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ORGANISATIONS

Please click on the links below to read more about the various organisations in the Diocese.

CATHOLIC WOMEN'S LEAGUE
CHRISTIAN LIFE COMMUNITIES
THE SODALITY OF ST. ANNA
LEGION OF MARY
LADIES OF CHARITY
ORDER OF THE KNIGHT'S OF DA GAMA
CATHOLIC MEN'S UNION
SACRED HEART SODALITY
LEGION OF LITTLE SOULS
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY
ALL OTHER ORGANISATIONS

catholic woman's league

Contact: Mrs. Jenny Hammond
Tel: 041 583 1276 Cell 082 900 3150 - Email

The first branch of the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) was started in Cape Town in 1930 by Agnes Shaw, and by 1945 had spread throughout South Africa, including the Eastern Cape where the first branch was formed at St. Patrick’s parish in Sydenham in 1946. The first Annual General Meeting (AGM)of the Port Elizabeth Diocesan Council was held in the MacSherry Hall in 1956.

Like all societies the CWL has experienced a number of ups and downs. What has not changed, is the commitment of those involved and their support of diocesan charities and the Bishop’s Seminarian Fund.

CWL branches continue to emerge in parishes throughout the Port Elizabeth diocese. The AGM’s are held at different venues in the diocese each year. Members raise funds for the diocesan seminary fund, comfort the sick, console the bereaved, feed and clothe the needy, assist the elderly, uphold the sanctity of life, through the support of all Church initiatives opposing abortion, and provide a safe environment for pregnant women. Over the past 10 years greater emphasis has been placed on branch involvement in outreach to those who are infected and affected by HIV/Aids, especially the plight of orphans.

The CWL now make parcels for the Rape Crisis Centre in Port Elizabeth. Every second month our Branches bring to the Diocesan meeting goodie bags for children, teenagers and adults who have been raped. We hand these over to the centre at Dora and have letters on file of thanks. The small parcels bring joy in a ghastly situation.

Today the Port Elizabeth diocese comprises: 8 Lone Branches (Cradock, Bedford/Adelaide, Fort Beaufort, Grahamstown, King William’s Town, Port Alfred and Somerset East.) 12 Parish Branches in the Port Elizabeth region and 10 Parish Branches in the East London region. CWL membership in the diocese currently totals 558 members (in 30 branches).

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christian life communities

The Christian Life Community (CLC) is an international movement of lay people, approved by the Pontifical Commission on the Laity. As a world body the community is linked to The Society of Jesus, (Jesuits), and the members follow a way of life based on the principles of Ignation Spirituality. The Community is active in most European countries, the America’s, Canada, Australia, and many countries in Asia and Africa, both French and English speaking countries in Africa.

In South Africa it is represented by groups in Gauteng, Western and Eastern Cape. In the Port Elizabeth Diocese there are groups in East London and Port Elizabeth and an active member in King William’s Town.

Each National Region has a Spiritual Guide, known as an Ecclesiastical Assistant, approved by the Bishops’ Conference, usually a Jesuit priest. Fr Graham Pugin SJ., based in Cape Town is the national EA for South Africa, and Fr Shaun Carls SJ. is the guide for the Eastern Cape.

CLC has been in South Africa for 31 years, introduced in 1979 by Fr Patrick Sullivan, a Jesuit, and Jose Gsell, then secretary of the world body. One member of the group that started in Johannesburg moved to Grahamstown in 1981 and soon there were active groups in Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown, Cradock and Queenstown. Sr. Columba Schaefert, OP, a member of the King William’s Town Dominican Sisters became a major supporter of CLC and was instrumental in the development of the community in EC until her redeployment to Germany in 2005.

The theme of CLC is discerning God’s involvement in our daily lives. Personal growth in relationship with God, through daily prayer, involvement and sharing in a community, and engaging in apostolic activities, (mission) are the pillars of CLC. In union with the world body CLC SA is on a journey towards being an Apostolic Body. This means moving from individuals who do apostolic work and share in a community to becoming a body with a common apostolic work in which members participate, according to individual capacity; moving from discipleship, (listening and learning) to apostleship, (sent and doing).

