8. Neighbourhood Communities and spiritual renewal: 1975 - 1983
While the new church helped to accomodate more people during the Sunday services, the need for greater support and responsibility in the daily lives of the people had to be encouraged, especially because of the increasing difficulties experienced under the oppressive apartheid system of government.
It was in 1975 that a new pastoral plan was introduced in the parish. The late Fr Leo Rossmanith was then in charge and Fr Ellinger served the Catholics at Ogies and the mines.This plan aimed at developing small Christian communities among the Catholics within each residential block. All Catholics residing within a demarcated block in the township met together in one of their homes and chose a team made up of 5 people. Each person in the team had a particular role to play in their area, namely as a block-leader, a collector, a house-visitor, a prayer-leader and a treasurer. One of them was also chosen to represent the catholics of their block in the pastoral council. Each team therefore helped to update the census of all the catholic families in their area, the "blocks" supported the catechumens and newly initiated, they ensured that the planned- giving was collected monthly from each family to help pay for the parish expenditure. The team acted as peace-maker whenever there were difficulties between members.Block members would visit the sick and inform the priest of their need for the sacraments; they helped the poor and needy with material assistance;they encouraged the lazy members to return to church;they helped at funeral vigils and comforted the bereaved. All the Catholics in the block were invited to meet weekly in one of the homes for Bible-sharing and prayer,for Bible-studies and discussion of social issues and problems in the light of faith. Each block took turns to clean the church every weekend.This new policy became a great source of strength for the people as well as a serious attempt by the bishop and priests towards facilitating and supporting the people in their continual struggle to maintain their human dignity under the apartheid regime.
The Chiro youth movement became very strong during the seventies in the parish and diocese. Also during Fr Singer's time ( 1978 - 1983) the " Marriage Encounter" movement was promoted in the parish. There were some 39 encountered couples in the parish by 1985.This was the time that the Catholics began to get used to the idea of being responsible for parish affairs from financial administration to pastoral
Sacred Heart History