Christian Brothers' Novitiates South Africa

GREEN POINT

STELLENBOSCH

GREEN POINT NOVITIATE

STELLENBOSCH NOVITIATE

Colm Keating Formation Centre in Cape Town, South Africa officially opened its doors on February 5, 2005. The centre, which is one of four in Africa for the training of young Christian Brothers, is housed in the former Christian Brother residence on York Road, in Green Point, and is but a twenty-minute walk from city centre. Colm Keating Centre is a novitiate, a place of prayer and spirituality, where new members are accompanied in their quest for God in a manner that, at its very core, includes working among some of the poorest and most oppressed peoples of Cape Town. Our multi-cultural community of fifteen brothers consists of twelve novices and three formators, who represent the following countries: Kenya, Zambia, DRC-Congo, Sierra Leone, New Zealand and Canada. Our mission is the liberation of oppressed youth through broad based education and care, leading to a life free from poverty, injustice and HIV/AIDS.

The Christian Brothers' novitiate was started in Stellenbosch 1949. It served the vocations from the Southern African province. The programme was closed in the mid 80s. However, due to the Pan-African thinking in the present formation programme and the increase in numbers joining the Christian Brothers, the novitiate was re-opened in April 2006 when six-second year novices and two team members moved in from Green Point to make way for new novices there. The Novitiate is housed mainly in the McEvoy Building situated in the Christian Brothers' Centre in Paradyskloof at the foot of Stellenbosch mountain. The Christian Brothers' Centre is an idyllic setting for retreats, seminars, camps etc. for parish groups, NGOs, youth, etc.