Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba hails Pope Francis as 'champion of the poor'
Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba on Monday hailed the late Pope Francis as a 'champion of the poor'.
Makgoba said the 'poor of the world will be those who will miss him the most as a champion and custodian of their hopes and dreams'.
' On behalf of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, and with a heavy heart, I give thanks to God for the life of Pope Francis. For me, as for so many around the globe, his death feels almost like a personal loss,' said Makgoba. .
'On the numerous occasions I and my wife, Lungi, met him, he made you feel as if you were the only person in the world, holding you in his gaze with those piercing, warm and attentive eyes.
'Our last meeting with him was particularly special, when he got out of his wheelchair and insisted on walking over to us, then sat down with those of us appointed to greet and engage with him. It was an indescribable experience.'
He added the pontiff would be remembered as an incredible, prophetic pastor who embraced the marginalised, begging priests to identify with them as 'shepherds living with the smell of sheep'.
' He was a master of gesture; he supported all. Though he primarily led the world's Catholics, he also gave leadership to the whole Christian family. We will remember him for his wise counsel, posing deep theological questions, and his encyclical on care for the environment, Laudato Si', will resonate through generations as we seek to love God's creation,' said Makgoba.
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Daily Maverick
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- Daily Maverick
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When Mathews Phosa was of school-going age, his parents sent him back to their own roots — a farm called Polen near Mokopane — where he was raised by his grandfather Mathews Phosa Senior, after whom he was named. Grandpa Phosa was a devout Christian and a strict disciplinarian who was determined to shelter, cushion and shield his grandson from the 'contamination' and the dangers of South African politics. But guess what: as soon as Matthew Phosa 'broke free' from Grandpa's leash and became a high school student at Maripi High School in 1967, he dived headlong into the furious river of South African (student) politics, only to come up for air 50-something years later. Phosa's political memoir Witness to Power is an attempt to narrate and to review, in 18 chapters, his 50-something year journey into politics. 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IOL News
3 days ago
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Ramaphosa and ANC leaders pay tribute to struggle stalwart Dr Dean Tshenuwani Farisani
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Eyewitness News
3 days ago
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Dr Tshenuwani Farisani remembered as a dedicated public servant
JOHANNESBURG - Anti-apartheid activist and reverend Dr Tshenuwani Farisani is being remembered as a dedicated servant of the people, who committed his life to uplifting disadvantaged communities. President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at Farisani's funeral, held at the University of Venda in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, on Saturday. Farisani passed away on Thursday at the age of 76, after battling an undisclosed illness. ALSO READ: Ramaphosa pays tribute to anti-apartheid activist and reverend, Dr Tshenuwani Farisani As a long-serving member of the African National Congress (ANC), he represented the party in Parliament and went on to become the speaker of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature in 2004. In 2022, the Farisani Foundation was established, with a focus on education, economic empowerment, agriculture, technology and information. The foundation has played a vital role in helping children in remote rural areas access quality education. President Ramaphosa said Farisani was a visionary who was committed to fighting poverty and empowering poor communities. 'Dean Farisani soon became attracted to liberation theology, and its message that the true Christian faith demands active resistance to all forms of oppression and solidarity with the poor.'