We believe that in order to give to others we have to be filled with the spirit of Jesus, hence our personal spiritual growth programme, but it does not stop there, we need to share and give. In each region in SA the community is involved in sharing in the broader church, offering spiritual direction, days of prayer and retreats for individuals and groups such as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Pastoral Workers, CWL, Proclaimers of the Word, Confirmation Candidates, Care Workers in the HIV/Aids field, and many others.

Further information is available on the national website, and from Kaye, a Port Elizabeth member and current national coordinator at Email and on 083 299 1842.

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the sodality of st. anna

Catholic Africa Women's Union (St Anna):
President - Mrs. N. E. Bacela, Cell 0833463881

The Sodality of St. Anne’s is open to all Catholic mothers. Its aim is to foster the lay apostolate in African communities especially through the personal sanctification of members, the sanctification of the home and various church activities. Its motto is: Goodness, industry and cheerfulness and a special love of the Blessed Sacrament.

The St. Anne’s Sodality has women of all ages in its membership and these days, because so many women are going out to work, it does tend to have more older members.

Originally the movement was started in French Canada by an Oblate of Mary Immaculate priest as early as 1850. It reached South Africa via Lesotho where the OMI’s were active. Fr. Honorat saw married women coming to church and began the sodality as a support group for them, encouraging them to look to St. Anne, mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus, as a model. In South Africa today the sodality is a strong support group for its members and a powerful resource for their parishes. It is almost exclusively for black women and is active in over 20 dioceses. Their aim is to “serve the family, serve the church and serve the community”.

Members, dressed in their familiar uniform of a purple top, black skirt and beret, meet bi-monthly for Mass, discussion, report back and prayers. Their social involvement includes visiting young mothers, lapsed Catholics, the bereaved and attend to any other needs made known to them by their parish priests.

A few years ago Bishop Michael Coleman invited the Sodality of St. Anne to become involved in the St. Kizito’s project for orphans and vulnerable children.
( St. Kizito’s ). There are now 12 St. Kizito’s branches in our diocese, managed either totally or in part by the sodality. The children are fed and clothed, and in some cases vegetable gardens have been planted for their soup kitchens. A number of members have attended counseling workshops to assist the children they care for. In some branches children are assisted in obtaining identity documents and Government grants. Read more about St. Kizito's ...

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legion of mary

Contact
Mr. Clive Diedericks (President) 55 Steenbras Road, Booysen's Park.
Tel: (041) 483 1208, PO Box 12347, Centrahil 6006.

Since its inception in Dublin in 1921, the Legion of Mary has spread rapidly throughout the world and has been established in every Diocese in South Africa since 1933. The object of the Legion is the sanctification of its Members through prayer and apostolic work in union with Mary under the direction of the Holy Spirit in close cooperation with the hierarchy.

Annual retreats and the yearly gathering of all Legionaries active and auxiliary for the renewal of their commitment on the feast of the Visitation, are always well attended and with the support and guidance of our Spiritual Directors contribute to the essential Spiritual Formation of every Legionary.

The government, spirituality and apostolate is set out in The Handbook, translated by now into well over 80 languages and almost miraculously the entire system is followed identically from the remotest islands to jungle parishes to the most advanced communities – surely a sign of unity and commitment to an organization designed to “do great things for the glory of God and the salvation of souls”.

The Legion apostolate commenced so long before Vatican II found renewed affirmation in the Documents of Vatican II – “The faithful are called upon to engage in the apostolate as individuals in the varying circumstances of their life. They should remember, nevertheless, that man is naturally social and that is has pleased God to unite those who believe in Christ in the People of God. Hence the group apostolate ……. Signifies the communion and unity of the Church in Christ. For this reason the faithful should exercise their apostolate by way of united effort. The group apostolate is highly important also because the apostolate must often be implemented through joint action in both the Church communities and various other spheres. For the associations established to carry on the apostolate in common sustain their members, from them for apostalate and rightly organize and regulate their apostolic work so that better results can be expected than if each member were to act on his own.

In the present circumstances, it is quite necessary that, in the area of lay activity, the united and organized from of the apostolate be strengthened. In fact, only the close pooling of resources is capable of fully achieving all the aims of the modern apostolate and firmly protecting its interests”.

