Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On 30 April 2016 the Holy Father appointed Fr. Siegfried Mandla Jwara, C.M.M., Pastor and Regional Superior of the Missionaries of Mariannhill in the Province of Umtata as Vicar Apostolic of Ingwawuma (South Africa). He was assigned the titular see of Elefantaria in Proconsulari.
Rev. Fr. Mandla Siegfried Jwara, C.M.M., was born on February 1, 1957 in St. Nivard, in the diocese of Mariannhill. After attending schools in Kwa-Hluzingqondo in uMkhomazi, and completed High School Education in 1980, on 1 February 1981 he entered the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill and carried out his Novitiate in Mariannhill Monastery. He professed his first vows in 1982, his Perpetual vows in 1986, and then completed his philosophical and theological formation at St. Joseph's Theological Institute in Cedara (1982-1987). He was ordained a priest on 14 February 1987.
Since his ordination he has served the following academic and pastoral roles: 1987-1992: Assistant priest and parish Priest in Claivaux Mission in Mpendle (diocese of Mariannhill); 1992-1993: Diploma in Human Development, Leadership, Formation & Community Building at St. Anselm Institute, London, England; 1993-1998: Master of Novices in Mariannhill Monastery and for a short period C.M.M. Rector in Merrivale, as well as provincial Councilor. At the same time, he obtained a Master's Degree in Theology (1998) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburgh; 1998-2002: Provincial C.M.M. (Mariannhill Province); 2002- 2004: C.M.M General Councillor (in Rome); 2005-2006: Parish priest at Port St. John and St. Patrick Mission and C.M.M Provincial Councillor; 2006-2009: Elected again C.M.M. Provincial; 2009-2014: Pastor of St. Patrick, diocesan consultor and Dean of the Eastern Deanery; since 2014: Regional Superior of Umtata Region and Pastor of St. Patrick Mission.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Ingwavuma was erected in 1962, it has an area of 12,309 square kilometers and a population of 754,315 inhabitants, of whom 26,730 are Catholic. There are 6 parishes, 14 priests (7 diocesan and 7 religious), 14 religious brothers, 5 sisters and 3 seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 02/05/2016)
