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Diocese of Keimoes-Upington Bisdom van Keimoes-Upington |
Welcome |
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Patrons: The Immaculate Conception & St. Francis de Sales |
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www.catholic-keimoes.org.za |
omikeimoes@telkomsa.net |
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Suffragan Diocese of the Province of Bloemfontein - Republic of South Africa |
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Welcome to the web page of the Diocese of
Keimoes-Upington. I hope that through this means we will have the chance to get
to know each other and that one day you will have the chance to come to
discover that the desert which comprises most of our diocese has a life of its
own.
One of the patrons of the diocese is St. Francis de
Sales. The pioneer missionaries in this diocese were devoted to making known
St. Francis de Sales' way of living the Gospel. Here are some of his words with
which you are welcomed:
"Wandel
altyd naby God, want die sagmoedigheid (streling) van sy skadu is meer heilsaam
as die helderheid van die son"
"The same
life-giving Father who cares for you today, will tomorrow and each day take
care of you. He will preserve you in suffering and he will give you his
unfailing strength to endure it." Every blessing on you and your family
and friends.
+Edward Risi OMI
Bishop Keimoes-Upington
_____________________________________________________________
JUBILEE
YEAR – 2025 - JUBILJAAR
HERDERS BRIEF (tweede)
ASWOENSDAG
Moet gelees word as inleiding tot die Hl.
Mis of ‘n Woord diens.
Gerig aan die Volk
van God: die Priesters, die God-gewyde Broeders end Susters en die Gelowiges
van die Bisdom Keimoes-Upington
Vandag begin ons
‘n tyd van genade – 'n gawe van God wat aan ons voorsien is vir ons vernuwing
as dissipels van die Here Jesus.
“Die Here
sê: ‘Op die regte tyd het Ek jou gebede verhoor, en op die dag van redding het
Ek jou gehelp.’ Kyk, nou is dit die regte tyd, nou is die dag van redding.” (2 Kor 6:2)
Laat ons van
hierdie Vastyd 'n gesamentlike poging aanwend om na versoening te strewe: die
herbou van die verhoudings tussen ons in ons gesinne en families, in ons
gemeentes, in die samelewing en met ander Christene.
Die jubeljaar bied
ons die HOOP aan wat Jesus Christus self geleef het en waarvoor hy gesterf het:
Op daardie oomblik van sy dood het hy gebid vir diegene wat Hom vervolg en Hom
bespot en vermoor het: "Vader, vergeef hulle, want hulle weet nie wat
hulle doen nie." (Lukas 23:34)
Jesus het met hoop
gebid en die hoop stel nie teleur nie, want die gebed van Jesus raak elkeen van
ons aan terwyl ons ook daarna streef om soos Jesus te bid dat ons diegene mag
vergewe wat ons seer gemaak het, wat dalk ons liefde en vertroue verraai het,
wat ons fisiese pyn en trauma veroorsaak het, ens.
“Ons tree dus
op as gesante van Christus, en dit is God wat deur ons ‘n beroep op julle doen:
Ons smeek julle namens Christus: Aanvaar die versoening met God wat Hy bewerk
het!” (2 Kor 5:20)
Onder ons hier,
sit broers en susters wat dalk groot pyn nog vandag verdra as gevolg van die
verbrokkeling van hul huwelik en ook die teleurstelling in liefde ondergaan het
in die liefdevolle keuses wat hulle heelhartig gemaak het.
Daar is ook onder
ons wat nog na baie jare die pyn verdra van ‘n egskeiding, of geweld wat die
heiligheid van die gesin geskend het, of die wantroue wat die gevolg van ontrou
en valsheid is, en die ongelukkigheid van kinders en jongmense wat nog altyd smag
na die ideale liefde van moeder en vader en die warmte van daardie liefde.
Ek deel hierdie
gedagtes met u, Geliefdes, in die wete dat wanneer ons verkies om nie te
vergewe nie, dan bly ons gevangenes van ons eie pyn en verharde harte. Ons weet
dat dit net Jesus Christus is wat ons kan bemagtig om te vergewe – deur die
krag van daardie gebed wat Hy aan die kruis gedoen het – vir jou en my – laat
ons Hom in hierdie vastyd nader en Hom toelaat om ons in ons gebrokenheid te
genees.
“Skep in my
‘n rein hart, o God,
Hernu in my
standvastigheid van gees ...
