Maseru, Sept.19 — Catholic Church in Lesotho held a special mass on Saturday at Ha-‘MaJesu, Roma Parish, to mark the 60th anniversary of the death of His Grace Archbishop Emmanuel Gregory Mabathoana OMI.
The religious service also included the priestly ordination of four deacons: Rev. Bartholomy Tsoeunyane, Rev. Augustine Ngatane, Rev. Sylvester Letlaka and Rev. Michael Rantho.
The solemn service honoured the legacy of Archbishop Mabathoana, the first native Mosotho bishop and the first African to head the Catholic Church in the Southern African region, who passed away on September 19, 1966.
It was graced by the presence of Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso, various diocesan Bishops and Priests, Mr. Pitso Lesaoana, Minister of Gender, Youth and Social Development also Member of Parliament for Maama Constituency, Oblates delegation from Zambia and the congregation.
In her remarks, Queen ‘Masenate expressed gratitude to thechurch for remembering the legacy of the late Arcbishop Mabathoana.
She said, he is the son of the soil saying she had the privilege of learning about his life and the church through the webinars recently held.
“It is a good thing which our children have to grow up knowing that he was the pioneer and loved his country. He was lucky to have been born during Christmas season and then later worked dedicately for the church,” she said.
She emphasised that in celebration of 60 years of independence, the church and the nation should reflect and work for the country, protect their language and hoist Lesotho globally and be known as peaceful, loving and united.
To the newly ordained Deacons, she wished them well saying they are lucky to be ordained on the day that the church remembers Archbishop Mabathoana and expressed hope that they follow in his footsteps.
President of the Lesotho Catholic Bishops’ Conference (LCBC) Bishop Joseph Sephamola expressed gratitude to everyone for gracing the event and making it a success.
He reminded all that with late Archbishop Mabathoana, they are dealing with global icon hence they have visitors from Zambia.
He urged all to pursue the legacy of Archbishop Mabathoana and continue to pray that he is beatified in the Catholic Church.
“Make time and have time for the things of God, the church and society as Archbishop ‘Mabathoana was,” he stressed.
On behalf of newly ordained Deacons Rev. Bartholomy Tsoeunyane expressed gratitude to His Grace Arcbishop Tlali Lerotholi, priests, lecturers, parents and congregation for supporting them in their journey.
He said they promise to be good leaders and thank God for blessing them with what they asked for.
The late Archbishop Mabathoana was consecreted the first Mosotho Archbishop of Maseru and Metropolitan of Basotholand in 1961, he was also a first Mosotho Clergyman who joined the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
He was also the first African head of the Catholic Church in the Southern Africa region.
Archbishop Mabathoana was also the first African to serve on the executive of the Southern African Bishop’s Conference.
Archbishop Emmanuel Mabathoana was born on December 29, 1904 in Mokhokhong in Roma,Lesotho. Before he was ordinated, he attended primary school in Marist mission institutions, he entered St. Joseph’s Training College before he entered St. Theresa Seminary in 1924 and he made his Oblate novitiate, in June 1933 he was ordinated into a Priesthood and first Mosotho Priest, after the Reverend Raphael Mohasi.
He was elected the first bishop of a catholic church of the new diocese in December 1952, when the diocese of Leribe was created.
Archbishop Mabathoana died on September 19, 1966, while travelling by plane from Maseru to Pretoria where he was to attend a meeting of the Southern African Bishop’s Conference.
Ends/AT
