03 Feb 2019

Short but heartwarming eulogies on a warm Friday morning reflected on the legacy that the late Bishop Boniface Setlalekgosi leaves behind.

Those who spoke about his life did so in great humbleness and with great gusto.

An eerie atmosphere hanged over the national stadium as each speaker took to the podium and reminisced about Bishop Setlalekgosi’s contribution to the Roman Catholic Church.

The undying bond that he had with his church could be felt in the air.

He led the flock with unwavering commitment. In biblical parlance Bishop Setlalekgosi is to the catholic faithful what Moses was to the children of Israel. For years, he stood in front of his flock and led them through bad times and good times.

Throughout his mission, Bishop Setlalekgosi led the flock with utmost commitment, humility and competence, the attributes which have endeared him to the entire catholic membership.

He was seen as an epitome of moral purity. Bishop Setlalekgosi wore a ring as a sign of commitment to his church. Catholic traditions dictate that when he dies he be buried in the cathedral church which he led.

In honour of Catholic doctrines, family and a few distinguished mourners were allowed to drop soil into Bishop Setlalekgosi’s tomb at the cathedral grounds. As his coffin was finally lowered into the ground, a mournful hymn Sala le nna tsatsi le phirima kissed the dry and warm air.

Bishop Setlalekgosi took his last breath on January 25 after battling congenital heart defect. At the time of his death, he was aged 91.

Mourners were told how Setlalekgosi fell in love with the catholic sect at a young age. To be precise he was baptized at age 14 at Kgale, where he was educated from primary to secondary.

He is said to have entered the seminary at the vexation of his parents. But, by God’s grace the young Boniface persuaded his parents to nod to his demands and allow him to follow his craft.

In 1957, Bishop Setlalekgosi enrolled for priesthood in Zimbabwe. He came back home after studies and was ordained a catholic priest in Francistown. After the death of his predecessor, Bishop Urban Murphy, Pope John Paul II appointed the then father Setlalekgosi as the second bishop of Gaborone.

To some of the church elders who graced Friday’s requiem mass the event poked nostalgic memories of the day Bishop Setlalekgosi was ordained on March 6, 1982 at the National Stadium.

A historic event in the history of the catholic was to follow six years later as Bishop Setlalekgosi welcomed Pope St John Paul II to Botswana during the catholic pontiff’s visit.

Events leading to Bishop Setlalekgosi’s final resting unfolded on Thursday, as scores of mourners among them President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi lined up at the Christ the King Cathedral to bid farewell to the clergyman celebrated by many as a great nation builder.

St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, the capital of the Catholic Church is often referred to as a burial ground. Human bones and remains have been found in several hollows in the foundation of the Basilica, the most notable of these are bones said to belong to the biblical Simon Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ and considered among catholic faithful to be the first Pope.

On February 1, the funeral service and the burial was conducted by a few visiting clergymen from the region led by Bishop Frank Nubuasah.

The Church celebrated the life of Bishop Setlalekgosi in song and dance during the holy mass giving it a new and richer meaning. The choir sang out beautifully.

As he rests many described his death as a fulfilment of his desire to one day see God face to face. A visiting bishop brother from Gauteng, Bishop Buti Tlhagale did not mince words when he described the undying faith that the late bishop had.

“It was through faith that he dedicated his life to serving God without counting the costs. Faith and God can guarantee the blessing. It is impossible to please God without faith,” remarked Bishop Tlhagale.

Among the countless good deeds Bishop Setlalekgosi is remembered for was the  will to lay down his life for the flock of God put under his care. Even in retirement, Bishop Setlalekgosi continued to do pastoral work until his last day. ends