Pastor’s Corner for the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, by Br. Sechaba Liphoko
Seminarian’s Journey of faith
I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on my time here at Holy Trinity. On the 7th of January 2023 I arrived at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Upon my arrival I was welcomed by Reverend Father Bruce Botha SJ who is the parish priest and my supervisor. He assisted me with my luggage which I found to be a pleasant gesture and made me feel at most welcome. He then took me on a tour of the place so that I could get acquainted with what I would call ‘home’ for the next six months.
Holy Trinity’s parishioners are culturally diverse and have been consistently caring and supportive towards my vocation. They encouraged me to continue being of service which uplifted me spiritually in times of desolation. I have enjoyed the various liturgical celebrations which have enabled me to meet and better understand the parishioners. I also enjoyed the different house visits and masses; seeing people in the comfort of their homes brought out the best in them. Engaging with the different sodalities within the parish helped me understand the different dynamics of the parish. Furthermore, assisting the altar servers and the youth has helped me develop the passion of youth ministry. I also had the privilege of being an educator at Holy Family College where I was famously known as ‘Brother Sir’.
Holy Trinity Catholic Church had not hosted a diocesan seminarian for internship before thus a lay support group had to be formulated. These congregants along with my supervisor guided me in ensuring that I didn’t not derail from my internship mission. Seeking solace from people I had not known for a long time seemed scary at first, but I quickly warmed up to them because of their pure hearts and good intentions. When I took my one-week break, I was surprised to receive calls from various parishioners asking about my whereabouts. This made me realize that I was not just a passive attendee of mass but that I belonged to a family.
Even though I was here for six months it felt like it was only three months because the relationship I had with my supervisor was good and conducive towards my journey into the priesthood. We shared more of a brotherly bond instead of a student and formator relationship. Words cannot encompass my gratitude. I have gained a lot of knowledge from him not only about the ministry but also a little about improving my non-existent cooking skills. Fr Bruce Botha is a man who knows his way around the kitchen, and I will miss the meals and conversations we shared over the dinner table. Furthermore, the pastoral work which we shared such as visiting the sick in hospital as well as the old age home, the house masses and how to joyfully shepherd the people of God etc. As alluded before, words cannot begin to encompass the good moments I have experienced during this internship with my supervisor.
As I return to the seminary to complete my Theology studies, I assure you of my prayers, and I give great thanks to God for having sent me to His flock. For love is one of the greatest gifts God has given us. It gives us hope and something to believe in as we move forward in our lives. Not only does expressing love take commitment and support, but also faith, and it is for this reason I say ‘Thank you’ for having journeyed with me for the past six months.
Br Sechaba Liphoko