Catholic Diocese Of Gaborone

24/05/2026

MY DAY 26/139
Happy Pentecost feast day to all of you. May the Holy Spirit fill you with love and peace.

23/05/2026

MY DAY 26/138
This was a day of acclimatization to the location, weather, and people. The weather seems to have warmed up since our arrival, much to the delight of the local people. Many are walking or riding bicycles to enjoy the good weather.
This evening, I went with an 84-year-old priest, who is still active in ministry as an assistant parish priest, to attend a Pentecost vigil feast at a convent church. The Missionary Sisters, Servants of the Holy Spirit have about 90 sisters in residence. For Pentecost, they welcomed about 120 young people who organized the vigil with songs, scripture readings, and prayers. Everything was in German, with a couple of songs in English.
Less than 50 meters from the Mission House where we are residing are two bars. People ride their bicycles and come over for companionship and drinks. At exactly 8:00 p.m., when the church bells toll, the bars close. Amazing discipline and respect for the rule of law.

22/05/2026

MY DAY 26/137
I went to bed and slept for ten hours straight. The body was fatigued even though the spirit was glad to keep moving and working. How I look forward to being set free from my responsibilities. It would be a great day to bow out from the stage and live a quiet life.

I have spent most of my adult life talking about God; retirement would be a time to talk to God directly. I sat by the sarcophagus of St. Arnold Jansen and had a father-son conversation today. Is he content in the presence of the Divine Mystery that the Society of the Divine Word, which he founded, is achieving its goal? The SVD is one of the largest congregations in the Church today. The growth is phenomenal.

St. Oscar Romero, that shy Archbishop of San Salvador, once said that we should all be microphones for God. How I would love to hear you speak of God and to Him in our day, with all the noise around us. Carry the Word of God with you wherever you go.

21/05/2026

YOUR WORD FOR TODAY

‘This is my comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given me life.’ Psalm 119:50

- Challenges form part of our journey of life.
- But we can know the comfort of God in affliction.
- His Word and His promises give us light and hope.
- Life is not just survival, but a flourishing existence in relationship with God.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You that Your promises bring comfort and hope. When I face challenges, remind me that You are with me and that Your Word gives me life and strength. Help me to rest in Your faithful care. Amen.

21/05/2026

MY DAY 26/136
The flight was on time at Schiphol Airport this morning. After collecting my bag, I could not find my pickup. The person who was to pick me up gave directions to where we could meet, but in the end, she changed her mind and waited at another place. With no internet to communicate, I had to resort to asking for help to relocate my ride.

The 185 kilometers to the Mission House, St. Michael, was smooth and took us about two and a half hours. On the way, we caught up while talking about our initial meeting in Maun 44 years ago. This brought back fond memories of the beginnings of the church in Maun.

Our house is on the Maas River, with a pontoon ferry to transport cars, bicycles, and people from one side to the other. It is a busy water route, with many barges ferrying cargo from the interior to the coast. The river had overflowed its banks recently, threatening the tomb of St. Arnold Jansen, who is buried above ground.

21/05/2026

21/05/2026

📌📌📌

YOU ARE INVITED
The ordination of a bishop (often called episcopal consecration) is the sacramental ceremony in which a priest is elevated to the highest of the three degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. This grants him the fullness of the priesthood and makes him a successor of the Apostles.

20/05/2026

20/05/2026

MY DAY 26/135
It was destined that I would spend a lot of time at airports on this day. At the Gaborone airport, I sat and observed staff as they prepared for a VIP visit. Red carpets were laid out and held in place due to the windy conditions. The military was on standby to offer the august guest a gun salute. On the way to the airport, flags were fluttering on poles, signaling that something special was happening.
The President of South Africa was expected in the country. Our flight took off on time before the airspace was closed for the security of the VVIP. A lot of planning and work goes into a state visit. These efforts are not usually seen or acknowledged.
Expansion has taken place at the Addis Ababa airport. There is now a dedicated wing for flights going to Schengen visa countries. The spacious wing is more user-friendly than previous arrangements. To live is to grow, and to grow is to improve. May we all keep on improving in life.

20/05/2026

YOUR WORD FOR TODAY

‘This is my comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given me life.’ Psalm 119:50

- Challenges form part of our journey of life.
- But we can know the comfort of God in affliction.
- His Word and His promises give us light and hope.
- Life is not just survival, but a flourishing existence in relationship with God.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You that Your promises bring comfort and hope. When I face challenges, remind me that You are with me and that Your Word gives me life and strength. Help me to rest in Your faithful care. Amen

19/05/2026

YOUR WORD FOR TODAY

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well.’ John 14:1

- ‘Troubled hearts’ are a condition that God does not want for us.
- His words are both a comfort and an instruction.
- He knows our hearts can become troubled, but calls us to trust in Him.
- This trust is a remedy for anxiety and fear.

PRAYER: Lord, when my heart is troubled, help me to trust in You. Replace my fear and anxiety with Your peace and remind me that You are always with me. Amen.