The first 20 years since the beginning of Mt. Nicholas Mission were a time of establishing the Mission. A small priest house was built and a convent for the Ursuline sisters who came from their first Missionary experience in Cwele. Bishop Hanisch who was the founder of Mt. Nicholas had a clear vision for this Mission. Only a few years earlier he started St. Patrick Mission. In the isiXhosa speaking part of his Diocese there was no Parish where the priority of the pastoral work was directed towards black people. St. Patrick was situated in a rural area and not in a Magistrate’s town where there were already small communities of Catholics consisting of Whites and Coloureds like Qumbu, Cala, Port St. John’s, Ngqeleni and Mthatha. As was his aim in St. Patrick, he also wanted Mt. Nicholas to be a Parish which cares for the black population of the District.

The Ursuline sisters who came into the Diocese did not have a successful start in Missionary work in Cwele. They immediately grasped the opportunity when Bishop Hanisch offered them Libode as a place where they could start a school.

Immediately the construction of a school was started. Very soon also boarding facilities were built. Over the next few years new class rooms were added. Every now and then new teaching sisters arrived from Brig. Because of the situation at that time the school was a “Coloured “school, taking in children from the village. Coloured children from Mthatha and other towns of Transkei were boarding. The school grew rapidly and soon earned praise and recognition not only from the Department of Education for Coloureds but also from the people around. Long before the Independence of Transkei the sisters took in black children.

The priests in their pastoral work did not forget the vision of the Founder. Already in the 40s the priests engaged Catechists and went with them to the near villages like Mafini, Mkhunjazi, Ntlaza, Mevana, and Gosshill to teach and give instructions to Catechumens.

After the founding period of 20 years the Mission expanded rapidly to all four directions. The next 20 years from 1960 until 1980 saw the establishment of a string of Outstations like: Mampondomiseni, Nyandeni, Makhotyana, Cibeni, Mevana and Moyeni.

Only four Outstations were built during this time:  Mamfengwini, Mngamnye, Mvume and Ntlambela. In 1989 the church at Mt. Nicholas underwent some late liturgical changes to follow the rules of Vatican II. The side altars were removed. The main altar attached to the wall as well as the communion rails were removed and brought forward. A new tabernacle was ordered from Mariannhill, made by Sr. Johanna Senn, CPS.

The fourth period from 2000 until 2020 was a time of renovations and renewal. Renovations were necessary on all buildings in the main station and in Outstations. Many priests did not see the necessity of it or did not have the funds. In Mt. Nicholas the church needed major renovation. In 2010 the wooden floor was rotten, the windows needed to be enlarged to get more light into the church, the walls needed painting. The pit toilets at the parish centre were replaced by flush toilets in 2012. 12 plastic tanks of different sizes were installed to catch the rain water and make the Centre independent from the Municipality.

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

1. Fr Herbert Fritz C.M.M.: January 1940 – February 1942
2. Fr Otto Grimm C.M.M.: February 1942 – April 1944
3. Fr Edmund Franke C.M.M.: August 1944 – November 1945
4. Fr Burkhard Helmstetter C.M.M.: November 1945 – January 1949
5. Fr Francis Wojaczek C.M.M.: January 1949 – April 1952
6. Fr Rimigius Stirnimann C.M.M.: September 1952 – April 1954
7. Fr Francis Wojaczek C.M.M.: April 1954 – November 1955
8. Fr James Ermekeil C.M.M.: November 1955 – January 1962
9. Fr Paul Baumeler C.M.M.: January 1962 – August 1963
10. Fr Francis Wojaczek C.M.M.: August 1963 – July 1978
11. Fr Urs Fischer C.M.M.: August 1978 – February 1979
12. Fr Roman Zurbriggen C.M.M.: February 1979 – November 1987
13. Fr Winfried Egler C.M.M.: November 1987 – September 1993
14. Fr Phillip Voorn C.M.M.: May 1994 – August 1998
15. Fr Marco Saavedra C.M.M.: October 1998 – May 2000
16. Fr Thembisile Mdinwa: 2000 – 2001
17. Fr Bonaventure Ssemaganda: 2001 – 2007
18. Fr Ncedo Siwundla: January 2008 – December 2009
19. Fr Winfried Egler C.M.M.: January 2010 – January 2019
20. Fr Teboho Makoro: January 2019 – 2021
21. Monsignor Eric Mokole: 2021 –

Priest Incharge: Monsignor Eric Mokole
CellPhone: 082 837 3163
Email: emokole@yahoo.com

Address
Masameni A/A
Libode
5160

Postal Address
P.O. Box 85
Mthatha
5099