Pastor’s Corner for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year C, by Fr. Russell Pollitt SJ
I have been at Holy Trinity for four full months as the pastor. It has been a very full and bust four months. I have tried, during his time, while doing the work that needs to be done, to observe the community and get to know as much as I can whilst managing the volume of work despite the constraints I have.
Holy Trinity is a very diverse community. We have people from all over Africa and the world in our community. However, we are not only nationally diverse; we also have many young people, young families, and older people. We have many gifted people in our community. Our Sunday liturgies, especially the 09h30 Mass, are unique. You will not find the liturgical musical quality in the style that Trinity has in another parish in Johannesburg on a Sunday. We work to ensure that our Sunday celebrations are done well and that our worship of God is fitting.
The service of the poor, the inner-city community, through the daily soup kitchens, clothing, toiletries, Trinity Health Services and mental health assistance is also unique to Trinity. Many things happen, from day to day, that are all geared at making Christian service a lived reality.
The diversity of groups is another sign of our richness as a community – various sodalities, a young adult community, an environmental group, and a ministry to LGBTIQ+ people.
There is a lot to be grateful for!
I also observe some challenges we must face. Our two parish Masses are not full. We need to work to invite and welcome those who have not returned since COVID-19. How do we ensure that our Church is full again on Sundays?
Like in any community, there are some divisions we need to address – we can do much more working together to build the Kingdom of God than working against each other!
I have also noticed a struggle with commitment. Often, people who have taken on responsibility for various parts of our parish community do not do what they promised or show up when needed. This often means that things do not move forward, key meetings do not have a quorum, and we cannot reach our goals.
Another big challenge is the financial situation of the community. Many people give generously, but we are still in a precarious position. Many of you know that we need a considerable amount of maintenance to maintain the stained-glass windows, but, over and above that, a lot of ordinary maintenance needs to be done. There are often requests from groups in the parish for financial help, and we do not have a cushion to support such requests. We all must take ownership of the community and contribute as much as possible.
Thank you for your warm welcome and acceptance. A change of pastor is never easy for a community. I hope that in 2025, we can build upon our strengths and work on our challenges – TOGETHER!
May God bless you and your loved ones during the holidays. May the rest of Advent and the Christmas season be one of many blessings.
Fr. Russell Pollitt SJ