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On Monday, June 29th in St Peter's Basilica, the head of the Archdiocese of Pretoria received from the Popes hands the Pallium. Archbishop Paul Mandla Khumalo CMM was one of the 34 new archbishops to receive the white, woollen stole that expresses closeness and communion with the Successor of St Peter.

Johannesburg or the City of Gold as is affectionately known is regarded as one of prime metropolitan areas in the globe and often viewed as a commercial nucleus of Africa because of its prospects for economic spin-offs.  However, if you may perhaps spend some time and venture around town you will be approached by horrid working condition of informal workers on the streets than just those splendorous tall buildings and magnetism of the city.

Six of the seven newly ordained bishops met at Khanya House, Pretoria, 25-26 June 2009. This meeting was organised by Father Vincent Brennan, Secretary General, and Sister Hermenegild Makoro, Associate, to present to the new bishops the function of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference. Each Department, Office and Associate body made a presentation. Time also made for the "baby bishops" to ask all their questions. The Bishops also had a chance to meet all the Staff and to share mass and lunch with the Conference staff. To view the photos of the meeting, click on "read more".

All the priests of the Diocese, Diocesan and Religious, gathered at Pella to mark the opening of the Year of the Priest and launched the same year in the parishes on the Friday evening at the Mass of the Sacred Heart. The gathering started with a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament which was concluded with the Benediction.

From 19 June 2009 to 19 June 2010, the Catholic Church celebrates her priests. Pope Benedict XVI called for a "Year of the Priest" that will conclude with a World Meeting of Priests in Saint Peter's Square in Rome. The Year is in the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the death of Saint John Mary Vianney, known as the "Saint Curé of Ars".

I would like to offer my sincere condolences to all those affected by the senseless death of Fr Ernest (2 January 1931- 30 May 2009). His family who are not here with us today to bid farewell to their brother and uncle, his congregation, the missionaries of Marrianhill, the community of Mariazel, especially those who lived and worked with him, Br George, Br Bettold, Fr Clemens, the Sisters, Mr Lebenya and Matabane and all the people of the Maluti area where Fr Ernest has worked for most of his life.

Fr Ernst Plöchl, a 78 year-old Austrian missionary from the Congregation of Mariannhill Missionaries was killed in the South African Cape Province. Fr Ploechl, who was a missionary in South Africa for over 40 years, was found dead on the morning of May 31, in the remote missionary station of Maria Zell, Mariannhill Missionaries spokesman Andreas Rohring told the Austrian agency APA. The spokesman affirmed that the the exact circumstances of the crime are yet unknown, as the missionary station has no telephone services.