Two weddings and two ordinations
Two weddings and two ordinations — of bishops, nogal — all in one month is quite something in almost anyone’s book and certainly very unusual for me.
On top of that all the hoo-ha around the elections, to say nothing of Holy Week and Easter has made April one of the most eventful months for a long time. Each event itself was packed with meaning and significance, particularly for those intimately involved for whom it was no doubt the “time of their lives”.
For both the weddings I was closer to the parents than to the young people and on both occasions was touched by the tributes paid by the couples to their parents. It was the same for the two bishops. Bishop José Luís Ponce de León of Ingwavuma thanked his family and especially his parents for supporting him in his vocation to the priesthood, a life that has taken him very far away from home. His sister and her family had come from his home country Argentina to be present, which added something very special to the ordination.
Bishop Valentine Seane had the special joy of having his parents present at his ordination as bishop of Gaborone, his home diocese. The explanation of his coat of arms noted that the two lilies depicted there represent for him the marriage relationship of his parents. In true African tradition many of those present considered him their son too, and he himself regards himself as a future father to the flock he has been chosen to shepherd.
“Happy Valentine’s Day” were the punning opening words in the speech by Archbishop James P Green, the papal nuncio, after which he thanked Bishop Seane’s parents. St Valentine is one of the saints no longer officially honoured in the Church but his legacy lives on as a bishop who in some way supported romantic love.
It is always touching at a wedding to hear the bridal couple exchange their vows, express their commitment formally and be told by the officiating priest: “You may now kiss the bride.” At both the wedding receptions I attended it was touching too how the couples were not afraid to express their undying love and commitment to each other even more strongly in their speeches.
Older guests, along with the parents, no doubt were inclined to be somewhat more cynical. “Wait and see. Give them a year or five and then let’s hear what they have to say then,” probably crossed some of their minds. I also couldn’t help thinking that it would be so wonderful if the parents were able to express their own love in such a way after the 30 or so years it had taken to reach this point.
That, in a way, is my message to the new bishops. How can marriage be supported in our Church so that after 30 years couples can be more in love, equally or more committed to one another than when they set out on their journey together. And that isn’t just for their own happiness, important as that is, but for the future of their children.
“Parents help children grow” is the SACBC family theme for the month of May. They can provide food, shelter, clothing, education and all those necessities of life, but the greatest gift they can give their children is the gift of a loving, lasting marriage as a model for a future marriage or as the case may be for the encouragement of future religious, priests and bishops to build up the Church as Family, a true family of God.
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