The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has appointed Reverend Father Motlatsi Meshack Phomane, a priest of Mthatha Diocese, as the new Bishop of Bethlehem Diocese. He succeeds Bishop Jan de Groef M.Afr, who has shepherded the diocese since December 2008.
At 50 years of age, Bishop-elect Phomane brings to his new ministry a rich pastoral, administrative, and canonical background shaped by years of service in rural parish communities and diocesan governance. His appointment comes at a time when the Church in the Free State continues to strengthen pastoral outreach and deepen participation in the synodal journey of the universal Church.
A shepherd formed in rural communities
Born on 14 November 1975 in Tshenola, in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape Province along the border with Lesotho, Bishop-elect Phomane grew up in a rural setting that would later shape his pastoral sensitivity to the realities of ordinary families and underserved communities. Before entering seminary formation, he worked in various occupations between 1998 and 2003, including as a security officer, laborer, and quality controller—experiences that grounded him in the dignity of work and the daily struggles of working people.
He began his priestly formation in 2004 at St. Philip Neri Pre-Orientation Seminary in Port Elizabeth and continued at St. Kizito Propaedeutic Seminary in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal. In 2006, he completed philosophical studies at St. Peter’s Seminary in Garsfontein and went on to pursue theological studies at St. John Vianney Major Seminary in Pretoria from 2007 to 2011.
He was ordained deacon on 29 September 2011 at the Cathedral of All Saints in Mthatha and received priestly ordination on 30 June 2012 in Zingisa, becoming incardinated into the Diocese of Mthatha.
Service marked by leadership and formation
Shortly after ordination, Mons Phomane demonstrated strong administrative and pastoral leadership. From 2013 to 2015, he served as Chancellor of the Diocese of Mthatha, while simultaneously ministering as Parish Priest of John the Baptist Parish in Port St John’s and overseeing diocesan financial administration.
His commitment to professional development led him to obtain a Diploma in Business Management from the University of South Africa (UNISA) between 2012 and 2013. He later pursued advanced ecclesiastical studies, earning a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, between 2015 and 2018. This formation prepared him for service within ecclesiastical tribunals and consultative bodies.
Over the years, he has held several key responsibilities, including membership in the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Province of Durban, service as a consultor of the Diocese of Mthatha, and participation in the Diocesan Finance Committee. He has also been actively involved in pastoral coordination as diocesan representative for the Pastoral Conference in the Sotho Region.
Since 2025, he has served as Parish Priest of Mt. Nicholas Parish in Libode and as chaplain to the diocesan committee for the Synod, reflecting his commitment to fostering participation and dialogue within the Church—an emphasis that resonates strongly with the ongoing synodal process, a theme closely linked to the Church’s mission today and to the pastoral priorities being implemented across Southern Africa.
Commitment to language and inculturation
In addition to his pastoral and canonical responsibilities, Bishop-elect Phomane has shown a deep commitment to promoting the Gospel through language and culture. Since 2016, he has served as diocesan translator for the Sesotho language, contributing to the translation of ecclesiastical texts and liturgical materials. Since 2025, he has also been attending a course for translators at UNISA, continuing to support the Church’s mission of making its teachings accessible to local communities.
The Diocese of Bethlehem, located in South Africa’s Free State Province, forms part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bloemfontein and serves a Catholic population of approximately 59,398 faithful, according to 2022 statistics.