The Meal Of Reconciliation

Denis Hurley Centre: Friday 16 December – from 11am
The Meal of Reconciliation is now an annual ritual at the Denis Hurley Centre in Durban on 16 December, South Africa’s National Day of Reconciliation, where hundreds of homeless people join members of the public for a shared meal.
The performing arts community are always great supporters of the work of the Denis Hurley Centre – and many actors and singers take time out of their busy festive schedules to promote and attend this event.
Pictured are back, left to right:
Blessing Xaba (purple waistcoat) – plays the Dame in KickstArt’s fabulous annual family panto, Jack and the Beanstalk taking place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre: 8 Dec – 15 Jan
Catherine Souls (in hat) – a client of the DHC
Soprana Nozuko Teto (red dress), will sing in a concert of light classical and Christmas music, Joy to the World, at the Durban Jewish Centre: Sunday 11 December at 3pm.
Tracey Bolt (with apron) – who heads the DHC kitchen.
Front left to right:
Two of cabaret’s most consummate and quirky performers, Roland Perold (grey shorts) with Godfrey Johnson (jeans) who will perform in The Good News Cabaret at the Rhumbelow Theatre, Durban: 15 – 31 December.
The Meal of Reconciliation
Denis Hurley Centre: Friday 16 December – from 11am
The Meal of Reconciliation is now an annual ritual at the Denis Hurley Centre in Durban on 16 December, South Africa’s National Day of Reconciliation, where hundreds of homeless people join members of the public for a shared meal.
The Day of Reconciliation is a public holiday held annually on 16 December. The holiday came into effect in 1995 with the intention of fostering reconciliation and national unity for the country.
“Like so many other annual events, it did not take place over Covid lockdown, so it is with great joy that this tradition is being instituted again,” says Raymond Perrier, Director of the Denis Hurley Centre. Members of the general public join approximately 300 homeless people and refugees to sit down and share a meal, breaking down barriers of class, colour and nationality.
Attending a previous meal, David Young, a visiting US Methodist minister who had come down from the US Embassy in Pretoria, described the event as “truly one of the most moving love feasts, or ‘Eucharists’ I have ever experienced”.
Being Durban, as has become tradition, the food served will be breyani, and being the DHC there will be an interfaith dimension as donors will be from the Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish communities.
Perrier said the late Archbishop Denis Hurley and Paddy Kearny both committed their lives to bring about reconciliation: between Christians of different traditions, between people of different faiths, between different races and cultures, and between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’.
“Members of the public are warmly invited to attend,” says Perrier.
Those who will be attending are asked to bring large bottles of cool drinks and/or desserts to share with the eight people at their table.
Good to Know
Please bring a bottle of cool drink and desserts to share
Safe paid parking behind the Cathedral and the Market parking across the road.
For more information contact
Raymond Perrier
Director – Denis Hurley Centre
Landline: 031 301 2240
raymond@denishurleycentre.org