The Good Shepherd

Leadership in Faith and Light

            This is a presentation given to delegates at the Provincial Assembly in South Africa by Fr David Harold Barry SJ. David is the Chaplain for the Capricorn Province. The presentation was very instrumental in preparing the delegates for discernment. Its usefulness has gone beyond Capricorn and its no longer limited to discernment. I t has become a constant reminder of every Faith and Light leader on his her role.

A leader in Faith and Light is not a manager of something that already exists. His or her task is to propose something that is always beyond what we experience now.

He or she is like one of the ancient Hebrew prophets who announces the hope of Israel and puts their finger on those areas where the people are failing to grow.

The leader is like the Good Shepherd who “goes ahead of them” and the people follow because they “know his voice.” (John 10:4)

The leader knows Faith and Light, not only from the Charter and the Guidelines, but from their experience of entering into the life and pain of disabled people and their parents.

Like the Hebrew prophets the leader will be discouraged and frustrated; I will give up and “not speak in his name anymore.” But they will always feel that “fire burning in my heart”  (Jer 20:9) and will persevere in their role as shepherd and “proclaim the message and, welcome or unwelcome, insist on it.” (2 Tim 4:1)

A leader may feel like Jeremiah, “I do not know how to speak. I am only a child.” But he or she will hear the Lord’s response, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child’, for you must go to all to whom I send you … Do not be afraid … I am with you.” (Jer 1:6-8)

A leader in Faith and Light will not be put off by the lack of funds, difficulties of travel, poor communications. Nor will he or she flag because parents and parishioners, minsters and priests, don’t understand.

A leader will struggle that at least this one community will flourish; that at least these few parents will understand, that at least these few disabled people will rejoice in a new found friendship and acceptance, that at least a few young people will be attracted to give their time to Faith and Light and discover “the hidden treasure.”

A leader will start at the bottom with one community and, with imagination and courage, nourish that community until the moment when all in the community rejoice and say “now we know.” (John 6:69)

Then the leader can turn to another and another, and gradually “one by one” (John 10:3) the family of Faith and Light is built up.

The leader, when harassed and frustrated, “will go up to Jerusalem” (Acts 15:2) and contact “the elders” in Faith and Light and seek help in how to proceed. They will not “run away” (John10:13) and neglect the communities and let them drift.

Johannesburg, 19 October 2013     

MERELY SERVANTS

PRAYER MOMENT

Tuesday 12 November 2013

MERELY SERVANTS

Pause.  Come into the presence of the Lord

Reading. “When you have done all you have been told to do, say; ‘we are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.’” (Luke 17:7-10)

Reflection. Looking back we can see mistakes made in the history of our country, in the story of the Church and in our own lives. If such and such a decision had only been made we would have been so much better off now. There is an article in a recent number of The Tablet about Bishop Dowling of Rustenberg, South Africa, describing his sustained effort over more than twenty years to respond to the AIDS/HIV scourge and to struggle with the other challenges facing his country today.  He is an example for me of someone who lives that saying “we are only servants.” We are asked to do the best we can. That is all we can do. We cannot solve all the problems. At the end of the day we may have little to show for our efforts. But we are “merely servants”. The issues are far bigger than we are. We just make our contribution with joy and faith. And our little efforts, our five loaves and two fish, really count.

Prayer. Lord, “let me not see the distant shore, one step enough for me,” as Cardinal Newman prayed. Let me really do what I can in my small circumstances and leave the rest to you. Amen.

Posted by David Harold-Barry

Dear friends in Faith and Light

It was so good to meet in South Africa and get a sense of the communities in our three countries. I wonder how people travelled back home? How did the journey go? With my long legs I found the bus journey down a bit trying but it was OK and it was good to be with others. We somehow started the meeting even before we got there especially after meeting up with people from our southern region at 5.00 a.m. in Jo’burg bus station.

Our hosts were really welcoming and went to much trouble to see that we had everything. I stayed with the local Methodist minister whose five year old son, Nathan, gave up his room to me for a night. It was a blessing having Ghislain from Paris with us and gave our choice of Kathrynn as our new provincial a special confirmation and encouragement. I felt a great sense of renewal and hope for Faith and Light for the future and we expressed our great gratitude to Elinata for caring for us so warmly for so long.

