Bishop Masilo Selemela: People Can Be Pilgrims of Hope

Top: Bishop Masilo Selemela, Auxiliary bishop of Pretoria. Bottom: Bishop Selemela with Kati Dijane, who interviewed him ahead of the Jubilee Year launch
By Kati Dijane – Two days before the launch of the Jubilee Year, Bishop Masilo Selemela, the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Pretoria, shared in an interview about how young people in Southern Africa can be pilgrims of hope during the coming year.
Bishop Masilo was interviewed ahead of the special Mass that he will concelebrate with Archbishop Dabula Mpako on December 29, the feast of the Holy Family, when His Holiness, Pope Francis, will open the Holy Door at his official ecclesiastical seat at the Basilica of St John Lateran.
Speaking about the coming jubilee year, the bishop said, “The jubilee year, as an event of the Church, touches on various groups that are in the church, including the youth, families and parishes.” He added that biblically, the jubilee was held every 50 years with the aim of restoration. At that time, he said, people who were deprived of land because of their debts had their lands restored to them, while their debts were cancelled, and harmonious relationships were re-established.
“The jubilee is a time of coming back to God, especially for young people today. It is that moment when people must examine themselves and probe the things that have previously separated them from God, because once we neglect our faith and spiritual life, very often, we avoid God, whose face we don’t want to look at. So, the jubilee is a time for the restoration and examination of one’s faith and rediscovery of God’s love,” said the bishop, who has been co-shepherding the archdiocese since 2022.
He added that young people in particular must seek this opportunity to welcome the hope that God gives to them. With the jubilee year themed “Pilgrims of Hope”, taken from Romans 5:5, which says, “Hope does not disappoint”, Bishop Selemela mentioned that the Holy Father has also encouraged young people to discover their talents and use them for the benefit of others. The bishop continued to add that the jubilee year is an invitation to restore hope among people who are facing a lot of challenges, including unemployment, ranked among one of the highest in the world. “The jubilee is a time to discover how people can unite and contribute to projects that will try to uplift others today.”
Other challenges young people grapple with include mental health issues, which result in detrimental behaviours and addictions, which the bishop has invited the youth to help address through various initiatives. “This is a time to proclaim hope to the youth in those situations, to tell them you are still special, that God loves you and that you are unique. I would love to see young people in Southern Africa having campaigns during the jubilee to reach out to other youth, accompany them and say to them: ‘We will be with you; we might not be able to give you a job, but we might work with you to find something to do to give you hope’,” he stated, further saying that the jubilee begins with the spiritual, discovering the love of God and going back to Him through the sacrament of reconciliation.
The doctorate alumnus added that the jubilee is also a time for people to fix their relationships with others. “Many young people, through their own wounds, come from families where relationships are no longer good. This is a time to go back, reconcile with families and fix relationships with our parents and those we live with. I believe that you can never be a spiritual person unless you are a good human being. We have to fix human relationships. It is a time to say, ‘I am sorry,’ which is a difficult thing to say. Most of us would rather keep quiet than apologise.”
The bishop also clarified that only the pope can open the Holy Door in Rome, which is where the jubilee year is officially inaugurated. He explained that the Holy Door symbolises Christ himself, who opens the door for humanity to have an encounter and a relationship with God. “We can’t go to the Father, except through Christ. This is why the Holy Father opens the Holy Door for the universal Church,” he explained.
In local dioceses, the bishops will launch the Jubilee Year and give directions on how individuals, parishes and deaneries can take part in the jubilee. He added that the pope asked the bishops to write a pastoral letter to guide the church on how to participate in various activities during the jubilee year. These letters will be read during the launch of the jubilee at various dioceses where candles will also be distributed.
In his concluding remarks, the bishop invited Catholics in Southern Africa to live the theme of hope during the jubilee through various initiatives of the church, including caring for the environment, participating in movements that help address social and familial issues and helping migrants and refugees who are fleeing their home countries. Importantly, he told young people to identify those who have lost hope and help them restore it by journeying with them.
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