Bicentennial Mass Planned at Jo’burg’s Marian shrine

by Erin Carelse · April 2, 2018

Artists impression of plans for the shrine

Johannesburg archdiocese, as part of the year-long bicentennial of the Catholic Church in South Africa, will celebrate with Mass and the rosary on April 21 at the Mother of Mercy Shrine in Magaliesburg.

The rosary will be at 9:30 followed by Mass at 10:00, and all parishes in the archdiocese are requested to participate.

Funds will also be raised for the shrine project, and an appeal has been made to all the faithful to bring a donation of at least R50.

Celebrate the Growth of Catholicism

The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference has recommended that all dioceses celebrate the Church’s bicentennial milestone, as it is a special moment of looking back at the growth of Catholicism in the country.

The SACBC said this is a time of “paying profound homage to the missionaries, men and women, who devoted themselves … to the task of transmitting the torch of the Christian faith”, (Pope John Paul II’s Ecclesia in Africa).

The bicentennial celebrations are planned to culminate with national Masses of Thanksgiving at noon on June 10 in every cathedral, parish and mission station throughout Southern Africa.

A recording from Pope Francis will be aired, and the special candles distributed to all bishops at the inaugural Mass in Cape Town will be lit in every cathedral in South Africa, Botswana, and Swaziland. Bells will be rung to symbolise the solidarity of faith between everyone.