Rt Rev Raymond Mupandasekwa CSsR, Bishop of Chinhoyi...

(Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe) Today on 7th April 2018, we witnessed the ordination of Right Rev. Raymond Tapiwa Mupandasekwa, C.Ss.R as the third Bishop of Chinhoyi Diocese, Zimbabwe. He is actually

1.    The first Redemptorist Bishop in Chinhonyi.

2.    The first black African Redemptorist in Zimbabwe, Africa and the whole Congregation of the Redemptorists.

The principal consecrator was Archbishop Robert Christopher Ndlovu (who was also the Administrator of the Diocese of Chinhoyi). He was assisted by Bishop Rudolf Nyandoro. Several other bishops were present including our own Redemptorist Bishop from the United Kingdom (Hallam), Bishop Ralph Heskett.

Fr Ronald McAinsh, the provincial superior and his vicar Fr Richard Reid also graced the occasion. Redemptorists from other African countries included Fr Raphael Kitheka the mission superior of Kenya and Fr Sean Wales the provincial superior of South Africa.

Profile: Family

Bishop Mupandasekwa was born on the 28th of April 1970 in Masvingo. His mother Roswita Madzima (deceased) was a housewife and a tailor. She died from breast cancer. His Father Fabian Mupandasekwa (Deceased) was a police officer for many years. He died in 2002 from injuries sustained from a car accident. These two staunch Catholics were married at Mukaro Mission in Bishop Mupandasekwa’s diocese of origin.

Education and Redemptorist formation

Chishawasha Seminary Harare, Zimbabwe – Diploma in Philosophy (1991-1993).

Chishawasha Seminary Harare, Zimbabwe – Honours Degree in Religious Studies (1995-2000).

St Augustine College South Africa – Masters in Canon Law (2001-2003).

Academia Alphonsiana Rome – Masters in Moral Theology (2007-2010).

Redemptorist Finally Professed: 21 February 1998.

Ordained priest – by Archbishop Patrick Chakaipa – 4 August 2001 in the Archdiocese of Harare, Zimbabwe.

Diocese of Origin: Masvingo.

Offices

Redemptorist Regional Superior (2015).

Redemptorist Student Formator (2010-2015).

Vice Rector of Holy Trinity College Harare, Zimbabwe (2014)

Member of the Board of Governors of Holy Trinity College.

Dean of Outer City Deanery, Harare Zimbabwe (2013-2015).

Ministries

Curate of St. Fidelis Parish – Mabvuku, Harare, Zimbabwe (2001-2005).

Parish Priest of St Gerard’s Parish, Borrowdale, Harare, Zimbabwe (2005-2007).

Parish Priest of St Fidelis Parish, Mabvuku, Harare (2010-2015).

Lecturer in Moral Theology, Chishawasha Seminary, Zimbabwe (2010-2014).

Lecturer in Moral Theology, Holy Trinity College, Harare, Zimbabwe (2010-2015).

Lecturer in Canon Law – Holy Trinity College, Harare, Zimbabwe (2012-2015).

Read more: Rt Rev Raymond Mupandasekwa CSsR, Bishop of Chinhoyi

Ancient Homily on Holy Saturday...

A wonderful reading found in the

Office of Readings for Holy Saturday.

Well worth reading - or listening to here on YouTube.

The Sacred Triduum 2018...

Let us enter this time intensely... awaiting the Lord

Preach the Gospel anew - St Clement Hofbauer CSsR...

A good film about St. Clement Hofbauer CSsR

Thanks very much to Fr Gerard Louis CSsR

Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien RIP

REQUIESCAT IN PACE:

Archbishop Emeritus Keith Patrick Cardinal O’Brien (1938-2018) RIP...

At 1am on 19 March 2018,

His Eminence Keith Patrick Cardinal O’Brien,

Archbishop Emeritus of St Andrews & Edinburgh,

died at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne

surrounded by family and friends and

fortified by the rites of Holy Church. RIP.

He was 80 years old.

The Heroic Virtues of the Servant of God Bernard Lubienski CSsR...

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is making public the following decrees which Pope Francis authorized in a meeting with Cardinal Angel Amato, Prefect of the Congregation.

The heroic virtues of the Servant of God Bernard Łubieński, Professed priest of the Congregation of the Holy Redeemer; born in Guzów (Poland) on 9 December 1846 and died in Warsaw (Poland) on 10 September 1933

Fr Lubienski lived for some time in England, making his Profession in Bishop Eton Monastery Liverpool and living in the Redemptorist monastery in Clapham.

