Lenten Appeal 2012

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ

Greetings and love from your Bishops.

With joyful hearts we thank you for your generous contributions to our Lenten Appeal for 2011. We received a remarkable contribution of R8 million. May the Lord bless each and every one of you for the sacrifice and support you give to your Church.

In the Pastoral letter we issued in 2011 calling for “A year of Eucharistic Renewal” we invited you to renew your love and celebration of the Eucharist and the way in which we live the Mystery of Faith. This takes on special value in this season of Lent which is completely built up around Eucharistic Spirituality. The Eucharist makes us saints, and there can be no holiness that is not enveloped in Eucharistic life. “The one who feeds on me will have life because of me” (Jn. 6:57).

As your Bishops, we invite you to enter the 2012 Lenten Season seeking to rediscover the treasures that God has placed in each one of you. “May you be established in love, that you may obtain all the riches of a full understanding and know the mystery of God, Christ himself. For in him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col 2:2-3)

This is also an invitation to meet each other anew as we become one flesh and blood through our communion in the flesh and blood of the Lord. “Blessed are all who are invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb”. (Rev 19:9)

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.”In this Lenten season Jesus is offering healing and renewal to each and every person-even you!
The gospels relate how people encountered Jesus and found new life. Look at the Story of the disciples encountering Jesus on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13ff); you might say you would love to have been part of this experience.

We are! Every time we celebrate the Eucharist we meet Jesus in the same way. Jesus explained the Scriptures to the two disciples; “he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27) as we listen to the Scriptures. Then Jesus “took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them” (Luke 24:30) and we partake of the Body of Jesus in the Eucharist.

As Lent begins the following ways may help us to deepen and renew our love for the Eucharist:

Make Sunday a special day reserved for the Lord and your family.

Attend Eucharistic practices (Eucharistic adoration and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament) organised in your parish which support the celebration of they Eucharist and prolong its spiritual effects.

Keep a Lenten journal of, successes, struggles, feelings and discoveries. Set aside some time to write each day, focusing on how Jesus’ love and teachings inform your thoughts, feelings and actions.

Think about attitudes and behaviour patterns that you need to change. Pray for help in changing them.

Make prayer a daily habit. Pray for those you know are suffering. Each day for a week pray for a different neighbour or friend.

Ultimately, you will be able to say like the disciples “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32).

As we make the Eucharist the centre of our life, the risen Christ empowers us to reach out to others in charity. The annual Bishops’ Lenten Appeal is a special way that seeks to carry out the teachings of Christ. With your sacrifice and contribution to Bishops’ Lenten Appeal you join hands with other Catholics in supporting the poor and needy, a young man or woman discerning a religious vocation, refugees, special ministries that serve the physical, educational and spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters. “Whatsoever you do to the least of these, my brothers and sisters that you do unto me”. (Mat 25:40). The exercise of charity in the state of grace is the condition by which one can fully celebrate the Eucharist. “God is able to fill you with every good thing, so that you have enough of everything at all times, and may give abundantly for any good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8)

We wish you a fruitful Lenten Season and we look forward to the Joyful Easter season.

Ash Wednesday

- February 22, 2012

Scripture Readings

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12

Psalm 51:1-17

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Prayer

As we solemnly offer the annual sacrifice for the beginning of Lent, we entreat you, O Lord, that through works of penance and charity, we may turn away from harmful pleasures and, cleansed from our sins, may become worthy to celebrate devoutly the Passion of your Son. Who lives and reigns forever and ever.

1st Sunday of Lent

The Good News of the Covenant – February 26, 2012

Scripture Readings

Genesis 9:8-17

Psalm 25:1-10

1 Peter 3:18-22

Mark 1:9-15e

Prayer

Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit and inflame my heart with the joy of the gospel. May I find joy in seeking to please you just as you found joy in seeking to please your Father”. Bestow on me, O lord a spirit of always pondering on what is right and of hastening to carry it out, and, since without you we cannot exist, may we be enabled to live according to your will.

2nd Sunday of Lent

Transfiguration of the Lord – March 4, 2012

Scripture Readings

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

Psalm 22:23-31

Romans 4:13-25

Mark 8:31-38 or Mark 9:2-9

Prayer

“Lord, draw me near to you and let me see your glory. May I never doubt your love and saving help.”

3rd Sunday of Lent

Christ the Wisdom of God – March 11, 2012

Scripture Readings

Exodus 20:1-17

Psalm 19

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

John 2:13-22

Prayer
O Lord and Master of my life, give me not the spirit of laziness, despair, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of sobriety, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen
St. Ephraim the Syrian (AD 305-373)

4th Sunday of Lent

Christ the Redeemer – March 18, 2012

Scripture Readings

Numbers 21:4-9

Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22

Ephesians 2:1-10

John 3:14-21

Prayer
Father in heaven, the love of your Son led him to accept the suffering of the cross that we may glory in new life. Change our selfishness into self-giving. Help us to embrace the world you have given us, that we may transform the darkness of its pain into the life and joy of Easter.

5th Sunday of Lent

Passion Sunday – March 25, 2012

Scripture Reading

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16
Hebrews 5:5-10

John 12:20-33

Prayer
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions”. Lord, let me be wheat sown in the earth, to be harvested for you. I want to follow wherever you lead me. Give me fresh hope and joy in serving you all the days of my life.

6th Sunday of Lent

Palm Sunday – April 1, 2012

Scripture Reading
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Liturgy of the Passion

Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-16, Philippians 2:5-11
Mark 14:1-15:47 or Mark 15:1-39, (40-47)

Prayer
Glory and honour and praise to you, Christ, King and Redeemer, to whom young children cried out loving Hosannas with joy. Almighty everlasting God, who as an example of humility for the human race to follow caused our saviour to take flesh and submit to the cross, grant that we may heed his lesson of patient suffering and so merit a share in his resurrection.

For further information on the 2012 Bishop’s Lenten Appeal contact: