Well, here it is, March, 4th Sunday of Lent. Easter comes early this year.
     It has been an awful week for me. Nothing seemed to work. It was as though Murphy moved in with his whole family and tried his best to disrupt my life (and that of many others too) with a vengeance.
     The electricity was on and off, mostly off for most of the week. We weren't sure if it was ESKOM, the national provider or if it was KSD (King Sabata Dalindyebo) municipality supplier. All the milk in the fridge went sour and we hope that what little meat there was is still edible. Thank goodness I love Amasi (sour milk, like Yogurt) but not everyone does. It won't go to waste.
     One morning I discovered that the electricity had been off for the whole night in our kitchen, pantry and dining room. The rest of the house seemed to be OK. Of the three phases that come into the house, the power should be between 200 and 240 (in the States it is 110), but one phase was about 67, the other was 132, and the third was 230. The fridges were not going so I had to run around to find extension cords and plug them in to one of the plugs that had the 230 to keep the fridges running. But, after a while, even that didn't work any more as all the electricity went completely out. Holy Moses.
     Finally, when I had given up and was on the way to KSD to shake them up, the electricity came back on again.
    Otherwise, I was unable to get on the internet; my cell phone refused to work; and the landline has been out of commission since the copper cable was stolen about 3 weeks ago. All avenues of communication were totally cut off for about three days.
     When I went to visit our Bedford Project (flats or apartments we built for renting to get some income, in the future, for our young confreres when we old-timers are gone together with our pensions,) I discovered that several jobs that should have been done by the builder were not done yet, a water pipe had been broken and patched with an old inner tube, and one of the septic tanks was overflowing with the effluent that was coming from both the hospital and our tenants (I didn't use the work " effluent" when I saw it!!!)
    I had to go to (I couldn't phone, remember....) someone who knew what the situation was and could advise how to solve it--a good Muslim) and get his help for the other things too.
     People were upset because I wasn't answering their mail or phone calls and I couldn't help it.
     But, as is always the case, some good things happened too. The electricity came back on, the internet connection worked again, and for some mysterious reason, even the cell phone became operable once more.
I managed to get in a few classes with the seniors in one of the high schools and we talked about the challenges they faced when they graduated and what their responsibility was, as Christians, (not necessarily fanatical) to respond with the bag of Christian values that are our inheritance. The humanists too could relate to what I was saying as I brought the bible along with the newpaper to see what the relation was from the one to the other.  I enjoy being with them and I am thrilled with the throbbing energy that is there that needs tapping into and guidance. Wow! They are great.
     I also enjoy going to the outstations and keeping in touch with the rural communities out there. I don't know how they survive as the prices of everything just keep going up. We  (Mariannhillers) have a project going in connection with the J&P of the bishops' conference to gather information at the local supermarkets each month to record just how high the costs have gone (like Petrol, which went up 41 cents a litre last month and just went up another 81 cents a litre, which now is just 3 cents shy of R13 a litre. When petrol goes up, so does transport --people have to get to work, and the price of goods goes up because of the increase in transport costs.) The project is called " Basic Needs Basket". I think that with the statistics of what was collected before, this year's budget actully reflected the pressure brought to bear by the government announcing an increase in some of the social grants, like pensions, to help people to survive.
     I think I will stop here. I run like crazy in the morning to various offices that are connected with our project, including the police who are helpiing to nail down a policeman who is in arrears for his rent by more that R30,000. I start about 7am, shopping, and continue till about 12 or 12:30 each day, just in time for lunch (more or less) and then continue after a break from about 2 to 5 when I have a wash and try to do some reading. I am getting in some of my weed-whacking again. I need some exercise or my body will complain. But I have been sleeping like a log, nicelly tired. a good feeling.
     I hope that you are all well and realize that I love you all and, especially after the delicious time I had in Europe and the States on my home leave and sabbatical, you are all still very fresh in my mind and in my heart. You will stay that way, you can be sure. Love and peace, as always. Cas.
 

