The Metropolitan Archbishop of Bloemfontein Archdiocese has called on the members of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (SCJ) to “look to the future with hope.”

In his homily during Mass held at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Aliwal Diocese to mark the SCJ Centenary Celebration, Archbishop Zolile Mpambani said “The 100 years of the presence of the SCJ priests” in the region draws attention to Pope Francis’s remarks during the year of Consecrated Life in 2014.

“Pope Francis during the year of Consecrated Life in 2014 encouraged all consecrated people to remember the past with Gratitude (just as we are doing today), live the present with Enthusiasm (which we are striving for every day), and look to the Future with Hope (which we pray for every day),” said Archbishop Mpambani.

The SCJ member reminded those gathered that one cannot “talk about 100 years without looking back to the past. And that we do with our feet and minds rooted in the present. And there is no way we cannot think and prepare for the future without hope.”

In his homily, Archbishop Mpambani drew attention to the SCJ founder Fr. Leo John Dehon, whose focus in his ecclesial life, he said, “was to express his closeness with the workers,” and to “promote a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

“He established an order in 1878 dedicated to this task and working in the foreign and diocesan missions in France and abroad. Abroad includes South Africa, and in particular the Gariep region,” he added.
Archbishop Mpambani recalled the arrival “of the first German SCJ missionaries on the 28th of November in 1923,” in South Africa, who were “later joined by the American SCJ missionaries who occupied the De Aar area. However, in 1995 the two regions amalgamated and formed one South African SCJ Province. That is why today we are celebrating this centenary.”

He then went on to highlight the contribution of the first SCJ missionaries in the region, “They built up churches, not only structures but living churches where they taught people about faith and preached the good news. They opened schools to educate children and give them a brighter future. They built up hospitals and clinics to take care of the sick and the suffering.”

“They opened trade schools to teach people different skills. They fought against the injustices of apartheid, and at times practiced it themselves. But ultimately, they left a legacy upon which we continue to build, all in the care of the people of God. That is the reason why we are celebrating today,” said Archbishop Mpambani.

The celebration was honored with the presence of representatives from the Congregation’s Generalate in Rome, Germany, Poland, USA, India, Cameroon, Mozambique, and Madagascar.