st lawrence parish events

Men’s Challenge Launch

St. Joachim lay organization has launched an enterprise called “Men’s Challenge”. The aim of this enterprise is to revive the Parish rice mill project that had collapsed. So the Parish has leased the rice mill to the Joachims to manage on their behalf at an amount per month. The launch of “Men’s Challenge” was officiated by the Bishop of Mongu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Paul Duffy, OMI. Insert is the Men’s Challenge director, Mr Chengamali in blue, talking to the Parish Chairperson, Mr Lyamba, after Sunday morning Mass.

Women and Men’s Councils renew commitment

The two mother bodies, Parish Catholic Council of Women (PCCW) and Men’s Council (MC), comprising of all the men and women lay organizations at our parish renewed their commitment on Sundays 24^th and 31^st October respectively. On the agenda were two issues: how as men and women of St Lawrence Parish can develop the parish, and how as men and women may improve their participation in spiritual and pastoral activities in the Parish, especially liturgy participation. As commitment renewal, MC will be on duty the week of Christmas, and PCCW the week of New Year. All these duties will be supplemented by an afternoon come together on Christmas and New Year’s Day respectively.  PCCW and MC executives will spearhead the organizations.

Women’s Ministry

On 12^th September, the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) in Mongu District gathered at St. Lawrence Parish for a one day retreat and blousing of new members on Saturday and Sunday respectively. More than 60 Catholic Women’s League members were present and about 26 new members were bloused. The Parish Priest, Fr. Leo presided at the Solemn Mass and encouraged the members to encourage one another to do well and live up to their commitment as enshrined in their constitution. Insert are Fr. Peter with the CWL from St. Lawrence that were bloused.

Youth Ministry

The Youth of St. Lawrence Parish have embarked on a “revive catholic youth campaign” in all the Parish Mass Centres (outstations). This is being done through visitations at these Mass Centres with the aim of ending with a youth rally to be held at St. Lawrence main Church in December. Some of the programs being discussed during the “revive catholic youth campaign” include behaviour change and Christian living as youth. One of the youth organizing the revive campaign, Given Mukobela, says; as youths, we have come to learn that we have a very special role to play in our Church today and that of the future by being responsible, and this has to start with our behaviour change!

Outstations Visitations

Fr. Leo and the Pastoral Team embarked on Mass Centres visitations to know the Parish and its people better; their spiritual life, strengths and setbacks people face. These visitations started in September, 2010 and ended the weekend of 31^st October. One of the major setbacks during the visitations has been the bad terrain of the flood plain where 13 out of 14 of our Mass Centres are located. The Parish land cruiser has since gone straight to the garage for maintenance!

Sr. Peggy celebrates Golden Jubilee

Sr. Peggy, SHS in September celebrated her 50 years in religious life. She went home in September for the celebration and later came back “home” in Limulunga for a parish celebration of her 50 years as a religious sister. She belongs to the congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit. She professed in the USA in 1960 and later came to work in the Diocese of Mongu at St. Lawrence Parish since 1994. She is currently not in active parish pastoral work. Nevertheless, she runs a feeding program for the aged in our parish and also runs a pre and primary school program for the less privileged children in our parish. Insert is Sr. Peggy with Fr. Peter after her anniversary Mass on Wednesday 27^th October, 2010.

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

Confirmation is a Sacrament of mature commitment. This Sacrament completes the Sacrament of Baptism. If Baptism is a Sacrament of rebirth, Confirmation is the Sacrament of maturity and coming of age.

Real confession of faith entails that the whole person submits themselves to truth in the judgment of their understanding in the submission of one’s whole power of love. To do this, the poor-spirited person is only able when he/she gets confirmed by God’s grace.

This Confirmation in the power of the Holy Spirit leading to a firm profession of faith has always been a particular effect, which our Catholic tradition has ascribed to the Sacrament. Confirmation is a true Sacrament instituted by Christ and different from Baptism. It is administered by the laying on of hands and the anointing with Chrism Oil accompanied by prayer. Only the Bishop blesses the Chrism oil, and either him or one delegated by him may administer this Sacrament.

Nevertheless, all baptized persons can and should be confirmed. The effect of this Sacrament is to give strength in faith confession and to imprint an indelible character on an individual person.

THE FAMILY

The Small Christian Communities (SCCs) are made up of individuals and community members who come from families. Without families there would be no SCCs and no Church. In St. Lawrence Parish, we are striving to focus a lot of attention on the role the family plays in the mission of the Church. The family nurtures a child and the child learns and gets its traditions, culture, behaviour and values from the family. Most of our Christian lives are introduced to us by our parents and as we grow up we also pass those values and traditions to our children.

The family being the fountain of love teaches parents and children to love each other through the demonstration of love and care. The children learn to be loving and kind to each other. They also learn to love and respect members of the extended family. This is the foundation of our Christian love. If there is no love in the family and the children are not taught to love, then they will find it very hard to love and serve their brothers and sisters in Christ. Like Mother Theresa said, the world is upside down and is suffering so much, because there is so little love in the home and in the family life. We have no time for children and no time for each other and the home begins to disintegrate leading to disruption of peace in the world.

In Zambia today, there is a lot of suffering around due to poverty and disease and many of these our brothers and sisters, do not have anyone to care for them. As Christians we are called to love and serve each other. Therefore, let us begin to love each other within the families and then within our SCCs. This will bring love to the whole Church.