Dear Brothers,

The celebration of the 75° anniversary of the beginning of our mission in the Gariep region, developed in the actual local Churches of Aliwal North and of De Aar, is a remembrance of the beginning of the SCJ presence in South Africa. It constitutes a motive of joy, of praise and of thanks to the Lord for the whole Congregation.

This mission, wanted by our Founder, Fr. Dehon, is one of his last big works. He responded fully to his spirit and to his criteria of choice: to be present where there is need of announcing the Gospel, and above all in arid and difficult places, where people do not find it easy to go.

Fr. Dehon did find generous and enthusiastic confreres, disposed to engage these ideals. That we must say of Bishop Demont and the first pioneers. That we can also say of those who followed them, fathers and brothers: German, Americans, Belgians, Dutch, British, Irish, Polish and South Africans. That must also be said of the diocesans that preceded us (two Irish priests) and those who were added, above all from Germany, among which we can count Bishop Lobinger. Their co-operation helped to cover some areas and pastoral offices to which we could not answer alone.

The co-operation of the Holy Cross Sisters, the Dominican Sisters as well as of the Sacred Heart Sisters has been and still is very precious. The Sisters of the H. Cross anticipated us by a few years because they had been there since 1907. From them we received and learned quite a lot. The Sisters of the Sacred Heart could be considered as a first fruit and an extension of our charism, because Bishop Demont founded them under the teaching of the same spiritual inspiration.

In an anonymous form, neither less important, nor less effective, many lay Christians and missionaries (among whom we can count, Dr. Heukamp, Ditton, Tinnes), from abroad as well as South Africa, who have supported and rendered this work possible with their spiritual, economic and apostolic contribution.

The commemoration of this undertaking makes us celebrate the mission of the Congregation: To make present in the world the mystery of the love of God until his Kingdom comes "in the souls and in the societies," so that Christ will become the heart of the world.

Being missionaries, for us is a grace of God and it is a sign of trust from the Church, in particular from the Holy Father and the Congregation, for the evangelisation of people (Propaganda Fide) that they officially gave us that territory on the 12th June 1993.

Today we want to celebrate that fidelity of God, who wants the salvation of all people in Christ; (cf. 1 Tim 2:4ff.) whom he entrusted on us, calling us to that ministry (cf. 1Tm 1:12) and that he has made fertile the work of the missionaries (cf. 1 OCR. 3:5-6), despite our limits, unfaithfulness and sins.

The fidelity of God has sustained us in the midst of difficulties, has opened for us the way of announcing the Gospel in words and deeds. He has given us the proof of the strength of his Spirit, realising the Kingdom in the hearts of the poor. It is enough to think that when the Congregation arrived at the Gariep there was a small group of Catholics: not more than 400. Today an adult Church exists well organised and continues to take care of itself.

We could say that, more than in other missions, that the fidelity of God has preceded us, has accompanied us, sustains us still today and guarantees us the future.

Therefore, the celebration of this 75th anniversary signifies and calls all of us to renew the grace received as individuals and mainly as an SCJ institute; that is as a South African Province.

Pope John Paul II, in the audience granted on the occasion of the last General Chapter, invited us to "always keep the missionary tension alive." Be it in the territories where we are traditionally occupied or animated "by the missionary spirit of every aspect and every activity of our Congregation" ([CF]. Doc. XVII, [page]. 413).

Applying this invitation to your South African reality, we have to say that the Church, in Aliwal North and De Aar, has already been founded, but there is still a lot to build. That responsibility involves the concern of our "spiritual paternity," even when we no more have the same direction of these Churches.

We can say the same of our Dehonian presence in South Africa. There we are constituted in a Province; now we have to consolidate that presence, be it as specific Dehonian religious or numeric growth and ministerial duties.

This celebration or a healthy memory of our past requires a renewed commitment for the future. This has been the sense and the spirit that the canonical erection of the AM Province determined. In that spirit I want to encourage you to make yours the call of the Holy Father, in the exhortation Vita Consacrata, "You don't only have a glorious history to remember and to tell, but a big history to build! Look to the future, in which the Spirit projects you to do yet bigger things with you."

Our motive is certainly not the mania of greatness, or the search of human applause. It is only a "pure love for the Heart of Christ," as we have learned from Fr. Dehon, in the commitment so that his Kingdom be accepted and constitute a living and operative reality in South Africa.

