Support
Walmer Township Outreach

The residents of Walmer Township form an important part of our parish community. Over the years, Holy Mass has been celebrated in various locations within the Township. The Catholic faith first took deep root especially within the Xhosa community; from this community came a priest for the diocese, Fr Simon Gavu, now serving in East London. Currently Holy Mass is said every Sunday in the home of a resident. This is not suitable as a long term arrangement.

In recent years, Walmer’s demographics have shifted. Many residents now come from Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, and a significant number are Catholic. While some worship at St Bernadette’s, there is a deep desire for a dedicated spiritual home within the Township itself—a place where families can gather for Sunday Mass, catechesis, community upliftment, and social development.

As a parish, we are presented with both a responsibility and an opportunity: to help build the Kingdom of God in Walmer Township for generations to come. Our generosity will echo the generosity of previous generations who build the parish church in which we currently worship.

How You Can Help

• Pray for this intention daily: that the Lord will guide us to a suitable plot of land on which a future church and community centre may be built:
  “If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labour;
  if the Lord does not guard the city, in vain does the guard keep watch” (Psalm 127:1)
• Volunteer: We invite parishioners with relevant skills—legal, municipal, administrative, engineering, financial, project-management, or community development—to assist.

We are currently seeking

• A Project Coordinator, someone willing to collaborate with a small team to help identify suitable land, liaise with the municipality, diocese, and other stakeholders, and assist in the process of acquiring the property,
• An Estate Agent, someone able to help identify property and assist with the purchase of said property.

If you feel called to contribute in any way, please speak to Fr Jonathan or contact the parish office via email.