The Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) are gathered in Mariannhill Diocese for the August 5 to 9 Plenary Session. Bishop Sithembele Anton Sipuka welcomed the newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Southern Africa Archbishop Henryk Mieczysław Jagodziński and assured the Papal representative that the SACBC is a “good Conference” where members treat one another in a spirit of “brotherhood” and “always look forward to (their) plenary meetings, where (they) enjoy each other’s company, discuss issues openly, and make decisions with one voice.”
The SACBC president also thanked the Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the Apostolic Nunciature in South Africa Monsignore (Mgrs) Dario Paviša for his continued service following the transfer of the former Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Peter Wells to Asia in 2023.
As his second term as president of the SACBC comes to an end Bishop Sipuka in the 10-page opening remarks addressed some of the SACBC achievements and challenges faced by the conference’s three member states namely Botswana, Eswatini, and South Africa. Bishop Sipuka went on to address the recent general elections in South Africa and the upcoming elections in Botswana. He lauded South Africa’s peaceful elections and the creation of a Government of National Unity, the reduction of loading shedding. “Concerns have also been raised about corruption and money laundering involving some high-ranking leaders in Eswatini,” he added.
In his concluding remarks, Bishop Sipuka addressed the Synod on Synodality, the call for the ordination of women to the diaconate, and the call for the ordination of matured and proven married men as per the “Amazonian Synod of October 2019,” which concluded with a vote of 128 in favour and 41 against.” Bishop Sipuka called for an ongoing discussion due to the SACBC shortage of priests which has led many Catholics, especially in rural areas to be deprived “of the major source of Catholic identity, the Eucharist.” He referred to Bishop Emeritus of Aliwal Diocese Fritz Lobinger 2007 book titled TEAMS OF ELDERS: Moving Beyond Viri Probati (Latin for “respected men,” or men of proven faith).
He said, “Bishop Lobinger has written a book of over 200 pages, theologically motivating for the ordination of Viri Probati. However, as bishop Lobinger would argue, this should not be done solely because of the shortage of priests.”
“While the Viri Probati concept is not original to us, the version Bishop Lobinger proposes is uniquely local and homegrown. It would be good to share with him as he embraces the sunset of his life that we are building on his thoughts for a possible solution to the felt pastoral need of providing variation of priesthood for a vibrant church,” concluded Bishop Sipuka as he declared the plenary session officially.
We want to wish the South African Bishops’ Conference a successful and fruitful plenary.