Pastoral accompaniment of the victims of injustice in South Africa

The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ  (Gaudium et spes, no.1)

Across South Africa, many victims of injustice have come together to form movements that seek remedy, dignity, and justice for their suffering. Their voices testify to the deep wounds left by social, economic, and political exclusion, yet also to the courage of communities who refuse to remain silent in the face of oppression.

Over the years, some of these movements have turned to the Church, asking not for recognition, but for solidarity and pastoral accompaniment.

In walking with them, the Church responds to Christ’s call to be close to the wounded, to share in their burdens, and to be a sign of God’s unfailing love. As Pope Francis reminds us, the Church is called to be a “field hospital,” tending to the injured, restoring dignity to those whose lives have been scarred by suffering, and reminding them that God has not abandoned them.

Pastoral accompaniment is more than ministry of presence; it is a ministry of active compassion and evangelization. It means listening to their stories, helping them to anchor their activism in the power of prayer and a people’s theology at the margins,  building with them a culture of non-violence and non-violent methods of fighting injustice,   helping them to strengthen agency and to speak out for themselves, speaking out prophetically in response to the Holy Spirit who inspires to speak out in the valley of the dry bones.

This website is a humble space where these journeys are shared. Here, we tell the stories of movements that cry out for justice and dignity, and of the Church’s effort to accompany them with prayer, presence, and hope.