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Photo: Roy Naicker People from all walks of life share Meal of Reconciliation There are few places in the world where an American diplomat, a blind Muslim activist, a homeless person and a Catholic nun can be seen sharing a meal together. But that's the whole purpose...

Making an advent wreath is easy, and a great way to involve children in preparing for the celebration of our Lord's birth. Advent begins on Sunday 2 December An advent wreath is a visible reminder that the joyful celebration of our Lord’s birth is nearing, and we need...

Pictured above, the Irish Ambassador, His Excellency Liam MacGabhann (right), met one of the nurses when he visited the Dalton outreach clinic with DCH Director, Raymond Perrier, recently. Irish Ambassador visits the Denis Hurley Centre It is fitting that the Irish...

"Together with young people, let us bring the Gospel to all" Dear young people, I would like to reflect with you on the mission that we have received from Christ. In speaking to you, I also address all Christians who live out in the Church the adventure of their life...

Pictured above: A still from the recent ‘Carte Blanche’ programme which highlighted the Denis Hurley Centre as one of the positive responses to homelessness in Durban. TV show highlights the plight of Durban's homeless The plight of homeless people in Durban was...

Pictured above: Cardinal Napier OFM, Fr Paulus Ndlovu TOR (parish priest at Ekukhanyeni) and Pearl Ramotsamai (NC4H Programming Director) inspect one of the newly refurbished bedrooms at the Napier Centre for Healing. (Photo: Val Adamson) Update on the Napier Centre...

Proud history of Catholic education in South Africa [This article by the editor of The Southern Cross was printed on 26 May 2018] As the Church in South Africa celebrates the 200th anniversary of its establishment, it is a good time to pay tribute to the remarkable...

The Southern Cross - April 18 to April 24, 2018

Where Do Your Donations of Blankets Go? The answer to this question is – to many places and to many people. You may never know who receives your gift of a blanket. But the recipient knows you, by the little signed card you sent back which gets attached to your...

If Only We Could Share Them All Since it became known that Cardinal Napier, by Canon Law, would soon be retiring, our postbag has overflowed with the most wonderful messages to His Eminence. We wish that space in this newsletter allowed us to share them all with you....

The Meaning of Easter Your sacrificial Easter gifts to the Zulu Missions are so greatly appreciated. And you were especially in our hearts and thoughts as we prayed for your special intentions, not only at the joyous Easter masses, but also on Good Friday, and Holy...

Free Learning and Development at the Denis Hurley Centre The late Archbishop Denis Hurley was a man of great compassion for the poor. And he would be well pleased by what is happening at the outreach Centre named for him. The mission of the Denis Hurley Centre is to...

Carrying the cross of illness Illness can come to any of us at any time. And many of our Mission friends write to ask for prayers for a family member or friend, and for themselves as they carry the cross of illness, very frequently the illness of cancer. Praying for...

When your nearest and dearest have been provided for ... There's more than one reason to ensure that everyone has a valid Will and that it's kept up to date. Assets, both financial and material, come from the work of a lifetime, so ensuring what happens to them, when...

Sung Mass in honour of Cardinal Napier On Saturday 14 April, the usual 5.30pm Mass at the Emmanuel Cathedral will resound with the voices of the Durban Chamber Choir performing the stunning Monteverdi Mass for 4 voices. This is a unique opportunity to hear music...

Thembi explains the highlights of the Hurley Exhibition at the DHC to a group of learners from St Benedict's in Pinetown. (Photo: Sithembiso Shoba) Helping visitors see with the eyes of faith 34 year old Thembi lost his sight at a young age. But that does not prevent...

Thank you for the blankets Another winter was made bearable on the Missions by the blankets to you helped us to distribute the poorest parishioners and others in their community. ‘Thank you’ – not only for the warmth that your blankets provided, but also for the...

It's happening - because you've helped to make it happen The outstation of Hopewell may be appropriately named, in the people’s sustained hope that they would get a new church to replace the old building which for so long has been falling apart. You were asked at...

The process of appointing a new Bishop and Archbishop With Cardinal Napier’s successor likely to be stepping into his shoes in the first half of this year, you may wish to know how such a replacement is chosen. The South African Nuncio will collect names put up by the...

