Bishop Kumalo on Witbank’s 100 years: I’d love to leave this diocese with committed people
Bishop of Witbank Xolelo Kumalo
By Kati Dijane – Bishop Xolelo Thaddaeus Kumalo’s house is busy, as volunteers and staff are hard at work preparing for the historic 100-year celebration of the Diocese of Witbank on Sunday, 27 October 2024.
Despite a hectic schedule, he, along with the communications officer of Witbank’s Diocese, Father Linda Zwane, opened their home to talk to the Southern Cross and Far East Rand Catholic News about how far the diocese has come over the last 100 years. After introductions and looking for the perfect setup for a sit-down, we finally decided to do the interview outside, after all, the warm weather and beautiful garden provided a lovely backdrop. Tony Alberto, from St Rose of Lima, which was recently transferred to the Witbank Diocese, was my cameraman, a job he took seriously during our visit to the house.
Diocese of Witbank staff and volunteers – Khabo Maseko, Father Lawrence Marekula, Sharon Mankhe, Tony Alberto, Bishop Xolelo Thaddaeus Kumalo, Father Linda Zwane, Philip Sibande and Vusi Mabuza.
After ensuring that we were neat and camera-ready, he counted us down and so began the conversation.
Father Zwane set the tone and shared his journey about becoming a diocesan priest at Witbank. It all started, he says, at a very early age when he always pretended to be a priest, blessing toys and stones other children would play with. “This is what my parents would tell me. But when I was in Grade 10, we were visited by the Comboni Missionaries, who used to hold spiritual classes to help us understand our faith better.” A particular priest who often visited them carried peace and joy with him when he engaged with the pupils at Father Zwane’s school, a magnet that drew him to the priesthood.
Thirty-two years later, Father Zwane is ministering in the Witbank Diocese, teaching at St John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria and has authored two spiritual books. He added that he wanted to be a diocesan priest to serve his community, where there are few priests.
Bishop Kumalo and Fr Linda Zwane, Communications officer of the Diocese of Witbank
Having grown up in the diocese, Father Zwane says that Witbank was served by missionaries, who responded to various needs, including educational, health, financial and agricultural. However, the shift he witnessed was the spirit of inculturation and taking ownership of the faith that was brought by the missionaries. “We now express it in our own way and languages,” he says.
About the celebration taking place at the Emalahleni Civic Centre on Sunday, he adds that some bishops are expected to attend, as well as Cardinal Stephen Brislin. He also states that they expect the Comboni Missionaries to be in attendance, as they spearheaded the forming of this diocese.
Watch the conversation below:
Bishop Kumalo, from the Diocese of Kokstad, shares that, while this is the second diocese he is shepherding, it is by far bigger than Eshowe Diocese in Durban, which he led from 2008 to 2020. He also mentions that unlike in Eshowe, which is predominantly a Zulu-speaking diocese, Mpumalanga has over 100 000 recorded Catholics who speak various languages, including isiZulu, Sipedi, Swati and Tsonga.
Further in the conversation, he says that he hopes the lay people in the diocese will have the will to upkeep the churches for current and future generations. “The missionaries came with a lot of priests, sisters and brothers. They are not there anymore. Hence, the lay people must understand that they are the church.”
On youth participation, Bishop Kumalo adds that they are encouraging parishes to help form, educate and show young people the relevance of being a part of the church, and to give them tools that will ensure the survival of the church in the future.
Lastly, to the church in Southern Africa, Bishop Kumalo says: “They say the church of Christ will be here forever, but to make it alive, all of us must participate, with all our different talents and skills. We must also accept that we are the body of Christ with different parts, and all those parts must be involved.”
Watch the conversation below:
