An aircraft carrying South Africa s first COVID-19 vaccine doses arrives at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg Feb. 1, 2021. (CNS photo/Elmond Jiyane, GCIS handout via Reuters)
On January 4th, Bishop Moses Hamungole of the Catholic Diocese of Monze in Zambia announced via a Facebook post that he had tested positive for COVID-19 at the Monze mission hospital in his diocese. He added that he had since been transferred to the Levy Mwanawasa hospital in the capital, Lusaka. He sought to reassure everyone:
I am well taken care of here and the is no reason to worry about. I’m calm and confident to pull through this Covid19 attack. I wish to thank you for your prayers. At the same time, I want you to take Covid19 pandemic real and to urge you to follow all health regulations. Let us remain United in prayer!
By Arnold Neliba
CAPE TOWN, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 (CISA)-The Apostolic Nuncio to south Africa His Excellency Archbishop Peter Bryan Wells has asked bishops to play their universal role as bridge builders by reaching out to one another in creating opportunities for fruitful and engaging encounters.
While referring to the Popes encyclical
Fratelli tutti the nuncio asked bishops to live their vocation by their closeness to the people.
“It is so easy for Church leaders today, like other leaders, to fall into the provincial, regional trap, seeing nothing beyond our own borders and our own community needs. This in many ways is one of the greatest challenges we are facing in a world which seems to be creating groups who are evermore protectionists, self-centered and isolated from the suffering of their neighbors next-door,” he said in his address on January 26 during the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference Plenary meeting.