Around 2002, I was asked would St. Luke's and Holy Cross be happy to twin with Regina Coeli Parish in Madadeni, Kwazulunatal, South Africa--our Diocese was twinned with their Diocese of Dundee, due to their Bishop being Pascal Michael Rowland, formerly of Grayes and a good friend of our Bishop Thomas.  I signed a covenant with them simultaneously, in the presence of their visiting priest-Father Jose Louis (now a Bishop), and our dear friend Olpha Selepe RIP who was from Regina Coeli and working in London at the time.  We aimed to pray for one another, work for Justice and Peace, and help them and their projects for the poor and needy.  We have visited them several times to show solidarity with them, and through our fund-raising, enabled many to be fed, the sick and dying cared for, paid for funerals, set up some self-help businesses for their Parish Community, a training Centre for IT, gave education opportunities to their youth, and helped those with HIV, TB and Covid-which decimated their community and country, to name a few ways we have assisted.  We were super-privileged that, on two occasions, some of them have visited us here in Harlow.  Our parishioners and friends of our Parish, and priests, Fathers Paul and Bernard, have been so supportive and raised, since Twinning began, many thousands of pounds, which has made a huge difference to our Madadeni brothers and sisters and, I can assure all, that it is very appreciated by them.  God's work and blessings in action, the joys of Twinning.  They are always in our prayers, as we are in theirs, and we thank God that our special relationship still exists.

Dave Summerville, Chair of ARC (Action for Regina Coeli)

If you would like to support this our twin parish, in any way, then please contact Dave Summerville.