Ethiopian Catholic Church of Southern Africa to install Kunene as bishop | Breaking News & Latest South Africa Updates

Ethiopian Catholic Church of Southern Africa to install Kunene as bishop — The Ethiopian Catholic Church of Southern Africa is to install Bafana Piet Kunene as a bishop in a move seen as representing the growth of the church...

The Ethiopian Catholic Church of Southern Africa is to install Bafana Piet Kunene as a bishop in a move seen as representing the growth of the church in Gauteng.

The ceremony will take place on Saturday in Springs, Ekurhuleni, presided over by Bishop Makomela Mokoena and Elroy Meyer, the bishop of Cape Town. They will be joined by bishops from other denominations.

Kunene said his enthronement evokes elation and humility.

“This is not a promotion, nor a position of power. It fills me with humility and comes with a lot of responsibility,” said Kunene, who describes a bishop as a “servant of servants” to the priests and congregants he leads.

“Being a bishop also comes with caring and pastoral ministry for all members of the church, but especially for the vulnerable, marginalised, weak and those who do not have.”

Kunene described the church as being apostolic, catholic and orthodox.

“It is a church that responded to the call of independence of black people,” he said of the church which traces its origins to the Order of Ethiopia founded by James Mata Dwane, who led it to its amalgamation with the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church.

Kunene described his journey to priesthood as being one of hard work and dedication.

“The journey has been about giving leadership and reaching out to those who have the means to help the church and society to assist those who do not have,” he said. He was ordained in April 2022. He has since established and grown the Parish of St Monica in KwaThema.

Kunene said he sees the ministry as being in three dimensions — preaching, music and working to achieve social justice.

Kunene grew up in KwaThema and after attending a few churches with his grandmother, became a member of St Barnabas Anglican Church in KwaThema, the parish once led by Father Joe Mzamane, father of the late renowned poet and academicMbulelo Mzamane.

He later transferred to St Andrew’s Anglican Church, also in KwaThema, where he became a lay minister, a licensed preacher and a member and conductor of its choir. He has also been a member of several community choirs, including East Rand Male Symphony and Bonisudumo.

Kunene studied law at North West University, where he became SRC president and led its choir in addition to other leadership roles. He worked for the Highveld Anglican Board of Social Responsibility, working with orphaned and vulnerable children.

He notes that under his stewardship the church aims to grow, not just in Gauteng, but also in Gert Sibande municipality in Mpumalanga, where he has done extensive social development work, as well as in the Free State.

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