December 06, 2013 - The Catholic Church of southern Africa joined world leaders and
nations in paying tribute to former South African president Nelson Mandela, who passed
away Thursday at the age of 95. The country's first black president and anti-apartheid
icon known in South Africa by his clan name of Madiba, died peacefully at his Johannesburg
home after a prolonged lung infection. In a statement the Southern African Catholic
Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) extolled Mandela’s greatness and inspiration, expressing
the Catholic Church’s gratitude to him for the sacrifice he made for all peoples of
South Africa and for the leadership and inspiration he gave in leading them on the
path of reconciliation. “He never compromised on his principles and vision for a
democratic and just South Africa where all have equal opportunities, even at great
cost to his own freedom,” said the statement signed by SACBC president, Archbishop
Stephen Brislin of Cape Town. “Despite great suffering throughout his life he did
not answer racism with racism and his words at the treason trial still inspire,” the
southern African bishops said, recalling his words, “I have fought against white domination
and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic
and free society in which persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities”.
The SACBC said the greatest way they could acknowledge the life of Nelson Mandela
was to strive for the ideals he cherished: “freedom, equality and democracy, and to
defend these ideals from those who would corrupt them.” The Southern African Catholic
Bishops’ Conference is made up of bishops of South Africa, Botswana, and Swaziland.
(Source: SACBC)