Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the Vicariate of Francistown

When Francistown became a Vicariate in November, 1998 there were prayer groups and Life in the Spirit seminars held in the Se­lebi-Phikwe Parish, Modisa yo o Molemo Parish, Our Lady of the Desert Parish and Serowe Parish. Only a few people understood really, what the “renewal” was all about. Encouraged and guided, however, by Sr. Maria Prokesh SSpS, they kept the fire burning.

In 2000 we had the first National Conference in Gaborone and a number of people from the Vicariate participated. Cardinal Peter A. Turkson from Ghana and Rev. Toni M. Ozele from Nigeria attracted many people.

The Anglophone African Meeting of Delegates from African countries was held at Maru a Pula Secondary School in Gaborone. Later in 2000 a new prayer group began in Ma­halapye. We organized Leader­ship Training Programmes at Kanamo Centre twice a year. We had National prayer weekends at Mater Spei College and at St. Joseph’s Col­lege. Gradually more of our Catholics placed their lives under the Lordship of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit and their commitment to build up the “Body of Christ” grew.

A number of people from Botswana, both from the Vicariate and from the Diocese participated in the Leaders’ Retreat and the Anglophone Leaders’ Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2004, an even larger number of people attended the First National Congress of the Catholic Renewal in Windhoek, Namibia and the Anglophone Afri­can Leaders meeting.

New prayer groups began in Palapye and in Letlhakane under the guidance of their parish priests. Sr. Maria Prokesh, the National coordinator visited several parishes with a local leader, to speak about the need for Renewal. The Biblical Apostolate, the New Evangelization and the New Vision of Catechesis all have the same aim as the Re­newal. They help people to come to an ever deeper love – relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which leads to constant conversion and a life of holiness. Jesus becomes the centre of one’s life, the bible becomes the Book of Life, all these in the power of the Holy Spirit, who leads the people of God to ever greater maturity.