Father Lionel Sham R.I.P

As requested by Archbishop Tlhagale, please keep Father Sham's family in your prayers. May he rest in peace.

From the website of our local newspaper, The Star:

One nabbed for missing priest

The body of a priest who had gone missing earlier this week has been found, the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference said on Sunday.

"Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, Catholic Archbishop of Johannesburg, regrets to announce that the SAPS have found the Body of Fr Lionel Sham.

Sham, the parish priest of Mohlakeng had been missing since Friday afternoon.

Police had recovered his missing car at an accident scene in Denysville in the Free State on Sunday morning.

Captain Joseph Magoai said a man was arrested after Sham's car was recovered.

Magoai said police had been alerted on Saturday that Sham was missing.

"We received information that he was missing and some household items were missing," said Magoai.

SACBC spokesperson Father Chris Townsend said when Sham went missing on Friday, "there were signs of struggle in his presbytery and household and parish items and the parish car are missing.

"Townsend said Sham had been a "friend and mentor" to many."

He had worked at Boys Town, in various parish assignments, as administrator of the Cathedral of Christ the King in Johannesburg, Rector of the Orientation Seminary in Welkom, Secretary of the Seminary Department of the Bishops Conference, Vocation Director and Vicar General.

"All we can do now is pray with the family, the parish of Mohlakeng and the many people who loved and knew Lionel," said Archbishop Tlhagale. - Sapa

Please pray for Father Lionel Sham

I would like all who visit this blog to pray for one of the priests of our Archdiocese, Father Lionel Sham. He has been missing for over 24 hours. The details are not entirely clear but it is suspected that he was hijacked (carjacked) and, apparently, some valuables (not clear from where) have been stolen. In South Africa, this is not a good scenario.

Please hold this priest in your prayers.

First Tridentine Mass celebrated at Johannesburg Cathedral

I returned, about an hour ago, from the first Tridentine Mass to be held at Christ the King Cathedral in Johannesburg. The Mass was held in the Blessed Virgin side chapel and there were, I would say, about 100 people present. It was a Low Mass, celebrated by Rev. Father Shaun Mary von Lillienfeld who, after the Mass had ended, gave a short but deeply moving speech in which he described his gratitude for being able to celebrate the Tridentine Mass once again.

As you can see from the photo below, these are very small beginnings but this was a hugely historic occasion. I apologise for the smallness of the image, but the photo came out rather blurry. Fortunately it does not look quite so fuzzy when made a little smaller. There was an official photographer there as well so I will, hopefully, be able to post much better photographs at a later date, although I am sure they will appear elsewhere first.

Father von Lillienfeld celebrates the first official Tridentine Mass in Johannesburg