"A story worth telling"

Yesterday evening was the launch of the book "A story worth telling: Essays in honour of Cardinal Napier".  The idea of doing this book was born a couple of years' ago when Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM (archbishop of Durban) celebrated ... many things! The year 2011 he celebrated his 70th birthday, his Golden Jubilee as a Franciscan, 41 years as a priest, 30 years a bishop, 20 a cardinal!

Archbishop Buti Thlagale OMI shared with us all bishops that something should be done to mark that event and proposed the publication of this book. 

"The story of Cardinal Napier is the unfolding of a life involving many others who share a deep faith in Christ and are committed to the mission of the Church in the world. This story worth telling is told through the essays in this book. They are about the activities and reflections of men and women of faith setting up groups active in the community which are connected in one way or another with the leadership role of Wilfrid Napier in the Church. There are many such stories connected to his life. The focus here, however, is on stories from those who carry out the mission of the Church through the institutions, organisations and associate bodies of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference. The articles address issues as diverse as human trafficking, rural development programmes, peace initiatives throughout Africa, the evangelisation of secular society, fighting clergy sexual abuse, the massive unknown Catholic response to HIV and AIDS in South Africa, Catholic schools, the reasons for changes in the new liturgy and many others. These stories are worth telling because they are very often unknown to many people including most Catholics who go about their daily lives participating on a regular basis in their parishes and other faith communities". 

This last point, these stories are often unknown, was underlined by Fr Stuart Bate OMI (one of the editors) who shared with us all he never knew there was a "Dennis Hurley Peace Institute" and the peace work being done by it in different countries of our continent. 

The book can be ordered by clicking here:

http://www.sacbc.org.za/a-story-worth-telling/

Price R 100 each inc Vat, excl Postage.