Daniel Comboni
Misioneros Combonianos
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Perpetual vows and diaconal ordination of Hermann Djimini in South Africa
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
On 8 February 2025, feast of the consecrated life in the diocese of Witbank, our scholastic Hermann Mahunan Djimini made his perpetual vows during the solemn celebration of the Eucharist held in the morning in the parish church of Saint Peter in Nelspruit. Fr John Baptist Opargiw Keraryo, provincial superior of the Comboni missionaries in South Africa, received the vows of Hermann Jimini. [In the picture: Fr Francis Stephane Adimou, Bishop Thaddeus Xolile Kumalo, and Deacon Hermann Djimini]
The Mass was presided by Mons Thaddeus Xolile Kumalo, bishop of Witbank, and concelebrated by a number of confreres, some diocesan priests and by Fr Francis Stephane Adimou the Parish priest from Hermann’s home parish in Benin. Particularly noticeable was the presence of a good number of religious sisters working in the diocese, among them the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception who arrived in South Africa in 1939 to support our Confreres in establishing the local Church and the Benedictine nuns. The people, though not as many as we expected, took part with enthusiasm in the celebration accompanied by the singing of a very well prepared parish choir.
In his homily, Fr Bheki Tshabalala, parish priest of St Peter and a missionary of the Mariannhill order, called for a renewal of the religious life taking inspiration especially from the message of Pope Francis for this year’s feast of consecrated life. In conclusion, Fr Bheki quoted a South African priest who recently presented the following challenging question: when one-day the poor will revolt because of their unbearable conditions of life, will they see us religious and priests on their side or will they will see us as part of the privileged ones in society?
The following day, on Sunday 9 February, the newly professed Hermann was ordained a deacon. The celebration took place in the Holy Family Church in Waterval, the Comboni parish where Hermann did his year of pastoral experience. The people of the parish came in number, filling over 400 seats under the tent pitched in the church compound. The Mass was presided by Mons Thaddeus Xolile Kumalo the bishop of Witbank and concelebrated by other Comboni priests working in the area. The Eucharist that lasted almost four hours was livened by the many songs chanted by the whole congregation at the rhythm of the drums beat. In his homily, Comboni Fr Roman Medina expressed the wish for Hermann that his heart be filled with a sincere love for the confreres living with him in the community and share that love with the people who will be entrusted to his care.
At the end of the Mass, everybody enjoyed an abundant and exquisite meal that a group of volunteer women in the parish had prepared for the occasion.
Fr Efrem Tresoldi, MCCJ in South Africa