Sebastian Koto Khoarai

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Sebastian Koto Khoarai, O.M.I. (11 September 1929 – 17 April 2021) was a prelate of the Catholic Church who was bishop of Mohale's Hoek, Lesotho from 1977 to 2014. He was made a cardinal in 2016 and was the first and so far the only cardinal from Lesotho.[1]

Biography

Khoarai was born in Koaling in the diocese of Leribe in 1929. He entered the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and was ordained a priest in 1956.

In 1977 he was appointed bishop of Mohale's Hoek. He received his episcopal consecration in 1978. In May 2006, he submitted his resignation upon reaching the age limit of 75, but it was not accepted until February 2014. From 1982 to 1987 he served as president of the Episcopal Conference of Lesotho.

On 9 October 2016, Pope Francis announced that Khoarai would be created a cardinal on 19 November 2016 and become Lesotho's first cardinal. Due to his health he was unable to attend the consistory on 19 November,[2] but he later received the biretta in Lesotho from the apostolic nuncio Peter Bryan Wells.[3]

Khoarai died on 17 April 2021 at the age of 91.5 years.[4][5]

References

  1. 1.Gomes, Robin (20 April 2021). "Pope's condolences for late Cardinal Khoarai of Lesotho". Vatican News. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  2. 2.McElwee, Joshua J. (19 November 2016). "Creating new cardinals, Francis warns against 'virus of polarization' in the church". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  3. 3.Andrea, Tornielli (19 November 2016). "Concistoro per 17 nuovi cardinali, San Pietro si tinge di porpora". La Stampa. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  4. 4."Kardinal Khoarai aus Lesotho gestorben". Vatican News (in German). 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  5. 5."Cardinal Khoarai Dies". Lesotho News Agency. 17 April 2021. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021.