In an inspiring address to a group of Legionaries visiting Rome in 1982, Pope John Paul II referred as “eminently ecclesial the vocation of lay people to be a leaven among the people of God, a Christian inspiration in the modern world and to bring the Priest to the people”. He continued “The Second Vatican Council exhorts all the laity to accept with ready generosity the call to be united ever more intimately to the Lord and to share in the same salvivic mission of the Church, to be it’s living instruments above all where, because of particular conditions of modern society, a reduction in the number of Priests and a constant increase in population it could be more difficult for the Church to be present and active. The area of the lay apostolate today is extraordinarily enlarged and so the commitment of your typical vocations becomes more urgent”. The Holy Father cited the shining examples of the Irish Legionary, Edel Quinn, recently beatified, for het heroic activity, despite her ill health, in bringing the Legion to central Africa and thousands of Legionaries killed in Asia or ending up in work camps.

Our own Diocese has Praesidiae (groups) in a number of Parishes totally committed to the Promise made to the Holy Spirit at the beginning to their Membership to “Take my place in the ranks of the Legion, to venture to promise a faithful service and submit fully to it’s discipline…. To work Your Will, to operate your miracles of grace which will renew the face of the earth”.

A vital component of each Praesidium is the back-up of Axially Members who though not able to undertake active work, give indispensable support through their faithful commitment to the daily recitation of the Legion prayers comprising the Rosary, and Our Lady’s Magnificent – the Catnap or chain recited daily by every Legionary. This faithful praying division is our special channel of the graces Mary obtains for us and those we care for.

Hospital and home visitation, the care and support of Aids patients and their families; updating of the Parish census; support of the lonely and the terminally ill and catechetics, are some of the works undertaken. Special Ministers of the Eucharistic are constantly on duty and young Legionaries rising from Junior to Intermediate level after their Confirmation do effective work among young drug addicts and other troubled youngsters of their peer groups in need of their friendship, understanding and encouragement to uplift themselves.

Specifically for these precious young Legionaries, Vatican II has this message of encouragement: “Young persons exert substantial influence on modern society. There has been a complete change in the circumstances of their lives, their mental attitudes and their relationships with their own families … Happily their natural qualities fit them this active apostolate. As they become more conscious of their own personality, they are impelled by a zet for life and abounding energies to assume their own responsibility. If this zeal is imbued with the spirit of Christ and is inspired by obedience to love for the Shepherds of the Church, it can expected to be very fruitful. They themselves ought to become the prime and direct apostles of youth, exercising the apostolate among themselves and through themselves and reckoning with the social environment in which they live.

For our Junior Legionaries: “Children also have their own apostolic work to do. In there own way they can be true living witnesses to Christ among their communions”.

Looking to the future, our special which would be that young people be encouraged to experience the joy and comradeship that Legion membership brings to each brief weekly Meeting. The Church needs them with their special gifts from the Holy Spirit at their Confirmation- many vocations to the priesthood and Religious Life are reported from Central Africa alone in regular bulletins reporting on the activities of the Legion around the world.

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ladies of charity

Contact
Mrs Cynthia Witbooi, 36 Adams St., Salsoneville.
PO Box 17191 , Saltville 6058.
Tel: (041) 481 2240

The Founder of the Ladies of Charity is St. Louise de Marillac whose Feastday is celebrated on 15th March.

The following information is taken from an interview with Pat Lever and others by Mrs. Helena Glanville on 16th January 2006)
Count A. Wilmot and his wife were appointed by the Pope to bring the Association to South Africa in the late 1880’s. The Association has done well in the Port Elizabet diocese and it was well known in Walmer at St. Bernadette’s and at St. finbarr’s, Fairview, as well as Blessed Oliver Plunket Church in South End.

Father Frederick Cole was its Spiritual Director up to 1998 when the books and bank records were handed over to Father John Clarke’s parish in Chatty. The Ladies in Arcadia had continued from their Fairview parish days and Father Clarke was very impressed by the work they did. They were involved in soup kitchens, visiting poor families and food parcel distribution in the Arcadia area. He encouraged its spread to Cradock, King William’s Town and various parishes in East London. The soup kitchens which run several times a week also feed school children. Once a year the Ladies come together for an annual service and symposium.

