The greater Bochabela
community recently paid tribute to Father Leo D’AES (82), missionary priest at the
St. Rose Catholic Church in Boshabela, Bloemfontein, for his lifetime support of
the parish schools and the community at large. Louwna Erasmus of “Get It community
magazines” visited this Father of the Community to find out why community leaders
call him the unsung hero of Bloemfontein.
Father Leo D’Aes,
came to Bloemfontein over 40 years ago (in 1971) to see to the spiritual needs of
the community in Botchabela Township, but also the material needs of a very poor
community. “I thought the church looked pretty dull,” says D’Aes. “So I got on my
knees and after cleaning the floor, I filled it up with wood filler, then we sanded
and varnished it. The benches were a single seat and kneeler, so I joined the two
as a new seat and added a steel frame with a back rest.”
As parish priest
he was also appointed manager of the two schools attached to the parish, St. Mary’s
and St. Bernard’s, which were later united. “I love schools,” says D’Aes. “My father
died when I was five months old (chest trouble because of the gas used in World
War I) so my mother was left with four kids and a big bookshop.” She sent them all
off to boarding schools. “I got my love for teaching from the Jesuit teachers at
boarding school.”
During the struggle
against apartheid, he made sure that his schools were functional and that matrics
could write their year-end exams despite many threats he received. “When Cosas shouted
‘Liberation first’, I said no, education first!” One year the matrics (students
in final year of high school) wrote their final exam secretly at CBC. “I told my
students that one day, when Mandela would take over, he would need educated leaders,”
says D’Aes.
Over the years, Father
D’Aes earned the nickname Pheello which means Perseverance. He has had great success
in finding funding for the two parish schools from many Oblate donours in Germany,
Belgium (his home country) and Ireland. Besides many extra classrooms that were
built on at St. Bernard’s and St. Mary’s, he also succeeded in founding a bursary
scheme for tertiary students.
“We are greatly indebted
to this man,” says Father Raphael MOTHE, also a priest and former school boy at
St Bernard’s. “Many poor students from the township have benefitted from quality
education at the schools. These schools are a great legacy and treasure for our
children and future generations.”
“After 40 years,
I am very happy to see that both schools and parish work together to uplift the
nation and to inspire it with the Spirit of the Kingdom,” says Father D’Aes.
Bro. Rex HARRISON
says about Father D’Aes: “Father D’Aes is an incredibly dynamic man with a prophetic
biblical message and a sense of justice that has seen him and his community through
the 40 years at St. Rose. He is in league with other great community fathers like
Ntate Molemela and Father Frans CLAERHOUT, who also brought meaningful change in
their times. Even these heroes have had to overcome the violence in the community
they serve. Fr D’Aes, was hijacked on the eve of a special celebration to pay tribute
to his 40 years’ service. But he has a persevering hope in a gradual dawning of
the Kingdom of God.” (http://bloem.getitonline.co.za)
