Bishop Joe Kizito pays tribute to Bishop Fritz Lobinger

Celebrations of the 70th anniversary of Bishop Fritz Lobinger’s ordination to the priesthood will kick off in January. Here Bishop Joseph Kizito pays tribute to one of South Africa’s most influential bishops.

As the Synod on Synodality comes to a close, a former bishop of the rural diocese of Aliwal North in the Eastern Cape can be regarded as a pioneer in putting this concept into action. Bishop Fritz Lobinger served the diocese from 1987 until his retirement in 2004, and now resides in Mariannhill.

Many years ago, Bishop Lobinger anticipated the need for a synodal Church in the bishops’ pastoral plan. He envisioned a Church that prays, speaks out, listens, discusses issues at the table, discerns, analyses, dialogues, celebrates and journeys together in communion, participation and mission.

Born on January 22, 1929, in Passau, in Bavaria at the German border to Austria, he was ordained a priest in nearby Regensburg on June 29, 1955. Soon after, in 1956, Fr Lobinger arrived in South Africa with his close friends from Regensburg, Frs Oswald Hirmer and Hubert Bucher following in 1957 and 1958 respectively. All three later became bishops — Bucher of Bethlehem in the Free State and Hirmer of Mthatha. Both are now with the heavenly Father.

They were the first Fidei Donum missionary priests for the Diocese of Aliwal. Following their arrival, more than ten other priests joined them — including Frs Franz, Heinrich, Shelmerdine, Tratz, Bea, and Stigler. Fr Lobinger quickly embarked on learning the local languages: English, Afrikaans and Xhosa.

He served as assistant priest to Fr Koelbel in Tafile, which was a blessing for the diocese of Aliwal which was grappling with a significant shortage of priests. The local Church grew rapidly after the arrival of these Regensburg priests. Fr Lobinger served under Bishops Baaij and Lueck, and Bishop DePalma of De Aar while he acted as apostolic administrator for Aliwal.

Fr Lobinger was appointed apostolic administrator for Aliwal North diocese on December 3, 1986, and was ordained its bishop on February 27, 1987. Many churches were built under his leadership.

In 1958, he helped establish the Lumko Catechists Training Centre in Queenstown, where he trained about nine catechists. These lay leaders assisted communities during priests’ three-month home leaves. In many areas of the diocese of Aliwal, Holy Mass is celebrated in some churches only once a month, so these voluntary lay leaders have been vital in leading Communion services.

This approach marked a significant pastoral shift, empowering local people to conduct services like funerals and catechism classes, and enhancing church activity and participation.

Bishop Lobinger consistently championed the empowerment of the laity, believing that local involvement strengthens faith. He also supported youth and women in taking leadership roles.

As pastoral priests, Lobinger and Hirmer produced 23 slide-and-tape series in six local languages to encourage lay participation in the liturgy. Bishop Lobinger excelled in inculturation, ensuring that faith was rooted in local culture, and supported the community’s creativity in designing their liturgies.

He transformed the traditional procedure of blessing the Holy Oils in the cathedral by introducing a rotation model across parishes, allowing the faithful to experience this essential annual liturgy. Bishop Lobinger also participated in the First Synod for Africa in Rome.

Publications

Lobinger’s first book, How Much Can Lay People Do? published in 1974, proposed that laypeople could volunteer alongside employed catechists. This aligns with Pope Francis’s vision for the Synodal Church, which emphasises participation, communion and mission.

In 1998, he published a book on the viri probati model of priesthood, Like His Brothers and Sisters: Ordaining Community Leaders which suggested ordaining married men to fulfil certain priestly functions in regions where communities might not see a priest for months. Although initially met with resistance from fellow bishops, many years later, Pope Francis referenced Lobinger’s insights when he revived the discussions on viri probati priests during the Synod on the Amazon.

Advocacy for Justice and Peace

Bishop Lobinger was dedicated to raising awareness and responsibility regarding justice, urging the faithful to be active citizens in the fight against apartheid. He encouraged discussions on political responsibility during a time of significant political strife, violence and unrest in the townships of the diocese. He refused to transfer priests according to racist patterns and wrote extensively against political injustices.

After apartheid, he played an active role in the reconciliation process, also educating people about the importance of voting and the need for identification to participate in elections.

Development and Community Building

Bishop Lobinger was central in developing the SACBC’s Pastoral Plan of 1989, introducing “regional meetings” that included bishops, priests, religious, and laypeople from local deaneries.

He established the Diocesan Animation Team, which conducted training and animation not just in parishes but throughout the diocese. He actively promoted community development, working with Holy Cross Sister Lucy to build some 350 houses for the poor.

He implemented a “Senate” model that included monthly meetings with priests and pastoral workers, allowing the laity to attend for the first time. Additionally, he introduced “Community Week, where he visited communities for systematic training of lay leaders. An artistically talented man, he utilised sketches and visuals during these sessions.

In 1996, he initiated the first session of the Aliwal Diocesan Pastoral Council (ADPC), ensuring representation from all parishes.

Bishop Lobinger invited priests from Poland and Uganda to assist with pastoral work while promoting local priests. He also advocated for the diocese’s financial independence from the funding long provided by the Sacred Heart priests.

Lumko Books and Training

A skilled facilitator, Bishop Lobinger conducted workshops at Lumko and in dioceses across Africa and Asia, equipping priests and pastoral workers to train local leaders in their parishes.

He nurtured Small Christian Communities (SCC) as a means to reach out to the faithful. The first SCC feast took place in 1999, bringing together different parishes to share experiences and learn new ways of Gospel sharing, particularly connecting faith with social issues. SCCs have become a vital aspect of parish life, providing a platform for scripture reflection and discussion on community concerns. Leaders are appointed within SCCs, fostering close-knit relationships.

Bishop Lobinger also supported home-based care projects for HIV and AIDS patients and established various hospices. He was proactive in raising awareness about AIDS in the diocese, responding to the crisis as young lives were lost.

In recognition of Bishop Lobinger’s life work, let us continue to walk in the spirit of the Synodal Church.

Bishop Joe Kizito is the current bishop of Aliwal North.