Opening a new chapter of Religious Life in Johannesburg Archdiocese

by Fr Vaclav Klement SDB · Published August 14, 2025 · Updated August 19, 2025

By Fr Vaclav Klement – A gathering of 43 leaders of religious congregations, representing more than 400 religious, was convoked by Cardinal Stephen Brislin, archbishop of Johannesburg, in the Chancery on the morning of August 13. Just 3 months after the COMSAM 2025 Symposium & AGM held in Johannesburg-Pretoria in May 2025, this meeting ushered in a new chapter of religious life in the Johannesburg archdiocese.

Cardinal Brislin opened the first half of the meeting with a short prayer and personal sharing of journeying together with the religious in his former diocese of Kroonstad and archdiocese of Cape Town. The Cardinal introduced the purpose of this long-awaited meeting – a communion amongst consecrated people brings mutual support, also at a non-formal level, a sense of unity and close communication and strong fraternal bonds.

Two inputs focused on synodal Church journey followed: Fr Vaclav Klement SDB shared briefly the lessons of the recent COMSAM 2025 Symposium and AGM on ‘Hope – Synodality – Sustainability of Consecrated Life’ and Fr Bruce Botha, SJ as the episcopal vicar for the Evangelisation, shared on the synodal journey in the Archdiocese during the past 20 years, especially since 2009 Synod of Johannesburg . ( https://www.catholicjhb.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Final-Acts-of-the-Synod.pdf).

The second half of the meeting was held in a family spirit, in five smaller groups, discernment: What implications of the COMSAM Symposium and the Synodal Way for the local Church of Johannesburg? Amongst the fruits of the lively sharing were noted deeper inspirations for the COMSAM Symposium, like sharing the charisms with lay people, the need for training to synodal discernment and animation, including the conversation in the Spirit, the importance of involvement in the ecclesial structures, need for a smaller animation team at the archdiocesan level, improve the mutual communications and initiated a real collaboration as synodal church in all diocesan committees. A practical conclusion of the gathering was the formation of an interim team of two women and two men religious to follow the first steps of this new chapter of religious life in Johannesburg.

During 4 hours of intense sharing, prayerful listening and common reflection, all participants experienced a way of living the synodal Church.

Before the final prayer, photo session and sharing of simple refreshment, Archbishop Brislin highlighted a few practical points related to working visas for religious, a new liturgy for the Season of Creation (September 1-October 4) and the need to update the contact list of all religious congregations present in the local Church.

All participants appreciate the opening of a new chapter of religious life in the Johannesburg archdiocese and look with a new hope to contribute to the daily path of the local church on her synodal path.