Maria Mater Ecclesiae Remembers the Faithfully Departed

by Daluxolo Moloantoa · November 7, 2022

Since All Saints and All Souls Days fell on weekdays this year, many parishes across South Africa celebrated the Mass services with one joint Sunday service yesterday.

The Maria Mater Ecclesiae (MME) Catholic Church in Garankuwa was no exception. The parish, founded in 1979 by the Stigmatine Fathers, held a special Mass in dedication to its departed parish priests and family members of the congregation.

In his homily, Fr Harrison Mulenga CSS noted past Stigmatine Fathers who had arrived in South Africa from the 1960’s, and who went on to initiate the building of various churches, including the MME church, within the North-West deanery of the archdiocese of Pretoria.

He said that it was now the responsibility of current church members to carry on their legacy by building stronger Christian communities wherever they saw a need to do so.

A candle-lighting session was held, where members of the parish, dressed in all-black, came forward to light a candle in remembrance of departed family members.

Fr Harrison lit the candles for all the departed priests. Among those remembered were Stigmatine priests Frs Michele D’Annucci, Lino Vinco, Charles Mittempheger, Nel Matlala, Angelo Dusi and Cesare Orler.

MC for the day Lucas Bokaba gave context to the session by relating the unique contributions that each departed person had made to the parish. As parishioner Ms Leketi laid her candles, he explained that she had been his primary school teacher at the Catholic Primary School in the adjoining Mmakau Village.

A renowned choir conductor, Lucas Bokaba later became a teacher at the same school, now known as Morekolodi Primary School.

After the service, the congregation and visitors had lunch in the parish hall.