WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

1. SACBC JANUARY PLENARY 2019: A special and sincere thanks to all the people of good will who remained in prayer for the success of the SACBC Plenary, which was held in Mariannhill on the 5-12 February 2019. It was very successful our Bishops actively engaged in discussions regarding the future of our Local Church. Presentations from different people from outside were of a high quality. We applaud them for sharing their experiences with the Bishops. Topics such as Political and Family violence, the negative effects abortion were discussed, and they were really relevant to the challenges we facing in our country. Of course during the Plenary Archbishop Stephen Brislin, who was by then the SACBC President was invited to participate in the SONA, not leaving aside Archbishop Peter Wells, our Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland and Namibia. He is the Ambassador of Vatican City in our countries. He was there as one of the Diplomatic corp who were invited during the SONA.
2. ARCHBISHOP ABEL GABUZA: We congratulate Archbishop Abel Gabuza for his new appointment as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Durban. What a wonderful Celebration of the Reception! Sincere thanks to the faithful of the Metropolitan of Durban for a warm welcome and wonderful preparations you did for the reception of our Archbishop. We thank also the people of Kimberly where the Archbishop was working and the people of Johannesburg and Pretoria where the Archbishop was born, grew up and worked before going to Kimberly. What is remaining is to pray for good shepherds for our vacant dioceses: Aliwal North, Gaborone, Oudtshoorn and Kimberly. Let’s join together in prayer for good shepherds of our dioceses.
3. MISSION MONTH 2019: The Extra Ordinary Mission Month in October should be promoted by all the SACBC Bishops, in all SACBC Dioceses and Parishes. Relevant Programs should be used to promote this special month.
4. SACBC PASTORAL LETTER ABOUT THE ELECTIONS: The Pastoral Letter in preparation for the General Elections in South Africa on the 08^thMay 2019, has already been issued. It has to be read in all the parishes, and the people be reminded of it until the last days before elections. Visit: sacbc.org.za to see the Pastoral letter of the Catholic Bishops.
5. NEW MISSIONARIES PROGRAM: There will be an Orientation Program for New Missionaries at Lumko Institute. It will take place from 20 – 30 May 2019.  Both Priest and Sisters who are new in the country are urged to attend this program of Orientation. New does not mean one arrived a week ago. You may have arrived one year ago or more, but still in need of an Orientation to know better what is expected from you as you commit yourself to the pastoral work of the Church in Southern Africa, and to know the Church better. It will help to align self to the local context of pastoral work and avoid some of the mistakes that do happen in the pastoral work and they cause problems that could have been avoided. Contact the leadership of your Congregation or your Bishop to register for the program.
6. NEW PASTORAL PLAN IN THE MAKING: The Process of finalising the New Pastoral Plan, namely, ‘Evangelising Community Serving God, Humanity and the whole of Creation” is going on well. The final version of the draft will be presented to the SACBC Board Meeting which will be held around May 2019. We are all invited to support this process with our prayers in all our parishes.
7. SEMINARIANS FEE INCREASES WITH 8%: Due to the increasing value of maintaining our life the fees for our seminarians, studying in our Seminaries, have been increased with 8 % to accommodate the required needs to make the formation of our seminarians possible and quality one. All the people of good will are invited to support give support to the training of our future priests.
8. MINIMUM REQUIREMENT TO ENTER THE SEMINARY ADJUSTED: Starting from next year, the minimum requirement for a person to qualify to enter the Seminary Formation is a Diploma Matric Pass, but if the person could qualify for a Bachelor Matric Pass should be assisted to attain it before his entry to the Seminary. This may lead to a possibility of making a Bachelor Matric Pass a minimum requirement for a person to qualify for an entry into the Seminary, in the near future. Young people who are aspiring to go to the seminary are encouraged to work hard in their studies to avoid a disappointments of not qualifying at the last moment.
9. SACOP ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: Will be held in May 2019. Venue and other logistics shall be made known later.
10. DIOCESAN VOCATION DIRECTORS: All Diocesan Vocation Directors will have a conference in September Break 2019 at St John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria. Other logistics will be made known to those who are concerned.
11. EUCHARIST CONGRESS: Will be held in 2020 at Budapest, Hungary. The SACBC Commission for Liturgy will prepare programs for parishes as part of the celebration of the Congress. The programs will be made know to you in at the due time.
12. ECUMENICAL SYMPOSIUM: The Department of Ecumenism, Interreligious Dialogue and Dialogue with Secular Culture will hold a symposium at Benoni in September 2019. More information regarding the preparations will be made known to you.
13. MIGRANTS & REFUGEES OFFICES IN THE PARISHES: SACBC Metropolitans, Dioceses and Parishes are urged to establish the desk for Migrants & Refugees, so as to provide for their pastoral, social and spiritual care. Each Parish to appoint a contact person for this desk so as to establish an effective network with all the structures of the church to help the Migrants and Refugees. The concerned people will undergo training.
14. NATIONAL DAY FOR MIGRANTS & REFUGEES: On the 30^th June 2019 the SACBC Office of Migrants and Refugees will organise the National Day of Migrants and Refugees. More information will be made known to you.
15. SACBC MAY ADMINISTRATION BOARD MEETING: will on the 29 – 03^rd May 2019 at Bertoni Centre in Pretoria North.
16. PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND MINORS: SACBC President, Bishop Sithembele Sipuka, has attended the meeting convened by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, regarding the Protection of Minors and the Vulnerable. The meeting will be from 21-24 February 2019. One may follow different platforms of Media to know the updates of the meeting. We will hear about the outcome of the meeting when Bishop Sithembele is back.
17. DASWA PILGRIMAGES 2019: All Catholic Women Pilgrimage to Daswa will be on the 23-24 March 2019. Their theme: ‘Women you are powerful’. For more information kindly Contact the following people: Fr Sakhi Mofokeng (082 596 1932), JHB-Mrs Mahadi Buthelezi (083 992 0387), PTR-Mrs Ntsako Motiang (078 088 3799)
    2019. All Men Pilgrimage to Daswa will be on the 30-31 March 2019. Theme: “Let us test him”. For more information contact: PTR – Mr Ali Motiang: 082 490 6346, JHB-Mr Rob Buthelezi: 083 988 4268. The closing date for the numbers of people going to the pilgrimages is 10^th March, 2019.
18. SACBC YOUTH CONFERENCE: Will be held in Gaborone Botswana on the 21-24^th March 2019.
19. SACBC ONLINE DIRECTORY: As for now there is no more publishing of Hard Copies for SACBC Directory. Everything is online. What you need to do is to visit: catholicdirectory.org.za or just search for Online SACBC Directory. The information will lead you to the Catholic Directory all the SACBC Dioceses.
20. Counter Human Trafficking Campaign: During the upcoming Sunday all the people in the Diocese of Rustenburg are invited to the be part of the campaign against Human Trafficking.  The campaign will be in Mogwase, then after end with the Holy Mass. Our Bishop Kevin Dowling will be part of the campaign and celebrate mass together with the faithful after. Some of the priests of the Diocese will be part of the celebration.  You are all invited to say ‘NO’ to Human Trafficking. Sr Melanie O’Connor will give more information about reality of Human Trafficking in our society. Be there to get for yourself the first hand information about the Human Trafficking.

For more information, kindly contact SACBC Communication and Media Office: Tel: +27 12 323 6458, Cell: 078 753 264, Email- ptatu@sacbc.org.za.