South African archbishop disputes charges of racism in church

Published: 2007-05-22

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) -- Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg has disputed charges of racism in the placement of priests in his diocese and said he does not understand "why an African priest would be so keen to serve a white parish when the need is greater in the African community." It is "not necessarily false to claim that the allocation of priests in parishes in the Diocese of Johannesburg is done along racial lines," the archbishop, who is president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference, said in the May 16-22 issue of the Cape Town Catholic newspaper, The Southern Cross. "We are not necessarily colorblind. In the placement of priests, reality is taken into consideration," he said, noting that Johannesburg Diocese has 30 African (black) priests and 50 African parishes, 44 white priests and 46 white parishes, and eight mixed-race or Indian priests serving eight parishes. "There is a greater need for priests in African parishes. Most of the African priests serve two parishes," Archbishop Tlhagale said, noting that they speak their parishioners' languages fluently "and understand the culture of the parishioners." While some white priests prefer to work among white parishioners, "a significant number" choose to work in black townships, he said.

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