Fr Lucky Mvula is a priest of the diocese of Kroonstad. He concludes this overview of 27 years of mission of the Mill Hill Missionaries in South Africa
It gives me pleasure to reflect on the impact of the Mill Hill Missionaries in our diocese. The arrival of Mill Hill in our diocese has brought a significant change and given a new face to the diocese. They occupied the Northern part of the diocese and it is a vibrant part of the diocese. They promoted vocations within the north through their inspiration and I am part of their inspiration.
Fr John Doran MHM was appointed to be the vocations director of the diocese. He worked tirelessly for the diocese promoting vocations to priesthood and religious life. The diocese suffered a lack of vocations but in his tenure the diocese trained more than ten young men who are serving as diocesan priests, one Salesian priest and deacon in via in the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
They have built churches in the diocese and have developed communities. I commend their dedication towards caring for souls. In the parishes they have served they created bonds. Their works are not engraved on stone but on the hearts of the people they served. Through their diversity they managed to bring people together as some of them worked in multiracial communities. Those who came first managed to heal the wounds of Apartheid and brought races together without any discrimination.
South Africa is not predominantly Catholic but through their dedication they managed to convert a number of souls to Catholicism.
A number of them worked in the youth ministry and they have changed the lives of many young people. Today some of those young people are leaders in their parishes. Parishes under Mill Hill Missionaries are marked with drop-in centres where many children will receive food. A sign that they care for the poor and their love for children.
Mill Hill Missionaries have played a big role in developing the diocese of Kroonstad. May God bless Mill Hill and its priests. Regards.
(Fr Lucky Mvula, April 2025)
