The Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa, Archbishop Henryk Mieczysław Jagodziński, has called on Catholic Priests to remain deeply attentive to the needs of the poor and to the voices of young people, stressing that the Church needs shepherds who hold the marginalized close to their hearts.
Archbishop Jagodziński made the appeal on Sunday, November 30, during the 25th anniversary celebration of the Priestly ordination of Fr. Christopher Townsend, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Pretoria. The thanksgiving Mass took place at the Parish Church of the Beatitudes.
“In the Church, we need Priests who are awake—awake to the needs of the poor, awake to the voices of the young, awake to the wounds of society, awake to the movement of the Holy Spirit,” the Nuncio said, praising Fr. Townsend for embodying this spirit through his ministry
The Polish diplomat, who also represents the Holy Father in Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, and Eswatini, commended Fr. Townsend’s readiness to speak with clarity and serve those on the margins. He noted that such commitment captures the heart of the Advent Season and echoes the day’s Gospel reading from St. Matthew, which calls believers to vigilance.
“The Gospel teaches us to ‘stand ready,’ not in fear but in love, not in anxiety but in joyful expectation,” he said, adding that Advent readiness flows from a heart that knows it is deeply loved by God.
Addressing the congregation, the Nuncio described Fr. Townsend’s priesthood as a “shelter of hope,” recalling moments when his ministry restored hope to the discouraged—through confessions, homilies, pastoral guidance, and a steady presence in times of suffering.
Referencing St. Paul’s exhortation to offer oneself as a “living sacrifice,” Archbishop Jagodziński affirmed that the Jubilarian’s life reflects this call through perseverance, genuine love, and an unwavering commitment to truth.
He emphasized that Christian hope is “the courage to remain soft-hearted in a world that hardens,” and “the grace to continue loving when the cost is high.”
The Nuncio also highlighted that Fr. Townsend’s priesthood was shaped by many influences—family, seminary formation, and academic study—and invited the faithful to stand with him as “Pilgrims of Hope” during the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year.
“Priesthood is not always dramatic—often it is hidden, quiet, and ordinary,” he said. “But it is in that hiddenness that the light of Christ shines most brightly. Your fidelity in the ordinary has allowed God to accomplish the extraordinary.”
God’s people, he added, continue to benefit from that quiet fidelity.
Credit: ACI Africa
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