Archbishop Buti Tlhagale celebrates his 25th episcopal ordination anniversary at Our Lady of Loreto in Kempton Park

by Kati Dijane · Published July 16, 2024 · Updated July 16, 2024

By Kati Dijane – It was raining gifts and jubilation on July 14 at Our Lady of Loreto parish in Kempton Park, which was filled to capacity with parishioners who did not want to miss the opportunity to celebrate the silver jubilee of Archbishop Buti Tlhagale’s episcopal ordination anniversary.

His Grace officially marked 25 years as the Archbishop of Johannesburg in April, a special month when he also launched the Mother of Mercy Shrine in Magaliesberg, a mission and milestone close to his heart. The parish priest, Father Boniface D’Souza OCD, also the vicar-general for catechism in the archdiocese, said he extended the invite to Archbishop Tlhagale OMI to his parish, as he and his parishioners wanted to show him appreciation for serving the archdiocese with love and commitment.

Accompanied by the Knights of da Gama, the Archbishop was the main celebrant during Mass. In his homily, he expressed his pleasant surprise at seeing how full the church was. He added, “What you do for your parish, you do for God, and it expresses your faith and how you talk to God.” He also talked about the importance of prayer- a topic echoed by the different clergy who accepted the invitation of the order of the Carmelites for a weeklong devotion and Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine in Benoni, from July 8-13, under the theme Symphony of Prayer. This was in preparation for their big feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 14. About prayer, the Archbishop continued, “The Eucharist celebration is a public form of prayer,” adding, “Do you enjoy coming to Mass, with your family?”

Before the final blessing, Florence Kganye, the chairperson of the PPC in the parish, extended her congratulatory message on behalf of the priest, deacons and parishioners for the Archbishop’s 25^th episcopal anniversary, adding that His Grace was a blessing and God send to the community in the archdiocese. Sodalities, choir members and other parishioners showered the Archbishop with gifts.

After Mass, Archbishop Tlhagale opened up about some of the milestones and testing moments he has encountered shepherding the archdiocese. Building and launching the Mother of Mercy shrine in Magaliesberg, he said, is a milestone, as he wanted to create a place for people to concentrate on their spiritual matters. Some of the challenges, he mentioned, include trying to expand the Catholic community by helping build churches in areas that had none, trying to increase the number of diocesan priests, which currently sits at 45, trying to creatively bridge the racial and cultural gaps by creating feasts and events to unite people, and dealing with the issue of expensive fees in Catholic schools. About his spiritual wellbeing, he shared that it’s all about following his calling to serve people by becoming exemplary in living the promise of service. “The calling to service includes being faithful to priesthood and also encouraging leaders to be of service to people without looking for personal gain. People should sense in you a willingness to serve, being available and being on their side in terms of their aspirations and struggles.”

He says although the shrine in Magaliesberg has been launched, it’s not yet complete and he hopes to see it through. He adds that the importance of the shrine stems from the centrality of Mary’s role in our faith. “One of the paintings in the shrine is the coronation of Mary in heaven by her son, Jesus. I pray we recognise Mary the same way Jesus recognises her, not only as a mother, but also her role as our intercessor.”

His Grace also encouraged young people to be motivated to choose who they want to be in the future, which they must prepare for now. “Your future is determined by what you do and how you behave now. If your future is not clear to you, you are prone to make mistakes,” he advises.

Born in December 1947, His Grace was ordained a priest in 1976. He was appointed Archbishop of Bloemfontein Archdiocese in 1999. He was then transferred to the diocese of Johannesburg in April 2003, and in 2007, when Pope Benedict XVI elevated Johannesburg to an archdiocese, His Grace was appointed the archdiocese’s first Archbishop.