After the meeting I visited the Jesuits in Jo’burg and then took the opportunity for some time at sea level in Capetown with friends who used to live in Zimbabwe. I spent my young days at sea level and it is amazing what it does to you to return to it for a while. Now I am back in Zimbabwe at close to 6000 feet above sea level and feeling the effects!

I met Farayi Kambarami, whom many of us know, and am planning to introduce him to the Jesuit run parish in Capetown. The Zambian parish priest was away when we tried to arrange something but we will persevere.

We can use this way of communicating through the site Time has set up. I normally send my leaves to him and he puts them on the tree but I think it is possible for any of us to “post” a message direct on the tree. So let us use this resource to be in touch. Just write!

Please let us know if anyone is born or gets married or dies or any other event that touches any of us. For instance, do we all know that Lorraine has a baby? And that Time now has a son, Brendan, a little brother for Lakeisha.

Tell us about your joys and challenges, your hopes and fears. Maybe we can help one another more in the future.

Let us also pray for Faith and Light and for l’Arche. Our task is not an easy one and we need the accompaniment of Jesus. 

David

Capricorn welcomes a new Provincial

The Capricorn Province would like to congratulate Kathryn Morgan who was elected as the Provincial during the just ended Province Assembly. Kathryn takes over from Elinata Tsalamadzi. The Province Assembly which was held on the 19^th of October was well attended. It received the participation of community leaders, vice province coordinators and chaplains. The event first of its nature in our province was graced by the presence of the Faith and Light international Coordinator Ghislain du Chene.

The Province Assembly had three major items which it touched on. It looked at the discernment of leaders, particularly the Provincial coordinator. The second item was the reflection on the status of the Province which led to the last item; planning for the Province. Planning for the province although it was not finalized to specific details, it embraced the guiding priorities adopted in Leeds vis-à-vis the real challenges being experienced by communities in the Capricorn Province.

The meeting provided an appropriate moment to acknowledge and appreciate the work done by Elinata for the past 4yrs and so. Members present gave her hugs and some testified to her hard work, love, faith and openness in her leadership. Elinata mentioned in response that although she has passed on the button, she will not leave Faith and Light but continue to bring the beauty embedded in it and share with others.

Kathryn sincerely expressed her gratitude to the Faith and Light members for entrusting her with the big role. She appealed to everyone to help her bring the best out of our Province. Kathryn is a committed member of the Edenvale Faith and Light community in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is a welcoming person who has a profound love for Faith and Light. Please feel free to get in touch with her on any of her contact details. Cell: +2711823435501 (082 343 5501) Landline: 011 454 4700 Address: 94 Edward Drive Dowerglen Edenvale Johannesburg

tbaluwa

A visit to Glen View

By Fr David Harold-Barry SJ

Faith and light Glen View meets on the second Saturday of each month and Florence Kabayadondo, Mai Belinda, invited me to come on the 14^th of September 2013. People came slowly but Florence, Belinda and I were soon joined by Fatima Fire, Juliana, Godfrey, two other young ladies and Mai Chido. Finally Privilege and his father arrived. After a prayer we read from the bible and two of us spoke on the reading. Then we had songs and games followed by a drink, a bun and a banana.

So much for the basics of the meeting, but for me it was once again a reminder of the role of parents and the extraordinary care in patience and love that they show their children. Belinda is now over thirty and heavily dependent on others and for all those years her mother has been at her side caring for her and always finding something to joke and smile about. Privilege is seriously physically handicapped and it affects his movements and his speech. His mother strained her back lifting him as he has now, at 25, become quite strong and heavy. But his father has stepped in and takes care of him in every way. Chido is epileptic although he was not there today.

I hope these devoted parents find a source of support in Faith and Light. The task they are called to is a difficult one but I have the feeling that when God calls people to this he also lightens the burden for those who joyfully accept it.

In another part of the Church yard there was a group singing, perhaps preparing for the Sunday liturgy. How nice it would have been if they had come over before they left to greet us! But they didn’t. It made me feel that Faith and Light is also a lonely road to travel. How many in our parishes even know about us? Those who do are perhaps shy to reach out to us.

Maybe when our delegates go to South Africa next month we will have time to reflect on some of these issues.