A powerful new book chronicling one of South Africa’s oldest black Catholic parishes is soon to be released. From Here We Shall Never Move by Cecilia Moloantoa, tells the rich and enduring story of the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Mission in Mmakau—a parish founded by villagers in 1921 and still standing strong 104 years later.
Old photo of the church and community
Moloantoa, a native of Mmakau, is a retired nurse and former Director of Health at the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC). She also served as the African regional envoy to the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Health—a role she was appointed to by Pope John Paul II in 1992. In this new book, she brings together her deep love for the Church, her professional insight, and her personal heritage.
Her connection to the mission is deeply rooted: her grandfather, Amandus Tseleng, was one of the seven royal council members of the Bakgatla-ba-Mmakau who famously walked three days to St. Teresa’s Church in Bantule, west of Pretoria, in 1921. Alongside Mr. E. Motsepe, Mr. E.L. Mokgoko, Mr. B. Teeme, Mr. J. Nthabu, Mr. D. Tseleng, and Mr. B. Ramaboa, he sought to “find the True Church” and bring it back to their village.
“The founding of the Most Holy Redeemer Mission is one of those rare moments in history where the people themselves initiated their encounter with the Church,” Moloantoa writes in the book. “It is a story of spiritual longing, of self-determination, and of dignity reclaimed.”
With the help of Belgian missionary Fr. Camillus De Hovre of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the villagers built a humble stone church that would become the spiritual and cultural heartbeat of Mmakau. The mission later hosted Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini—who became Pope Paul VI—in 1962, and Mother Teresa of Calcutta during her 1988 visit to South Africa.
Mother Teresa on her visit
Blending historical records, diary entries, and oral storytelling, Moloantoa offers a deeply personal and richly researched reflection on a community that built its faith from the ground up. The book preserves not only the mission’s legacy, but also the memory of its pioneers and the enduring role it continues to play in the life of the village.
Inside the church
The official venue for the launch of From Here We Shall Never Move will be announced soon.
Disclaimer: Any views expressed by individuals and organisations are their own and do not in any way represent the views of The Heritage Portal.