Neocatechumanal Youth in mission in the streets of Oudtshoorn and Dysselsdorp

“Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me” (Mt 28:10) Encouraged by the promise of the Risen Christ in this Easter-tide, a group of more than forty youth from the Neocatechumenal communities of Cape Town and Port Elizabeth embarked on a journey to join their peers in Oudtshoorn diocese for a weekend of evangelisation.

Arriving late on Friday evening 26^th of April, they were welcomed by the Missionary Sisters at Mary, Help of Christians of Kolping House in Dysselsdorp. The following day Bishop Noel came to greet them and pray lauds with them in St Conrad parish hall. After a word of thanksgiving for their support to the local community and of encouragement to love God through the Scripture, he sent them out for the mission with a blessing. Immediately the youth went off into the streets of Dysselsdorp to sing and speak with people in the streets and in their homes, announcing to all the love of God and the resurrection of Jesus Christ through their personal experience.

The mission continued on Sunday in the area around St Nicholas of Flüe parish in Bridgton, after which the group participated at the Eucharistic celebration, where two of them were invited to address the congregation giving personal witness.  Seeing that despite all their fears, Jesus Christ was truly preceding them in every encounter, sometimes with people who were in need and then able to rejoice in receiving the good news, gave them the courage to speak with faith. This experience has helped them to grow in their desire to follow Christ and discover more about their vocation, which is first and foremost the vocation of all the baptized to be Christian and to announce the Good News of Gospel.

Before departing again, during a brief visit to the beautiful St Saviour Cathedral, the first to be built after Vatican Council II according to the liturgical renewal, they had a moment of prayer in front the icon of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa in the crypt, entrusting to the Virgin Mary all the experiences of these days and asking her as a Mother the graces they need to persevere in faith. The promise was fulfilled, as the youth, after this weekend of sowing together with Christ, “came home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves” (Ps 126).