The ‘fundraising bazaar’ towards the formation of seminarians from Kokstad Diocese was a “wonderful and beautiful” experience for the Diocese, says the Local Ordinary.

In a communiqué shared with the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) communications office Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa says the November 4 event felt “like a fun Family Day” as it brought together both the young and the old.

“I’m really excited today; we have this wonderful and beautiful day together as a diocese. Of course, coming together for a very important purpose, which is to raise funds for our seminarians,” says Bishop Mbuyisa.

According to the Thursday, November 9 communiqué shared with the SACBC communications office, the fundraising event held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral brought together hundreds of parishioners who contributed to the event with “different food stalls to generate funds” for the formation of seminarians.

“A target amount of R5000.00 minimum for each food stall was agreed upon during preparatory meetings. A variety of food items were available such as cakes, braai meat, fruit and vegetables, nursery, Indian cuisine, African cuisine, butchery, sweets, and many other mouthwatering items were sold at very affordable prices,” reads the communiqué.

Apart from food stalls, the fundraising bazaar also included “a soccer tournament” with teams made up of parishioners including a team made up of some members of the Clergy together with Bishop Mbuyisa.

At the end of the event that concluded with a choral competition, Bishop Mbuyisa thanked the people of God of Kokstad Diocese for taking “their time off to come here and be with us and all those who have made this day a success, through their own contributions, monetary contributions, all the work that was done to make this day as beautiful as it is.”