After handing over the directorship to Father Clarke, the association has grown from strength to strength. He reports that there are four associations in the Eastern Cape: St. John’s in Cradock, St. Andrew’s in King William’s Town, Holy Spirit in Arcadia and St. Joseph the Worker in Chatty / Bloemendal. All these branches run soup kitchens, visit the sick and care for those affected by HIV/Aids, take Christmas parcels to the infirm, poor and old age homes, as well as raise funds for various parish projects.

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the order of knight's of da gama

You are invited to participate in the Knights of da Gama 2011 charitable fund raiser for Marrian Villa. You have a great chance to WIN by joining the "KNIGHT'S DRAW CLUB". Read all about it....

In the post war years of international uncertainty and godlessness, a small band of men in Natal pledged themselves to the knightly ideals of Charity, Fraternity and Duty and named this embryonic Order after Da Gama.

Within a short period the Order was extended into the northern provinces, the Rhodesias and Kimberley. The Knights then moved to Africa’s most southerly city Cape Town and in November 1959 with the consent of Bishop Green, the St. John Bosco Council No. 19 was inaugurated in Port Elizabeth.

The Knights of Da Gama is an order of Catholic gentlemen who subscribe to three basic principles: absolute loyalty to God and the country, a truly fraternal spirit of help and assistance and the unification of action as Catholic men.

Meetings are conducted with symbolic and dignified ritual approved by ecclesiastical authority. This ritual brings out the ideals on which the Order is based: Loyalty, Service and Sacrifice. The members live according to a Code of Honour which provides opportunities for fostering their personal sanctification, and promoting the lay apostolate.

The Knights have initiated a number of projects that promote the Catholic perspective in society, like yearly Golf Days, ‘Put Christ back into Christmas campaign and their sale of Christmas cards, the proceeds of which go to charity; ‘Toys for Happiness’ collection for poor children; the Revcom membership and its commitment to keeping God’s name ‘hallowed’ and more recently their anti-abortion / pro-life campaign which advises and supports unmarried mothers during their pregnancy and confinement (see Marian Villa) and assists with their reintegration into family life. Read more about Marian Villa ...

St. John Bosco Council 19 Port Elizabeth
Contact Regional Grand Knight Dennis Jenkinson
(H) 0437400402 (C) 0835448449
Email
Council 19 General Assembly - 1st Tuesday at 18:00
Venue
St Bernadette’s Catholic Church Hall
176 Fordyce Road
Walmer
Port Elizabeth

Postal Address
P.O.Box 5300
Walmer
6065

Read more about The Catholic Order of the Knights of Da Gama

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catholic men's union

(Extracts taken from the Constitution of the Catholic Men’s Union which was officially established in our diocese on 20 May 2000)

1. Observing the lack of commitment by men in conducting services in the Good Shepherd’s parish in Butterworth, Mr. P. T. Gwadiso, chairman of the parish council proposed the formation of the CMU in 1877. This was supported by Mr. J. T. Antony and accepted by the parish priest, Fr. J. Huppa, and the parish.

2. A one-page draft constitution was drawn up by the pioneer group of five members through the advice of Bishop J. Rosner SAC of Queenstown in 1978. This was revised and later printed in 1983. The edition was revised in 1989 through the mandate of a conference of the 10th anniversary at Ezibeleni in Queenstown. The constitution had now assumed national level. This revised constitution was sent to all bishops and dioceses for comment. In 1997, further amendments were incorporated, and in 1998, in a special meeting in Cape Town, the bishops once more looked into this constitution which had now been revised with comments from priests. The final draft was presented for adoption and accepted in a National Conference held in Umtata diocese in October, 1999.

The motto of the CMU is “FAITH, UNITY and SERVICE”

AIMS AND OBLIGATIONS:
The aims and obligations of the CMU are:
1. To participate actively in the life of the local church community:
• by taking an active part in the liturgical life of a parish
• by taking part in the training for community ministries
• by making themselves available to serve on parish pastoral councils and other groups
• by upholding values of a good Christian family
• by promoting and valuing vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and
• by animating neighbourhoods, making themselves available to lead and taken an active part in the life of SCC’s, e.g. by gospel sharing, welcoming strangers and assisting people who want to join the church.

