Hermenegild Makoro (born December 7, 1951) is a South African

Nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...

, currently serving as the

Secretary-General Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...

of the

Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference The Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC) is an episcopal conference consisting of all the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in South Africa, Botswana, and Swaziland, and their equivalents under canon law (apostolic vicars, a ...

since 2012.

Early life and education

Makoro was born in the district of

Mount Fletcher Mount Fletcher (officially Tlokoeng) is a town in Joe Gqabi District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, 69 km north-north-east of Maclear. Founded in 1882, it takes its name from the mountain nearby. This was probabl ...

Eastern Cape Province The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in 1994 ...

, the second of four children and only daughter. She received a

Bachelor of Theology The Bachelor of Theology degree (BTh, ThB, or BTheol) is a three- to five-year undergraduate degree in theological disciplines and is typically pursued by those seeking ordination for ministry in a church, denomination, or parachurch organization. ...

from the

University of Natal The University of Natal was a university in the former South African province Natal which later became KwaZulu-Natal. The University of Natal no longer exists as a distinct legal entity, as it was incorporated into the University of KwaZulu-N ...

and an education degree from the

University of Transkei The University of Transkei was a university in Umtata in the former bantustan of Transkei in South Africa. It was founded in 1976 as a branch of the University of Fort Hare and after the Transkei gained nominal independence in 1977, it became the ...

Service

Since 1976, Makoro has been a member of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood in the Diocese of Mthatha. She has served in a variety of roles, including teacher at Mariazell High School, coordinator of the Diocesan Catechetical Team, coordinator of Diocese Leadership training, and Provincial superior of the Missionary Sisters. From 2005 until 2012, Makoro served as Associate Secretary-General of the Bishops' Conference prior to her appointment as secretary-general. In 2014, she was appointed by

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

to serve on the

Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors ( it, Pontificia Commissione per la Tutela dei Minori) is a pontifical commission within the Roman Curia of the Catholic Church instituted by Pope Francis on 22 March 2014 as an advisory age ...

. She was reappointed to a second term by the pontiff in 2018 and joined the Work Group for the Education of Families and Communities. Makoro currently serves on the board of directors for the Catholic Health Care Association. Makoro ministered to

Winnie Mandela Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (born Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela; 26 September 1936 – 2 April 2018), also known as Winnie Mandela, was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician, and the second wife of Nelson Mandela. She serv ...

before her death.

References

External links

Commission official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Makoro, Hermenegild 1951 births Living people People from Elundini Local Municipality South African Roman Catholic religious sisters and nuns South African religious leaders Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors 21st-century Christian nuns University of Natal alumni Walter Sisulu University alumni