Daveyton parishes celebrate Consolata Day and mark 50th anniversary of Sacred Heart Sodality

By Kati Dijane – On 23 June 2024, Daveyton parishes, comprising St Martin de Porres, St Nicholas, St Lambert and St Monica joined to celebrate Consolata Day at St Lambert’s parish. Donned in cultural attire, parishioners took part in the special celebration to mark the feast of Our Lady of Consolata, which is celebrated globally on June 20.

The congregation of the Consolata was founded on January 29, 1901, in Turin, Italy, by Blessed Joseph Allamano. The founder gives the credit of the foundation to Mary Consolata whom he calls the Foundress.

What made this celebration special was that it also marked 20 years since the missionaries of Our Lady of Consolata have been in Daveyton, as well as the 50^th anniversary of the sodality of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at St Nicholas. The new parish priest, Father Michael Miriti, was the main celebrant, alongside Deacon Vincent Morare. In his homily, Father Miriti talked about Mary, who was a young, ordinary girl from Nazareth, who was called highly favoured and full of grace because she accepted and was obedient to God’s favour on her; and thus replaced Eve’s disobedience. “What we can learn about Mary is that like her, being an ordinary woman, God looks for the ordinary for his purpose for humanity, making his chosen people extraordinary,” Father Miriti said.

He further pointed to the gospel reading of the day, adding that Mary looked at the situation at the wedding at Cana with concern and thus asked her son to intervene. “We can also learn that Mary was obedient,” Father Miriti continued, “making her the mother of God and the source of our consolation. Like her, we are called to accept the message of salvation.”

The parish priest then blessed all the Sacred Heart members, especially one of the first members to join the sodality 50 years ago, Mrs Selina Mokone. The former chairperson of the sodality, Humphrey Mutazile, a youth member, was one of the members who made the celebration possible and honoured Mrs Mokone with a certificate. Mrs Sibongile Koti also shared with parishioners about the history of the sodality of the Sacred Heart and invited them to join.