Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On February 2 , 2014, the Holy Father Rev. appointed Fr. Vincent Mduduzi Zungu, O.F.M., Definitor General for Africa and the Middle East, in Rome as Bishop of the Diocese of Port Elizabeth (South Africa).
Fr. Vincent Mduduzi Zungu, O.F.M., was born on April 28, 1966, in the village of Mbongolwane, in the Diocese of Eshowe. He studied Philosophy and Theology at St. John Vianney Major Seminary, in Pretoria. He entered the Franciscan Order on January 18, 1988. He obtained a Licentiate in Moral Theology at the Catholic University of Strasbourg, France (2001-2005). He was ordained a priest on July 8, 1995.
Since ordination he has served in various pastoral and diocesan roles: 1996-1999: Assistant priest in the Mission of Hardenberg; 2000-2006: Master of Novices and Guardian of the convent of Besters; 2007-2008: Professor of the St. John Vianney Major Seminary, Provincial Vicar and Assistant of the Postulants; 2008-2009: Provincial of the Franciscans in South Africa. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 03/02/2014)
Category: South Africa Sector Page 3 of 5
News and events of South Africa Sector of SAP
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On February 2 , 2014, the Holy Father Rev. appointed Fr. Vincent Mduduzi Zungu, O.F.M., Definitor General for Africa and the Middle East, in Rome as Bishop of the Diocese of Port Elizabeth (South Africa).
Fr. Vincent Mduduzi Zungu, O.F.M., was born on April 28, 1966, in the village of Mbongolwane, in the Diocese of Eshowe. He studied Philosophy and Theology at St. John Vianney Major Seminary, in Pretoria. He entered the Franciscan Order on January 18, 1988. He obtained a Licentiate in Moral Theology at the Catholic University of Strasbourg, France (2001-2005). He was ordained a priest on July 8, 1995.
Since ordination he has served in various pastoral and diocesan roles: 1996-1999: Assistant priest in the Mission of Hardenberg; 2000-2006: Master of Novices and Guardian of the convent of Besters; 2007-2008: Professor of the St. John Vianney Major Seminary, Provincial Vicar and Assistant of the Postulants; 2008-2009: Provincial of the Franciscans in South Africa. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 03/02/2014)
On behalf of the Parish Pastoral Council and Fr. Crispin Vungwa, I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for the great support shown to us on the occasion of the untimely demise of Father Sebastien Ndrutsomi.
Thank you for the gift of your love, sacrifice, time and your commitment to show solidarity and comfort to us. Happiness is not found at the end of the journey but it is found as we plough along day after day with what God puts on our path. The Parish was very united during these trying times and it is with renewed vigour that we will continue with the building of the Kingdom of God in our Lebombo community.
May our Lord Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother hold you their loving embrace and bless you abundantly.
You remain in our thoughts and prayers. Fr. JPM Le Scour, M.Afr
Priest-In-Charge
According to Jean-Pierre Le Scour and Chrispin Vungwa, it was the will of Sébastien that he should be buried on the Parish grounds in Kamhlushwa near the grotto, would the unlikely event of his death occur. Unfortunately, it has happened. But after consulting with the Sector Council of South Africa, the Provincial of SAP Christopher Chileshe and the Bishop Joe Sandri, the programme for the burial of Sébastien has been re-arranged as follows.
On Friday evening the 10th January and through the night, there will be a Prayer Vigil for Sébastien at Kamhlushwa. At around 5am on Saturday morning, a memorial service will be held. The body will then be taken to Maria Trost Diocesan Centre where a solemn Funeral Mass will be presided over by Bishop Sandri, assisted by our Provincial if he can make it, at around 10am. Sébastien will then be laid to rest in the Diocesan cemetery. The people from the community of Kamhlushwa who wish to accompany Sebastien to the cemetery are invited to hire a bus. A financial contribution could be asked from the people but the Missionaries of Africa are willing to pay to the costs.
Dear Jean-Pierre, Chrispin and Samuel, we keep you in our prayers. We are all affected by the sudden death of our brother Sébastien but you are certainly more affected than anybody else. Be strong.
The provincial from PAC, Placide Lubamba, is in communion with us. A memorial
Mass will take place in DRCongo at the same time as our funeral Mass meaning at about 9am local time in Congo. A message using SMS will be sent at the very moment when Mass is starting.
Let us continue to thank God for all that Sébastien was for many people, being the zealous missionary we know of him. Let us pray for his family back in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Let us pray for our confreres of Lebombo who will feel bitterly his absence. May he rest in peace!
Philippe Docq, M.Afr
Latest news from Raymond A. McQuarrie, M.Afr.
Yesterday evening at 5pm we celebrated Mass in St. Kizito church in Kamhlushwa in memory of our dear brother Sébastien. The church was completely full, and one could see and feel the real sense of loss and sorrow among the people. Many local priests attended and the Mass was presided over by Fr. Protas Zwane, the Vicar General in Witbank Diocese.
The Community of Lebombo asked me if I would be able to do the homily for the Memorial Mass. I felt truly privileged to be asked to do this and I thank the Community for affording me this honour.
