The Requiem Mass
of
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu

 

 

 

THE ENTRANCE PROCESSION
As the procession moves the Presider says

I am resurrection and I am life says the Lord. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will
live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. John 11:25-26

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. This is indeed the will of my Father, that
all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last
day.
Matthew 5:4, John 6:40

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those
who love him. 1 Cor 2:9

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not
perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16

My beloved brothers and sisters, we have come together to worship God; to give thanks and praise
for the life of Desmond Mpilo Tutu, Emeritus Archbishop of Cape Town, whose days among us have
drawn to a close, to share our grief over one loved and respected by those who knew him, and to ask
God for strength. We meet in the faith that death is not the ultimate calamity that it seems, and
that we can be enabled to face it without fear, or bitterness, or guilt. We gather in faith as we
comfort one another with our sympathy and love.
Let us pray:
Compassionate and Merciful God
we thank you for the gift of the life of your servant Desmond. We give him back to you, O Lord,
You who gave him to us.
Yet as you did not lose him in giving him to us, So we have not lost him by his return to you.
Not as the world gives do you give, O lover of souls.

What you give to us, you do not really take away, For what is yours is ours also if we are yours.
And life is eternal and love is immortal, And death is only an horizon,
And an horizon is nothing but the limit of our vision.

Lift us up strong, Son of God, that we may see further. Cleanse our eyes that we may see more
clearly;
Draw us closer to yourself, that we know ourselves To be nearer to our loved ones who are with you.
And while you prepare a place for us,
Prepare us also for that happy place,
That where you are we may be also for ever and ever.
Amen

HYMN: 192 PRAISE MY SOUL

THE PENITENCE

God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not
perish but have everlasting life. Let us confess our sins
Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, in penitence we confess that we have sinned against you through
our own fault: in thought, word, and deed, and in what we have left undone. For the sake of your
Son, Christ our Lord, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you in newness of
life to the glory of your Name
Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy on us; pardon our sins and set us free
from them; confirm and strengthen us in all goodness and keep us in eternal life; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen

THE COLLECT:

God our Father, your Son Jesus died and rose again for our salvation: we entrust to you the soul of your
servant Archbishop Emeritus Desmond, praying that he and all the faithful departed may be revealed
as your children when Christ shall come again; to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit be honour and
glory, now and for ever. Amen

THE READINGS:

ROMANS 8:31-39
PSALM23:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art
with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of
mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
JOHN 6:37-40

HOMILY

THE INTERCESSIONS –

Loving God, you have called your people together in the mystical body of Jesus Christ our Savior.
Give to your whole Church in heaven and on earth your light and peace. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us.

Grant that all who have been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection may die daily to sin and rise to
newness of life, and that we, with our Redeemer, may pass through the grave and gate of death to our joyful resurrection. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us.

Grant to us who are still on our earthly pilgrimage, and who walk as yet by faith, that your
Spirit may lead us in holiness and righteousness all our days. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us
Grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sin and serve
you with a quiet mind. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us.

Grant that your servant Desmond increasing in the knowledge and love of you, may go from strength
to strength in a new life of perfect service. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us.

Grant to Desmond’s family, Nomalizo Leah, Trevor Thamsanqa, Naomi Nontombi, Theresa Thandeka and
Mpho their spouses and children and all who mourn, a sure confidence in your tender mercy, that,
casting all their sorrow on you they may know the consolation of your love. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us.

Give courage to all who are bereaved, that in the days ahead they may hold fast to the comfort of a
holy hope, and joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love. Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us.

Help us entrust the soul of your faithful servant to your never-failing care and love. Receive him
into the arms of your mercy, and remember him according to the favor which you bear for all people. Lord hear us,

Lord graciously hear us.

Merciful God, whose hand holds us fast in the uttermost parts of the sea and in the highest corners
of heaven: Hear our prayers for Desmond whose life was a gift and a treasure to those who loved
him; we entrust him to your untiring care – you who know the hidden depths of our hearts knowing
you have power to do better things for all of us than we can hope or imagine, through Jesus Christ,
who descended to the dead to raise to new life those who had been lost, and whose love for us is unceasing.

Amen.

HYMN FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE ALTAR: 211 THROUGH THE NIGHT

THE OFFERTORY PRAYER

O God of whose merciful kindness there is no end, favourably accept our prayers, and through this
Sacrament of our salvation, grant unto the soul of your servant, Desmond, whom you numbered among
the redeemed, that confess your name, the remission of all his sins. Amen

THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

The Lord be with you
And also with you
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God

It is right to give our thanks and praise
Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give You thanks,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In Him, Who rose from the dead, our hope of resurrection dawned. The sadness of death gives way to
the bright promise of immortality. Lord, for Your faithful people life is changed, not ended.
When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place inmheaven.

And so, with all the choirs of angels in heaven
we proclaim Your glory and join in their unending hymn of praise
Holy, holy, holy Lord
God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna in the highest, blessed is
he who comes in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest.
Lord, you are holy indeed, the fountain of all holiness. Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to
make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Before he was given up to death, a death he freely accepted, he took bread and gave you thanks, He
broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
Take this, all of you, and eat it; this is my body which will be given up for you.
When the supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it; this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and
everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me.

