By: Superior Father Ryan Pais
The South Africa mission has another significant reason to rejoice as the community parish, which had been ministering as a virtual parish, has now been officially declared a shrine. On Tuesday, the 16th of April 2024, His Grace, Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, the archbishop of Johannesburg, proclaimed Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, at 33 Celia Nestadt Road, Brentwood Park, Benoni, as a shrine.
The solemn Eucharist was presided over by Archbishop Tlhagale at 18:00, with the participation of community clergy, Father Rayan Pais, Father Boniface D’Souza, Father Arvin Tauro, Father John D’Souza, Father Mari Joe from Cape Town, Deacon Kieth and Deacon Benedict. Approximately three hundred faithful gathered for this auspicious occasion, including individuals from Our Lady of Loretto in Kempton Park and St Joseph Parish Actonville.
During the Mass, special prayers were offered for the soul of Father Walter Lobo, a pioneer of the South African mission, who passed away last month, highlighting his invaluable contributions.
In his sermon, Archbishop Tlhagale elucidated the significance of Mother Mary in the work of redemption and expounded on the meaning and necessity of the Shrine within the diocese. He commended the Carmelite Order for their selfless service in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg.
Following the Holy Eucharist, Superior Father Rayan Pais expressed heartfelt gratitude to Archbishop Tlhagale for the elevation of the church to a shrine and for his unwavering support as the backbone of the South African mission. Archbishop Tlhagale blessed the foundation stone for the new shrine, which is slated to be realised in the future.
The occasion also marked the launch of the new website of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine https://carmelitesa.com/ further enhancing accessibility and outreach.
Additionally, the community took the opportunity to extend warm wishes to Archbishop Buti on his Silver Jubilee celebration of Episcopal ordination, which he celebrated on the 11th of April 2024.
The celebration concluded with the unveiling of the plaque commemorating Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine, symbolising the enduring faith and devotion of the parish community.
This declaration marks a significant milestone in the journey of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, signifying its deepened commitment to serving the faithful and fostering spiritual growth within the community.
