Archbishop Mpako threatens excommunication after over 40 parishioners protest in Pretoria Cathedral, citing disruption and defiance of Church authority.
Newsroom (19/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) The Catholic Archdiocese of Pretoria has entered a moment of deep internal tension after more than forty parishioners were formally warned they could face excommunication for what Church authorities describe as “schismatic behavior.” Archbishop Dabula Mpako issued a canonical decree on January 11, calling for a rehabilitative process following a series of disruptive protests that shook the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart during December 2025.
According to the decree, the protests—held on December 7 and December 28—were organized by members of the cathedral community who objected to a pastoral decision concerning a local priest. Archbishop Mpako said the demonstrations escalated into open defiance, disrupting Mass and spreading defamatory accusations against Church leadership. He called the episodes “grave offenses that harmed ecclesial communion, the good name of the Church, and reverence toward sacred worship.”
Disruptions During Sacred Worship
Eyewitness accounts and Church investigations indicate that the initial demonstration on December 7 brought roughly 42 parishioners to the cathedral entrance, where they publicly denounced the archbishop’s decision regarding a parish pastor. Some participants reportedly carried placards and chanted during Mass, interrupting the liturgy and inflaming divisions within the congregation.
In his decree, Archbishop Mpako alleged that the protesters not only disrupted worship but later amplified their defiance by sharing photos and videos online. The material, he said, included false claims about the archdiocese’s actions and inflamed public hostility toward Church leadership. The same individuals allegedly authored letters to Church authorities containing further accusations and invited others to join through digital signatures.
A second, smaller protest reportedly occurred on December 28 following Pretoria’s jubilee year celebration, again criticizing episcopal authority.
Canonical Violations and Potential Sanctions
The decree identifies at least eleven violations of canon law, including the failure to maintain communion with the Church, dissemination of false statements, and sacrilegious disruption of the Eucharistic celebration. Archbishop Mpako emphasized that such acts carry canonical consequences ranging from interdict—which restricts participation in the sacraments—to full excommunication.
Other measures under consideration include suspension from liturgical or leadership roles, public reprimand, and mandated acts of penance or charitable work. These punishments, the archbishop stated, are intended not as retribution but as “means of correction and pastoral restoration.”
Notably, he cited the potential for “just penalties for sacrilege” owing to the demonstrators’ alleged misuse of the Mass as a venue for protest—one of the most serious offenses in Catholic canon law.
Path Toward Rehabilitation
Despite the severity of possible sanctions, Archbishop Mpako’s decree prioritizes what he called a “rehabilitative and reconciliatory process.” Participants are urged to undertake formal steps toward repentance, including public retractions of their accusations, removal of inflammatory content from social media, and written apologies as determined by diocesan authorities.
The rehabilitative process also demands spiritual formation: sessions on ecclesiology, episcopal authority, and the theology of communion. Offending members are expected to participate in spiritual direction, perform acts of penance, and offer prayers for Church unity.
“For those who refuse or neglect any step,” Mpako warned, “the ordinary will proceed to impose canonical penalties as warranted.” He emphasized that this decree takes immediate effect and that Church authorities are to ensure its swift communication to all involved.
A Church at a Crossroads
The protests and ensuing decree highlight the growing challenge faced by Church leaders in balancing pastoral authority with the voices of lay members demanding transparency and local accountability. Within Pretoria’s Catholic community, reactions remain mixed—some see the archbishop’s decree as a necessary defense of sacred order, while others view it as a hard-line response to legitimate grievances.
Whatever the outcome, the situation has opened a rare public window into the tension between ecclesiastical authority and lay participation within South Africa’s Catholic Church. As Archbishop Mpako calls for reconciliation, the faithful of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart await the path forward—one marked by penance, dialogue, and perhaps the hope of renewed communion.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA
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