The Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate (MAMI) Lesotho recently hosted a prestigious gala dinner at the Maria Mabasotho Oblate Pastoral Centre. The event, which took place on October 31, 2026, was aimed at raising crucial funds to revive the local Church's foundational structures. Specifically, the funds will be used to operationalise the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) Lesotho Province's formation houses, which were forced to close due to severe financial distress.
The Oblates of Mary Immaculate Lesotho Province faces significant financial responsibilities, including funding tuition and living expenses for seminarians who are sent to major formation houses and houses of study outside the country. The gala dinner was part of a series of fundraising initiatives aimed at addressing these financial challenges. The event featured several keynote speakers who emphasised the importance of supporting the Oblate community in Lesotho.
Justice Mabatsoeneng Hlaele, one of the keynote speakers, delivered an insightful address that intersected civil law and church administration. She noted that Lesotho's foundational legal frameworks are deeply rooted in the Ten Commandments. Using family law as an example, she pointed out that marriage is recognised as a union between a man and a woman, reflecting the traditional Christian understanding of creation.
Justice Hlaele also emphasised the importance of mutual love and respect within families, urging husbands to financially sustain and support their wives. She observed that women are often the most fervent supporters of parish communities and that empowering them financially directly ensures the growth and sustainability of the broader Church. Her address was supported by Fr. Semethe Tsita, the national chaplain for MAMI.
Fr. Tsita made an earnest appeal to the faithful, urging them to actively support MAMI's fundraising projects. He reminded the audience that these efforts are directly geared toward uplifting, strengthening, and securing the future of the Oblate community in Lesotho. The Provincial of the Oblates in Lesotho and Botswana, Fr. Stephen Molefi, OMI, also addressed the event, anchoring it in the historical charism of the congregation.
Fr. Molefi narrated the enduring vision of the Oblates' founder, St. Eugene De Mazenod, who desired to preach the Gospel to the poor and serve disadvantaged communities. He explained that St. Eugene gathered a small group of dedicated priests to join his mission, drafting a Constitution and Rules to guide their common life and ministry. These rules continue to guide the global community more than 200 years after being formally approved by Rome.
The event also featured a local comedian, Makhubelu, who kept attendees laughing while delivering a deeper message on the evangelical call to be joyful at all times. As the evening drew to a close, the program director, Fr. Charles Tumo Matsoso, OMI, invited attendees to make formal financial pledges to support the ongoing needs of the Oblate Province. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate currently serve the poor in 73 countries, with plans to establish new missionary footprints in three additional countries.
Key points
- The gala dinner aimed to raise funds to reopen the Oblate formation houses in Lesotho.
- Justice Hlaele emphasised the importance of mutual love and respect within families.
- The Oblates of Mary Immaculate serve the poor in 73 countries across the globe.
