Kokstad to Vatican: Local Bishop get big job from Pope Leo XIV
Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa CMM of Kokstad Diocese is among five new members ministering in Africa who have been appointed.
Pope Leo XIV has appointed a South African Bishop from Kokstad in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to the Vatican dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL).
Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa CMM of Kokstad Diocese is among five new members ministering in Africa who have been appointed to the ICLSSAL.
In the appointments made public on Tuesday by the Holy See Press Office, Pope Leo XIV appointed Cristóbal Cardinal López Romero of the Catholic Archdiocese of Rabat in Morocco, Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa'ichi of Tanzania's Catholic Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam, and Bishop Mbuyisa.
Biography
Born in KZN in the Archdiocese of Durban in February 1973, Bishop Mbuyisa joined the Congregation of Mariannhill Missionaries (CMM) in 1992.
He was ordained a CMM Priest in March 2000, appointed Local Ordinary of Kokstad in April 2022 and ordained a Bishop in June 2022.
ALSO READ: Election of Pope Leo XIV a 'profound moment', says Ramaphosa
'Proud moment'
The ANC said the appointment of Bishop Mabuyisa is 'a proud moment for South Africa'.
'This distinguished appointment is both a proud moment for South Africa and a recognition of Bishop Mbuyisa's deep spiritual leadership, unwavering dedication to justice, and his pastoral commitment to the upliftment of the poor and marginalised.
'His role within the Vatican's Dicastery is strategic, as it guides the global Church on matters concerning religious orders, missionary communities, and the vital role of consecrated life in society,' the ANC said.
SA religious leaders
The ANC said Bishop Mbuyisa's appointment affirms the global stature of South African religious leaders and reflects the 'profound contribution that African voices continue to make to the moral, ethical, and spiritual discourse shaping our world'.
'We extend our best wishes to Bishop Mbuyisa as he takes up this sacred responsibility, and we trust that he will serve with the same compassion and integrity that has long defined his ministry.'
Pope Leo XIV, whose name is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, became the first pope from the United States in May, after cardinals from around the world elected him leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
He is the 267th pope of the Catholic Church.
ALSO READ: Pope Francis' will says he wants to be buried in 'simple tomb' in Rome [VIDEO]
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