Laat die
vreugde van u heil in my herleef en vestig my ‘n dienswillige gesindheid.” (Ps. 51:12)
Ek onthou toe ek
'n jong seun was, hoe ek 'n geswelde vinger gehad het omdat 'n splinter my
vinger deurboor het. My pa wou dit uithaal, maar ek wou nie die pyn verdra om
dit te laat verwyder nie. Ek was bereid om dit vir die res van my lewe daar toe
te laat. Maar daar het die tyd en oomblik gekom toe ek die pyn moes deurgaan en
vry word van daardie onvermoë – en dit is hoe dit is wanneer ek en jy onsself
aan God onderwerp vir sy genade wat ons bevry en vrymaak.
Die Here ons God
is die God van genade en barmhartigheid – nie die God van straf nie. Soos die
profeet ons herinner:
“Kom terug na die
Here julle God toe: Hy is genadig en barmhartig; Hy is lankmoedig en vol
liefde. Hy is bereid om die straf te herroep.” (Joel 6:13)
Die seer kan baie
oud wees, iets wat ons al twintig selfs dertig jaar dra. Gaan na Jesus in die
sakrament van versoening en laat Hom toe om jou en almal wat gebind word deur
die hartseer van die verlede, deur ons sondigheid en selfsugtige keuses wat ons
gemaak het, te bevry.
Ek vra elkeen om
die sakrament van versoening in hierdie tyd van vastyd te benader en jou
gebroke en sondige self voor te lê dat die Here jou mag vergewe en genees. Laat
Jesus jou vergewe en jou begenadig dat jy op jou beurt die ander mag nader om
vrede te maak.
Soos ons die
sakrament van versoening nader, laat ons ook die voorbidding van Ons Liewe Vrou
soek. Pous Fransiskus het ‘n groot waardering vir Moeder Maria en hy beskou
haar as die een wat die knope van hoogmoed en ongehoorsaamheid los maak. Sy
word beskou as die los-maker-van-die-knope. Sy help ons om die knope van ons
sonde los te maak, of los te kom van die wonde en seer wat daarmee gepaard
gaan. Deur ons na haar te wend, kan ons die genade en krag vind om te vergewe
en vergewe te word, om te genees en genees te word.
Onthou hoe sy aan
die voete van haar gekruisigde Seun, Jesus, gestaan het en saam met Hom die pyn
gely waardeur Hy die knope van ons sonde en selfsug deur sy gehoorsaamheid
losgemaak het en nou bid ons Moeder aanhoudend vir ons by die voet van die
kruis en sy vra ons om te doen wat Hy ook al vir ons sê (John 2:5) sodat ons
van ons sonde vry sal word en in die vryheid van die kinders van God leef.
Vandag, wanneer jy
met die as geteken word, erken daarin ‘n teken van berou. Maak dit jou gebed om
hierdie vastyd te benut tot voorbereiding op die vreugde van die Pase. En bly
getrou aan die dissipline van die vastyd: aalmoes, gebed en vas, soos die
evangelie dit aan ons voorstel.
Gegee te Keimoes,
op Aswoensdag, 5 Maart 2025.
U Biskop,
+Edward
PASTORAL
LETTER (second)
ASH
WEDNESDAY
To be read at the commencement of the Mass or Liturgy of the Word
To the People of God, the Clergy, Religious and
Faithful of the Diocese Keimoes-Upington.
Today we begin this time of grace – a gift of God for
our renewal as disciples of the Lord Jesus.
“At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and
helped you on the day of Salvation. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold
now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor 6:2)
Let us make of this Lenten time a concerted effort to
work for reconciliation: a time for rebuilding the relationships between us in
our families, in our parishes, in the society and with other Christians.
This jubilee year holds out to us the HOPE for which
Jesus Christ lived for and died: at that moment of his death he prayed for
those who were persecuting him and mocking him and murdering him: he prayed “Father,
forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
Jesus prayed with HOPE and hope does not disappoint
because that prayer of Jesus touches each of us as we also strive to pray like
Jesus that we forgive those who have caused us pain, who may have betrayed our
love and confidence, who may have caused us physical pain and trauma, etc.
“We are ambassadors for Chris,, God making his appeal
through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor
5:20)
Some of you listening to this letter may have
experienced great pain in the breakup of your marriage and also disappointment
in love and the loving choices which were made with much love and commitment.
