SACBC's Latest News

Catholic Church in South Africa Takes Over HIV Care

Monday, 08 February 2010

Last week, South Africa celebrated, near Johannesburg, an important HIV milestone. Due to excellent partnership and program execution, management of a very large U.S. grant supporting HIV care and treatment for more than 60,000 people is shifting from the international hands of the CRS-led AIDSRelief consortium into the local hands of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), St. Mary’s Hospital, and the Institute for Youth Development-South Africa.

Add comment (1)

News from the Plenary session

Monday, 01 February 2010

On Friday 29 January, the bishops of Southern Africa focused on the last Synod for Africa held in Rome last October and its pastoral communication to the Conference. Members of the Southern African delegation present at the Synod reported their experience. Cardinal Napier traced the history of the Synod for Africa and gave a personal account of how the process worked.

Add comment (0)

Fr João Noé Rodrigues, new bishop of Tzaneen

Thursday, 28 January 2010

The Holy Father appointed Father João Noé Rodrigues, as the new bishop of Tzaneen. He succeeds Bishop Hugh Slattery, MSC. Father Rodrigues was born in Cape Town on 8 March 1953 and was ordained priest for the Diocese of Witbank on 4 July 1982. Details of the ordination are still to be finalised.

Add comment (6)

The bishops of Southern Africa in plenary session

Thursday, 28 January 2010

The first plenary of the year opened on Tuesday evening in Saint John Vianney Seminary, Pretoria, with a mass invoking the Holy Spirit. About 30 bishops of South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland were presents at the opening mass presided by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop James Green. Among the bishops, the newly appointed bishop of Witbank, Giuseppe Sandri, MCCJ, who will be ordained on 31 January 2010.

Add comment (1)

National Church Leaders’ Consultation statement on the relief efforts in Haiti

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

The people of Haiti need our bread – give them bread yourselves (Mk 6.37)

Dear People of God in Southern Africa,

The Earthquake in Haiti last week has left an already devastated country on its knees. The Leaders of the Christian Community in South Africa, gathered in Stellenbosch for a National Church Leaders’ Consultation, having prayed for the people of Haiti, appeal to your generosity. We acknowledge the courageous and heroic acts undertaken by the survivors of this calamity. Let us support the People in Haiti with our bread. Haiti’s devastation will need the whole world to respond.

Add comment (0)

Haiti needs our help – let’s pull out all the stops

Friday, 15 January 2010

Dear Friends,

I visited Haiti for a month a number of years ago. Haiti is one of the poorest places – poorer than many of the countries in Africa - that I have visited. A very unstable government and a turbulent history have left the people of Haiti impoverished. Adding to an already desperate situation, are the horrific consequences of Tuesdays’ Earthquake. These have been made even worse by the fact that most of the city of Port-au-Prince is built on hillsides. So, it is these areas of housing for residents that are the worst affected.

Add comment (0)

Bishop Brislin appointed Archbishop of Cape Town

Saturday, 19 December 2009

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Bishop Stephen Brislin of Kroonstad as Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa. The Archbishop elect was born in Welkom in the Free State Province in 1956. He was ordained priest in 1983 and consecrated bishop in 2007. At the same time, the Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Cape Town tendered by Archbishop Lawrence Henry who has reached the retirement age. Archbishop-elect Brislin will be installed as Archbishop of Cape Town on Sunday 7 February 2010 at the Bellville Velodrome beginning at 4pm.

Add comment (2)

Archbishop Paul Khumalo resigns

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

The Holy Father had accepted the resignation from the Pastoral Governance of the Archdiocese of Pretoria presented by the Most Reverend Paul Mandla Khumalo CMM, in conformity with Canon 401,2 of the Code of Canon Law. He has appointed Reverend Monsignor Abel Gabuza as Apostolic Administrator, sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis (the seat is vacant and the Administrator remains in authority at the pleasure of the Holy See). At the same time, the Holy Father had accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the diocese of Kimberley, presented by the Right Reverend Erwin Hecht OMI in conformity with canon 401,1 of the Code of Canon Law. He has appointed the Most Reverend Jabulani Adatus Nxumalo, OMI, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bloemfontein, as Apostolic Administrator.

Add comment (2)

Murder of Fr Louis Blondel in Diepsloot, Pretoria

Monday, 07 December 2009

Father Louis Blondel was shot dead in his presbytery in Diepsloot during the night 6th/7th December 2009. Four people had allegedly broken into Presbytery. Father Louis, 70, was member of the Missionaries of Africa, a french society of Catholic missionaries dedicated to serving the people of Africa.