At farewell mass, SACBC President lauds Archbishop Tlhagale OMI for decades of “faithful” service

In his homily at the Farewell Mass of Thanksgiving for the outgoing Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Johannesburg, the President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) reflected on Archbishop Buti Joseph Tlhagale’s decades of faithful service.

“As we gather today to mark the end of Archbishop Buti’s mandated ministry, the Gospel gives us a criterion for measuring the success of any ministry, be it ordained or lay,” said Bishop Sithembele Anton Sipuka during the farewell mass of thanksgiving held at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

Reflecting on the day’s Gospel (John 3: 22-30) Bishop Sipuka commended the member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) for his “48 years of priesthood and 25 years of episcopacy” and for “effectively” announcing “Christ in and out of season, courageously, prophetically, and by the example of his life in the public sphere and in the Church.”

In the Saturday, January 11 homily delivered in a fully packed Cathedral Bishop Sipuka reminded the laity as well as the clergy and religious of Archbishop Tlhagale’s humility and dedication, and his courage to tell the truth.  

“I see a similarity between Archbishop Buti and John the Baptist in naming things for what they are… Both in the public sphere and in church circles, through sermons, speeches, and books, Archbishop Buti has courageously named what is wrong with individuals, with society, and with the church so that it can be fixed,” said Bishop Sipuka.

The SACBC President went on to challenge ministers in the Catholic church to remain faithful to their purpose saying, “If, as ministers, we are to help the people we serve, we must, like John the Baptist and Archbishop Buti, help them name all their sins so they are freed of them. They may not like us, but as I imagine Archbishop Buti would say, if you want to be liked, then ministry is not your place.”

“Our task as ministers,” said Bishop Sipuka “is to point people to Jesus, who has a solution to their existential problems and battles with sin.”

He added, “We thank Archbishop Thlagale for his example in this regard during his many years of faithful service as a bishop. Like John the Baptist, Archbishop you did what you were called to do during your time, not attracting attention to yourself but to Jesus.   Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Also present at the Farewell Mass of Thanksgiving for Archbishop Tlhagale OMI was the Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa Archbishop  Henryk Mieczysław Jagodziński, Archbishop Dabula Anthony Mpako of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pretoria, Archbishop Zolile Peter Mpambani SCI of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bloemfontein, as well as the Bishops from two of the suffragan dioceses of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Johannesburg namely Bishop José Luís Gerardo Ponce de León IMC of Manzini Diocese and Bishop Victor Hlolo Phalana of Klerksdorp Diocese.

The installation of the Archbishop-Elect of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Johannesburg is scheduled to take place on the Feast Day of the Conversion of St Paul, Saturday, January 25 at St Benedict College sports grounds, Bedfordview.