St. Mary's Marialinden Parish
In the last 40 years there were three ordinations: Fr. Albert Shale, CMM in 1979, Fr. Canisius Tsepo Tsalong, Diocesan in 1989 and Fr. Martin Teboho Makoro, Diocesan in 2002.
Marialinden Parish has only 4 Outstations. 20 years after the foundation of the Mission the first Outstation was built in 1904 at Pontseng, St. Stephen. In 2004 the Church was rebuilt after it was struck by hail and heavy snow. It was blessed by Bishop Sithembele Sipuka on 07 October 2018. In 1981 Fr. Clemens Truttmann built Ha Nkau, St. Nicholas.
Due to the increasing number of Christians, the main Parish was enlarged by Fr. Robert in 1992. In 2016 when the Mission of Mary, Mother of God turned 120 years, the Church again was renovated and a Grotto of our Lady was erected as a memorial by Fr. Vincent Kayiira.
The convent at Marialinden burnt down in 1999, but with the help of Bishop Oswald Hirmer it was rebuilt in 2000 with donations from Germany. In 2014 the CPS sisters were withdrawn from Marialinden. The convent was renovated and converted into a Pastoral Centre.
The Priest house was also renovated in 2001. And in the days of Fr. Hormisdas, a new hall was built.
Fr. Truttmann built Phutha Mahae. This was a training Centre to train people of the Parish, mainly women in gardening, sewing, cooking, etc. When Fr. Clemens left the Parish, the running of the Project was handed over to a Miss Henriatta. But due to the lack of training and experience in managing the finances the project came to an end. Soon the building was vandalized by people.
For More information on this parish please refer to:
1. Transkei For Christ by Fr Marcel Dischl CMM, copyright 1982
2. Chronicle of Mthatha Diocese by Fr. Winfried Egler of 2020
- Fr Wilhelm Holzschneider OCR: September 1897 – April 1900
- Fr Bernadin Hirsch OCR: April 1900 – July 1906
- Fr Notker Vorspel OCR: July 1906 – November 1907
- Fr Maurus Kalus OCR: December 1907 – February 1909
- Fr Canisius Pfingstmann OCR: February 1909 – February 1910
- Fr Marcellin Bruno OCR: October 1914 – 1920
- Fr Alois Mncadi: May 1920 – February 1921
- Fr Florian Rauch C.M.M.: September 1921 – June 1929
- Fr Otto Grimm C.M.M.: February 1929 – January 1932
- Fr Alberic Reinhard C.M.M.: January 1932 – January 1951
- Fr Bertram Sirch C.M.M.: February 1952 – October 1972
- Fr Clemens Truttmann C.M.M.: November 1972 – October 1978
- Fr Stefan Mandl C.M.M.: November 1978 – April 1981
- Fr Ernest Pӧchl C.M.M.: May 1981 – September 1988
- Fr Robert Deshaies C.M.M.: September 1988 – September 1994
- Fr Peter Lekena C.M.M.: 1995 – 1997
- Fr Hormisdas Kasule: January 1999 – May 2008
- Fr Tsepo Tsalong: 2009 – 2011
- Fr Vincent Kayiira: 2012 – January 2020
- Fr Henry Kudzai: 2020 – 2021
- Fr Thabo Malapane C.M.M.: 2022 –
Priest Incharge: Fr. Thabo Malapane C.M.M.
CellPhone: 079 374 4554
Email: thabomlpn@gmail.com
Address
Mpharane A/A
Matatiele
4730
Postal Address
P.O. Box 431
Matatiele
4730