As Archbishop of Pretoria I had visited Little Eden at Bapsfontein on a number of occasion, one of these occasions was the official opening by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Ambrose de Paoli. With other members of the Bishops' Conference I had also visited Little Eden in Edenvale, and was most impressed by the wonderful work being done in these places for the physically and mentally challenged.

 

Round about a year before I wrote to Pope Benedict XVI to inform him, as Canon Law requires, that I was about to reach the retirement age of seventy five, I was visited by Lucy and Luigi Slaviero at the Diocesan Office. They brought with them the architect who had designed a church for Elvira Rota Village, and a house for the chaplain. Domitilla Hyams had often spoken to me about her wish to build a church at Elvira Rota Village, and I had given the permission verbally to the project. Now it was time for me to see the plans while I was examining them, Lucy said to me: "Of course we also need a chaplain at Elvira Rota Village." The Thought struck me that I had not yet decided what I was going to do after my retirement, so I said, "What about me?" Lucy laughed and said, "We were hoping for a priest, we never thought of a bishop!"

 

I went into retirement on 30 January, 2009, and from that time I started celebrating Mass for the residents of Elvira Rota Village once a week. I had already moved into a similar institute 60 km away at Sizanani Village, which also has people with physical and mental disabilities. "Sizanani" is Zulu for "Help one another". I was spending most of my time there, as Sizanani already had a residence for the chaplain.

 

I was delighted to be asked to bless and lay the foundation stone of the new chapel at Elvira Rota Village on 19 March, 2009, and on 31 January 2010 to bless the completed church which was dedicated to the Holy Family. On April 13, 2010 I moved into the new house for the chaplain. It was then possible for me to spend half of my week at Elvira Rota Village and the other half at Sizanani. During these three years of involvement at Little Eden I come to regard Elvira Rota as my second home, and the residents as my family. They call me "Father George" and this makes me very happy.

 

My commitment to Little Eden is to provide liturgical, spiritual and pastoral services to residents, and to provide a daily celebration of the Eucharist for the three, now four, Indian Sisters of the Imitation of Christ. When their superiors in India accepted to come to Little Eden, they specifically requested that the Sisters be able to attend Holy Mass daily. On Mondays and Tuesdays when I am at Sizanani, Monsignor Vincent Hill, who has also retired and is now 80 years old, provides Masses in my absence.

 

I would be very happy to belong to the Little Eden association, as I feel that it would enable me even after I have reached my 80th year, to remain involved with Little Eden.

 

George Francis Daniel