There is also the great pain that parents cause their
children especially when they have gone through divorce or violence that
violated the sanctity of the family; or the betrayal of love and confidences;
and the brokenness of children and young
people who forever long for the ideal love of mother and father and the warmth
of that love.
I share these thoughts with you in the knowledge that
when we choose not to forgive, we remain prisoners in our own pain and hardness
of heart. We know that it is only Jesus Christ that can empower us to forgive –
by the power of that prayer which he offered on the cross – for you and me. Let
us approach him in the Lenten Season and allow him to heal our brokenness.
“Create a pure heart for me, O God; renew a steadfast
spirit within me … Restore in me the joy of your salvation; sustain in me a
willing spirit.” (Psalm 51:12)
I recall how when I was a young boy, I had a swollen
finger because of a splinter in my finger. My father wanted to take it out but
I did not want to go through with the pain of having it removed. I was prepared
to leave it there for the rest of my life. But there came the time and moment
when I had to go through with that pain and become free from that incapacity –
and that is how it is when you and I submit ourselves to God for his grace that
liberates and set us free.
The Lord our God is the God of mercy and forgiveness;
he is not the God of punishment. The prophet reminds us of this:
“Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and
merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and repents of evil.” (Jeol
6:13)
The hurts we still entertain may be very old,
something which we have been carrying for twenty even thirty years. Go to Jesus
in the sacrament of reconciliation and allow him to free you and all those held
bound by the hurts of the past, caused by our sinfulness and selfish choices.
I ask each one to approach the sacrament of
reconciliation in this time of lent and submit your broken and sinful self for
forgiveness and healing. Let Jesus forgive you and give you grace that you too
approach others to make peace.
As we approach the sacrament of reconciliation, let us
also seek the intercession of Our Lady, who unties the knots of our selfishness
and unfaithfulness. This is a favourite devotion of Pope Francis, to pray and
ask our Blessed Mother to untangle the knots of our lives, whether they are the
hurts of the past, the result of our sinfulness, or selfish choices we have
made. By turning to her, we can find the grace and strength to forgive and be
forgiven, to heal and be healed.
Recall how she stood at the feet of her crucified Son,
and suffered with him the pain by which he undid the knots of our sinfulness
and selfishness and she continues to pray for us at the foot of the cross,
asking us to do whatever he tells us to do, (John 2,5) so as to become free
from sin and live in the freedom of the children of God.
Today, when you are signed with the ash on your
forehead, recognise the sign by which you seek forgiveness. Take this
opportunity to prepare yourself for the Paschal feast when we celebrate the
resurrection of Jesus. Remain faithful to the Lenten discipline of alms giving,
prayer and fasting, as today’s Gospel proposes to us.
Given at Keimoes, on Ash Wednesday, 5 March 2025.02.28
Your Bishop,
+Edward
HERDERSBRIEF (eerste)
Gerig aan die Volk
van God: die Priesters, die God-gewyde Broeders end Susters en die Gelowiges
van die Bisdom Keimoes-Upington
"... ons
beroem ons hoop om deel te kan hê aan die heerlikheid van God ... Hoop stel nie
teleur nie, want God se liefde is in ons harte uitgestort deur die Heilige Gees
wat aan ons gegee is" (Rom
5:2, 5)
My liewe broers en
susters,
Met die fees van
die Doop van die Here vier ons die doop van die Hoof van die liggaam, die Kerk,
waaraan ons almal behoort, herbore uit water en die Heilige Gees, aangeneem as
seuns en dogters van die Vader deur ons verbondenheid met sy Seun.
Pous Franciskus
het 'n Jubeljaar verklaar, wat voorsien van 'n geleentheid om terug te kyk en
oorweeg hoe ons, lidmate van die Verrese Liggaam van die Here, in die eerste 25
jaar van die nuwe millennium gevorder het.
Hierdie jaar word
in besonders aan ons vernuwing in heiligheid en goedheid gewy. Die Pous nooi
ons om hierdie geleentheid as 'Pelgrims van Hoop' te benut, in die gees van die
onlangse sinode. Dus die aanhaling hierbo: “Hoop stel nie teleur nie ...
want God se liefde is in ons harte uitgestort.”
Hierdie jaar skep
vir ons ook ‘n geleentheid om 1700 jaar van die Niceens Geloofsbelydenis te
vier, wat ons elke Sondag tydens die Hl. Mis opsê, en wat in die jaar 325 in
die Konsilie van Nicea afgekondig is.
