Focus on “tangible realities of human suffering”: Catholic Bishop to World Council of Church Officials in South Africa

Johannesburg, 28 June, 2025 / 9:04 PM

Participants in the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, have been challenged to focus their deliberations on “tangible realities of human suffering.”

Bishop Sithembele Anton Sipuka of South Africa’s Catholic Diocese of Mthatha voiced the challenge in his homily at the June 18-24 convention that the South African Council of Churches (SACC) hosted.

Bishop Sipuka cautioned against “abstract theology”, calling for conversations with those afflicted by conflicts and violence grounded in compassion, justice, and solidarity.

“Let our conversations be rooted not in abstract theology but in the tangible realities of human suffering and hope,” Bishop Sipuka said on the first day of the event held at the Birchwood Hotel in Johannesburg.

The Local Ordinary of Mthatha Diocese, who doubles as SACC President warned, “Let our decisions reflect not political manoeuvring but gospel conviction. Let our statements arise not from compromise but from prophetic courage motivated by awe for human dignity.”

The WCC Central Committee brought together church leaders, theologians, and ecumenical partners from across the globe to reflect, pray, and act on the theme, “Pilgrimage of justice, reconciliation, and unity.”

Drawing inspiration from Jesus’ words, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled” from Luke’s Gospel, Bishop Sipuka told the delegates that Christ’s incarnation was not solely about restoring humanity’s relationship with God but also about fostering reconciliation.

“The foundation of that reconciliation is the recognition, appreciation, and upholding of the value of each other’s humanity,” he said on June 18, referring to the suffering of humanity across the globe, including in war-torn nations such as Sudan, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), among others.

Bishop Sipuka said, “As we begin this conference, we carry with us the hopes of millions who look to us to facilitate the restoration of their humanity; we carry the hopes of women in South Africa who deserve to live without fear.”

“We carry the dreams of Palestinian and Israeli families yearning for peace. We carry the aspirations of Sudanese refugees longing to return home,” he further said, and continued, “We carry the hopes of Congolese families who deserve to benefit from their resources. We carry the prayers of Ukrainian families seeking an end to war.”

Bishop Sipuka said that the theme of the convention must not be seen as a mere strategy or slogan. “This is not just a program or strategy; it is a way of life rooted in the very essence of Christ's incarnation,” he emphasized.

“Just as Christ journeyed from divinity to humanity, we too must step beyond our comfort zones, beyond familiar territories, and tribal, national identities, and move into solidarity with those who suffer,” he said at the weeklong event that concluded on Tuesday, June 24.

The South African Catholic Bishop also reflected on the 1,700th anniversary of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, highlighting its significance in affirming “the truth that Christ shares our humanity so that we too can share in His divinity.”

“This profound truth—humanity and divinity are intertwined—forms the foundation of Christ's declaration that he has come to preach good news,” the Local Ordinary of Mthatha since his Episcopal Consecration in May 2008 said.

He explained that Jesus Christ “can proclaim this good news because he is part of our human experience, understanding intimately the areas of our lives that need hope and healing. It is from this deep solidarity, from the shared experience of being human, that he brings forth the good news.”

“If Christ has fully embraced our humanity, as the Council of Nicaea teaches, we too must honour the humanity of every person created in God's image,” the South African Catholic Bishop said in his June 18 homily.

He emphasized, “The Council of Nicaea affirmed that Christ is both fully human and fully divine. As his body on earth, we are called to engage deeply with human suffering and to be fully committed to divine love.”

“We are called to be bridge-builders in a world filled with walls, to give voice to those in silence, and to bring hope to those in despair,” Bishop Sipuka said.

The President of SACC, an associate body of the WCC, lauded the delegates for gathering in South Africa, describing the meeting as a symbol of hope in a world marred by violence.

“In a world increasingly divided between the powerful and the powerless, between those who have and those who do not, and between those whose voices are heard and those who suffer in silence, your gathering here symbolizes hope,” he said.

He added, “It is a hope that the Church can still act as a bridge-builder, a voice for the voiceless, and a bearer of Christ's good news to a world in desperate need.”

Bishop Sipuka further lauded WCC for its continued commitment to upholding the principles of humanity, particularly through its consistent efforts to address injustices over the years.

“From the Programme to Combat Racism to the Decade 2001-2010 to Overcome Violence. The WCC has declared that our shared humanity transcends the divisions created by society and that while it seeks unity, it does not seek uniformity,” he said.