BRITSTOWN
St. Martin de Porres Church
The Church was the centre where worshipers congregate on Sundays in particular and on Holy Days, weddings, deaths and births in general. At other times maybe on Wednesdays and Fridays to worship.
The sacrifice of the Holy Mass was the focal point why believers in and the followers of Christ, come together on those days. It had happened between 1994 and 2000 when the parish priest of Britstown Fr. Cecil Wienand lived in town. The church which was built 1968 had been always outstation community served from De Aar parishes: St. John’s Mission or St. Mary’s Cathedral. Throughout the years the community had may pastors Frs. W. Will SCJ, J. Stritmatter SCJ, J.Alcaster, C.Wienand again Fr. J. Alcaster with the help of Mrs Theresa Gregory, J. Chapalamadugu and finely since 2014 Bishop A. Musialek SCJ. The glories days when the community of Britstown grow and the participation during the week Masses, catechism classes etc. was vital, it was during Fr. Cecil Wienand time. After his death, the situation went back to the outstation church community.
Traditional Catholic institutions of learning and education are fast becoming things of the past. These mostly served to supplement the Church's role to educate and to promote our faith and keep the Light burning. With some of our rural parishes like Britstown facing the prospect of being closed down indefinitely, the Church is fast losing touch with some of her people. Below is a typical example that one may come across in some of the outstation parish communities in our Diocese. Six practising women: a 7O-year-old granny; a blind middle-aged woman sharing her one-roomed house with a daughter and her three boys and 4year-old daughter; a married couple (husband much older and sickly) caring for 2 grand-children; 1 middle-aged married woman; 1 middle-aged single woman; 2 practising males and 3 new (non-Catholic) females. Three of the above households are headed by women, all of them un-employed. Low attendance since there are more Catholics (younger and non-practising) somewhere in the township. Therefore interaction on a regular basis between parishioners and priests is vital. Please pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.