Dec. 23, 2019

Again, almost three weeks. Funerals cropped up 3 times so that we had to cancel something we had planned and the time before Christmas was just too short to be able to reorganize, so we just had to scrap the plans.

   Just quickly some of the things that happened in the meantime. A Christmas party for the deaf. They come here to one of the monastery buildings on several Sundays a month and one of our Mariannhill priests (who took over from an older priest who now passed away), who is learning sign language, invited us old timers to their party. It was vey quiet as you can imagine, but at the same time, very lively.

    I managed to get my Christmas letter out to most people (I always mange to miss a few, my apologies if one of them is you) and I also got my Christmas haircut. Ha.

  We (MIKE Pillay and I ) took communion to the sick who are housebound, before Christmas. They were happy that someone actually took notice.

I  had a visit from two comrades who now live in Pretoria, who survived the apartheid days, being underground activists and almost getting caught. One of those I took to the border to escape back in those days, I gave my roman collar to and told him that it just may help him if he was wearing it. I met him a couple of years later in Somafco, an ANC camp in Tanzania, where the ANC was trying to look after those kids who had to run away or be thrown in jail and be tortured or even killed. I spotted the one with the collar way in the back and we reconnected. I asked whatever happened that night. He laughed and said that he put the collar on and when they were trying to cross the border in a taxi, they were being searched by a big Afrikaans cop. Edwin knows Afrikaans so he began preaching at the cop, have you met jesus …have you turned your life over to him, etc. etc. etc. The cop got annoyed and stopped searching and just said, hayi, voetsack, hamba.  Just get out of here. Ha. So a collar can help in a pinch. We reminisced the whole evening at the Tre Fontane guest house, run , by our CPS SISTERS.

    I did a bit of Christmas shopping for our staff here and for the family that looks after the outstation I try to serve (now with the help of a priest friend who is presently not assigned to a place so helps us…we are a duet.

    I had a cup of coffee, informally, with my dentist (sr. Michael), who never asked about my teeth. She already knows the story. Ha.

I was hearing pre-Christmas confessions for old people (mostly) at 10 am  Last Saturday, 21^st. Later that  morning and afternoon, A group of men from neighboring parishes had a braai vleis (cook out, barbecue) for us old timers, a chance to have a beer or a glass of wine, pre-christmas and to meet the generous laity.

    I say Mass on Monday evenings at the Srs. of Mother Theresa and that is always a joy. About 20-25 people in their care, some physically challenged others mentally challenged. I think that we love each other because we are on the same page. Hmmm.

   Tomorrow, Christmas eve, we have an evening Mass at 6pm. The midnight Mass is a think of the past here. To many drunks and thieves moving aaround  at night.

Well, that’s it for now. I am busy preparing for tomorrow night , expectant like a couple waiting for the water to break and the pains get closer together, indicating that the child is ready to be born any minute. Christmas almost here with its precious gift.

   I wish you all, again, a loving, peaceful, joyful Christmas and a not too exciting new year. Love and peace .     Cas