Capuchin Retreat House Needs Help

by Admin · December 3, 2015

Rosemary Govender, Scottburgh -�In September I stayed overnight at the retreat house of the Capuchin convent in Melville, near Port Shepstone on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, and spent hours sitting at the foot of the beautiful white cross out at the front, just reading and gazing up at Our Lord.

Capuchin Convent in Melville, Port Shepstone

My unplanned drive and decision to stay there coincided with a retreat of a confirmation group from Durban. Therefore the kind sisters gave me the �older� accommodation and apologised profusely. I had no idea why they apologised, as it was simple but comfortable and more suited to me.

I was greatly amused when they invited me to come earlier for supper, fearing that the ravenous teenagers would demolish everything in sight.

Amazingly, this big group welcomed me and I gained some valuable insight from the young adults. I realised how wise they are. They may not see or say things like you or I do, but their voices are pleading with us to hear them, to listen, to feel, to notice them.

Since I was alone, I think that the confirmation group took pity on me and invited me to be part of the evening session they were having after supper.

All the children and facilitators congregated in the hall and I was privy to a most amazing experience of the children being handed letters their parents had written and each one finding a quiet place, sitting on the floor and intently reading.

Teenagers who normally seem so blas� and, as the older generation sometimes erroneously think, have �attitudes�, sat so seriously and with such rapt but vulnerable expressions on their faces, reading what they often don�t want to listen to their parents saying.

Tears filled my eyes too when I saw many unashamedly overcome with emotion, even the boys, with tears streaming down their faces.

Candles were then lit and the dim hall, with meditation music flowing, became a place of solace, a place of healing for them.

Some may have come from broken homes, some from extreme poverty, some from homes where alcohol and drugs were rife and others were simply overwhelmed with the upcoming exams. Here, in this little piece of heaven for just two days, they were able to revive their drooping spirits.

These are my memories from just one visit. I am sure that many others were touched in a special way at the Capuchin convent.

I hope they, and others, would want to assist the Sisters in financing the urgent repairs to the 84-year-old convent whose cloister walls are in danger of collapse at some parts unless costly renovations are carried out, for which the Sisters have obtained quotes.

Perhaps local businesses or artisans might offer to undertake the roofing repairs themselves at a discount or perhaps even pro bono.

Their appeal for funds has been endorsed by Bishop Pius Mlungisi Dlungwane of Mariannhill.

The Sisters� banking details are: Absa Bank, Port Shepstone, Acc Name: Capuchin Adoration Convent, Acc Number: 4064021771, Clearing Code�630128.

They can be contacted on e-mail at or on 039 684 6336.