The participation of men in the life of the Church and family – “journeying together’ were among the main topics of discussion during the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference’s (SACBC) first meeting for men held at Lumko Retreat Centre in Benoni.
In an interview with the SACBC communications office, the Liaison Bishop for the SACBC Department for Formation, Life, and Apostolate of the Laity said the conference is in line with the theme of the Synod on Synodality which calls on all Catholics to journey together.
“Since the Synod on Synodality is talking about journeying together and listening to one another, creating that communion amongst one another. We felt we should create this communion amongst men to listen to each other and journey together,” said Archbishop Zolile Peter Mpambani.
Archbishop Mpambani went on to say that the conference was to encourage Catholic men to be better organised, as based on past observations “men tend not to be organized in the Catholic church.”
“They have organized themselves in smaller, different groups. In each diocese, you find different groupings… But to have men organizing, sharing amongst themselves even about their lives, be it in the families, their lives within the church, and their lives at work, and just as men, to talk amongst themselves about whatever issues pertain to men, they are not that well organized,” he said.
Among the concerns raised during the meeting was misinformation concerning “ongoing Christian formation,” as in some cases laity assumes that catechism ends after the sacrament of confirmation. In the interview with the SACBC communications office, Archbishop Mpambani said, “There is a lack of information, not only concerning ongoing Christian formation, but basic catechetics.”
The three-day conference included a presentation by St. John Vianney Seminary Formator Fr. Dikotsi Mofokeng, who reflected on the Second Vatican Council Apostolate of the Laity – Apostolicam Actuositatem promulgated by Pope Paul VI.
Fr Mofokeng reminded the participants that attending Sunday mass is an obligation, as some men often “drop off wives and children at church for mass and drive off,” without attending mass.
“You should be a spiritual leader in your family,” said Fr Mofokeng, and added, “Family is a domestic church, in your family you have to lead as Catholic men, the family is the first and primary church where we learn about the Church. The “apostolate of the Church lies in the man making his home a domestic church.”
Fr Mofokeng encouraged men to “work together with their parish priests and not against them.” He said, “You are collaborators with your Parish Priest, you are called to work with your parish priest and not against him.”
Speaking to the SACBC communications office, representatives of men sodalities from Oudtshoorn, Mthatha, Kokstad, Port Elizabeth, and Keimoes-Upington Dioceses said they were grateful for the opportunity to meet as men and to address issues related to men in the Church and society.
Meanwhile, the SACBC Christian Formation, Liturgy and Culture Assistant Coordinator Sr Michaelina Nkuzo gave a summary presentation about the role of laity in the Church.
During the report session on men’s Church attendance, Sandlasenkhosi Ndlela from Manzini Diocese in Eswatini said it’s quite common for “men to drop off wives and children at church for mass and drive off,” without attending mass. He told the SACBC communications office, that some men opt to attend traditional meetings usually held on Sundays.