So we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died Christ is risen
Christ will come again.
In memory of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Father, this life-giving bread, this saving
cup. We thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you. May all of us who
share in the body and blood of Christ be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit.
Lord, remember your Church throughout the world; make us grow in love, together with all the clergy.
Remember our brothers and sisters who have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again; bring
them and all the departed into the light of your presence. Have mercy on us all; make us worthy to
share eternal life with Mary, the virgin Mother of God, with the apostles, and with all the saints
who have done your will throughout the ages. May we praise you in union with them, and give you
glory through your Son, Jesus Christ. Through Him, with Him and in Him in the unity of the Holy
Spirit all glory and honour is
yours almighty Father forever and ever. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

As Christ has taught us we are bold to pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, On earth as in
heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory
are yours, now and forever. Amen

THE FRACTION

The bread which we break is it not a sharing of the Body of Christ?
We, who are many, are one Body for we all partake in the one bread.

Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, grant them eternal rest. Lamb of God you take away
the sins of the world, grant them eternal rest.
Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, grant them eternal rest forever.

THE INVITATION TO COMMUNION

Draw near in your brokenness, draw near in your grief and pain, draw near in your confusion, draw
near and receive Jesus, the Lamb of God who offers you healing, consolation and comfort. Draw near
and receive Christ

COMMUNION HYMNS: 305 FOR ALL THE SAINTS, 219 SOLDIERS OF CHRIST ARISE

THE CONCLUSION

Give thanks to the Lord for God is gracious.
God’s mercy endures forever
Loving God, we thank you that you have fed us with the Body and Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ,
giving us a foretaste of your heavenly banquet. We pray that this Sacrament may be for us a comfort
in affliction, and a sign of our inheritance in that place where there is no death, neither sorrow
nor crying, but the joy of true homecoming, through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
HYMN: 214 Guide me O thy Great Redeemer

A MOMENT OF SILENCE
Saints of God, come to his aid!
Come to meet him angels of the Lord!
Receive his soul;
and present him to God the Most High.
May Christ, who called you, take you to himself; may angels bring you into the arms of Abraham.
Receive his soul:
and present him to God the Most High. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light
shine upon him; present him to God the Most High.

Then follows sprinkling of holy water and then incensing of the symbols and portrait.

Merciful Savior, we give Desmond to you. Receive him as a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your
own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Accept him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed
rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of your saints. Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the love of God and the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ bless and console us, and gently wipe every
tear from our eyes: in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

THE EXIT HYMN + PROCESSION: 333 ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

TRIBUTE

South Africa and the world have lost one of the great spirits and moral giants of our age.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu passed away on the morning of 26 December 2021 in Cape Town
at the age of 90.

Tutu was a living embodiment of faith in action, speaking boldly against racism, injustice,
corruption, and oppression, not just in apartheid South Africa but wherever in the world he saw
wrongdoing, especially when it impacted the most vulnerable and voiceless in society.

While Tutu was first and always an Anglican priest who made no secret of his deep dependence on the
inner life of disciplined prayer, his faith burst the confines of denomination and religion,
joyfully embracing all who shared his passion for justice and love. People of all faiths and no
faith together christened him fondly as simply ‘The Arch.’

With political leaders in prison and exile, Tutu, as General Secretary of the South African Council of
Churches and later Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, became the nation’s most outspoken prophet for
justice. In spite of consistent smears and vicious intimidation by the apartheid regime, he refused
to be cowed. Whether from the pulpit or in the streets, on trial or confronting cabinet ministers
in the Union Buildings, he spoke with a fierce moral and spiritual authority that faced down his
adversaries and slowly won their grudging respect.

With the freeing of Nelson Mandela and other leaders, the unbanning of political movements, the
return of the exiles, South Africa’s first non-racial democratic elections, to move the country
towards healing, President Mandela asked Tutu to guide the delicate but often controversial work of
the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Presiding over months of agonising testimony and
horrifying revelations, he became ‘chief pastor’ to South Africa’s painful transition and many who
had dismissed him as a ‘rabble- rouser’ were moved by his deeply compassionate response to
apartheid’s victims and even those of their torturers who showed remorse.

While Tutu helped shepherd the democratic dispensation into being, he was unafraid of reminding the
new governing party of both its moral responsibilities toward all South Africans and its growing
failings. He was realistic about the weaknesses of politicians but expressed both sadness and anger as corruption took hold in the ANC.

The wider world showered him with honours, most notably the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, and after
retirement his primary international responsibility was with a group of fellow Nobel Peace
Laureates and statespersons known as ‘The Elders,’ committed to international problem-solving and peace-making.

Officially “retiring” from public life on his 79th birthday, Tutu continued to speak out on a range
of ethical and moral issues: illegal arms deals, xenophobia, oppressed people in Palestine, respect
for the rule of law, HIV/Aids, Tibet, China, Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and LGBTQI+ rights. He
also vociferously campaigned for gentler stewardship of the Earth, and against the coming ravages
of climate change, a very real example of how human survival rests on our ubuntu-spirited ability to cooperate and work together.

Tutu spent the closing years of his life increasingly devoted to prayer and contemplation, in the
Milnerton home he and his wife shared.

Niclas Kjellström-Matseke, Chaiperson, Piyushi Kotecha, CEO – Desmond Tutu Foundation