Monday 9 March 2009

Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference: releases more details on deaths of two priests

(Southern African Catholic Press Releases)

Article by Marc Aupiais


I am privileged to forward the following message from the SACBC, it concerns the deaths of two priests, one we have just reported to you yesterday, via the message they sent us:

Rebroadcasting, or forwarding, or publishing this message does not imply endorsement of the Bishops conference, or any person mentioned in the contents of this dispatch/article, nor does it imply any endorsement of the accuracy, or content of views expressed in the forwarded content, which was sent to us by the Southern African catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC). We do not guarantee the accuracy, nor content, nor orthodoxy or fidelity of views expressed by the bishops conference, by emails sent to us via them, and by views recorded by them. These are not necessarily our views, nor do we necessarily express, or ascent to the views expressed in the message we are representing here for you:

The following is nothing, but a quotation of a source, that being an email we directly received from Father Townsend, of the SACBC, as a press release:
Contents of forwarded message :


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Fr Chris Townsend 
Date: 2009/3/9
Subject: Church Mourns murdered priests
To: (list excluded by South African catholic)

Message we received at 16:15 (3 hours ago), from the bishops Conference:

"Immediate
Pretoria
9 March 2009.

STARTS>
Church Mourns Murdered priests.

Fr Lionel Sham, Parish Priest of Mohlakeng (Johannesburg Archdiocese) was killed on Saturday 7th March 2009, after being abducted from his home in Mohlakeng. He was the second catholic priest to be murdered in one week in South Africa. Father Daniel Matsela Mahula, from Klerksdorp Diocese, was killed on 27th February.

The body of Fr Lionel Sham, 66 years old, has been recovered by the Police on Sunday, few hours after the priest disappeared from his parish. Fr Lionel Sham was well known to be open to all and generous with people in the need.

“All we can do now is pray with the family, the parish of Mohlakeng and the many people who loved and knew Lionel” said Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg, on the 7th March. “I wish to express my own gratitude to the countless people who have looked for Fr Lionel and who have prayed for his safe return.”

On Friday 27th February 2009, Father Daniel Matsela Mahula was killed will driving his car, by four hitch-hikers, near Bloemhof. Father Matsela was a young priest, born on the 6th of June 1975 and ordained to the Priesthood on 22 December 2002. He ministered at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Jouberton at the time of his death.

In October 2007, Oblate of Mary Immaculate Father Allard Mmako, 42 years old, died in Nelspruit after being shot by carjackers.

Funeral Details for Father Lionel Sham will be announced as soon as they are finalised.

ENDS
Issued by Fr Chris Townsend

Fr Chris Townsend
Information Officer
Office for Communication and Media.
Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC)
P.O.Box 941 Pretoria 0001 South Africa
Khanya House - 399 Paul Kruger Street, Pretoria, 0001
Tel: +27 (0)12 323 6458
Fax: +27 (0) 12 326 6218
Mobile: +27(0)82 783 4729
www.sacbc.org.za
P Please consider the environment before printing this email"

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