Our presence in South Africa has had very happy moments of remarkable creativity, above all in the first 20 years, under the far-sighted leadership of Bishop Demont. At that followed the time of expansion, consolidation and organisation full of meaning.

In the new socio-political context of abolition of the racial laws, of national reconciliation and of reconstruction of the country, inside the realities of a mature Church that tends to have more of a local face, inside a globalised system and the emerging protagonism of African people, our ministry and our charismatic religious presence must also examine itself. That is:

1. We are called to rethink our form of being missionaries in South Africa today, above all in the Churches of Aliwal North and of De Aar. And therefore, in communion, participation and co-operation with these local Churches and their Bishops, we need to identify the challenges and the pastoral priorities on which to convey our efforts and possibility.

2. To better define our charismatic presence. It is a kind of work you have been doing and which you need to know how to continue and intensify. That is:

• To be present and work like SCJ religious, giving above all that which is specific to us.
• Qualify ourselves for such services, keeping in mind the major needs of these local churches.
• Give to our style of life and to our pastoral work the complexion of our spirituality, knowing that this is a wealth that belongs to the Church as a whole and which we need to put in common, inasmuch as it is not private property.

In the past you had much care of presenting to the people of God the mystery of the Heart of Christ, an eloquent sign of the centrality of the love of God and a base for a new and reconciled society.

3. Effect a clear wish of growth in quality of life and in number, so as to better respond to our mission in the Church and in the world. That means:

• A brave pastoral vocational apporach in favour of all the vocations, charisms and ministries which the local Church needs.
• We are aware that the future of the Church in South Africa will always depend more on the Africans themselves. Therefore invest in the strengths and local possibility convinced that in them also resides the future of the Congregation. We must all work in the promotion of vocationas, and we must learn to co-operate with the diocesan priests, with the sisters and with the laity.
• The history of our presence in South Africa shows that we never lacked vocations when we worked with enthusiasm and courage. It is enough to think of the fruits produced from the Seminary initiated by Bishop Demont in 1930 and lasted until 1945; as well as the results obtained in successive times, up to the constitution of our actual community of Cedara.
• Also invest in the doctrinal, spiritual, moral formation and in the ecclesial commitment of our laity. Having to live in a pluralistic and relativist environment from the point of religious and moral life, and often not finding family support, it is most important to deeply care for their Christian formation. That is one of the apostolic orientations typically Dehonian (cf. Cost. 30-31).

4. Reaffirm the preferential option for the poor and needy. In the case of our South African mission we can say that the Catholic Church has taken a stand above all amongst the black and the people of colour, that is, among the poorest. Our proximity and commitment with the poor must be clear and brave. Starting from them we are however called to announce the Gospel to all.

The commitment in the social and in the different sectors of Justice and Peace is part of our charism of love, of reparation and of the service of reconciliation, that constitutes most precious Dehonian inheritance. We further know that, for the sole fact of effectively choosing the cause of the poor, we are already evangelising and putting at the centre of our message the Merciful Father revealed by Jesus

This occasion of the 75th anniversary of the mission and of the SCJ presence in South Africa allows me officially to give thanks and a special greeting to the two local Churches that we particularly serve: Aliwal North and De Aar. I want to do it in the persons of their actual Bishops: Bishop Fritz Lobinger and Bishop Joseph Potocnak. To them I assure our respect, support and prayer. Thanks to the Bishops emeritus, Bishops Johannes B. Lück, Evert Baaij and Joseph De Palma. Thanks to all the clergy, to the religious and to the laity, above all those to which we are nearer.

A word of thanks to the Mother Provinces: Germany, United States and Poland, which still today continue to support materially and with personnel our presence and our ministry in South Africa. This event also means for them a particular moment of blessing and grace.

Thanks to the benefactors, who have been for us an evident sign of God's providence.

Finally a word of thanks to all you SCJ confreres, missionaries and local, that the Heart of Christ, by the intercession of Mary and Father Dehon will grant you form only one heart and one soul for a more effective missionary action. I specially add above all our encouragement to the young confreres in formation.

Interceding for you also are all the pastoral agents, bishops, clergy, religious, lay and confreres, that preceded you and have spent their lives in South Africa for the cause of the Gospel. That their example and their prayer will encourage you and obtain light for a renewed missionary action for you.

This is also the desire and the prayer of the whole Congregation, and particularly of the General Government. In their name I send you my fraternal greetings and blessings.