A spiritual and theological-ethical analysis of the reasons for the decline of vocations among the Dominican sisters of Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

In 1896, Mother Rose Niland founded the Newcastle Dominicans in Newcastle, KwaZuluNatal, South Africa. Their motto is Veritas (Truth), and their charism is to bless, preach, teach and praise. They live a consecrated life in community, and they vow obedience, chastity and poverty. Niland’s formation methods attracted many vocations. Later, their responses to the Arum Indigenarum document, Vatican II and the intensification of Apartheid caused a decline in vocations. Without a vocations promoter and appropriate formation programmes focused on spirituality, ethics and cultural awareness, they failed to attract and mentor local black women. As their numbers decreased, the sisters no longer had a strong ministry in schools and hospitals. They diversified their ministry, and abandoned their veils and habits; this made them less visible. However, the growth of vocations in the Zimbabwean and Montebello congregations suggests strategies that the Newcastle Dominicans could employ to attract vocations

Izizathu zokuncipha kwamabizelo obundela njengoba kuhlaziywe ngokwezomoya, ubulungiswa nokuziphatha ngobubuntu Ngonyaka ka 1896 uNkosazana Rose Niland waqamba inhlangano yamaDominikana ase Newcastle Natal eMzansi ne Afrika. Isiqubulo sabo VERIRAS/QINISO, inqubomgomo yabo ukubusisa, ukushumayela, ukufundisa nokudumisa.Baphila impilo yobundela behlala ndawonye. Bafunga izifungo zokulalela, nobumpofu nobubumsulwa. Izimfundiso zika Niland zadonsa izintombi eziningi. Ekuhambeni kwesikhathi, indlela abathatha ngayo imiyalelo yomqulu Arum Indigenarum, neVatican II kanye nengcindezi yobandlululo kwanciphisa isibalo sabaznikelayo ekubeni izindela. Ngenxa youkuthi wayengekho omelene nezokudonsa amabizelo, kungekho nezinhlelo zokufundisa ngempilo yobu Dominikana, kungekho nokunakekela ezamasiko nokuvuleleka ngezokuhlaisana nobuntu, abakwaznga ukudonsa amabizelo nokufundisa abaesifazane abasha. Ukuncipha kwesibalo, kwasho ukuphuma kwabo ezikoleni nasezibhedlela. Bacaza izindlela ababezosenza ngazo, baqugula nendlela yokugqoka, bagcina bengasabonakali. Kodwa ke ukwanda kwesibalo sezindela eZimbbwe nase Montebello kukhomba ukuthi izindela zase Newcastle zingacobela amaqhinga okudonsa amabizelo kozakwabo base Zimbabwe nase Montebello.

Tshekatsheko ya semoya le maitshwaro a tša boruti mabapi le mabaka a go phuhlama ga dipitšo tša sedumedi magareng ga basadi ba go latela Tumelo ya Setominiki ba ka Newcastle ka Natala, Afrika Borwa Ka 1896, Mme Rose Niland o hlamile tumelo ya Newcastle Dominicans ka Newcastle, ka Natal, Afrika Borwa. Moeno wa bona ke Bonnete/Nnete, gomme tlhohleletšo ya bona ke go šegofatša, go ruta lentšu la Modimo, go ruta le go roriša. Ba phela bophelo bjo bokgethwa ka setšhabeng, gomme ba ikemišeditše go obamela, go se tsenele thobalano le go fediša bohloki. Mekgwa ya tlhamo ya Niland o bile le tumelo ye ntši. Ka morago ga fao, dikarabo tša bona go sengwalwa sa Arum Indigenarum, Vatican II le go maatlafatšwa ga Kgethologanyo, go bakile go phuhlama ga dipitšo tša sedumedi. Ka ntle le motho yo a tšwetšago pele dipitšo tša sedumedi le mananeo a maleba a go di hloma ao a lebeletšego kudu semoya, maitshwaro le temogo ya setšo, ba paletšwe ke go goketša le go hlahla basadi ba bathobaso ba tikologo. Ge palo ya maloko a bona e fokotšega, basadi ba ba sedumedi ga ba sa na le thuto ya sedumedi ye e tiilego ye ba e rutago ka dikolong le ka dipetleleng. Ba arogantše thuto ya bona ya setšhabeng le go tlogela dibeile tša bona le tšeo ba bego ba tlwaetše go di dira; se se ba dirile gore ba bonale gannyane. Le ge go le bjale, kgolo ya dipitšo tša sedumedi ka diphuthegong tša Zimbabwe le tša ka Montebello e šišinya mekgwa yeo Newcastle Dominicans ba ka e šomišago go goketša dipitšo tša sedumedi.