Johannesburg - Johannesburg’s 890 000 Catholics have a new auxiliary bishop, Duncan Tsoke.
He was appointed to assist the archbishop, Buti Tlhagale, with the ever-growing number of Catholics in the archdiocese of Joburg.
On Saturday, Tlhagale ordained the new bishop at Sacred Heart College in Observatory. About 4 500 people attended, including Joburg mayor Parks Tau and Minister of Water Affairs and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane, a devout Catholic, who wore her St Anne’s uniform.
Tsoke, who is the vicar-general of the Joburg archdiocese, was born in Etwatwa in Ekurhuleni. He comes from a deeply religious family who motivated him to enter the priesthood.
Few thought he would make it because, during the 1980s youth riots, Tsoke was involved in the burning of schools and was arrested and detained for three days.
“ was really naughty and everyone said I was a jailbird and would never make it to becoming a priest,” he said.
But he pursued his dreams and eventually was appointed vicar-general while at the same time serving as parish priest at Holy Family in Turffontein. His role as vicar-general meant overseeing both pastoral and administrative roles.
The role of an auxiliary bishop is an assistant to the archbishop.
“Our diocese is really big, covering 14 500km2, and extends to Ekurhuleni, Mogale City, Midvaal, Swaziland, Klerks-dorp and Witbank, an area that the archbishop cannot manage by himself. I am here to assist him,” he explained.
During the ordination, Tlhagale appealed to Joburg residents to show mercy to migrants, refugees and strangers. “Some sleep on the pavements in the streets of Hillbrow and central Joburg.
“Some have created dormitories under the Joe Slovo bridge near Ponte. They sleep in the open like wild animals.
“They are worse off than domestic animals that have a shelter. We need to remember that we are made of the same cloth,” he said.
Europe found itself at the crossroads in the face of thousands of migrants and refugees on their shores. South Africa, too, had its own challenges, he said.
“This is a golden opportunity to demonstrate what it means to be human… “botho barona”, he said.
Tlhagale also appealed to Joburg residents to take care of their environment. “Pope Francis, in his encyclical letter, Laudato Si, urged us to protect and take care of the environment,” he added.
The Yeoville, Berea and Hillbrow area looked like “Hurricane Sheshisa” had hit the streets. “The once-beautiful skyscrapers have no windows. There is litter all over the place.
“Perhaps each one of us here today can commit ourselves not to litter and to keep our environment clean - this would be a powerful sign that we are human beings who appreciate that cleanliness is next to godliness,” he said.
The archbishop said there was great public scrutiny on the virtues of ethical leadership. “The moral fibre of those in positions of responsibility is being tested by fire. The country appears to be reclaiming its moral high ground. Hopefully, it will filter through to us ordinary citizens,” he said.
The Star