Diocese of Witbank
P O Box 651 / Fax (013) 656 6827
Witbank 1035 bishoppaulkhumalo@ananzi.co.za
South Africa E-mail: diocesewitbank@yebo.co.za

Circular Letter 13/2005

TO PRIESTS AND DEACONS MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD
“Annuntio vobis gaudium. Habemus Papam”

NOMEN EIUS BENEDICTUS XVI

 I announce to you great joy. We have a Pope and his name is BENEDICT XVI
These are words that we heard shortly before 1900hrs on TV when the new Pope was announced on the 19 April 2005. We have got a Pastor Bonus again. We thank the Cardinals for the job quickly done. From now on we shall have to get used to pray for our Pope Benedict XVI, after having used the name of John Paul II for over 26 years.
Hoping to meet the new Pope in June if our booked Ad Limina Visit to Rome remains unchanged
Prayer for vocations
The 42ND World Day of Prayer for Vocations was on the 17 April 2005. My apology for not having sent you the “late Pope John Paul II’s” message which he had written for this special day. I promise you that next year I will do better. Perhaps we should all make an effort to diarize this day in our calendars as it comes every year on the commonly known “Good Shepherd Sunday” which is the fourth Sunday of Easter. You could include this in your year plan as well.

 The Holy Father wrote in his message that “do not forget too there is a need of holy priests, of persons wholly consecrated to the service of God! With this in mind, I want to repeat once more: “There is a pressing need to implement an extensive plan of vocational promotion, based on personal contact and involving parishes, schools, and families in the effort to foster a more attentive reflection on the essential values of life. These values reach their fulfilment in the response which each person is invited to give to God’s call, particularly when the call implies the total gift of oneself and of one’s energies for the sake of the Kingdom” (Novo millennio ineunte, 46)

 Our Lenten Appeal Campaign 2005

 May I remind you all that the above collection needs to be forwarded to Fr. Oliver in Bongani, as soon as you can, so that he can forward it to our National Director of Lenten Appeal in Pretoria. I hope that the good people of God have done their best to reach the target, which I placed before you in the beginning of our campaign.

Fr. Augustine Mbuyane

Since Holy Thursday Fr. Mbuyane has rejoined the clergy in the Diocese and has been assigned to Steelpoort as associate Pastor to Fr. John Bosco Asiimwe.
JUNE SACRED HEART FEAST AND ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT – This being the year of the Eucharist, I have proposed that during the month of June we have a special effort made to have a Holy Mass celebrated each day in a parish, followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and conclude with a benediction. I leave it to each Parish to decide when the Holy Mass will be celebrated, either morning, during the day or evening, and also how long the adoration will be. But please stick to the date allocated to your Parish or Convent for this special celebration of the Holy Mass and Adoration.
Find enclosed the list indicating the day allocated to each Parish and Convents of Religious communities for this adoration in June. It is the special month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We come closer to the Heart of Jesus when we spend time before the Blessed Sacrament in adoration. Members of the Sacred Heart Association should make an effort to be present the day when this Holy Mass is celebrated in their Parish and come in uniform.

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 5 MAY – 15 MAY 2005

This announcement comes to us from the head office of our SACBC in Pretoria. Enclosed is the material we have received. May I appeal to all the priests and the communities to embark on this, and remember that this was the great prayer of Christ that, they (the people)may be one as He and Father are one. This is very near and dear to me as I chose this as my motto (ut unum sint) when I was chosen bishop of this Diocese with the people of different cultural backgrounds.

Priest in charge at Sacred Heart Parish Ackerville

Fr. Joao will return in June from the United States of America having completed his studies and Sabbatical year. He will be assigned to Sacred Heart Parish, Ackerville as priest in charge from the beginning of July. 2005. Looking forward to welcome Fr. Joao back in our midst and hope that we will all benefit from his studies.

 Before I leave for Rome at end of May I shall send you more information.

 Wishing you joy and peace of the Risen Lord.

I remain your bishop

+Paul Mandla Khumalo CMM

20 April 2005

PS: Please remember that we have only one number now which is both telephone and fax (013 656 6827.) Should you not get through quickly bear with us if the line is engaged, try again later.