Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
3 October 2008
Highveld — The Anglican Church in Southern Africa is mourning Bishop David Beetge of Highveld diocese who died on Saturday at the age of 59.
The funeral mass for the late Bishop Beetge was held at 10.00 am on Friday at St. Dunstan's School in Benoni.
Anglican officials paid tribute to the late bishop, recognizing his great deeds in the diocese that faced many pressing issues such as the HIV/AIDS pandemic, poverty and the challenges associated with the massive influx of immigrants from Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
"Bishop Beetge gave selflessly of his gifts in the service of the Communion, its internal business and its ecumenical relations, and carried great responsibility with calm, humour and good sense," the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, said.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, described Bishop Beetge as "an outstanding and exemplary leader of our church, a man of deep spirituality and prayer." He noted that Bishop Beetge, who was the second most senior bishop in their province, served the Anglican Communion "with great distinction" as co-chair of the International Anglican/Roman Catholic Commission on Unity and Mission (IARCCUM)."
Bishop Beetge was born in Witbank in 1948. He worked in commerce for a time, before he received his theological education at St Paul's Theological College in Grahamstown. He subsequently obtained both his Bachelor's and Honour's Degrees in Theology at the University of South Africa and later a Master's Degree in Theology from the University of Natal.
Bishop Beetge was ordained deacon in December 1980 and a priest in December 1981. He was consecrated bishop of the Diocese of South Eastern Transvaal on March 9, 1990. In January 1998 the name of the diocese was changed to the Diocese of the Highveld.
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