"I think you are my bishop"

Fr Motsa OSM (on the right hand side of the bishop) with some of the diocesan and servite priests

The day before yesterday we gathered at Florence Mission to celebrate the presbyteral ordination of Fr Anthony Dumisani Motsa OSM. Born in Swaziland (St Mary's parish) he joined the Order of Servants of Mary. He finished his studies in Rome and was ordained in Italy. He came back to Swaziland in October. The "Servites" (as we normally call them) invited the priests of the diocese to come together for a short prayer and a meal to celebrate the new priest from our diocese.

I thanked the Servites for the idea of bringing us together as a diocese. Then, later on, remembered something that happened late in 2008.

I was in Rome and had just been appointed bishop and Vicar Apostolic of Ingwavuma (South Africa).  The Southern African priests studying in Rome invited me to join them for their Christmas' celebration in the middle of December. 

Arriving there Anthony Motsa came to me and said: "I think you are my bishop". As I knew there were no seminarians from Ingwavuma in Rome I replied: "I don't think so...". He then explained he was a Servite (to whom the Vicariate of Ingwavuma is entrusted) from Swaziland. Later he spoke with the rector of the Servite seminary and invited me to join them one evening for Mass and supper. 

Six years' later I must say... he was right! I might not be his bishop as he is not a diocesan priest, but certainly at the beginning of the year I became the bishop of the diocese he comes from. Quite a prophecy...!