“Congratulations. This is wonderful… this really exceeds all our expectations”, those were the words of the Arcbishop of Johanneburg, Cardinal Stephen Brislin, at the blessing of Blessed Chiara Badano Catholic Church in Linbro Park on the 12 November 2025. One person who did not mind hearing the congratulatory words was the chairperson of Blessed Chiara Badano community, Xoliswa Moraka, who later explained that it had been a six years journey to get to where they are today.
The blessing of this small church took place in the afternoon together with the Holy Mass presided by the Cardinal himself. At the beginning of the homily the Cardinal said, “We thought we were coming to a very temporary type structure and that it wouldn’t be anything like this. But you really have done tremendously well.” The Cardinal thanked the benefactors and the priest in charge and all the priests who served the community before.
“Wonderful things will happen here. The word of God will be proclaimed. And that word is not a dead word. It is the living word of God, God speaking to us in the here and the now. In this place, the sacraments will be celebrated, of course, the Eucharist, the great sacrament, where we are truly united in communion with Jesus Christ,” said Cardinal Brislin as he continued with his homily.
“The real church is the community. And as you have done such wonderful things in building and transforming this house into a church, so now you must really work at continuing to build the living church, that it may truly be a place where people care for each other, a place where visitors and strangers are welcomed, a place where people can come to find peace, come to find rest in their souls.”
Cardinal Brislin said while the community of Blessed Chiara Badano will continue to do wonders in the future in terms of the physical structure, the real work is to ensure that they bring into unity and communion, all the living stones of the parish.
Referring to the gospel of the day the Cardinal said the building, the physical structure that they have achieved is so much a great reminder to say thank you to God, but He should be given thanks too for his mercy, for his love, for his compassion, for his presence in our lives, for the Holy Spirit who leads us and guides us.
“And that is what today is about. Yes, the building. Beautiful. A great reminder, A great achievement. But let us look for that even greater achievement. And let us not forget to say thank you to God for the grace and the love that he continues to show us at all times.”
At the vote of thanks at the end of Mass, Xoliswa Moraka, thanked His Eminence Cardinal Brislin for gracing them with his presence and celebrating the Holy Mass for them. “We are grateful as a community and we hope he will come again to have confirmation quite soon. We also want to also recognize our patroness, Blessed Chiara Badano, whom this community is named after. And we hope that her heart will fill our own hearts and that through her we will also grow and carry the heart that she had for other people.”
Moraka thanked all the previous priests, Fr. Thabo Mothiba, Fr. Daniel Sehlapelo, and Fr. Phuti Makgabo. Both Frs Mothiba and Makgabo were present at the celebration, with Fr. Mothiba as the concelebrant. The current Priest in Charge who oversaw the conversion of the house into a beautiful small church is Fr. Theodore Macupe who was thanked for pushing the community to make sure they realise their dream. The church can accommodate around 130 people. Ms Moraka also thanked all the people who were present for the beautiful celebration. Cardinal Brislin was accompanied by the Vicar for Liturgy Fr. Lawrence Ndlovu who was the Master of Ceremonies. See the complete homily below.
