The people of the Catholic parish of Howick made a very generous donation this weekend to the Denis Hurley Centre from the funds they have raised this year as part of their 75th Jubilee. This brand new centre in the heart of Durban serves some of the poorest and most needy people: feeding 300 homeless people every day; providing a clinic that serves 2,000 patients for free every month; offering classes and job skills programmes to refugees and the unemployed. The Centre is named after the late Catholic Archbishop who is well remembered by many older residents of Howick. Marj Barrett from Amberfield recalls playing badminton with him 70 years ago. Hurley’s great ally in the Struggle, Anglican bishop emeritus Michael Nuttall also lives in Howick.
In the photograph, Nonjabulo Mlotshwa (left) and Fr Cecil Dowling (right) are handing over a cheque for R10 000 to the director of the Centre, Raymond Perrier, who was visiting for the weekend and spoke at all of the Masses. “I am thrilled by the warm welcome I received and the generosity of the parish. The people of St Joseph’s have proven that it is not true when they say: ‘Out of sight, out of mind’. Instead people here really do care for those who are suffering in our cities.”