COMSAM 2025 Closing Mass at Regina Mundi on Africa Day
COMSAM Closing Mass at Regina Mundi Church in Soweto
By Kati Dijane – The closing Mass of the COMSAM Symposium on May 25 was a deeply moving and symbolic celebration of faith, unity and Africa’s enduring spirit. Held at the iconic Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Soweto, the Mass coincided with Africa Day and brought together the rich diversity of the continent’s Catholic religious communities under one roof.
As the Mass began, delegates from across Africa processed into the church, waving the flags of their nations. The main celebrant was Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu OFMCap, while the homily was delivered by Archbishop Emeritus Buti Tlhagale OMI, former parish priest of Regina Mundi in the late 1970s, during one of the church’s most politically charged eras.
Rooted in God’s love
In his stirring homily, Archbishop Tlhagale OMI reflected on the central command of the Gospel: “Whoever loves me will keep my commandment” (John 14:23). He spoke of God’s immeasurable love, a love so powerful that it was expressed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross—a divine embrace extended to all humanity. Drawing from the writings of St Paul, he described this love as “a gift par excellence,” the very power of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).
But this divine love, he warned, is often absent in today’s world. “The opposite of love is hatred in our hearts,” he said. Referencing ongoing conflicts around the globe—from Gaza and Ukraine to the DRC and South Sudan—Tlhagale declared: “It is impossible to love God deeply and kill people at the same time.”
He brought the message closer to home, condemning violence within communities, including the scourge of gender-based violence. “Men who rape, abuse and murder women and children do not have God’s love in their hearts,” he said. “We are called to rise out of this morass of hatred and respond genuinely to the gift of love that has been freely poured into us.”
Regina Mundi: A historic church of hope
The choice of Regina Mundi as the venue for the final Mass was profoundly significant. Known as “the people’s cathedral,” Regina Mundi has long been a sacred space not just for worship but for resistance. During the 1976 Soweto Uprising, the church offered refuge to students fleeing apartheid police violence. Teargas canisters were fired inside the church, and bullet holes from that time remain as silent witnesses to the price of freedom.
The church was officially opened in 1964, two years after its foundation stone was blessed by Cardinal Giovanni Montini of Milan—later St Pope Paul VI—in 1962, and has since stood as a monument to the path of faith and justice in South Africa. Its legacy was honoured anew during the closing Mass, especially as the parish priest, Father Nqobile Mzolo, announced that Regina Mundi has applied to be recognised as a minor basilica—a move that would formalise its national and global spiritual significance and tourist attraction.
After the solemnity of the Mass, the delegates toured the historic township, immersing themselves in its cultural heartbeat. In the evening, the group returned to St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls in the East Rand Deanery, where the symposium concluded in celebration, with music, dance and shared moments of reflection.
The COMSAM AGM
The sixth COMSAM AGM at St John Vianney Seminary in the Archdiocese of Pretoria is continuing this week and will end on 30 May 2025. With the opening Mass celebrated by Cardinal Stephen Brislin, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg on Monday, 26 May 2025, the AGM brings together around 100 leaders from the six African federations under the leadership of COMSAM President, Sr Marie Diouf, FSCM. The secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Pretoria, Monsignor Dario Paviša, representing the Nuncio to Southern Africa, Archbishop Henryk Mieczysław Jagodziński, on Monday warmly welcomed the religious leaders present.
The Vatican’s Prefect for the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Sr Simona Brambilla MC, was also in attendance as part of the official delegation. In her address at the AGM on 27 May before her departure to Rome, she reflected on how consecrated life in Africa can embody hope and peace, using three meaningful symbols. These were:
Pilgrims of hope: “The Jubilee theme reminds us that consecrated life is a journey, one that transforms us spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. Like pilgrims, we’re called to step out of comfort, embrace vulnerability, and stay open to God’s presence along the way. But busyness, like Martha in the Gospel, can distract us from this deeper purpose,” she said.
Being anchored in God: “Hope is our anchor, rooted in God’s love and promises (Hebrews 6:18–20). This anchor gives us stability amid life’s storms and reminds us that prayer is the fuel that keeps us connected to the Source—God Himself.”
Three African symbols for the journey:
The Tree: A place of rest, healing and connection. It symbolises our roots (heritage and memory) and branches (spiritual connection). How can consecrated life become a source of shelter and healing for others?
The palaver hut: A sacred, circular space of dialogue, truth and community. “It calls us to transformation through honest, respectful relationships. Are our communities places of peace and growth?” She challenged.
The pot: A symbol of shared life, nourishment and unity. Like a communal kitchen, each person contributes something unique. “What are we offering to the shared “pot” of our community?”
Sr Simona invited the leaders to entrust their journey of consecrated life to Mary, Mother of Hope. “With prayer and unity, may Africa continue to be a “spiritual lung” for the world, radiating committed hope and disarming peace.”