2. To courageously stand up for Christ’s way in public life:
• by their concern for inculturation of Christ’s message in customs and church activities
• by standing up against issues which are unethical and opposed to church teaching, such as abortion and use of condoms
• by standing up against social injustice and inefficiency of people in the public sector as all public servants are paid by the taxpayer and by opposing nepotism and corruption
• by enlightening people about the dangers of Aids and other life-threatening diseases
• by taking an interest in public issues, e.g. School Governing Bodies, development projects which improve the living conditions of local communities, etc.
• by finding ways of motivating and bringing men back to the church

3. To take responsibility for their own association
• by attending faithfully the meetings of the CMU
• by participating in spiritual exercises of the CMU e.g. annual retreats and other spiritual formation activities
• by offering annually a Holy Mass for the deceased members of the CMU in each parish.

4. To cooperate with other Christians either in activities or in societies. (Decree on the Apostolate of the Lay People, 27).

Spiritual Director: Fr. Simon Gavu ~ Tel & Fax 043 743 6673
President: Mr. F. L. Sofika
Deputy President Mr. M. E. Tyulu
General Secretary: Mr. P. Saliwa
Deputy Secretary: Mr. M. V. Kwenxe
Treasurer: Mr. M. Mnyute

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sacred heart sodality

Contact
Mrs. Louisa N. Soyama
c/o Livingstone Hospital,
or PO Box 207, Uitenhage 6230.
Tel: (041) 453 2135 (H); Tel: (041) 405 2119 ext 2195 (W)

The Sacred Heart Sodality in our diocese is actively involved in supporting street children, collecting clothes and donations for the needy, visiting the sick and those in prison, encouraging non-practicing Catholics back to the church, attending workshops and ongoing formation.

Members are called to develop a deep personal relationship with the loving Christ and to take Christ’s love and concern to all people, especially those in need, the poor and the oppressed.

President: Mrs. Phindiwe Ketshengana
Secretary: Mr. Paul Khoali
Treasurer Ms Dideka Nkombisa

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legion of little souls

Contact
Mr. Ron Gerber , PO Box 15962, Emerald Hill 6011.

Awaiting further information.

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st. vincent de paul society

Contact
(Central Council PE) Mr. P. van Staden,
32 Fordyce Road, Walmer, Port Elizabeth 6070.
Tel: (041) 581 1320 (H), Cell: 082 847 8419.

The Society came to South Africa in 1856, only 23 years after its foundation in Paris, with its first Conference being established in Cape Town. In 1859, three years later, Count A. Wilmot, one of the South African foundation members, was transferred to Port Elizabeth as Postmaster. He persuaded Fr. Thomas Murphy to establish a St. Augustine’s Conference.

In the early days Port Elizabeth did not have the same distress prevalent on the continent of Europe, and so the Conference made its main work the care of the aged and infirm and teaching Catechism. From these modest beginnings it has spread throughout Southern Africa.

It is a society that shuns the spectacular and avoids publicity, so little is known of its good deeds. This is no exception to the general pattern. In recent years its beneficiaries have benefited from assistance of the National Lottery – a Kombi to ferry patients to and from hospital and the rebuilding of the Paddy MacNamee Old Age Home and Creche in the Walmer Township. Food parcels are distributed to the poor who are also assisted in a variety of ways according to their needs. All expenses are met by the members themselves or through donations. The Society does not boast of assets and dispenses all its income to the poor, leaving the slenderest balance on the right side of solvency. Each Conference works within the boundaries (where possible) of its own parish; a Particular Council unites the conferences in the city area and a Central Council provides a liaison with the national controlling body in Cape Town.

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all other organisations

THE PIONEER TOTAL ABSTINENCE ASSOCIATION

The Association was started by Father J. Cullen SJ who gathered around him a small group of ordinary men who were willing to abstain from all drink so that the graces won by their sacrifice might help others to conquer the problems of excessive drink. Members pledge themselves never to take alcoholic drink in any form. They wear a badge showing the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Their aim is not to condemn others but to make reparation to Christ for the insults offered Him through excessive drink, and to encourage others by showing them that total abstinence is possible.

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