Hey, everyone. I have been back in SA since Jan. 8th. I paid a visit to Zambia and my old haunts and now-grown-up kids (our youth group), especially, and it was a delight.
     I also spent a weekend with a family whose male head (there is also a female head) I worked with at J&P in Pretoria some years back. I was shocked when he said that he would send his daughter, Paleng, to fetch me from the airport. I think that the last time I saw Paleng, she must have been about 7 yrs. old and now she is not only driving her own car but has also earned herself a Master's degree. Does that make you feel old or what? But, that too was a delight, to see the kids growing up and being involved in making this a better society for all through the application of their gifts and talents. Hooray!
     I remember with deep satisfaction the time I spent at home with my family, reconnecting after many years of absence, as well as a kind of smug satisfaction to be able to say I went to school again and " I passed!" Never too late.
     I am back at my old job of being the project manager for our now-29 flats. Whenever there is a problem, water, electricity, bad smell, rubbish, broken pipes, leaking faucets, etc. etc. etc. , that's me!
    I also look after our Abbot Francis Home, where a few of us live here permanently, and others come and go looking for hospitality (a bed, a meal, a chance to chill out, etc. ).
     Now they want to make me the postulant master, e.g. to lay the foundations, at least thinking wise, for those who think they may have a vocation to the religious life. Talk about a full schedule. Although this will be a team effort, it will revolve around my being present and organizing. It should be interesting if it doesn't kill me.
     I will also start teaching at Khanyisa High School. Two classes of seniors, mostly non-catholic, but we all have a stake in the society we live in and help to shape and not only be shapen by. We shall see how that goes. I am really looking forward to that.
     I gained about 10 pounds (4 kgs.) while I was home and an trying, not too successfully, to shed some of it. I am not used to looking like this. Ahem!
    Well, enough for now. I will be preparing my Xhosa sermon now. Till be meet here again. Love and peace, Cas.

I am finally back in South Africa, Mthatha, after leaving Atlanta on the 29th of Dec., arriving in Johannesburg on the 30th, leaving a lot of luggage with friends there and continuing on to Zambia where I spent New years and the rest of the week there visiting CMM in Makeni and Woodlands as well as friends especially in Kabwe, my old parish, and then, spending a weekend in Johannesburg on the way back with friends and a colleague at J&P, and, on the 8th of Jan. back to Mthatha.
     I jumped straight into the old job but have been frustrated in not being able to access news, for some reason. It is only today that I manged to find a way to get to my blog and put you all in the picture.
     The home leave and sabbatical was great and prepared me, I hope, for the challenges that are to come now. I discovered to my happy amazement that my Xhosa was still intact and I can converse without any problems. Nice to know.
     I met the bishop yesterday and greeted him as he went into his office. He knows CTU and the good reputation it has.
     I will be going to an outstation this Sunday to give Fr. Ngadi a hand as he has too many to be able to do by himself. The Bedford project with the flats for rent and the problems that come with maintaining a lot of flats has been re-inherited by me so I won't have time for playing around much, which is OK by me.
     But, I expected sunshine and summer weather but it has been coooold and rainy ever since I landed in Africa. Climate Change! I don't like it.
     I have to go for Mass now but will (now that I know how to do it) be in contact with you more at length later. I wish you all, once again, a very happy new year. Fr. Cas

