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Eyewitness News
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Religious leaders use Pope Francis' passing to urge local politicians to prioritise welfare of citizens
Zoleka Qodashe 24 April 2025 | 8:11 Pope Francis Catholic Church A memorial mass service was held at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Johannesburg on 23 April 2025 in honour of the late Pope Francis. Picture: Sphamandla Dlamini/EWN This, too, is the case in South Africa, where Catholic leaders believe political officials ought to take a leaf from the teachings of the late pontiff. A life in service is what the secretary-general of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC), Father Hugh O'Connor, said politicians should embody. "You are there to serve the common good. You are there to see that those who are left out of political, social and economic systems are included, that there is work towards the eradication of poverty, to the provision of decent employment for all people. "He would call on leadership, business, social, society, religious, and political, to put aside differences in order to search for a bigger vision. In other words, service delivery." O'Connor added that the Vicar of Christ's message to South Africa's leaders would have been consistent with his long-standing calls for leadership rooted in humility and accountability.
Eyewitness News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Cardinal Stephen Brislin describes Francis as most abused Pope in modern era
JOHANNESBURG - Cardinal Stephen Brislin has described Pope Francis as the most abused Pope in the modern era. Francis died on Monday at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke. The late 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church sparked both admiration and controversy during his 12-year papacy. While he was lauded by many as a reformer who pushed the church in a more progressive direction for addressing issues such as climate change, LGBTIQ+ inclusion and economic inequality, some conservative voices within the church accused the pope of straying from traditional Catholic doctrine. In remembrance of the catholic leader, the Cathedral of Christ the King held a memorial mass service in Johannesburg. To stray from old traditions or uphold them? Pope Francis walked a tightrope between reform and orthodoxy, challenging the church to evolve while striving to ensure that it remains anchored in its core teachings. [WATCH] Pope Francis mourned: Catholics reflect on legacy of beloved pontiff But this was not always welcomed, as explained by Cardinal Brislin, who was appointed to the position by the late Pope in 2023. "Francis was probably the pope who received the most abuse in the modern era, sadly, very often from within the catholic church rather than without." But Brislin stressed that the Francis' teachings were not a break from tradition but a return to the core message of Christianity – of compassion, inclusion and care for the marginalised.
Eyewitness News
23-04-2025
- General
- Eyewitness News
Joburg's Cathedral of Christ the King to hold memorial mass honouring Pope Francis
JOHANNESBURG - The Cathedral of Christ the King in Johannesburg is on Wednesday morning expected to hold a memorial mass in honour of the late Pope Francis. This marks the first major event reflecting on the life of the pope in South Africa since his passing on Monday. ALSO READ: - Criticism of Pope Francis' tenure described as unfair - Thousands of tourists and pilgrims flock to St Peter's Square to honour Pope Francis - Solid foundation laid for Pope Francis' successor, says local Catholic priest The head of the Catholic Church died at the age of 88 from a stroke. His body is lying in state in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, his former residence. While his funeral is expected to take place on Saturday, religious leaders around the globe are expected to lead believers in prayer to reflect on the life of a pope adored the world over. Mourners, draped in black and clutching umbrellas, have begun trickling in at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Johannesburg.
