Brothers and sisters: Today’s revolutionaries

The importance of a religious community is that its members are gathered and united as a family in the name of Jesus.

In a world of crime, corruption, sex, violence, scandal and misery, there are a few who dare to be different by showing the world that “living in peace and harmony can be done”.

Christian Brother Greg Kennedy from Kimberley is the community leader of his religious order in the diocese. “In times gone by, the Christian Brothers ran schools and extramural activities for Catholic school children. But today, due to a lack of religious, we focus on being available,” he says.

Br Kennedy says while once religious communities were closed to the public, today many take a new attitude and are available to the needs of the community. The Christian Brothers of Kimberley still support the local schools but focus more of their time on food schemes, working with street children, and with HIV/Aids organisations.

The Franciscan Sisters of Siessen in the Free State serve all, through promoting a love for all creatures, humility, peace, joy and happiness. They care for the sick, visit the dying and pray with them to the very end. But they also have specific projects that contribute to the livelihood of the community.

“We are running crèches and most of those crèches are in places where people have lost hope because of poverty,” says Sr Winifred Mosololi. In addition, the sisters run old age homes in the region. “Many of the aged and sick people do not have families. Some of them we even have to bury when they die”, as no one else will.

“We are also helping people who are still staying in the farmstead — those who are unskilled  –  we teach them skills to be able to look after themselves,” Sr Mosololi says, adding that the order also helps bring families together through counselling.

Br Kennedy says because of the services religious communities provide and the importance of these in the serving the people of God, being a religious brother or sister is not a lesser calling than the priesthood.

“It is not a stepping stone to becoming a priest,” he says. “Brotherhood and sisterhood is a full vocation.”

Br Kennedy says the role of religious is vital in supporting the clergy in doing the work of the Church. “We are all a part of the priesthood of Christ,” he says.

The Poor Clare Capuchin nuns of Perpetual Adoration in Swellendam, Oudtshoorn diocese, believe the importance of a religious community is that its members are gathered and united as a family in the name of Jesus.

“A religious community is, as it were, an expression of that difficult struggle to bring about the unity of the entire Christian community,” says Mother Maria Guadalupe, “so that the world may believe.” (Jn 17:21).

“As a contemplative religious community, ours is essentially a praying community. This is our way of serving the greater community as well as building a community of peace.”

Mother Guadalupe says her community promotes a closer bonding in faith. “A religious community is essentially a community of faith. Its members having given themselves to a common mission require a big level of faith and human maturity in order to maintain this commitment.”

Br Kennedy joined the Chistian Brothers at age 12, completing all his education through the order. “I’ve never looked back,” he says, 55 years later. “I’ve gained complete fulfilment through my vocation,” he says, despite living life “entirely differently to the average man”.

Br Kennedy referred to not ever having his own bank account, owning land, and loving his enemies instead of acting against them, as many might.

“We are different. We are revolutionaries,” he says. “We are proof to the world that a peaceful life can be lived.”

Sr Mosololi says she too has gained from her vocation.

“I personally have learnt to be aware of my own weaknesses and achievements or talents,” Sr Mosololi says. Becoming a nun has also meant becoming a jack of all trades. “I manage to do many things including things we think can only be done by men. I am equally adept at cooking, baking, dress-making and teaching.”

Sr Mosololi has also been the recipient of the Emerging Farmers award from the Master Dairy Association of South Africa for her work with Sr Priscilla Katase, the nuns’ farm manager.

The nun says she is easily motivated to work hard. “The life of a Franciscan is love at work,” she says.

Johannesburg-based Good Shepherd Sister Zelna Oosthuizen does not define what she does as a labour. “I enjoy the work I do because it is not work but service inspired by the love of God and this urges me to serve and give of myself totally to the people. The joy I receive is the joy I give to others.”

Sr Oosthuizen, whose order works predominantly with women and girls in difficulties, says the importance for the individual is that being part of a community gives you a sense of belonging, because “the community is focused on the same mission for the Kingdom of God”.

“As an individual you have a spiritual and emotional support structure which empowers you to give your best in service to the people you are sent to.”

The Good Shepherd Sisters in Johannesburg operate a safe haven, Fatima House, for girls in pregnancy crisis.

The Sisters assist the girls in choosing life for their babies, and run training and education programmes to help the girls get back on their feet.

Br Kennedy, who is one of three in his Kimberley community, says it is easy to be obedient and easy to deal with poverty, but celibacy is a challenge — but one worth dealing with. “I dare to be different. I am proof there are better ways to live life.”

He says there is definitely a place for people to enjoy all the gifts God has given — including sex, within marriage — but religious represent an example of how worldly activity need not be the centre of one’s life.

In the face of violence, corruption, and negativity, he says, “religious communities have to show an alternative to what is really going on in the world and to show people that a positive life can work”.

Sr Oosthuizen says the religious bear witness to unity, or communion, in diversity — “that even among different cultures, languages and races or whatever is different within this community there is dialogue, reconciliation, harmony and one purpose of mission. As community is for mission,” she says. “Community life is very important because without community religious life will have no witness value as during the time of Jesus traveling with his disciples.”

For Mother Guadalupe, “a religious community is above all else, a mystery which must be contemplated in the clear context of faith and in the entire dynamic of community life. Christ in the paschal mystery remains the model of how to construct unity. Indeed, he is the source, the model and the measure of the command of mutual life.”

Sr Oosthuizen says that religious communities are living the Christian example. “In the New Testament the new Christians witnessed with their lives — ‘see how they love each other’— that is what we are doing.”