In response to the growing need for ongoing formation among priests and religious, the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has announced that its next Sabbatical Programme will take place from 25 January to 5 March 2027 at St Luke’s Retreat Centre in Port Elizabeth.

The programme, traditionally held every two years, was initially scheduled for 2026. However, due to a lower-than-expected number of registrations, the SACBC Ongoing Formation Team decided to move the initiative to January 2027, allowing more priests and religious the opportunity to participate in what has become a valued journey of renewal and personal growth.

Writing to bishops throughout the region, Fr Jerry Browne, Director of the SACBC Sabbatical Programme, together with Bishop Robert Mphiwe, Liaison Bishop for Ongoing Formation, emphasized that in today’s rapidly changing Church and society, ongoing formation is not a luxury but a necessity.

“A sabbatical provides a valuable opportunity to step back from the demands of daily responsibilities in order to rest, reflect, pray, study, and return renewed in mind, heart, and spirit,” they said.

The programme is intended primarily for priests and religious who have been ordained or professed for ten years or more, although exceptions may be considered. Participants are invited into a holistic experience that combines prayer, study, spiritual direction, recreation, and personal reflection.

Among the themes planned for the 2027 programme are Scripture, Spirituality, Leadership, Artificial Intelligence and Ministry, and Personal Renewal. Daily Eucharist, communal prayer, meditation, and spiritual direction will form the heart of the experience, while periods of free time will encourage rest, reading, and reflection.

The announcement follows the success of the 2024 SACBC Sabbatical Programme, which brought together twenty participants—thirteen priests and seven religious sisters—from South Africa, Botswana, and Kenya. Running from April to June 2024, the programme offered a wide variety of presentations on forgiveness and reconciliation, healthy living, the Letters of St Paul, prison ministry, Laudato Si’, leadership, mindfulness, mission, prayer, and personal transformation.

Participants consistently described the experience as life-changing, renewing, and deeply transformative.

For Sr Antonia Khathi of the Ursuline Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who serves as Diocesan Catechetical Coordinator in Mthatha Diocese, the sabbatical came at a moment of exhaustion.

“When I arrived at St Luke’s Retreat Centre, I was very tired,” she reflected. “Through the programmes offered, I was able to go deeper into myself for self-transformation. I reclaimed my call, my purpose in life, and recognized positive things in myself. I am now relaxed, renewed, and re-energized.”

She encouraged other religious sisters to embrace similar opportunities for renewal.

Fr Sifiso Mchunu OSM described the sabbatical as a chance to slow down and re-examine his life and ministry after eleven years as a religious and ordained minister.

Reflecting on the diverse themes covered during the programme, he noted how presentations on prison ministry and traditional healing challenged his assumptions and broadened his pastoral understanding.

“The experience reminded me that there is still a lot to learn in mission and ministry,” he said. “Some presentations helped me focus on myself and realize that the only person I can truly change is myself.”

The sabbatical also fostered deep friendships and fraternity among participants from different backgrounds and ministries.

For Fr Maloisane Emmanuel Rakaki of the Archdiocese of Bloemfontein, who has served as a priest for more than four decades, the programme became a moment of preparation for a new stage of life.

“As I am turning seventy, I felt a need to prepare myself mentally and spiritually for change, to age with grace,” he explained.

Looking back on the experience, he described it as an opportunity to discern what the Holy Spirit is saying today and to reflect on the future with openness and trust.

“The calling of priests and religious is enormous,” he said. “Some may find themselves driving on a near-empty tank. We should not wait until people burn out but invest in their physical, emotional, and spiritual health.”

Meanwhile, Sr Rosemary Wanyoike, a Sister of Mercy from Kenya, arrived at the 2024 Sabbatical after fifteen years in formation ministry seeking rest and renewal. During the programme, she was unexpectedly elected to her congregation’s General Council, a role that would take her to Ireland for six years of international leadership service.

“The fact that this call came during my sabbatical was very timely,” she said. “I was glad to have a space to process the news and receive support that helped me step confidently into my new ministry.”

Describing the sabbatical as a life-changing experience, she said it provided the healing, renewal, and preparation she needed for her new mission.

As the Church continues its journey of synodality and mission, initiatives such as the SACBC Sabbatical Programme seek to strengthen those entrusted with pastoral leadership and service. By offering time for prayer, learning, and personal renewal, the programme responds to a growing awareness that healthy ministry requires healthy ministers.

The 2027 Sabbatical Programme will run from Monday, 25 January 2027, until Friday, 5 March 2027, at St Luke’s Retreat Centre, 10 Park Lane, Port Elizabeth.

Applications and registration are now open. Bishops, religious superiors, priests, and religious are encouraged to identify and support candidates who may benefit from this unique opportunity for renewal and ongoing formation. Registration forms are available through the programme organizers.

For further information, registration details, or application forms, interested persons may contact:

Fr Jerry Browne
Director, SACBC Sabbatical Programme
Email: sacbcsabbatical@yahoo.com