Archbishop Buti Tlhagale unveils Mother of Mercy statue, enthrones Sacred Heart of Jesus image

by Kati Dijane · January 20, 2025

By Kati Dijane – Thousands of people gathered at the Mother of Mercy Shrine in Magaliesburg in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg to witness the enthroning of the statues of the Blessed Mother and Sacred Heart of Jesus by Archbishop Emeritus Buti Joseph Tlhagale OMI on January 18.

The former archbishop of Johannesburg also blessed the stations of the cross, donated by several sodalities and parishioners, including the first deputy secretary-general of the ANC, Nomvula Mokonyane, who is also a member of the St Anne sodality. During his homily to a packed gathering, Archbishop Emeritus Tlhagale said the enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus aimed to help bring pilgrims closer to the person of Christ, who in the Gospel professed that those who see him see the Father. “The enthronement celebrates our knowledge of the person of Jesus who went about doing good, preaching, teaching and healing people,” he said, adding, “The enthronement refocuses our minds and imaginations on the mission of Jesus and, in turn, on our own mission as his disciples. It means re-energising, rededicating and reawakening our hearts to imitate the heart of Jesus.”

The archbishop continued on to say that the enthronement of the image was inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical letter on the human and divine love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ. Dilexit nos (He Loved Us), Pope Francis’ fourth encyclical, was released in October 2024, the feast month of Saint Magaret Mary Alacoque to whom Jesus appeared 350 years ago and who helped spread devotion to his Sacred Heart.

In the encyclical, the pope explained what the heart is – the crux of the archbishop’s homily: “In classical Greek, the word kardía denotes the inmost part of human beings, animals and plants. For Homer, it indicates not only the centre of the body but also the human soul and spirit. The heart appears as the locus of desire and the place where important decisions take shape . While the image of Christ and his heart is not in itself an object of worship, it is “no imaginary symbol, but a real symbol which represents the centre, the source from which salvation flowed for all humanity”

ArchbishopTlhagale continued in his homily that the gathering was a celebration of the adoration and veneration of Jesus, our brother and king, our redeemer and saviour, our Lord and master. “Pope Francis says the heart is the symbol used to express the love of Jesus Christ. Our thoughts and feelings proceed from the heart, a place of sincerity where deceit and disguise have no place. The heart is the place of truth about ourselves. It is also the heart that seeks forgiveness and reconciliation and leads to spiritual growth,” he said, adding that the heart of Jesus Christ is the symbol of boundless love and a source of our salvation.

Of the Virgin Mary, whose statue was also unveiled and blessed on the day, the archbishop said that her acceptance of God’s request led to her bodily maternity to Jesus and by extension her spiritual motherhood to all of us, God’s children. “Mary represents Jesus Christ’s love and becomes the mother of all of us baptised in the name of Jesus. Through the enthronement of the statue of our Mother, we continually understand her role of interceding on our behalf to her Son, Jesus Christ,” he added.

The shrine, not too far from a world heritage site, the Cradle of Humankind, was officially launched on April 27, 2024, by Archbishop Tlhagale. He expressed during the launch that the shrine aimed to help deepen Marian devotion among pilgrims.

After the celebration, Brother Sechaba Liphoko from St John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria said that the liturgy was spiritually uplifting, adding that he enjoyed the archbishop’s homily. Sharing the seminarian’s sentiments was Xoli Ntambam, a member of the Sacred Heart Sodality from Protea Glen, Soweto, who said she enjoyed the day and took home the message that people should lean towards the heart of Jesus, the source of love. Keketseng Buthelezi, a member of the Daughters of St Anne Sodality from Katlehong in the Near East Rand Deanery, shared she was in awe of the beauty of the shrine and thanked Archbishop Tlhagale for everything he had done for the Archdiocese of Johannesburg.