2015-09-10 14:12:00

Blessed Benedict Daswa to affirm the faith in South Africa


(Vatican Radio) South Africans across the nation are gearing up to celebrate the man who is set to become South Africa’s first Saint and martyr.

Benedict Daswa, from the remote rural village of Tschitanani in Limpopo Province, will be Beatified on Sunday, 13 September.

The cause for Daswa’s canonization began back in 2008 and Pope Francis authorized the signing of the actual proclamation for his Beatification in January 2015.

So preparations for the event, led by the Diocese of Tzaneen have been intense in the last couple of months, and have involved many people.

Amongst them Lebo WA Majahe a reporter for the Catholic Archdiocesan News in Johannesburg.

She spoke to Linda Bordoni about Daswa, a family man and a school teacher who was brutally murdered for having opposed witchcraft practices and beliefs:

Listen to the interview

“Something that stands out about Benedict Daswa for me, is that everybody that I have interviewed describes him as somebody who was very simple and who had a passion for education, especially educating children” Lebo says.

She also points out that other characteristics that stand out regarding this “ordinary” man are that of integrity, of always being truthful, of being dedicated to charity work and to caring for the poor of his community, even if it meant donating his earnings and personal belongings.

Lebo points out that he was a teacher by profession and responsible for the building of the Catholic School – the only school in the village – and of the Catholic Church there: “so he really did a lot in terms of community development”. 

Speaking of the importance of Benedict Daswa – the first South African Saint – Lebo explains that only about 6% of the population is Catholic and the Beatification will most certainly affirm the Catholic faith.

“Having Benedict as one of our Saints means that there will be one of our own who will be interceding for us, a person who knows our struggles: that’s great news” she says.

She says it all brings to mind the Gospel of Matthew that says that tells of how the “rejected stones will be the cornerstones” – something, Lebo says, “that more or less symbolizes what Benedict’s life was”.

In this sense, Lebo points out, the figure of Benedict Daswa is also very close to the kind of faithful Pope Francis speaks of.

As a staff member of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg, Lebo will be present for the Beatification and explains that the event will actually kick-off on Friday with a media briefing, and then on Saturday there will be a vigil leading up to the actual Beatification ceremony on Sunday.

“I am hoping that the people of South Africa will take advantage of this event and that most Catholics will be present” she says.  

You can read articles Lebo Wa Majahe has written on the cause for the canonization of Benedict Daswa on the the website of the Catholic Archdiocesan News of Johannesburg. Click here








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