Over 40 Parishioners in South Africa’s Catholic Archdiocese of Pretoria Face Excommunication after Disruptive Protests

Pretoria, 12 January, 2026 / 10:02 PM

Archbishop Dabula Mpako of South Africa’s Catholic Archdiocese of Pretoria has issued a Canonical decree requiring a section of parishioners who incited a series of protests at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in the Archdiocese to undergo a “rehabilitative process” or be penalized, including being excommunicated.

In the decree that was circulated on Sunday, January 11, Archbishop Mpako narrates events of December 2025 in which some parishioners of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart organized demonstrations, incited other Church members to participate in them, and even disrupted Holy Mass to protest a pastoral decision that was made concerning “a pastor” of the Archdiocese.

The actions of December 7 and December 28, Archbishop Mpako reports, “seriously harmed ecclesial communion, the good name of the Church”, as well as the freedom of the Archbishop in the legitimate exercise of his pastoral office.

He says that penalties will include excommunication that he says is “reserved for those who, after due warning, persist in the schismatic behaviour of inciting revolt against the lawful authority of the Bishop.”

On the Sunday of 7 December 2025, a group of approximately 42 parishioners are said to have unlawfully assembled in front of the Cathedral Church and conducted a public protest demonstration “denouncing the diocesan Bishop for a legitimate pastoral decision concerning the pastor.”

The group is said to have made false and defamatory public assertions regarding the reasons for the said decision, and gone ahead to incite opposition, resistance, and hostility against the Local Ordinary.

Archbishop Mpako says that the protesters caused public scandal and disturbance to ecclesial order.

He narrates that prior to the December 7 event, the same group “instrumentalized” the celebration of Holy Mass by engaging in coordinated protest actions during the sacred liturgy, thereby gravely violating the sanctity of divine worship and the reverence owed to the Eucharistic celebration.

Thereafter, the individuals are said to have disseminated photographs and videos of the demonstration through social media platforms, further propagating false accusations and aggravating scandal among the faithful.

Subsequently, the same group wrote and sent letters of appeal to certain Church authorities, an appeal based on the same false and defamatory public assertions regarding the decision of the Archbishop.

They are said to have further incited and encouraged other parishioners to attach their digital signatures to their allegations.

On 28 December 2025, a smaller number of the same individuals again staged a protest at the conclusion of Pretoria’s Jubilee Year celebration, repeating similar conduct.

Archbishop Mpako says that the actions seriously harmed the reverence owed to sacred worship.

He says that in their conduct, the parishioners violated eleven Canon laws, including failure to preserve communion with the Church in actions.

The parishioners also violated the law that speaks about illegitimate and harmful expression of opinions contrary to reverence toward pastors and the common good of the Church.

Their actions also touch on the law that states “A person who in a public show or speech, in published writing, or by other means of social communication gravely injures good morals, expresses insults, or excites hatred or contempt against religion or the Church, is to be punished with a just penalty.”

On the list of the Canonical penalties incurred from the “public, repeated, and scandalous” nature of the acts, the Archbishop highlights Interdict, meaning that the protesters may be barred from receiving the sacraments and sacramentals, and from participating in liturgical actions as a minister.

The other is Penal Remedies and Penances, including public reprimand, withdrawal of permission to hold ecclesiastical office, or imposition of pious or charitable works.

Others are suspension from Ecclesiastical offices, excommunication, as well as Just Penalties for Sacrilege given the sacrilegious use of the Mass.

The Archbishop, however, proposes a corrective and rehabilitative process, saying that he desires the conversion, reconciliation, and pastoral restoration of the offenders.

The process that he suggests includes a public retraction and apology requiring those responsible to retract the false accusations made publicly; remove scandalous content from social media; and issue an apology “in a manner determined by the diocesan authority.”

He also advises that for a determined time, participants in the protests may be barred from liturgical ministries, leadership roles, and public ecclesial functions. The protesters are also to refrain from organizing or participating in public demonstrations related to ecclesiastical governance.

Archbishop Mpako further directs mandatory participation in sessions on ecclesiology, the theology of episcopal authority, the nature of obedience and communion, as well as the sacredness of the liturgy.

About Spiritual Rehabilitation, he says the protesters must engage in spiritual direction, acts of penance, and prayers for ecclesial unity, as assigned.

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He says the process is mandatory, adding, “If any step is refused or neglected, the Ordinary will proceed to impose canonical penalties as warranted,” the Archbishop of Pretoria says.

He adds, “This Decree takes effect immediately upon notification and is to be communicated to the individuals concerned in the most expedient manner.”