They waited 13 years for the first Mass in their Church As far back as 1998, Father Albert Sithole led the drive to provide a church for the Catholics at Ezimangweni, a community where people were too poor to afford the transport to Matikwe Mission. A legal purchase...

A visit from Mission friends, Nancy and Robert When Nancy and Robert from Florida, USA, requested a visit to one of the Missions, they came bearing gifts. There were towels and wash cloths from the ladies of the Columbiettes, rosaries and blankets which had been...

New terrace garden honours Monsignor Paul Nadal Durban’s inner city now has a splash of green at the Denis Hurley Centre, with the opening of the Paul Nadal Garden on the upper terrace. Paddy Kearney, one of the main inspirations behind the development of the centre...

School choirs present "A song for world peace" On Wednesday 20 September five Durban Catholic Schools will participate in our annual senior choir concert at the Emmanuel Cathedral.  They will present a special one-off early-evening concert of much-loved sacred,...

Pictured: Bongmusa Mthembu is seen wearing his white rosary on the road to winning his first Comrades in 2014. (Photo: Kierran Allen) Top athlete overcomes poverty and hardship through the grace of God [Source: The Southern Cross, 5 September 2017] Bongmusa Mthembu,...

Photo (by Illa Thompson): Their dream of the Dalton Clinic comes true: Craig Roodt (Container World), Mary Ann Carpenter (DHC Clinic Co-ordinator), Councillor Lelo Zuma, Cardinal Napier and Eurakha Singh (eThekwini Area Based Management) Denis Hurley Centre Clinic...

Cardinal Napier encourages young people to attend Mini World Youth Day In a message to young Catholics on the Mini World Youth Day website, His Eminence, Cardinal Wilfrid Napier encouraged the youth to participate as fully as possible in the event, which will be...

World Refugee Day Tues 20 June is designated by the UN as World Refugee Day. Our Durban inner city is home to many who have fled war-stricken countries to the north. Many of these people have left comfortable homes and good jobs and arrive in our city with only the...

Denis Hurley Centre, working with Grace Family Church and the Hare Krishna group Food For Life, made 1,059 people very happy On Friday 16 June, the Denis Hurley Centre and Grace Family Church held a Street Store, giving the poor and homeless an opportunity to choose a...

Missionaries urged to be 'bold and creative' by Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service, as quoted in The Southern Cross, 5 June 2017 Catholics, especially members of religious orders, are called to be bold, creative and consoling “missionaries without borders,” Pope...

Thank you for adding to the ripples of generosity The example of ripples caused by dropping a pebble into a pond is well known and often quoted. This story is about an outcome from a Mission Friend’s request that the life of her friend, Carol, be commemorated on the...

Ekukhanyeni Mission becomes the new centre of healing Cardinal Wilfrid Napier has shown a great heart for the plight of drug and alcohol abusers, especially those who are on the streets and have little chance of receiving help. The planned Centre For Healing, which...

The gift of a bequest Whatever the form or the amount of a bequest, it’s someone’s final gift to a cause that they’ve faithfully supported during their lifetime. Sometimes it comes with the request that it be used in a particular way – which we always honour. And...

A life of faith remembered in Christmas joy The family of the late Ronnie Peters of Stanger parish, north of Durban, particularly felt his loss as they were preparing for last Christmas. Ronnie was greatly loved, and never missed Mass, getting to church on foot if he...

Hearing our call Many people spend a lifetime searching for their ‘purpose’ in this world. And in these technologically advanced times of ‘information overload’ that search can be both exhausting and overwhelming. There seem to be too many issues clamouring for...

Denis Hurley Centre Clinic spreads its wings Only 2.5km from City Hall, near the Dalton Hostel on the south side of the city, is a shockingly dirty area where over 400 people are living in and around an old beer hall. For the past two years, the clinic team from the...

Traditional Good Friday Procession through the streets of Durban The traditional Good Friday procession, initiated by Archbishop Hurley in 1985, takes place on Friday 14 April. The theme this year is "Whom Shall I Send?",  words taken from Isaiah 6.8. The event begins...