The Bishops On Our August 2022 Cover

In our August 2022 issue, we celebrate 75 years of the SACBC – we look at the history of the bishops’ conference in southern Africa and read our interview with president Bishop Sethembele Sipuka.

Featured on the cover are 42 Southern African bishops, five SACBC secretary-generals, and one important associate secretary-general. They are:

Top row, from left: Bishops Pascal Michael Rowland † (Dundee 1983-2005), Paul Themba Mngoma † (Mariannhill 1981-2005), John Rosenthal † (Queenstown 1940-72), Hubert Bucher † (Bethlehem 1976-2008), Cardinal Owen McCann † (Cape Town 1950-84), Bishop Sithembele Sipuka (Mthatha since 2008), Fr Smangalso Mkhatshwa (secretary-general 1980s), Bishop Neil Frank (Mariannhill, coadjutor since 2022).

Second row from top: Bishop Vincent Zungu (Port Elizabeth since 2014), Archbishops John Fitzgerald † (Bloemfontein 1966-76, Johannesburg 1976-84), Frank Nubuasah (Francistown 1998-2019, Gaborone since 2019), Bishops Giuseppe Sandri † (Witbank 2009-19), Louis Ncamiso Ndlovu † (Manzini 1985-2012), Fr Dominic Scholten OP † (secretary-general 1970s), Archbishop Abel Gabuza † (Kimberley 2010-18, Durban, coadjutor 2018-21), Bishop John O’Leary † (Transvaal 19250-50).

Third row from top: Archbishop Buti Tlhagale (Bloemfontein 1999-2003, Johannesburg since 2003), Bishops Franziskus Hennemann † (Cape of Good Hope 1922-49), Kevin Dowling (Rustenburg 1990-2020), Pius Bonaventura Dlamini † (Umzimkulu 1954-67, Mariannhill, auxiliary 1967-81), Sr Hermenegild Makoro CPS (secretary-general 2010s), Archbishops Denis Hurley † (Durban 1947-92), Peter Butelezi † (Johannesburg, auxiliary 1972-75, Mthatha 1975-78, Bloemfontein 1978-97), Bishop Edward Adams (Oudstshoorn 1983-2010).

Third row from bottom: Archbishops Dabula Mpako (Queenstown 2011-19, Pretoria since 2019), Stephen Brislin (Kroonstad 2007-2010, Cape Town since 2010), Bishop José Luis Ponce de León (Ingwavuma 2008-13, Manzini since 2014), Sr Brigid Flanagan HF † (associate secretary-general 1980s), Bishops Victor Phalana (Klerksdorp since 2015), Gerard van Velsen † (Kroonstad 1950-75), Archbishop William Slattery (Kokstad 1993-2010, Pretoria 2011-19), Bishop Andrew Zolile Brook † (Mthatha 1979-95) .

Second row from bottom: Bishop Fritz Lobinger (Aliwal North 1987-2004), Cardinal Wilfrid Napier (Kokstad 1981-92, Durban 1992-2021), Fr Vincent Brennan SMA (secretary-general 2000s), Bishops Edward Risi (Keimoes-Upington since 2000), Joseph De Palma † (De Aar 1967-87), Paul Mogale Nkumishe † (Witbank 1981-2000, Polokwane 2000-11), Hugh Boyle (Port Elizabeth 1948-54, Johannesburg 1954-76), João Rodrigues (Tzaneen since 2010).

Bottom row: Archbishop George Daniel (Pretoria 1975-2008), Fr Hugh O’Connor (secretary-general 2020s), Archbishop Hermann Meysing † (1930-51, Bloemfontein 1951-54), Bishop Mansuet Dela Biyase † (Eshowe 1975-2005), Archbishop Siegfried Mandla Jwara (Ingwavuma 2016-21, Durban since 2021), Bishop Adalbero Fleischer † (Mariannhill 1922-50), Archbishop Stephen Naidoo † (Cape Town 1974-89), Boniface Setlalekgosi † (Gaborone 1981-2009)

* Episcopal dates are according to time of ordination or installation.