Well, here it is Christmas morning. I am in Aiken, North Carolina where some of the family (my brother John and his wife Donna, and their three daughters, Ann ( a doctor, GP, and her husband Dave), Barbara (an electrical engineer and her friend, Hans, a doctor, alsoGP, from Germany), Karla (who teaches Biology as the university of Santa Barbara in California), Katrina, the daughter of Ann, and me (the happy wanderer).
     Ann is busy cooking some bacon and Barbara is helping her. Donna is taking a break from wrapping Christmas presents. Katrina is playing with her computer. John is up and about and the others are all in various stages of activity. It is about 8:30am and I am surprised that everyone is already up. I am the early bird and by 5:30am I  have showered, dressed, made the bed and am checking the emails and news from around the world (after saying my morning prayers, of course).
     I have been out for a long walk to wear off some of the fat that I have been accumulating over the past 6 months. I have also checked a site called "Deacon Greg" who has some excellent thoughts for sermons and will use some of his thoughts this morning.
     We will have a family home Mass to celebrate Christmas properly after breakfast and before the Christmas feast (at the table that is!)
      It is soooo nice to be with the family as it is rare that in these past 46 yrs. since I left that I have had a chance to celebrate Christmas with my family (maybe 3 times in all those years). But I am also preparing for the departure in a few days to go back to what has been " home " for me for these past 46 yrs. I am caught in between.
      I think of the Vinny that I talked about earlier and of all the hurts and burdens that my family and friends carry into the new year. Some have very heavy burdens and they really weigh down heavily. Everyone has something to deal with. And, maybe the good news is that famous word " Emmanuel"  God is with us. We are not alone. We don't walk alone or carry our burdens alone. Incarnation. Becoming one with us, as brothers and sisters of one Father / Mother (God).  Perhaps, last year, we wondered how we would ever be able to carry our burden but, here we are, the old year is almost gone and the new year is just around the corner, and we did it. Yes, God is still with us. I hope that we can all listen to that reminder this Christmas. By sending us God's Son, God was saying, loud and clear, I love you and walk with you so don't be afraid of whatever! I am here.
     So, there you have it. Soon I will be back in South Africa and jumping back into the fray there. Our friendship and love continues into the new year, perhaps even deepened by the experiences of this almost past year 2012. May God continue to love and bless you now and throughout all of 2013.
    

There is lots I would like to share with you today, but I want to concentrate on one thing in particular. I was introduced to a new friend by an old friend today. I was visiting my old friend, Teddy, in Winston-Salem North Carolina. She helps out at a hospital and had told me about one of her young friends who is 9 yrs. old and who has been fighting serious cancer for some time now. It is just a matter of time but Vinny is made of tough stuff and is fighting, although his maybe 30 pounds isn't much to fight with. I really wanted to talk to him today but he just came back from two very exhausting procedures when we were there and he really wasn't in shape to talk or listen, so I am using this Blog to give him my message, e.g. what I wanted to tell him.

     Dear Vinny,
         Your good friend, Teddy, told me about you some time ago and I have been keeping you in my prayers and have asked a lot of my friends to join in supporting you in your battle against that mean cancer with all of our prayers.
     You know, Vinny, you may find it hard to believe but you are very very special in God's eyes. You are one of his really special children. Our loving God sent you here among us for a very special reason, for a job that no one else could do. Since you have come here to be with us, you have touched so many people's lives and have showed them what real courage is, and have taught them to stop thinking so much of themselves and to think of others. Your mom, because of you, and because of her love for you, and because of what you have taught her, has done marvelous things in reaching out to other people which, I am sure, she would never have thought of doing if God had not given you to her as one of his very special children.
    I know that it is very hard and painful sometimes, like Jesus, God's son whom he sent to us for a very special job too. But, Holy Moses, all the good things that have come because of you, and all the people that you have touched, in such a short time, is really amazing.
     I am so happy that I at least had a chance to shake your hand as a new friend. I thank God for giving us the gift of your presence among us ever though you are very young.  When God calls you to go back home with God, we will really miss you, but we will never forget you and we will never forget how special you were for us and how much we learned from you being with us. We thank God for borrowing you to us and promise that even when you go back to be with your God, we will continue to  live all that you have taught us, especially, how to love and appreciate the gift of life that is so fragile and that can go away, also, very quickly before you even know it.
    So, thank you, Vinny, even for those few minutes that we had a chance to spend together and thanks too to your mom who loves you so much and let me share those few minutes with you.
     When we celebrate Christmas this year, we will not only remember the great gift that God gave us when he sent us his Son Jesus, the greatest gift of all, but we will also remember that along with the gift of Jesus, he also sent us you as his very special gift to be with us and share a few years with us.
Many blessings on you this Christmas and on your family and friends. Your new friend, Father Cas, from Africa.

