Oblate Bishops of Southern Africa Meet
Lesotho, Africa
Originally Published on OMIWORLD.ORG
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Bishop Edward RISI of Keimoes-Upington , South Africa, reports on a meeting of Oblate bishops.
The OMI bishops of Southern Africa came together for their biennial gathering at the beginning of September in Mazenod, Lesotho. We spent three days renewing our Oblate fraternity and also visiting places in Lesotho of special significance to the Oblates.
On our first day, we were welcomed by the community at Mazenod and had the opportunity to meet the people who work in the different Oblate ministries. We spent the morning of our second day at Pius XII University in an effort to understand the foresight and farsightedness of Bishop Joseph BONHOMME who played a crucial role in the development of modern Lesotho.
While in the Roma Valley we celebrated Mass at the shrine of Blessed Joseph Gerard and visited the grave of the first Mosotho Archbishop Emanuel ‘MABATHOANA of Maseru. It pained us to see that the scholasticate which played such an important role in the life of the Lesotho church has been temporally closed.
On our last day, we visited Cardinal Sebastian KHOARAI with the intention of celebrating Mass with him in his chapel. The excitement may have been too much for him because the Cardinal was unable to get up for the occasion.
Back row: Fr. Lekau (Pastor of Mafeteng), Archbishop Jabulani Nxumalo, (Bloemfontein), Bishop Valentine Kalumba (Livingston) Archbishop Tlali Lerotholi (Maseru) and Bishop Augustinus Bane (Leribe)
Front row: Bishop Edward Risi (Keimoes-Upington) Bishop John Tlhomola SCP (Mohaleheshoek) Bishop-emeritus Philipp Pölitzer (Keetmanshoop) Bishop Joseph Sephamola (Qachasnek) Archbishop Dumbu Nashenda (Windhoek) and Bishop Evans Chinyemba (Mongu)