By Hailu Adalo – On September 7, 2024, Mr Ermiyas Wolde Gagabo and his family held a farewell thanksgiving celebration at their home in Randfontein, Archdiocese of Johannesburg.
Mr Ermiyas Wolde Gagabo and Mrs Meskerem Kebede were married on April 18, 2010, at Christ the King Catholic Church in Butterworth. After the birth of their first child, Benjamin, they moved to Randfontein and were blessed with a second son, Caleb. Both children were baptised at St Francis Parish in Johannesburg.
The couple is a role model for many couples in their Catholic faith and marriage life.
The thanksgiving Mass was conducted by Fr Elias Abdi, a Missionary of Africa Ethiopian priest. The choir from Tembisa provided music and sang in the Ethiopian native language.
The Gagabo family had been selected for the 2024 USA Diversity Visa (DV) and successfully obtained all the necessary visas. They departed for the United States on September 25, 2024.
Family and friends from various South African towns gathered to celebrate the family’s departure. Mr Ermiyas has been known for his service to his family and community, particularly in providing transportation assistance.
The celebration included gift-giving and cultural performances, reflecting the Ethiopian community’s values of friendship and family.
By Ethiopian and Eritrean Catholic Community national Evangelist Hailu Adalo.
- Mater Dolorosa Parish’s Weekend of Grace and Mercy - April 18, 2026
- Xhosa Pastoral Region meets in Gqeberha - April 17, 2026
- WATCH: Pope Leo XIV in Bamenda, Cameroon - April 16, 2026