     And for the rest of you, I was really touched by this lovely story that was told at the funeral of Sr. Bridget in Reading Pennsylvania. There was this beautiful sailing ship, with tall masts and huge sails. Some of our friends were on the ship to take a trip and we were on the dock waving goodbye. The ship pushed off and went out into the sea and we watched and watched and watched and the ship got smaller and smaller and smaller until is was just a dot on the horizon and finally, even the dot disappeared. Then we all said, " Well, they're gone now!"
      But, on the other side of the horizon, there were people who were watching the horizon and they saw this little speck way out there on the horizon. Little by little the speck grew and grew and grew until it was a beautiful sailing ship. And the people on the shore were jumping up and down with joy saying " Here they come. WELCOME HOME!"
       The one who told the story reminded us that horizons have limits. So you have to see horizons from both sides. But life is forever.
      Have a very blessed Christmas, more than just a happy holiday, as the saying goes. May you be richly blessed by the re-entrance on the one who is gift, life, love, into your hearts again this Christmas to get you ready for the challenges that are going to confront each of you this year, and me too. Love and Peace, your brother Cas.

Well, folks, I finally got my Christmas letter off. I left Chicago last Monday and have been busy ever since I got back to Detroit. A doctor's appointment (dermatologist--dry skin getting rough like sandpaper), getting ready to send books and lots of other things by post--very expensive.
     I still have the mixed feelings, of delight at having had the chance to spend considerable time with so many friends and family, and the thought of having to leave them, once again, with a gap, probably, of another 4 yrs. I will be 81, if I should live so long, before I come back again and then we shall see what I look and act like by that time.
    I have a long list of those I would like to touch just once more before I head for "home". Yes, home. They too are asking " when are you coming back???" I also miss them, my surrogate family, home away from home.
     Regarding the Christmas letter there were many that were returned because the email address was no longer valid or for some other reason. If you know of anyone who expected the " annual" and didn't get it, please share it with them.
    And, once again., when Jesus comes back to our world in 2012, he will find a world still full of  challenges, expecting us to use the gifts he gives us to try to meet at least some of those challenges. The world is certainly not the same this year, 2012, as is was last year, 2011, and neither are we. It is a new Christ coming to a different us. But bringing the same hope to our world as he brought to the world of his time, but not in the way his people expected (a saviour), and maybe we too, not the way we might expect. We have to do some discerning.
     But that is enough for now. I am tired and want to get to bed. Have a great day, evening, whatever Cas.

Just a quick word. My uncle John passed away yesterday, Tuesday, Dec. 4th, 2012. He had been fading and hadn't been eating for over a week, or so I heard. The quality of life was gone and he was just physically (what little there was left of his shrinking body) there. No communication.
     He was one of our icons. He was a good man, hard working, honest as the day is long, generous to everyone who was in need, always ready to help. 92 yrs. old. That whole generation set a standard for us of the next couple of generations that we will have to struggle to live up to. There are only two more from his family who are left on this earth: Rose, who is going on 95 in a short time and is bright and alive but is now the proud owner of her very own pacemaker; and Casey, who is 86, dealing with macular degeneration, but still drives, at least for now. His wife, Rose, has other problems that keep him and her both busy and mostly at home as health problems keep them from doing a lot of traveling. She is also a lovely lady and it was my pleasure and privilege to stay with them for almost a week when I tried to visit all the cousins in the Milwaukee area. I got my name from Casey. He was my favorite, probably because he was closest to me in age (there were 14 kids in his family--not a loser in the bunch) and is 9 yrs. older than I am. He had the task of being the court appointed executor of Uncle John's affairs and had to do a lot of work in that connection. Now Rose's sister also passed away as well as the father-in-law of his daughter Suzie, so they are really stressed now with three funerals to be part of. John will be buried tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 6th at 2pm. I am happy that I am here to lead the service. I haven't had a chance to do that for almost half a century now.
    I will leave this page for now. We are having a closing Mass and cocktail party and then going out for a final dinner (the last supper for our sabbatical group. We have been together since August 22nd and tomorrow everyone scatters to his or her destination.). It is a say moment at the end of an incredibly beautiful and fruitful time. But, let me leave it at that for now. I am running out of time. Cas.