The Catholic Church in VanRhynsdorp

by Michael Shackleton · July 8, 2016

A new Travellers Lodge has been opened next to the N7 opposite Vanrhynsdorp. In the grounds of the lodge is a Catholic church. Is this building still being used as a church? Is there a story behind a story? Paul Schwieger

Vanrhynsdorp is a town within the diocese of Keimoes-Upington in the West Coast district of the Western Cape.

This far-flung territory has a rich history of heroic missionaries who braved the arid regions of Namaqualand to bring the faith to the local people. In 1882 it came under the care of the Oblates of St Francis de Sales, and was established as a Prefecture Apostolic in 1884.

On the establishment of the ecclesiastical hierarchy in South Africa in 1951, it became the diocese of Keimoes. This title was changed in 1984 to Keimoes-Upington.

I guess you would not be the only one to be intrigued on discovering a Catholic church within the grounds of a hotel. I asked Bishop Edward Risi OMI of the diocese if there was indeed a story behind a story here, and he kindly provided me with some background.

The people of Vanrhynsdorp lived near and on Church property when the beautiful church was built in the Spanish architectural style. There was also a convent and school attached. The graveyard is still on the site.

In the late 1980s the people were moved 5km away to the new township of Matzikama. This meant the distance between their residential area and the church was too much for them, leading to a stagnation in parish life and religious practice. In consequence, the church went slowly into disuse and disrepair.

When Bishop Risi came to the diocese in 2000 he saw that a new and accessible church was necessary for the sake of the children and catechism. His first plan was to get approval to establish a residential site around the old church and allow people to build homes in the area. But the diocese did not have the millions required for this, although it had invested R80 000 in town planning. Unfortunately, all hopes of someone coming to the aid of the diocese were not fulfilled.

Eventually, in 2013 the property was bought by a Mr Lamprechts. He saw the potential for building a lodge there but also wanted to preserve the church and its history on his establishment.

Initially, the bishop did not want to sell the church but then Mr Lamprechts undertook to buy it, restore it, maintain it and guarantee that it would always be available for diocesan use. And this is the situation at present.

Land has meanwhile been purchased in Matzikama and the process of building a new church has begun.