MARFAM WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER 30 OCTOBER 2024

Can I say we were old friends, Radio Veritas, MARFAM and Chris and Toni Rowland.  In a way we were, having known Fr Emil Blaser and Marc and Olinda Orlando  through Marriage Encounter from the late 1970s.   Even when Fr Emil was Associate Secretary General of the SACBC in the 1990s he was passionate about Catholic media. To my knowledge he trained seminarians  for media and broadcasting in particular.  Over the years there was even a time when there was hope for a Catholic TV station.   But finances appears to have been a difficult aspect of media ministry in its various forms, even under Fr Bonaventure Hinwood, also a passionate media man.  There were print media, The Southern Cross, Trefoil, World Wide, and MARFAM publications  too, but finances were never very secure for some of us, who did not have specific support.  The SACBC was not in a position to fund a radio station on an ongoing basis.

Fr Emil with the support of the Dominican community was able to start Radio Veritas in the Dominican house in Troyeville in 1999 and even then I had a toe in the door.  In 2000 Vertias  was on medium wave,  in 2001 for short periods on 92.7fm. Short wave, DSTV, and live streaming have all been used, and some continue to provide an important and valuable service to many Catholics not only in Gauteng but far beyond.   What has been my and MARFAM’s connection? Possibly through knowing Fr Emil and Olinda there has been a slot, first for a woman’s programme which was presented by Veronica Charleston and Mapitso and myself, Toni Rowland.  But beyond that for more than 20 years FAMILY MATTERS has been a weekly programme that I have presented with a wide variety of interviewees on a whole range of family related topics. 

I like to think that my Veritas connection as a volunteer presenter is not just about Toni Rowland, but about MARFAM and its ministry to all kinds of family situations.  I do quite often on parish visits realise hat I am recognized as the Wednesday morning FAMILY MATTERS presenter on Veritas.   Apart from that the regular MARFAM FAMILY YEAR PLANNER  which Veritas has supported, also by advertising,  has provided thematic possibilities that are promoted not only for listeners themselves but for those engaged in parish family ministry  projects too.   Many people have and do use our year planner with its monthly themes, such as marriage, parenting, grandparenting,  sexuality, heritage, death and bereavement. These MARFAM themes are generally related to the Church’s liturgical year and the national and even commercially popular celebrations like Mothers’ Day and Father’s Day or as was recently done, a focus on Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The Family Year Planner theme for the last few years has been OUR WORLD, A FAMILY OF FAMILIES, and so has included an ecological awareness and promotion of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si.  Radio, and of course Radio  Veritas in particular has been an ideal vehicle for creating this awareness.   From a family perspective it still is around Becoming Eco-Friendly Families.  Together with the Laudato Si’ programme on Tuesday we are doing our best to highlight one of the most important social issues of our time, which Radio Veritas has taken up especially during special times like the SEASON OF CREATION  with a webinar too.  

The Covid years were a bad time for everyone, but Radio Veritas continued to provide broadcast Masses in different languages.   One of the sad realities of Covid was the high incidence of deaths in families, often in traumatic circumstances. A small MARFAM booklet was produced as a prayer resource. STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR THE BEREAVED is one of a range of MARFAM’s resources and it was recorded and is still broadcast regularly on air.   Mentioning it here can remind listeners to tune in for prayer for our deceased during the month of November.       

I have been excited by the fact that a few years ago Pope Francis instituted a Day for Grandparents around the feast of Sts Joachim and St Ann in July,  but we in MARFAM and Radio Veritas have been celebrating Grandparents month and day for years already.   I wonder if he heard about us!  Maybe, or maybe not,  as although after Chris’ death and my working at the SACBC for more than 10 years MARFAM has not received as much recognition for its vision of a family focus as we would have liked by the Church.   

In the very early years of broadcasting our promo for the show consisted of my young grandson, Kuan asked in his childish way, “Why is your programme called Family Matters, granny? “ “My reply,  “Because families are important. Where would you be without your granny, or your parents.”  “Ok, thanks granny,” was his answer.   Well, where would be without our families,  and where would my mission of promoting healthy families be without literally having been able to present FAMILY MATTERS weekly on Radio Veritas for more than 20 years as I have been blessed and able to do.  I hope and pray that together we have made a contribution to the Catholic church in SA and its families.    Toni Rowland  

October 30. The Narrow Door.  The matrics continued their discussion after the debate about governance and land.  “I don’t think that Luke is very “merciful” in this gospel about the narrow door. If you don’t buy into the values of this Kingdom of God, you’re out in the cold.” “Plus the only way in is through a narrow door. Is that because only a few would wish to enter or to make it difficult for people?”  Their teacher shared a personal insight. “The small door into the church in Bethlehem’s Manger Square is like that narrow door and I was told it was like that because the big main entrance was bricked up to prevent soldiers on horseback from riding in. Makes one think.”   Mr Bozzoli summed up, “Jesus taught that the Wedding feast of Life or of the Kingdom, presided over by the Master of the House, is open to all peoples of all nations. We must work diligently however, to be able to enter by the narrow door. 

Reflect, share, act. Scripture: Strive to enter by the narrow door, for many I tell you, you will seek to enter and will not be able. Luke 13:22-30. Pope Francis: Whether believers or not, we agree that the earth is essentially a shared inheritance, whose fruits are meant to benefit everyone.   For believers this becomes a question of fidelity to the Creator, since God created the world for everyone.  Every ecological approach needs to incorporate rights for the poor and the underprivileged.   LS93.  Action and Prayer. Am I working diligently enough for the Kingdom of God?  What step can I take today? Pray: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in us the fire of your love, so that walking together we may renew the face of the earth.