Dedication Mass of the New Chapel at Kwa Thintwa School for the Deaf
By Robynne Lott – Kwa Thintwa School for the Deaf, nestled in the heart of Inchanga, KwaZulu-Natal, has recently unveiled significant upgrades. A new chapel, two new sign language laboratories, and a renovated pre-vocational kitchen were completed in August 2024, following the groundbreaking ceremony in January of the same year.
Nine months later the trustees of the Kwa Thintwa School Development Fund, which the Archdiocese of Durban established, and the school itself, are overjoyed to have had the opening of these facilities for the children of the school on August 28, and the subsequent Dedication Mass of the Bl Carlo Acutis Chapel, as it has been named, on October 9.
The opening and dedication Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Siegfried Jwara, with Cardinal Wilfred Napier, Homilist, and Fr Brian Southward and Fr John Dalais concelebrating. Some of the attendees included trustees and donors of the development fund, the Headmistress, a few students and staff of the school, Mikaela Yorke (niece of Archbishop Denis Hurley) plus other guests.
The dedication was rounded off with a light tea and sumptuous eats for all attendees, prepared by some of the school’s students in the newly renovated pre-vocational kitchen.
Cardinal Napier’s Homily
An excerpt from Cardinal Wilfred Napier’s homily at the chapel’s Dedication Mass:
“……In my later years, I have come to believe that God speaks to us in very concrete and practical ways. For example, the building of this chapel is a way of saying ‘This chapel is a special place for all at Kwa Thintwa to take time out to listen to what God wants’.
That’s why the Book of the Word of God, whether Bible or Lectionary, should be open in front of the altar for anyone who needs to come and hear what God wants. For us Catholics, the second key item in the chapel is the Tabernacle, where the consecrated Bread is kept as a real sign that Jesus is present among us.
So, come into the chapel whenever you want to feel close to God, or when you know you need to hear his Word telling you what to do.
Let me leave you with three words, one from each of the Popes with whom I worked closely:
Pope St John Paul II – Be not afraid. I am with you always;
Pope Benedict XVI – Let nothing come between you and Christ the Lord;
Pope Francis – Walk with Jesus…”
History of Kwa Thintwa School for the Deaf
Taking a step back to a small bit of history, it all began with 9 or 10-year-old Henry Bekeni Dube, a boy with no hearing ability, who touched Archbishop Hurley’s robes, to try to get his attention. This inspired Archbishop Hurley to start looking for premises for a school for the deaf.
The Inchanga Territorial School and Hostel closed its doors on 31 December 1979 and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate offered this property to Archbishop Hurley for what is now known as Kwa Thintwa School for the Deaf, Thintwa meaning Touched. The school opened in April 1981 with 40 deaf black children, including one of the youngsters believed to have been Henry Bekeni Dube. The Dominican Sisters of King Williams Town assisted with the opening and later the school continued with the help of the Sisters of Charity of the Sacred Heart, Matikwe Sisters. Many donors assisted with the beginning of this very special school and the school still relies on donations today.
Today, the school has 314 students this year, ranging in ages from 3 to 21 years of age, mostly from disadvantaged single-parent families or are orphans. The school’s language medium of teaching is English and sign language.
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