BISHOPS OF the South African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC), clergy and thousands of faithful attended the beautiful ceremony of ordination of Bishop Masilo John Selemela. The celebration, presided over by the Archbishop of Pretoria, Dabula Anthony Mpako, as the main consecrator, had Bishops João Rodrigues of Tzaneen and Vincent Zungu of Port Elizabeth as the co-consecrating bishops.

The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Peter Wells, read the mandate from Pope Francis, regarding the appointment and ordination of Bishop-Elect Selemela. Favourable to the petition done by Archbishop Dabula for an auxiliary bishop, the then rector of St John Vianney Seminary, Fr Masilo John Selemela, was chosen. “You are known to have a good spiritual life, skilful in the affairs of administration, and most given with other human and priestly virtues. These gifts were especially visible in your ministry at the seminary where you wisely served as rector. From the fullness of our apostolic authority and having obtained the endorsement of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, we appoint you as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Pretoria,” said Pope Francis.

In his homily, Archbishop Mpako commented on the Bishop-elect’s motto for his coat of arms, ‘Called to Discipleship.’ It echoes the great commissioning of Matthew 28:1, ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.’ and along with the readings selected for the ceremony, they remind us who we are; a missionary Church which is sent out. “We exist to evangelise and to proclaim Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that people can open their hearts to God and find salvation and a path to authentic holiness. Thus, evangelisation is the church’s deepest identity and mission,” Archbishop Mpako said.  

Regarding the implementation of the new SACBC pastoral plan in the Diocese, “we have committed ourselves to promote and foster a personal encounter with Christ, to deepen our faith and spirituality, to become truly and authentically an evangelising and missionary Church together,” said the Archbishop.

He also expressed his wish that all may take personal responsibility in building up the Church, carrying out the missionary vocation and becoming ‘evangelised evangelisers’. Thus, overcoming the image of the Church as a spiritual supermarket where we shop for spiritual goods, but for which we assume no responsibility, and of which we have no sense of ownership. “May we cease to view the Church as a spiritual bus in which we are passively carried from one destination to another. Let our approach not be about what I can get from the Church, but what can I contribute as a living and active member,” said the Archbishop.

Addressing Bishop Selemela, the Archbishop said that their shepherding should not be about being a dictator over the flock entrusted to them, but rather an example that the whole flock can follow.

At the end of the Mass, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Pretoria, Fr Mabuti Amos welcomed Bishop Selemela, saying “We pledge our support to you. We will rally behind you as priests and the religious and faithful of Pretoria to make this archdiocese become what God desired it to be”.

Bishop Sithembele Sipuka, President of the SACBC, expressed the Conference’s eagerness about Bishop Selemela’s contribution, particularly in areas of formation of priests. “We need a man of your calibre,” he said.  

The newly ordained Bishop Selemela, in his acknowledgement speech, thanked God and the Holy Father for their confidence in him. His gratitude went also to the Apostolic Nuncio, his family, the formation staff of St John Vianney Seminary, seminarians and the co-consecrating bishops as well as the Bishop Emeritus of Tzaneen. He acknowledged the presence of the Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makhoba and Methodist Bishop Sidwell Mokgothu. He thanked also the priests, the religious and the faithful for their support, and expressed his gratitude to Bishop Masela, of the Diocese of Polokwane, the priests and the faithful of his diocese of origin.

“To the Archbishop of Pretoria, thank you very much for your warm welcome and for being patient and encouraging, and showing me the ropes around the Archdiocese. I look forward to working with you.” To the people of the Archdiocese, “I have only one prayer; that all of us can know Jesus Christ and want to serve him truly. Rooted in the art of discipling we are going to be the ‘disciples that are discipling,” he said.