On Sunday we
celebrated confirmations at Regina Mundi (Pigg's Peak). The first
time I passed through Pigg's Peak was in 2010, exactly one year after
my episcopal ordination. With Fr Declan we were on our way to Tzaneen
in South Africa and we took a shortcut through Swaziland because of
some roadworks.
After I was appointed
Apostolic Administrator I visited Pigg's Peak during the week and Fr
Makama (priest-in-charge) showed me some of the outstations of the
Parish.
This time, instead, the
different outstations gathered to celebrate the sacrament of
confirmation. They had not celebrated this sacrament for a number of
years as both Servite priests died in a short time and that was
followed by the death of the Bishop. Fr Makama wanted to make sure it
would be done today and fixed the date more than six months' ago.
It was a “multilingual
celebration”. They would normally celebrate in SiSwati but I do not
know it so I used Zulu and they answered in SiSwati. I had forgotten
the Zulu ritual for confirmations so... we had to use the English
one. Three languages in one Mass!
At the end of the
celebration, as I always do, I asked the community to continue
praying for a new Bishop so that a permanent Shepherd will walk with
them daily.
(Click HERE for photos of the celebration)
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