Benedict Daswa: A Possible Saint of Africa

www.sacb.org.za.

A possible saint for South Africa?

On Thursday 2nd July 2009, an historic event took place in Tzaneen as the Diocesan Inquiry into the Life and Death of the Servant of God Benedict Daswa was concluded. The final documents addressed to Archbishop Angelo Amato SDB, Prefect of the Congregation for Causes of Saints, were signed by Bishop Hugh Slattery MSC, Bishop of Tzaneen, Sr Sally Duigan OLSH, Daughter of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and Chancellor of the Diocese, Fr Andre Bohas MSC, Postulator of the Cause and Fr Eddie O'Neill SDB, the Promoter of Justice.
These documents consist of over 850 pages of Testimonies of reliable witnesses to the life and death of the Servant of God. The Original Copy, which was sealed first, remains in the archives of the Diocese of Tzaneen. The Transcript Copy and Public Copy were then sealed and are to be taken to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome, through the kind services of the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Green.
Bishop Hugh Slattery MSC, Fr Eddie O’Neill SDB, Sr Sally Duigan OLSH, Fr Andre Bohas MSCThis ends a process that was started five years ago and is the first Cause of a South African born Catholic to be proposed for Beatification and Canonisation. The Transcript and Public Copies remain sealed until the Congregation for the Causes of Saints approves a Roman Postulator to proceed with the next phase of the process. Information about the Servant of God and the Cause may now be made known to the public.
Archbishop James Patrick Green, the Apostolic Nuncio, was presented with these documents on Tuesday 7th July at Ave Maria Pastoral Centre, by Bishop Hugh and Fr Andre in front of the clergy and religious of the Diocese
The Nuncio, Archbishop James Patrick Green congratulates Fr Andre Bohas, the Postulator of the Cause and Parish Priest of Nzhelele in Limpopo
Who was Benedict Daswa?
Benedict grew up in a traditionalist family who belonged to the small Lemba tribe who live mainly among the Venda people in the Limpopo Province. He became a Catholic, while training to become a Primary teacher. Benedict soon realised that the whole area of witchcraft was against his Catholic faith. From then on in his private life and also in public he took a strong stand against witchcraft because he said it led to the killing of innocent people accused of witchcraft activities.
He also rejected the use of muti or medicines for protection against evil or for success in sport or other activities. It was this stand against witchcraft which eventually led to his death. A few days after refusing to give money for the purpose of smelling out witches, he was stoned and bludgeoned to death on 2nd February 1990. He was just four months short of his 44th birthday.
All the indications points to the fact that Benedict Daswa led a holy life and became a genuine martyr for the faith.
The next stage will be to prepare prayer cards and a novena to enable people to pray for favours through the intercession of the Servant of God.
A short biography and DVD will be produced to make Benedict Daswa more widely known here in South Africa and in other African Countries, as a role model for all of us and as a great witness to our faith.