Bishop Jan De Groef: The Ecumenist
Addressing the January plenary session of the Southern African Bishops’ Conference, outgoing president Bishop Sithembele Sipuka paid tribute to five bishops who are expected to retire soon or have recently retired. Today we feature his comments about Bishop Jan De Groef M.Afr, 77, who has headed the Diocese of Bethlehem since 2009.
“I want to express my gratitude to Bishop De Groef for his dedicated service in the Conference, particularly as chairperson of the Evangelisation Department and later in the Department of Inter-religious Dialogue and Ecumenism.
His leadership was crucial in producing a Conference Directory for Ecumenism in 2020 and facilitating dialogue with other ecclesial communities. This was followed by workshops with dioceses to implement ecumenism at the diocesan level.
“Bishop Jan is diligent in follow-ups, often referencing past discussions to ensure accountability and continuity. He is a stickler for follow-ups and implementations. His strong memory and attention to detail highlight his commitment to ecumenism.
“While challenges exist, particularly in achieving comprehensive ecumenism, Bishop Jan’s leadership has been consistent, never giving up or despairing and doing what needs to be done. If ecumenism has not been a resounding success in our Conference, it is not because of a lack of leadership and passion in Bishop Jan but rather due to the many difficulties inherent in ecumenism itself.

Bishop Jan De Groef at the 2025 Plenary of Bishops. (Photo: Sheldon Reddiar)
“The biggest challenge in ecumenism is the lack of appreciation of comprehensive ecumenism, which has three dimensions: praying together, acting together for charity and justice, and growing in truth through dialogue. Most churches are happy to remain at the level of unity in charity and justice and not unity in faith because, as the saying goes, ‘service unites and doctrine divides’. Hence, they are happy to stay in service and not dialogue.
“Yet, if being precedes action, it means that we must be concerned about the truth or principles that underpin and motivate our charity actions because our belief gives foundation to our actions.
“Our common action must be informed by a shared belief or at least by an openness to work towards a shared belief. Settling only for doing charity together and neglecting to work towards a common truth is yielding to the spirit of relativism, which permits anyone to believe what one wants to believe, yet as Christians, we are called to the common truth that we were promised the Spirit would lead us to.
“This year’s 1700th anniversary of the Nicaean Creed provides an opportunity to deepen our faith dialogue and strengthen ties among Christian Churches.
“As the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD brought many bishops together, so should its commemoration motivate Christian Churches to dialogue towards common truth.
“Thank you, Bishop Jan, for your ongoing efforts to make our shared faith meaningful.”
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