Ek nooi elkeen van
u om saam hierdie uitnodiging te aanvaar dat ons saam met die universele kerk
hierdie jubeljaar vier.
Drie fases
Daar sal drie hoof
fases in ons viering as 'n bisdom wees:
· Bekering en vernuwing
· Viering van nuwe lewe
en versoening
·
Toewyding aan die navolging van Jesus
Eerste fase
In die eerste fase
nooi ek u uit om die oproep te aanvaar wat ons verlede jaar by die sinodale dag
te Pella gehoor het: die oproep tot versoening: waar gesinne nie met mekaar
praat nie, waar ouers en jeug mekaar nie vergewe nie, waar daar verdeeld is as gevolg
van politieke, klas- en kulturele botsings, waar die ou wonde en seerkry nog
nie heelgemaak is nie; waar jaloesie of ongelukkigheid van die verlede nog nie
aangespreek en opgelos is nie; en waar geestelikes en gelowiges mekaar seer
gemaak en nog nie mekaar vergewe nie.
Tweede en derde
fases
Die tweede fase
sal met Paassondag begin en die Paaskers wat in ons parogie kerke sal geseën
word, ook die jubel kers sal wees en deur die res van die jaar sal brand as 'n
teken van ons versoening in die bloed van die Lam.
Die derde en laaste
fase sal met Pinkstersondag begin en sal vir die res van die jubeljaar
voortduur.
Ek sal 'n
pastorale brief aan u rig by die aanvang van die tweede en derde fases waarin
die visie voorgelê sal word waarna ons as bisdom en parogies in die betrokke
fase sal streef.
Die viering van
die Niceens geloofsbelydenis
As gevolg van die
viering van die 1700 jaar van die Niceense Geloofsbelydenis, het ek elke
priester gevra om elke maand 'n dag en tyd te reël waarna u uitgenooi word om
te luister en deel te neem aan 'n voortdurende vorming oor die
GELOOFSBELYDENIS, die hart van ons geloof in Jesus Christus, God se eniggebore
Seun, gebore uit die maagd Maria.
Dit is noodsaaklik
dat ons die wortels van ons Katolieke geloof en tradisie vernuwe, want as
Katolieke beweer ons dat die Kerk leer – nie die Bybel nie – soos so algemeen
in ons land voorgehou word. Die Kerk leer en die bronne van hierdie leer word
ontdek in die Bybel, in die viering van die liturgie en in die lewende tradisie
van die Kerk.
Vernuwing in
sakramentele praktyk
As Pelgrims van
Hoop word ons geroep om saam die geleenthede te vier wanneer ons as mense op 'n
reis bymekaar gebring word, en die belangrikste van hierdie
geleenthede is die
viering van die Hl. Eucharistie.
Ek doen dus 'n
beroep op u om alles in u vermoë te doen om na die Eucharistiese tafel terug te
keer: dit is 'n oproep tot heiligheid en 'n uitnodiging om van die bron van
heiligheid te skep, Jesus Christus, wat ons voed met sy eie liggaam en bloed.
Ek het ons
priesters gevra om met u verteenwoordigers in die parogie pastorale rade te
konsulteer om tye en plekke te vind om die sakrament van versoening meer
beskikbaar te stel – soos ons dit in die verlede geken het – en iets wat baie
nodig is, as ons die geleenthede van verdeeldheid en hartseer wil oorkom.
In die lig van
Pous Franciskus se ensikliek oor die Hart van Jesus, vra ek ook dat ons in
hierdie jaar die toewyding van die Heilige Hart hervestig, met die opdra van
die Hl. Mis op die Eerste Vrydag elke maand en 'n tyd van aanbidding voor die
Heilige Sakrament, bv. voor die Eerste Vrydag Hl. Mis of by 'n ander
geleentheid wat groter bywoning aanmoedig.
Gevolgtrekking
Dit is my gebed
dat die jubeljaar ons die geleentheid sal voorsien om God te dank vir die
oorvloed van gawes wat ons in die Heilige Gees ontvang het en dat ons in liefde
en waardering vir mekaar mag groei terwyl ons hierdie geloofsreis saam
voortsit.
Ek sluit af met
pous Franciskus se woorde: ‘Ek is vol vertroue dat almal, veral die lydende en
behoeftiges, die nabyheid van Moeder Maria sal beleef, die liefdevolste van
moeders, wat nooit haar kinders verlaat nie en wat vir die heilige volk van God
"'n teken van sekere hoop en vertroosting" is’.
