The newly ordained Bishop of Ingwavuma Vicariate has been urged to be a “Shepherd who unites his flock” to build unity in the Church.

“One of the duties of the bishop is to build unity in his church.  That means that Father Mazibuko, the Lord has sent you to be a shepherd who unites the flock,” said Archbishop Zolile Mpambani of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bloemfontein.

In his Saturday, June 3 homily delivered in Isizulu during the episcopal ordination of Bishop Vusumuzi Francis Mazibuko, Archbishop Mpambani reflected on the three readings chosen by the newly ordained Bishop.

In an interview with the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) communications office, Archbishop Mpambani said the homily highlighted “journeying together, listening, dialoguing, and discerning. Which is what the Synod is calling us to do.”

“The homily was based on the three readings that I was given. So, the first reading was on Jeremiah, where God was talking to him and sending him out to tell the people what he (God) will tell him. So that meant Jeremiah had to be alert and listen to God all the time because it’s not his message he was going to pass. It was God’s message,” said Archbishop Mpambani.

Meanwhile the second reading taken from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans “was based on the body of Christ. One of St Paul’s lessons to tell people that they are like the body when it comes to cooperation, collaboration, co-responsibility,” he said.

“Collaboration is very important at its own time and at its own place because we’re not going to do the same job at the same time. Collaborating with their bishop, to produce a very vibrant vicariate and a vicariate that is self-sufficient,” he added.

Taking a cue from the Gospel reading (Lk.4: 16-22) Archbishop Mpambani underscored the work of the Holy Spirit. He said, “We believe that when a bishop is elected or appointed, it was by the work of the Holy Spirit that that appointment came, not our own doing, not anybody’s doing, not his own doing, but the Holy Spirit appointed him. So now he also must be guided. Listen to the Holy Spirit guiding and enlightening him as he goes along with his work.”

“The Gospel says you need the guidance and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit; hence they need to journey together with him. He does not need to be ahead of them and they behind or ahead of him. Because he does not know the people of this place, nor the priests of the of the vicariate. So, they will have to learn their ways of working together. They will have to get to know each other first because that’s going to help them to work together,” said Archbishop Mpambani.

The episcopal ordination of Bishop Mazibuko saw the participation of the Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the Apostolic Nunciature in South Africa, 11 Bishops from the SACBC, the administrator of Kroonstad Diocese, and two Bishops from the Lesotho Catholic Bishops Conference (LCBC).

Dubbed the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) gathering, the episcopal ordination of Bishop Mazibuko OMI saw Ingwavuma Vicariate and neighbouring Dioceses. Speaking during the vote of thanks Archbishop Siegfried Mandla Jwara of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Durban as well as the President of the SACBC Bishop Sithembele Sipuka expressed gratitude for Bishop Mazibuko appointment and assured the new Bishop of their help and assistance.

Meanwhile, Bishop Neil Frank of Mariannhill Diocese and Bishop José Ponce de Leon of Manzini Diocese echoed the plea of the faithful that the Vicariate becomes a Diocese, and that the new Bishop remains with them longer compared to past Bishops.