Thousands of faithful gathered at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Pella for the Requiem Mass of Bishop Edward Gabriel Risi OMI, who served the Diocese of Keimoes-Upington for 25 years.

Clergy, religious, and lay faithful from across the diocese and beyond came to pay their final respects to a shepherd remembered for his fidelity, pastoral dedication, and deep love for the Church.

In his homily, Bishop Sylvester David OMI offered a profound reflection rooted in the spirituality of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, drawing the assembly into a contemplation of the Cross as the defining horizon of Bishop Risi’s life and ministry.

Bishop David began by recalling the final hours of Bishop Risi’s earthly journey. About 36 hours before his death, Bishop Risi had sent a message indicating that his condition had returned to a critical stage similar to an earlier period that had required a massive blood transfusion. As his health declined rapidly, he lost consciousness and was later intubated. On the morning of 4 December, he was called to his eternal rest.

Reflecting personally, Bishop David posed a question that would frame his homily: How does an Oblate face death? He answered it by tracing Bishop Risi’s life back to his earliest years in religious formation. He recalled their shared history within the Oblate congregation, beginning with his own novitiate, when Bishop Risi, then a young Provincial Superior, received his first vows. Even at that time, he noted, Bishop Risi displayed a singular focus on Oblate mission, marked by zeal, discipline, and a deep yearning for authentic liturgy.

Bishop David shared testimonies from across the Church that echoed this assessment. Former Superior General Bishop Guillermo Steckling OMI described Bishop Risi as a man whose participation in Oblate life reflected faith, hope, and charity. Messages of appreciation were also received from the ICEL Secretariat, highlighting Bishop Risi’s fruitful engagement in liturgical and textual work. Former Superior General Archbishop Marcello Zago OMI had once described him as one of the most inspiring Oblates he had ever encountered.

Gradually, Bishop David explained, the question of how an Oblate faces death found its answer: an Oblate faces death in the same way he faces life — in closeness to the Cross. This, he said, was not an abstract idea but a lived reality in Bishop Risi’s life. The Cross shaped his spirituality, his episcopal ministry, and even his chosen motto: “In cruce salus” — in the Cross is salvation, which he rendered in Afrikaans as “Die Kruis: die bron van onse lewe”.

Drawing on the history of the Oblate congregation, Bishop David recalled how St Eugene de Mazenod, the founder, was himself profoundly shaped by contemplating the Cross. From that contemplation, the Oblate charism emerged — a call to view the world through the eyes of the crucified Christ. Bishop Risi, he said, embodied this vision fully.

The homily turned to moments from Bishop Risi’s final illness. When reminded of St Paul’s teaching that suffering unites the believer to the Cross of Christ for the sake of the Church, Bishop Risi was moved to tears. Bishop David recalled how he responded simply, saying he was deeply moved. Quoting St Oscar Romero, Bishop David observed that “some things can only be seen through eyes which have shed tears.” He noted that such tears were visible when Bishop Risi joined the Bishops’ Plenary earlier this year — a moment many found deeply moving.

Contemplating Christ on the Cross, Bishop David invited the faithful to consider what Jesus himself would have seen: the brokenness of society, corrupt power, wounded humanity, but also signs of conversion, mercy, and hope. In that same gaze, Bishop Risi’s mission as both Oblate and Bishop found its meaning — turning people’s eyes toward truth, reconciliation, and salvation.

Bishop David concluded by reflecting on Christ’s words to the repentant thief — “Today, you will be with me in paradise”. He expressed confidence that Bishop Risi had heard those words with the ears of faith and now shared in the promise they contained.

Quoting St Eugene de Mazenod in closing, Bishop David offered a final tribute: “We carry in our bodies the marks of the death of Christ, so that the marks of the life of Christ may also be seen in us.” He entrusted Bishop Risi to the mercy of God with the words: “Good night, Eddie. Well done, good and faithful servant.”

The Requiem Mass marked not only a farewell, but a profound thanksgiving for a life given in service — a shepherd who walked with his people for a quarter of a century, always under the sign of the Cross, which he believed to be the true source of life.