congregation for the Cause of Saints, and other copies – in summary form -  will be presented to all the Bishops of SACBC Region as well some member churches of the SACC. The cost for the printing and publication of the Positio is estimated to be around Euro10 000.00 (R100 000.00+) which is the responsibility of the Tzaneen Diocese.



This year we have set up a desk in our Diocesan Office for the promotion of the Cause. This has added to our financial burden. I have appointed Sister Claudette Hiosan fdnsc as Promoter and Secretary for this desk. It is my belief that this Cause really belongs to the SACBC Region in line with the conviction of the Post-Synodal Exhortation, Africae Munus (# 114), which encourages us to recognise those who could be canonised according to the norms of the Church.



Your financial contribution would be an encouraging sign of your sharing in the common hope for the beatification of the first martyr in the Catholic Church of Southern Africa.



God bless you and may Our Lady of the Sacred Heart pray for us and the Cause.



+ Bishop Joao Rodrigues                                            (Sr) Claudette Hiosan (Promoter)


The particulars of the special Bank Account for the Cause are:


Bank:                           Standard Bank of South Africa
Branch:                        052749
Name of Account:       Diocese of Tzaneen: Benedict Daswa Cause
Account Number:       330911538
Swift Code:                SBZAZAJJ





Diocese of Tzaneen

* PO Box 261, Tzaneen, 0850

( 015 307 5244; Fax 015 307 3078; : bendaswa@mweb.co.za