| MSC Bishop in South Africa to retire |
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Bishop Hugh, a member of the Irish province of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, assumed charge of the Diocese of Tzaneen in 1984 following the retirement of Bishop John Durkin MSC. Prior to becoming Bishop, Hugh was the Regional Superior of the Irish MSCs in South Africa. The Holy Father has appointed Father João Noé Rodrigues, as the new bishop of Tzaneen. Father Rodrigues was born in Cape Town on 8 March 1953 and was ordained priest for the Diocese of Witbank on 4 July 1982. Details of the ordination, which will be on the Third Sunday of Easter, are still to be finalised. Father João Noé Rodrigues is currently Pastor of the Sacred Heart Parish, in Ackerville (Witbank), Dean of the Highveld Deanery, Coordinator of the Catechetical Programme in the Diocese of Witbank and part-time Lecturer at St. John Vianney Seminary. The Bishop-elect has a Licence in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University (Rome) and a Master of Arts in Spirituality from Santa Clara University (California, USA). Tzaneen Diocese was established by Decree of Pope Paul VI on 16 November 1972. It comprises the districts of Letaba and Soutpansberg, all of the former Venda, the districts of Malamulele and Giyani and of Ritavi in the former Gazankulu, the districts of Botlokwa, Sekgosese East, Naphuno and Namakgale in the former Lebowa. |
The Holy Father has accepted the retirement from the office of Bishop of Tzaneen, South Africa, presented by the Right Reverend Hugh Slattery, MSC.