Ingwavuma, 06 June, 2023 / 9:45 pm (ACI Africa).
In exercising his Episcopal Ministry, the new Vicar Apostolic of the Apostolic Vicariate of Ingwavuma in South Africa will need to be “shepherd who unites the flock”, the Catholic Archbishop of the country’s Bloemfontein Archdiocese has said.
In his homily during the Episcopal Consecration of Mons. Vusumuzi Francis Mazibuko on June 3, Archbishop Zolile Peter Mpambani said, “One of the duties of the bishop is to build unity in his church. That means that Father Mazibuko, the Lord has sent you to be a shepherd who unites the flock.”
Archbishop Mpambani added, “We believe that when a bishop is elected or appointed, it was by the work of the Holy Spirit that that appointment came, not our own doing, not anybody’s doing, not his own doing, but the Holy Spirit appointed him. So now he also must be guided.”
The member of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCI) encouraged the new Bishop to “listen to the Holy Spirit guiding and enlightening him as he goes along with his work.”
The South African Archbishop underscored the need for working together, saying, “Collaboration is very important at its own time and at its own place because we’re not going to do the same job at the same time.”
