200 years of service celebrated

Representatives from seven African countries gathered at Pietermaritzburg’s Royal Show Grounds at the weekend to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Roman Catholic order, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

Bishops from southern Africa, visiting guests from the Roman Catholic central administration in Rome and pilgrims attended the celebration of thanksgiving.

The order is a missionary congregation of Roman Catholic priests and brothers who work throughout the world in the care and evangelising of people in need, with a special focus on those who are most abandoned in society.

The Oblate congregation first came to South Africa in 1852 and set a missionary presence in Pietermaritzburg.

During the past 164 years, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate have set up several churches in the country.

In Pietermaritzburg, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate were the co-founders of the UKZN University, Pietermaritzburg, and invested considerable time and resources in the education of people during apartheid.

The celebration was attended by about 3 000 people, including those from Namibia, Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Kenya.

A strong message at the event was that the care and evangelising of those least touched by the church and society, remained a relevant focus today, with so many disenfranchised people living in poverty and unemployment.

Picture: Shan Pillay