I did not want the passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu to go unmentioned in my columns. He was a man beloved by so many for his faith, kindness, compassion and peacemaking.
Desmond Mpilo Tutu was born near Johannesburg, South Africa, but spent most of his later life in Cape Town and led numerous marches and campaigns to oppose the policy of racial segregation and discrimination. When apartheid ended in South Africa in the 1990s and with the election of the first black president of the country, Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Tutu celebrated the country’s multi-racial society, calling it a “rainbow nation,” a phrase that captured the joy of equality in diversity.
He was named chairman of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, winning him the Nobel Peace Prize for his “life-long work in advancing spiritual principles such as love and forgiveness, which has helped to liberate people around the world.” In the last years before his death, Archbishop Tutu became a leading champion of LGBTQIA rights, saying, “For freedom, Christ has set us free. In Christ, we are not bound by old, narrow prejudice, but free to embrace the full humanity of our brothers and sisters in all our glorious differences!”
Pope Francis sent a telegram to the Apostolic Nuncio in South Africa, Archbishop Peter B. Wells, through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. Interestingly, the third Bishop of Camden, Archbishop Celestine Damiano, held the position of Apostolic Delegate in South Africa before coming to our Diocese in 1960. He was in essence forced to leave South Africa in 1960 because he was a vocal opponent of the unjust apartheid system.
Pope Francis paid tribute to Archbishop Tutu in his service to the Gospel through the “promotion of equality and reconciliation in his native South Africa.” The Pope spoke of his personal sadness at the news of Archbishop Tutu’s death and offered his heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones, as he commended his soul to the loving mercy of God. He also invoked “the Divine blessings of peace and consolation of the Lord upon all who mourn Archbishop Tutu’s passing.”
The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference also sent their condolences to “Mrs. Leah Tutu (wife of Archbishop Tutu), the family and the Anglican Church over the death of the late Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, Desmond Mpilo Tutu.” Archbishop Tutu, the message read, “will be remembered for his immense spiritual contribution to the liberation and democracy of South Africa, the reason for which he was a joint laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize. His quest for justice continued when he was the chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and beyond.”
Former U.S. President Barack Obama, upon hearing of the death said, “Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a mentor, a friend and a moral compass for me and so many others. A universal spirit, Archbishop Tutu was grounded in the struggle for liberation and justice in his own country, but also concerned with injustice everywhere. He never lost his impish sense of humor and willingness to find humanity in his adversaries, and Michelle and I will miss him dearly!”
Former President Jimmy Carter said, “No words better exemplify his ministry than the three he contributed to a work of art at The Carter Center: love, freedom and compassion. He lived his values in the long struggle to end apartheid in South Africa, in his leadership of the national campaign for truth and reconciliation, and in his role as a global citizen. His warmth and compassion offered us a spiritual message that is eternal.”
The head of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, said after learning of his good friend’s death, “The death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, always known as Arch, is news that we received with profound sadness but also with profound gratitude as we reflect upon his life. … Arch’s love transformed the lives of politicians and priests, township dwellers and world leaders. The world is different because of this man.”
Michael Curry, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church of America, said, “With the passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a true friend, colleague and mentor, and a genuinely humble, great soul, has gone before us. He has passed through the gate of death into the arms of the God who gave him life. … To borrow from a friend who texted me on Archbishop Tutu’s passing, may the knowledge of his life and heart keep us all strong, good, kind, and loving.”
Archbishop Tutu, may you rest in peace.
Father Joseph D. Wallace is diocesan director of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs and pastor of Christ the Redeemer Parish, Atco.
at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen”
