I think it was the end of 2010 when Bishop William Slattery OFM who was bishop of Kokstad, was appointed Archbishop of Pretoria. Since then the diocese and all of us have been waiting for the appointment of a new bishop. As it happens, many times there are voices saying: "he will be appointed soon..." but then nothing happens. The good news arrived at the beginning of May: Fr Zolile Petros Mpambani SCJ had been appointed Bishop and he would be ordained on August 3rd.
Being the time of our plenary session, all the Bishops attended the ordination. We left at 6.00 am in order to arrive in Kokstad by 9.30.
The ordination was a very joyful one and was very well attended by the lay people, the religious, priests and bishops from other countries. It lasted five and a half hours. The three languages of the area were used: Xhosa, Sotho and English.
The day was not over for us. Back at Mariannhill where we are having our meeting, we quickly ate something and left for Durban to join the youth that gathered from different parts of the country for a vigil Mass.
