In prayer at the beginning of our meeting


As usual at the beginning of August Mariannhill welcomes all the bishops from Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland for the second meeting of the year. We have all arrived (or nearly all) and, again, as usual, there is great joy in meeting each other again. Some of us (like me) have not seen others since the last meeting at the beginning of the year.

While the January meeting starts with the celebration of the Mass at St John Vianney seminary with the presence of our collaborators in Khanya House and other friends, the one in Mariannhill starts with an hour of prayer in the evening after supper.

Led by Bp Risi OMI, we reflected on a few paragraphs of "Sacrosanctum Concilium", the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy promulgated in December 1963. 

"Christ is always present in His Church, especially in her liturgical celebrations. He is present in the sacrifice of the Mass... He is present in the sacraments... He is present in His word... He is present when the Church prays and sings..."

We were then invited to reflect and share on the significance of the Liturgy in our personal lives, as bishops, in the the life our dioceses, in the life of priests, religious and laity... and on how could we make our liturgies more fruitful. 

The Blessed Sacrament was exposed and we finished with silent prayer. 

Pray for us and with us these days. We count on your prayers.