The Episcopal ordination of Fr. Inácio Saúre was scheduled to take place on 22 May 2011 at the cathedral of Maputo. From the Delegation of South Africa Frs. Zé Martins, James Mwigani, and Cassiano Kalima went to participate in that event of the Church in Mozambique.

Before we started the journey to Maputo, we celebrated the Holy Mass at the Most Holy Rosary Parish, in Waverley, at 6 am. The intention of the Mass was for Fr. Inácio’s new ministry in the Church and for the safe journey of all those who would be travelling to the Episcopal ordination, including ourselves from South Africa.  Inspired by the reading of the day, Fr Zé underlined the fact that we are missionaries like Paul, who stood up and proclaimed to the people saying, we have come here to tell you the Good News!

We left at 7.30am. Pretoria was cold 8°C. but,  inside of the car, the environment is warm: we admire the nice panorama along the N4; we “force” our minds to remember  names, rivers, places that we learnt in History, years  ago,  about South Africa; we spoke about the Chapter which is going on in Rome; we spoke about the Church history as we cross Witbank diocese; we spoke about the Consolata missionaries as we see the road heading to Khangwane and other places related to the Consolata missionaries in this country; we spoke about President Samora Machel as we see the board indicating the “Samora Machel monument”, until  we reached the Regional House in Maputo at 1 pm, without feeling the tiredness of the distance.

At the Regional House we received a very warm welcoming from the Confrères: Frs. Franco Gioda, superior of the house, Carlos Alberto, the administrator of the region, Bonifácio, Carlos Osorio who is a vice superior of Mozambique. There were also some guests who came for the Episcopal ordination: a representative from Pemba diocese where Fr. Inácio Saúre comes from, Confrères from the missions of Vilankulos, namely Frs. Claudio and Kirikinto, and Fr. Bellesi who was sent from Italy to represent the General Direction of the Consolata Missionaries. At the Regional House the atmosphere was of missionary life as we exchanged different experiences, and above all, there was joy, prayer and family spirit.

On 22 May 2011, 40 days after his election, took place the Episcopal ordination of Fr. Inácio Saúre, as Bishop of Tete, at the cathedral of Maputo. Fr. Inácio for his Episcopal ordination, decided to wear the chasuble which has the icon of our Lady Consolata given as a gift from the Consolata missionaries in South Africa. The Holy Mass lasted three hours, from 9.30 to 12.30.

Don Lúcio Andrisse, Bishop of Xai-Xai and President of CEM (Conferência Episcopal of Mozambique), was the main consecrating Bishop, and the concelebrating Bishops were Francisco Lerma, imc, and Francisco Chimoio; 10 other Bishops and more than 100 priests and many religious people participated with moments of prayer, singing and dance. Many political leaders were also present in the Sunday assembly. Together we all thanked the Lord for the gift of a new Shepherd to the Church of God that is in Tete.

Bishop Inácio chose as motto of his Episcopal Ministry, “console, console my people”, because, as he explained in his message after the ordination, consolation is what is needed in the diocese of Tete. Bishop Inácio is the first of the Consolata missionaries to be present in the diocese of Tete.

The second part of the ceremony took place at the campus of Eduardo Mondlane University, in a decorated hall, where lunch was served and the Consolata fathers working in Maputo were acting as waiters.

On Monday 23, during breakfast at the Regional House, one of us said: “I can not live without seminarians”. And immediately a proposal came, “why don’t we go to visit the Consolata seminary of philosophy and the noviciate?” And we did so.  It was a moment of “matar as saudades” as it is said in Portuguese, because that was the place where Fr. James and I did the novitiate.

That’s all. We say to the Confreres of Mozambique summa cum laude about the way the ceremony was done; we know that a lot of preparation was put in such a short time but, due to the collaboration and good will, everything went on very well – well done! To the Confreres of South Africa, especially to the DSA direction, we say thank you for giving us this opportunity to represent the Delegation and thank you for your prayers.