Gegee te Keimoes,
6 Januarie 2025. Moet op Sondag 12 Januarie, die Fees van die Doop van die
Here, aan die gelowiges van die Bisdom voorgelees word.
U Biskop,
+Edward
PASTORAL LETTER (first)
To the People of God, the Clergy, Religious and
Faithful of the Diocese Keimoes-Upington
“… we boast in our hope of sharing in the glory of
God… Hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our
hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rom
5:2, 5)
My dear Brothers and Sisters,
This year has been dedicated to our renewal in
holiness and goodness. Pope Francis has declared a Jubilee year, an opportunity
to stop and take stock of our progress in the first 25 years of the new
millennium.
The Pope has designated the year with the title of
‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and it is his intention that the recent synod on synodality
be a focus of this jubilee year. It is also the occasion of celebrating 1700
years of the Nicene Creed, which we recite every Sunday at Mass, and which was
promulgated in the Council of Nices in the year 325.
I invite each of you to heed this invitation and join
with the universal church in observing this jubilee year.
Three Phases
There will be three main phases in our celebration as
a diocese:
·
Repentance
and renewal
·
Celebration
of new life and reconciliation
·
Pledging
ourselves to living Jesus
First Phase
In the first phase I invite you all to take up the
call we heard in the synodal day last year. On that occasion representatives
from all our parishes gathered in Pella and answered the question how we can
better live our vocation as Catholic Christians so that we truly are Christ’s
sacrament in the world.
There was a call to work for reconciliation: where
family members are not speaking to one another; where parents and youth are not
forgiving one another; where we divisions persist because of political, class
and cultural clashes; where old jealousies or hurts of the past have not been
resolved; and where clergy and faithful need to address past hurts and forgive
one another.
Second and Third Phases
The second phase will begin with Easter Sunday and the
easter candle blessed in our parish churches will be decorated so that it
serves also as the jubilee candle. It will therefore burn throughout the
jubilee year as a sign of our reconciliation in the blood of the Lamb.
The third and final phase will commence with Pentecost
Sunday and will continue for the rest of the jubilee year.
I will address a pastoral letter to you at the
commencement of the second and third phases in which I will put forward the
vision for which we as a diocese can strive in that phase.
Celebrating the Nicene Creed
Because of the celebration of the 1700 year of the
Nicene Creed, I have asked each priest to organise a day and time each month to
which you are invited to listen to and participate in an ongoing formation on
the CREED, the heart of our belief in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son,
born of the virgin Mary.
It is vital that we renew the roots of our catholic
faith and tradition because as Catholics we proclaim that the Church teaches –
not the Bible, as is so commonly held in our country. The Church teaches and
the sources of this teaching are found in the bible, in the celebration of the
liturgy and in the living tradition of the Church.
Renewal in sacramental practice
As Pilgrims of Hope, we are called to celebrate
together the very occasions when we are brought together as people on a
journey, and the most important of these occasions is the celebration of the
Eucharist.
I therefore appeal to you to make every effort to
return to the Eucharistic table – this is a call to holiness and an invitation
to tap into the source of holiness, Jesus Christ who feeds us with his own body
and blood.
I have asked our priests to consult with your
representatives in the Parish Pastoral Councils to find times and places to
make the sacrament of confession more available – something which we knew in
the past – and something which is very necessary if we are to overcome all
those occasions of division and hurt which divide us as a community.
In the light of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the Heart
of Jesus, I also ask that in this year we re-establish the devotion of the
Sacred Heart, with Mass on the First Friday and a time of adoration before the
Blessed Sacrament, e.g before the First Friday Mass or some other day which
encourages greater attendance on our part.
Conclusion
It is my prayer that the jubilee year give us an
opportunity to give thanks for the abundance of gifts given us in the Holy
Spirit and that we grow in love and appreciation of each other while we pursue
this journey of faith together.
I conclude with Pope Francis: ‘I am confident that
everyone, especially the suffering and those most in need, will come to know
the closeness of Mary, the most affectionate of mothers, who never abandons her
children and who, for the holy people of God, is “a sign of certain hope and
comfort”’.
Given at Keimoes, 6 January 2025. To be read to the
faithful of the diocese on Sunday 12 January, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
Your Bishop,
+Edward
Please make contact with us through our e-mail
address:
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