SACBC AD LIMINA VISIT JUNE 2023

The Catholic Bishops of Botswana, eSwatini and South Africa (SACBC) were in Rome for their Ad Limina Visit from Monday, June 12 to June 17. The Bishops, together with Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM and the SACBC Secretariate, met with officials from the various departments and offices in the Roman Curia. They also celebrated Masses at the major churches of Rome: St Peter’s Basilica, St Paul Outside the Walls, St John Lateran and St Mary Major. 

In the following video update, the SACBC Spokesperson Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town speaks with the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, and he also speaks with the Bishop of Mariannhill Diocese and the Auxiliary Bishop of Cape Town.

SACBC Spokesperson Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town Archdiocese also spoke with the SACBC Liaison Bishop for Christian Formation, Liturgy, and Culture Edward Risi of Keimoes-Upington Diocese about their visit to the Dicastery for Divine Worship on Wednesday, 14 June 2023.

On Tuesday, June 13, the Catholic Bishops of Botswana, eSwatini and South Africa celebrated Mass at the Tomb of St Peter. That was followed by meetings held at the Dicastery for Evangelization, a meeting with the Secretary of State as well as meetings with officials from the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development and Caritas Internationalis. Bishop Jose Ponce de Leon of Manzini Diocese, together with the SACBC President Bishop Sithembele Sipuka of Mthatha Diocese and Archbishop Zolile Mpambani of Bloemfontein Archdiocese, share their insights about the Ad Limina Visit.

On Friday, June 16 the Catholic Bishops of Botswana, Eswatini, and South Africa met with Pope Francis at Santa Marta. In an interview with the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) communications office, the First Vice President of the SACBC Archbishop Dabula Mpako said the Bishops are “very grateful that he (Pope Francis) was generous enough to give us that time.”