We need to do more for young people who migrate to South Africa

Paul Samasumo – Vatican City

Kingdom of Lesotho’s Bishop of Qacha's Nek Diocese, Joseph Mopeli Sephamola O.M.I., attending the Synod of Bishops for young people in the Vatican, has said that the Church in his country is much inspired by Pope Francis’ vision in bringing Bishops to a Synod for Young People in the Vatican.

God is eternally young

“This is my first synod experience. I do not know about previous Synods... All in all, I realise that the (Bishops) are aware that youth are not the Church of tomorrow, but they are the Church of today. In (Lesotho) we are inspired by what the Holy Father said, that God is eternally young and that the youth are here; this is their Church.” Bishop Sephamola said in an interview with Vatican News.

According to Bishop Sephamola, God being eternally young means that he has all the youthful qualities of energy and vitality, which the Church needs in order to renew itself and its pastoral ministry towards young people.

A new pastoral ministry for young people in the diaspora

The Bishops of Lesotho are aware that they need to do more to accompany young people particularly young migrants, most of whom go to South Africa in search of jobs.

“We need to do more for young migrants who go to South Africa and sometimes get lost there. Most times even as they go to South Africa, it is not all of them who get jobs. We need to do more (for them). We need as a Church to come up with strategies and pastoral programmes that work for them,” the prelate from the Kingdom of Lesotho said.

The political situation of Lesotho is promising

Asked about the political situation in Lesotho, Bishop Sephamola said he was optimistic that tensions of the past would not be repeated.

“Politically, the situation in Lesotho is promising in the sense that member (countries) of the SADCC community have insisted upon political reforms. It took some time before the reforms could take off. The programme of reform has now started, and that is promising,” Bishop Sephamola said.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has urged the mountain-locked Kingdom to implement political reforms and engage in national dialogue with the view to ease tensions that led to an attempted coup in 2014,

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has led efforts prodding political players towards a constitutional review process as well the security and public sector reform. Other reforms are to do with parliament and the judicial sector.