CATHOLIC BIBLE FOUNDATION OF SOUTH AFRICA

Br Mike Chalmers CFC Sr Mary Doyle HF Bishop Daniel Verstraete OMI

Short history

The Catholic Bible Foundation of South Africa was founded in 1992. The Foundation was subsequently approved by the Southern African Bishops’ Conference.

Branches have been established in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg (Jan 1994)

The Vision Statement of the Catholic Bible Foundation is:

To help people enter into a living and dynamic relationship 
with the Word of God, Jesus Christ
through the Word of God in Scripture.

In 1998 the CBF was responsible for the establishment of the Catholic Bible College, Johannesburg. This institution was supported by the CBF until the end of 2006, after which it became an independent legal body.

In January 2004 Sr Chrysostoma Bele F.S.F. was appointed to the staff of CBF. Her mandate was to promote the work of the CBF among the Zulu-speaking peoples. The sphere of influence of this branch has extended over the entire province of Kwa-Zulu Natal (seven dioceses) as well as into the Eastern Cape.

In 2006 the CBF petitioned the Southern African Bishops’ Conference to establish a Bible Sunday. The SACBC decided that Bible Sunday be celebrated annually on the last Sunday of August. The CBF is responsible for promoting Bible Sunday, preparing and distributing materials to 860 parishes and 250 Catholic Schools.

Note: The Catholic Bible Foundation of South Africa was formally constituted as a legal body in South African law on 27 June 2003. It is also registered with the Department of Social Development.

ANIMATERS

* Graduate of the Catholic Bible College – and year of graduation.

National Director
Br Mike Chalmers cfc
English, Afrikaans
Graduate of University of Free State.

Br Mike is a South African Christian Brother. He spent 35 years teaching in CBC schools throughout South Africa. He was principal of two schools for a period of 13 years. He has been involved in the Biblical Pastoral Ministry for the past fifteen years. His move from the schools apostolate to the Biblical Ministry was preceded by a sabbatical in U.S.A. at Gonzaga University in 1991 / 1992. He studied at Ecce Homo, Jerusalem 2001/2002

We currently have the following centres in which we operate:

Johannesburg

Teresa Wilsnagh
Regional Leader * 1998
English, Afrikaans

Nomawetu Sango
* 2003
Xhosa, Zulu, English, Afrikaans, Sotho

Br. Irvine Sibanda cfc
 

Durban

Maureen Lawson
Regional Leader
Bat Kol, Jerusalem Alumna 2004
English

Lynn Harrison
Diploma: St Joseph’s Theological Institute
Bat Kol, Jerusalem Alumna 2003
English

Natasha Couto
Graduate of the University of South Africa, BA Psyc. 2009  
English,  Afrikaans

Sr Chrysostoma Bele F.S.F
Graduate of St Joseph’s Theological Institute
Zulu, English

Fr. Sibongiseni Cele, TOR
Graduate of St. Joseph's Theological Institute
Zulu, English

Visani Nene

Cape Town

Albie Jackson
Regional Leader *2002
English, Xhosa, Zulu, Afrikaans

Patrick Tembani

Elizabeth Nherera

We maintain links with local and international bodies, e.g.,
Department of Evangelisation of the South African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Bible Society of South Africa. Catholic Biblical Federation. (We currently serve on the Executive of this body.)

PROGRAMMES: Please see the Programmes Page

PROMOTION OF BIBLES

We sell African Bibles and Bibles in the local languages
We offer short commentaries on the four Gospels and Acts in eight local languages.
We give instruction on how best to use the resources in the African Bible.

NB. It is important that Catholics of all ages and situations should be able to purchase Catholic Bibles with sound notes and commentary by Catholics Scholars. It is for this reason we promote the African Bible for people in Africa.

In all our programmes we emphasise the use of the Bible and the need for each person to have their own personal copy of the Bible.

At the recent Diocesan Synods many calls were made for training in the use of the Bible. The 2008 Synod  in Rome  is a further impetus for us to make Bibles available to all at an affordable price and in an on-going programme.

PRISON MINISTRY

We make Bibles and a programmed instruction on the Bible (Iliziwi) available to persons working in this ministry.

Please calll a member from our office regarding this

 GUEST SPEAKERS
 

Annually we bring an international speaker to tour South Africa. In recent years Dr Walter Vogels (Canada), Dr Jack Driscoll (Jerusalem), Ms Francis Hogan (Ireland) and Fr Denis McBride (England) have visited.