Women who keep the faith alive

BY SAMUEL FRANCIS IMC

Whenever you see them in their black skirts, white blouses, black headgears, and blue overcoats with a red lining, you definitely know who they are and where they belong. You know that they are Catholics and that they belong to the sodality of the Sacred Heart. But you may never know what they are up to until you get a chance to interact with them.

“The Sacred Heart women at Ingwavuma have freely chosen to live their faith and to share that lived faith with others. “

I may not know what they do in other parishes, but I know what they do at Our Lady of Ingwavuma parish in Zululand.

People join various sodalities for different reasons and motives but these women became members of the Sacred Heart at Our Lady of Ingwavuma parish so as to keep the faith alive.

We live in a world where people have no time for church anymore. We are so much preoccupied with our daily activities that we have no more time left for parish activities. Even on Sundays, when we go to church, we keep checking our watches wondering when the celebration will end.

The Sacred Heart women at Ingwavuma have freely chosen to live their faith and to share that lived faith with others. They have heeded the call of Jesus to go out and touch the lives of others by their works.

While many of us might rather spend our free time chatting with friends on social networks, going to the malls to do shopping or spending time at home watching soapies, these women go out of their way to do something for others.

This does not mean that they have nothing to do; like all of us, they are busy too, but in their business, they have managed to create time for God and for others.

During my two months stay at Our Lady of Ingwavuma parish, I had an opportunity to chat with them, to watch what they do and to accompany them in their ministry.

What I experienced was not only an inspiration but a great challenge too. Apart from their weekly duty of cleaning the church, the liturgical vessels and linen, and arranging for the liturgy, they also have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge on the Catholic faith, tradition, teachings and practices.

Thus, they organise workshops where they are assisted by the parish priest, Fr Vusi Mthembu, and Deacon Mhlongo to learn more about the Catholic faith, tradition, teachings and practices after which they in turn go out to share what they have learnt with others.

In addition, they teach catechism, visit the sick and the elderly in hospitals and at home, visit and console bereaved families and visit prisons. They have no big money to offer, but they have faith to share with others.

The most amazing thing is that this group is not made up of vibrant and energetic people in their teens, but of mothers and grandmothers who, though advanced in age, are so young and vibrant in spirit.

Their ministry definitely takes the Word of Jesus far and wide.

Evangelisation is every Christian’s mission, and these women of the Sacred Heart have known how to share their faith with others and as it is always said, faith is strengthened when shared.