Christian Life Community rally at Gethsemane, Maseru

by Bokang Tsoanamatsie · July 30, 2025

By Bokang Tsoanamatsie – The Christian Life community within the Archdiocese of Maseru organised a rally at Gethsemane Parish from July 24- 26 to honour their Patron Saint, St Ignatius of Loyola.

The retreat commenced with Mass concelebrated by Fr Morolong Maseru OMI, who serves at Villa Maria in Quthing, located in the diocese of Qacha’s Nek, with Fr Jacob Khamanyane, the Parish Priest of Gethsemane.

During this retreat, participants received teachings about St Ignatius of Loyola, his spirituality, and the influence of that spirituality on the Church. Additionally, there were discussions regarding Mother Mary and St Ignatius of Loyola, exploring the connection between the two.

Reflection on the Sodality focused on how members should present themselves to the outside world and inspire others towards a Christian life, emphasising the importance of the Church’s unity and the oneness that Jesus Christ advocated during his time on Earth.

Ms Mantopi Martin de Porres Lebofa, who is affiliated with a Non-Governmental Organisation named TED, along with Professor Makoala Marake from the National University of Lesotho, delivered a keynote address talking about the issue of environmental care, which has been increasingly neglected. They reminded the attendees of their responsibility to maintain the environment in a clean and intact state for future generations. They highlighted that the Catholic Church is very proactive regarding environmental care, noting that the late Pope Francis authored the encyclical ‘Laudato si’ to raise awareness among the faithful about their responsibilities towards creation.

Ms Lebofa and Professor Marake informed CLC members that the issue of care for creation is embedded in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and neglecting this duty constitutes a sin. They pointed out that many faithful are unaware of this, leading to a lack of seriousness regarding the matter.

The Christian Life community is a collective of believers who unite to express their faith through love and compassion for one another, guided by the motto ‘Jesus, Others, and Yourself.’