Goedgedacht Justice Grove: Honouring Faith-Inspired Champions of Justice

by Admin · May 1, 2025

Trees were planted in memory of Archbishop Denis Hurley and Paddy Kearney on Goedgedacht olive farm, Justice Grove

Tucked away among the rolling hills of the Swartland, on the Goedgedacht olive farm in the Western Cape, stands the Interfaith Chapel — a quiet, contemplative space dedicated to reflection, remembrance, and dialogue.

At the heart of this sacred space lies the Justice Grove, a living memorial that bears witness to the lives of those who, grounded in their faith, stood courageously for justice during one of South Africa’s darkest chapters. The chapel’s foundation is deeply inspired by the late Catholic theologian Hans Küng, whose call for peace among nations and religions and his advocacy for a global ethic have deeply influenced Goedgedacht’s ethos. This guiding vision gave rise to the Goedgedacht Justice Grove, inaugurated in December 2023 with the planting of 27 olive trees. Each tree honours a member of the Christian Institute (CI)—a courageous group of individuals who resisted apartheid at great personal cost. Among those commemorated are towering figures in South Africa’s moral and political history:

Dr Beyers Naudé, the Afrikaner cleric who was excommunicated for his principled opposition to apartheid,
Steve Biko, the Black Consciousness leader who inspired a generation and paid with his life,
Dr Manas Buthelezi, who helped bridge Christian theology with liberation struggles,
Rev Theo Kotze, an unrelenting advocate for racial justice, and
Cedric Mayson, who faced banning and surveillance for his activism rooted in Christian conviction.
Father Albert Nolan, Dominican priest and theologian, was internationally recognised for his theological brilliance and deep commitment to liberation theology

In December 2024, the grove was extended with the planting of 11 more trees, bringing the total to 38. This expansion reflects Goedgedacht’s deepening commitment to recognising the faith-inspired roots of the struggle for justice in South Africa.

At the dedication event, voices like Prof Bernard Lategan, Goedgedacht Trustee Venessa Padayachee, and playwright Mike van Graan spoke movingly about the moral clarity, compassion, and ethical courage that characterised the lives of those honoured. They challenged all present to draw on these same values in confronting contemporary injustices—from inequality and exclusion to the climate crisis.

Continuing this tradition, on 29 April 2025, Raymond Perrier, Director of the Denis Hurley Centre in Durban, planted two additional olive trees in the grove. These were dedicated to two Catholic leaders whose faithful witness was instrumental in South Africa’s journey to democracy: Archbishop Denis Hurley and Paddy Kearney.

Archbishop Denis Hurley of Durban was one of the earliest and most consistent voices in the Catholic Church to denounce apartheid as morally indefensible. A founding member of the Justice and Peace Commission and a tireless advocate for human rights, Hurley stood firm against systemic racism, often at great personal and political risk. Paddy Kearney, founder of the Diakonia Council of Churches in Durban, was a lay Catholic and key ecumenical leader whose work built bridges between Christian denominations and social justice activism. Through Diakonia, he mobilised the church community to take a clear stand against apartheid, offering practical and spiritual support to victims of state oppression.

The planting of these trees, and those still to come, reminds us that justice is not an abstract ideal—it is a lived commitment. The Justice Grove stands not only as a place of memory, but also as a beacon of resilience, moral clarity, and hope. Each tree, deeply rooted in the soil of Goedgedacht, symbolises a life rooted in faith and nourished by the courage to act. As this sacred grove continues to grow, Goedgedacht invites all who visit to reflect on the lives of these remarkable individuals—and to be inspired to live with the same courage, compassion, and commitment to justice that they embodied.