MARFAM WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER 20 MAY 2026

The MARFAM Family weekly e-newsletter is a little different today.   It includes some bacground and the THOUGHT FOR THE DAY,  which is part of the programme put together for Laudato Si WEEK, CHRISTIAN UNITY WEEK and the Year of St Francis. These THOUGHTS are posted every day in various ways, media and networks.   A week on the hop is what I want to share, noting what actions have come up this week, but also asking myself if one needs to be especially conscious of the commemorations. For example singing Baby Yethu (Our father in Swahili) in a concert. Does my slogan for the week, EVERY DAY IN EVERY WAY, becoming eco-friendly in a community way also apply?  For example again:  Some actions during this LS week.  On Saturday eve I attended the special Mass in Bryanston parish and interacted with some parishioners and learners in what was the start of Catholic schools week, It is focusing on the Year of St Francis and is for all the Catholic schools in the archdiocese of Johannesburg and Pretoria.  I did share some family time and held a serious online discussion on the topic of growing indigenous plants for food security in a country where too many people go to bed hungry. This is one of my LS interests. 

I joined our seniors group for a special breakfast and shared the two special prayers, the Christian prayer for the earth, and for Christian unity with them. I have distributed many copies of these prayers also to other seniors and on social media, but only in English. A talk by the Guide Dogs for the Blind  Association of SA explaining their amazing ministry was a great example of loving and committed community service. Surely Hope in Action which is the LS week theme.

Our SA Laudato Si chapter uses Radio Veritas, the SA Catholic Radio station when we can.  Bernie Crewe-Brown hosts a LS show on Tuesday and I incorporate it into the FAMILY MATTERS show on Wednesdays,  the family focus being a part of my LAUDATO SI ACTION PLATFORM family sector partnership as MARFAM.  This week a highlight for us in the chapter will be our planned live broadcast on facebook of my FAMILY MATTERS show, where our SA LS chapter leader Sifiso Ndwandwe will be a guest speaker, while I unpack an aspect of my “Healthy eating for a Healthy planet” project, “Toni’s Spekboom campaign.”

This spekboom campaign is not new. How it all started:  HEALTHY PEOPLE, HEALTHY PLANET was the LS initiative in 2022  linked with a petition. Some of the Cape Town Laudato Si Animators conducted a parish project to publicise the value of this indigenous succulent plant with very useful properties for personal health and for environmental benefits too.  Many cuttings were given out at Masses and people were encouraged to plant them – and literally watch them grow.  

As I was interested in gardening and growing vegetables I was fascinated at this easy to grow, edible but sour little plant and began to promote it, mainly with cuttings, instructions and info leaflets.   DO YOUR BIT FOR CLIMATE CHANGE. …..

At any, and all, possible opportunities I have given out the cuttings, probably some hundreds, at workshops and parish promos. Fortunately it is easy to make cuttings from the many plants now growing in our retirement village. At a spring breakfast one year we used the leaves in various recipes – even ice-cream, and this year I made a sweet and sour spekboom jam to share with friends and colleagues – ecumenical or not.    

LS had requested its animators and members to publish one action that commemorates LS Week.  My choice for this week apart from the EVERY DAY IN EVERY WAY focus is the radio show, which allows us to air some of our interests for the sake of protecting and renewing our earth, which I discovered is also a project for commercial reforestation in a neglected region of the country  At the same time we, LS chapter and I hope all the eco-friendly families, are happy to share our mother earth with other spekboom lovers anywhere, but especially today in that particular part of our country where the plant is a favourite food for their goats – as well as elephants in the Addo elephant reserve.  As We say,  Viva Radio Veritas, Viva MARFAM. Viva Laudato si and Viva God’s Christian church.  Pope Leo says,   “Be committed. Care for the earth, care for peace, is care for life.”    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1az66T1mCLAzyoth-3kQTq2suG1m-j7ss/view?usp=drive_link

This programme can be viewed at any time on the facebook page of Radio Veritas app, DSTV 8y70 live streaming. 

A CHRISTIAN PRAYER IN UNION WITH CREATION.    From Laudato Si’ 
God of love, show us our place in the world as channels of your love 
for all the creatures of this earth for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. 
Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the common good, advance the weak and care for this world in which we live. The poor and the earth are crying out. 
Seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life to prepare for a better future, for the coming of you Kingdom, of just, peace, love and beauty. 
Praise be to you.  Amen.   
CHRISTIAN UNITY PRAYER, SOUTH AFRICA. 
Righteous and merciful God;  we come to you in repentant hearts, teach us to do good,
give us courage to seek justice for all and to seek a meaningful unity of the church
so that: the oppressed may be liberated, the orphan and the widow may know justice
so that: peace, justice and love may prevail; through the one who is love, Jesus our redeemer, and in the power of the one whose fruit is love, the enabling Holy Spirit.   Ament.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Day Four. Laudato si’ Week and Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Wednesday 20 May 2026. Scripture: Acts 20: 28-38;  Jn 17:11-19. Father, keep them true to your name. +++++

Laudato Si’ 227.  “One expression of the attitude of serene attentiveness to others and to everything is when we stop and give thanks to God before and after meals. I ask all believers to return to this beautiful and meaningful custom. That moment of blessing, however brief, reminds us of our dependence on God for life; it strengthens our feeling of gratitude for the gifts of creation; it acknowledges those who by their labours provide us with these goods and it affirms our solidarity with those in greatest need.

Reflection: Wars, political intolerance, and violence through evil attitudes or behavior have defamed and removed God’s blessing completely from many hearts. St Paul addresses the elders of the church in Ephesus; ‘Be on your guard for yourselves… lest fierce wolves invade you and have no mercy on the flock’. Political ego, conflicts, greed for power and wealth have harmed many lives, damaged the environment and caused everyone to suffer, especially the vulnerable.

Jesus prays that we be protected from the evil one. Our shared hope in salvation through Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of this unity, drawing together diverse peoples into one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. As Christians, we are defined by this singular hope and the one Spirit through whom we are baptized and renewed. Our task is to ensure that this unity is not just a concept but a lived reality, reinforcing our shared mission and love for one another.  May we not turn evil upon one another and the environment. After the example of St Francis of Assisi, we are called to be different, have a conversion of heart, change our actions toward humanity and all creation. We must stop, think, and pray for a new world order where disunity is weakened, human values and the environment restored to their original dignity.

A question to consider: In what ways can we, as a church or community, embrace the challenge of our one calling, while maintaining our unique identity and traditions? 

The power is not in perfection. The power is in participation.

Prayer for Families and Ecological Life: Gracious God, Spirit of Truth and Counsellor, you are the source of all love and goodness. Enable us to see the needs of others. Show us what we can do to bring about healing. Change us, so that we can love others as we love all of creation. Let us, as families, be seeds and signs of hope and first fruits in the world. Help us overcome the obstacles of division and injustice that we may build a just society, through Jesus who is Lord of all, yesterday, today and forever. Amen.