The story of his life can be found here...

More will follow...

24 Hours for the Lord - 9th/10th March Worldwide...

"One such moment of grace will be, again this year, the “24 Hours for the Lord” initiative, which invites the entire Church community to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation in the context of Eucharistic adoration. In 2018, inspired by the words of Psalm 130:4, “With you is forgiveness”, this will take place from Friday, 9th March to Saturday, 10th March.

In each diocese, at least one church will remain open for twenty-four consecutive hours, offering an opportunity for both Eucharistic adoration and sacramental confession."

Pope Francis - Lenten Message 2018

In Clapham, St. Mary's Redemptorist Church

will be open for these 24 Hours for the Lord.

The Fathers from our Deanery will be avaiable throughout the day and the night to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The Lord will be present in the Blessed Sacrament for people

to come to adore and pray.

If you are anywhere around this part of London please come along and spend some time of the Lord

Friday 9th March

7am Mass

7.30am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

12.30pm Mass

1.00pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

throughout until 

9.30am Saturday 10th March

See other churches in Southwark A'Diocese

CSsR Festival of Remembrance 1918 - 2018...

A Night to Remember
On Friday 16th February 2018 we held a Redemptorist Festival of Remembrance here in our church of St. Mary’s Clapham Common.

The Redemptorists of the London Province, the parishioners of St. Mary’s, chaplains to the armed forces and members of the Corps of Drums of Her Majesty’s Band of the Royal Marines gathered together to remember all those who fell in the First World War, especially those of our own parish and those Redemptorist priests who served as chaplains to the armed forces during the conflict.

During the service we heard the story of the parish throughout those days of war and we heard the stories of three Redemptorists who were killed in action serving as chaplains:

Fr. Bernard Kavanagh C.Ss.R. C.F. who was killed on Mt. Sinai while ministering to a soldier who lay dying;

Fr. Charles Watson C.Ss.R. C.F. who died in the desert and

Fr. Thomas Bradley C.Ss.R. R.N. who was a descendent of Captain Hardy of HMS Victory and was killed in the Indian Ocean when his vessel was torpedoed.

The Roll of Honour for the parish was read and the Royal Marines played the last post in remembrance of the fallen.

It was an evening of music, poetry, inspirational stories and fellowship.

Click above to get a copy of the Service Leaflet

The event was in aid of the work of chaplains to the armed forces and raised close to £3000 for the Royal Navy RC Trust both through ticket sales and a silent auction we held on the night and we are very grateful to those institutions that provided items for the auction.

Fr Richard Reid CSsR, the Rector and Parish Priest of the Redemptorist Church in Clapham said, “It was a very moving ceremony in which we paid tribute to the fallen people of Clapham and our own Redemptorist Fathers who gave their lives in the service of others.”

We will remember them.

Read more: CSsR Festival of Remembrance 1918 - 2018

CSsR Festival of Remembrance on Friday 16 February 2018...

To mark the Centenary of the cessation of hostilities at the end  of the First World War, St Mary’s R.C Redemptorist Church, Clapham will be holding a  Festival of Remembrance at 7 pm  on Friday 16 February.

The service, modelled on that held by the Royal British Legion, will bring together military chaplains of all denominations, respected veterans, the Redemptorists of the London Province, parishioners and members of the local community to remember, not just the chaplains, but all those of the parish who lost their lives during the First World War.

Br. Christopher Reynolds, a member of the Redemptorist community in Clapham, explains why he was inspired to organise the service,

“a board in the monastery refectory records the names of all the deceased members of the community and my attention was drawn to one name in particular which was followed by the note: “died at sea.” Looking further I noticed two others carried the post nominal C.F., Chaplain to the Forces.” 

Father Kavanagh who was killed in action

Read more: CSsR Festival of Remembrance on Friday 16 February 2018

Parish Days of Recollection

Some of you may have seen the recent BBC4 series Retreat: Meditations from a Monastery , in which cameras were allowed into three different Benedictine monasteries to give us a snapshot of monastic life. One television critic praised the series, saying that “the wordless, daily rhythms of the Benedictine monks provided the most relaxing television that the ‘slow TV’ trend has ever managed.”

For some, however, the monks’ daily routine within the monastery – including both spiritual and mundane tasks - proved too much, as was born out in the Letters Page of a national newspaper in the days following the programmes’ airing: “How can anyone justify being a monk, sitting around reading and praying all day, when there is so much work to be done out in the community?”, wrote one correspondent.

Read more: Parish Days of Recollection