As we celebrated our Lord Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection in the Memorial Mass, we also celebrated the life of our dear brother Sébastien, despite the deep sadness and grief we all felt. Emotions were very high.
We read out some of the beautiful words of consolation from Bishop Sandri’s e-mail as we celebrate the Epiphany, the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ among us. He offered this comfort that our brother Sébastien now experiences, in the peace of Christ, that great vision.
The Confreres and entire parish are in shock, but people are rallying together around their priests in busy preparation of the ceremonies for our brother Sébastien’s final farewell.
With every good wish and God bless.
On behalf of the Southern Africa Province
Our condolences to all our confreres of South Africa, especially Jean-Pierre Le Scour, Affian Samuel Affoumane and Chrispin Vungwa of Lebombo.
Serge St-Arneault, M.Afr, Provincial Secretary
Other news:
Tragic car accident of Sébastien Ndrutsomi in South Africa
The ordination of Antony and Tomasz took place on the 14th December 2013 at Saint Raphael Parish, Kwa Mzimba, Archdiocese of Durban, South Africa. His Eminence Wilfrid Cardinal Napier OFM, Archbishop of Durban confer the diaconate to our new confreres. The location of the church is also known as Henley where our confreres are ministering, Philippe Docq being the Parish Priest.
The liturgy was well prepared with songs mainly in isiZulu but also in English, Kiswahili and Lingala. Many confreres were present including Fr. Jos Van Boxel from Rome and Bishop Jan De Groef of Bethlelem Diocese in South Africa.
The Christian Communities of KwaMzimba – St. Raphael, Enthembeni – St. Pius, KwaDeda – Our Lady of Fatima, KwaGezubuso – St. Veronica, and KwaNgubeni – St. Joseph congratulate the new Deacons.
The Missionaries of Africa, Merrivale Formation House Community, thank wholeheartedly also all those who responded to the invitation to this ordination and in a special way those who have contributed to prepare this celebration.
Our Lady, Queen of Africa
Pray for us!
Second Video
Also:
Missionary Oath of Antony Alckias and Tomasz Podrazik in Merrivale, South Africa
Last week was a particularly bad week for the Diepsloot community, a sprawling township of tin shacks and hunger on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Two toddlers aged three and two had been found murdered and raped and the community was rightly enraged. This was the Missionary of Africa parish where Fr. Louis Blondel was brutally murdered some four years ago, by a group of teenage tugs. At that time Louis had a vision of building a Community Centre with the particular intention of taking care of the very youth who murdered him.
The violent scenes in Diepsloot were offset by celebrations in another part of the township where a life was celebrated and love and hope enkindled. This Centre is a gift from the Blondel family to the youth of Diepsloot and will make them realise they are not alone in their poverty, there are those who care and those that want them to have a better chance in life. The Archbishop of Pretoria William Slattery asked the community to accept the gift there were been given in memory of Louis, and said they should care for it as it was their centre. He assured the community that Louis’s spirit would always be there with them, watching over them and encouraging their efforts towards a better life.
His sister Francoise and her husband Alphonse had travelled from France to be there for the opening. His sister described the opening as emotional but also a happy one because it kept his legacy alive. She said the realis
ation of this dream could be the first step towards reconciliation. She went onto say “we are not angry and there is no vengeance in our hearts, and this could lead to full forgiveness”.
With Louis’s sudden death and the remaining confreres Guy Bourgeois suffering a stroke six months later, the Missionaries of Africa were forced to hand over the parish to the Archdiocese. The Centre now remains a fitting legacy to a wonderful man and our short presence in Diepsloot.
Seán O’Leary M.Afr
See also one article written by Michel Meunier, M.Afr for MISSION MONTH (one for the Archdiocesan newspaper (ADnews) and two for the weekly national newspaper (The Southern Cross).
From a Mission Church to a Missionary Church
From yoyo to hula hoop
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2013
See also the following link:
Father Louis Blondel Centre
Didier Michon, George Okwii, Chrispin Edgar Vungwa, Jean-Pierre Le Scour, Raymond McQuarrie, Mathieu Van Vlierden, René Garand, Philippe Docq, Didier Lemaire. In front: Michel Meunier, Samuel Affoumane, Martin Somda
Here are some pictures taken at our last quarterly meeting. Here it is the mass to close the antislavery campaign. Recollection, input, business meeting, fraternal gathering: all that to reinforce our missionary commitment.
Pictures sent by Didier Lemaire, M.Afr
The Father Louis Blondel Centre is the result of a team work inspired by a man whose life has been dedicated to the poorest and to the loneliest. Fr Louis spent more than 22 years in South Africa, as a missionary of Africa, and was involved in many supportive projects in Soweto, Zondi and Orange Farm. In 2008, he decided to stay in Diepsloot and was planning a youth centre when his life was cut short and he was shot dead by an intruder on the night of the 6th December 2009.
This Centre is dedicated to the upliftment of the Youth of Diepsloot and may it become a beacon of reconciliation in our still violent and divided Society.
It is with thanks to the family and Friends of Fr. Louis and the French business community who funded the building. A special thanks to Lafarge SA and Prominent Paints.
