Three years into his priesthood, Father Oakeng Sempe is witnessing a changing Diocese of Kimberley, where local vocations, synodality and the voices of young people are helping shape the Church’s future.
Father Sempe says that his vocation to the priesthood began long before he entered the seminary. As a young altar server, he found himself drawn to the priesthood through the witness of the priests who served his parish.
The Oblates and diocesan clergy he encountered became sources of inspiration, gradually nurturing a love for the priesthood that eventually overshadowed the other ambitions he had imagined for his life. Today, Father Sempe is serving at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Florianville in the Diocese of Kimberley. He has also recently taken on the responsibility of spiritual adviser to the youth in the Kimberley Deanery. Having been ordained for three years and approaching his fourth anniversary later this year, he describes priesthood as both challenging and deeply rewarding.
A vocation nurtured at the altar
Father Sempe’s journey began with something familiar to many Catholic vocations: serving at the altar. It was through his experience as an altar server and his encounters with parish priests that the possibility of priesthood slowly became a reality. “The love for priesthood eventually grew,” he recalls. The example of the priests serving his community helped him to recognise that priesthood could become his own vocation. He eventually began the application process and was accepted by the late Bishop Abel Gabuza, who sent him to seminary. Years later, he finds himself serving the same local Church that nurtured his vocation. His story is significant in the Diocese of Kimberley, which is experiencing a gradual growth in locally rooted diocesan vocations.
From missionary priests to local vocations
For generations, the Catholic Church in Kimberley relied heavily on missionary priests, particularly the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Father Sempe is part of a new generation of diocesan priests who are increasingly taking responsibility for the pastoral life of the diocese. The recent ordination of two deacons, he says, is another sign of hope for the future as the diocese looks towards more diocesan priests serving its communities. He has also encountered young men who are discerning priesthood and specifically expressing a desire to serve as diocesan priests. For him, this represents an important shift.
People are increasingly recognising that the responsibility for the future of the Diocese of Kimberley rests with its own faithful. This does not mean forgetting the contribution of the missionaries who established and served the Church. Rather, it means building on their legacy by nurturing local vocations capable of carrying the mission forward.
Working with Bishop Tsoke
As a young priest, Father Sempe also sees his role as one of collaboration with Bishop Duncan Tsoke. He describes the bishop’s leadership as bringing positive and effective changes to the diocese. “For him it’s been wonderful,” he says, pointing to the changes introduced during Bishop Tsoke’s years of leadership.
Father Sempe says that priests are collaborators of the bishop and have a responsibility to contribute to the vision and mission of the local Church. “All that we can do as his priests, his collaborators, is to do our part, do our best, and God will do the rest.” One example of the changes he highlights is the strengthening of parish structures, particularly the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) and Parish Finance Council (PFC). The two structures operate separately while remaining collaborative, helping parishes to distinguish their pastoral and financial responsibilities while working towards a common mission.
Synodality: recognising that everyone has a role
Father Sempe adds that the Synod on Synodality has also helped the Diocese of Kimberley recognise something fundamental about the Church: that the mission does not belong to priests alone. He is grateful for the emphasis on listening, participation and collaboration that has emerged from the synodal journey. “We are all baptised. Each baptised person has a mission and a role to play in the mission of the Church,” he says.
He further states that synodality has helped Catholics to rediscover the meaning of being “baptised and sent”. It has also encouraged greater participation by lay people in the life and structures of the Church. He sees this as an important development because the Church’s mission can only move forward when priests and lay faithful work together. “Not only the priest, but even the lay people have a place in the Church,” he says.
Young people as the ‘now’ of the Church
This vision of a participatory Church extends to young people. Father Sempe, who has recently been appointed spiritual adviser to the youth in the Kimberley Deanery, believes young people must not be treated simply as the future of the Church. “They are the now of the Church and the future of the Church,” he says. He points to a recent youth conference where young people were given an opportunity to express what they wanted to see in their Church. Importantly, their contributions have begun translating into greater inclusion in parish structures such as the PPC and PFC. Father Sempe says that this is precisely what synodality should look like: listening to people and allowing their voices to influence the way the Church lives its mission.
Preparing for World Youth Day
As young Catholics look towards World Youth Day 2027, Father Sempe encourages them to begin preparing now. While financial challenges may prevent some from travelling, he believes young people should explore ways of raising funds and supporting one another so that as many as possible can participate.
He also sees preparation as more than simply fundraising. It is an opportunity for young Catholics to deepen their faith, become more involved in parish life and recognise their place within the wider Catholic Church. His encouragement comes at a time when the Church is seeking new ways of accompanying young people amid the many challenges they face.
‘Do not let anyone look down on you’
His message to young people is simple but deeply personal. “Don’t let anyone look down on you,” he says. He encourages young people to remain authentic, to do what they can and, importantly, to learn to be kind to themselves. “Be yourself,” he says. “Do what you can do and always be good to yourself. Be kind to yourself.” Father Sempe’s journey, from an altar server inspired by missionary and diocesan priests to a young diocesan priest serving his own local Church, mirrors the transformation taking place in Kimberley.
The missionaries who once carried much of the burden of evangelisation have left a lasting legacy. Today, priests such as Father Sempe, together with lay faithful and young people, are being called to take that mission forward. And for him, the future of Kimberley’s Church lies in a community that listens, participates and recognises that every baptised person has a part to play.
- Father Oakeng Sempe: ‘We are Baptised and Sent’ - August 21, 2026
- Fr Sipho Moatlhodi on the life of the Church in Kimberley Diocese - August 20, 2026
- The Diocese of Kimberley celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption - August 17, 2026
