The consecration of Fr A. Reiterer as Bishop of Lydenburg took place in the Cathedral of Christ the King,Witbank, on Ascension Day,10th May 1956, the consecrator being the Apostolic Delegate Archbishop C. Damiano, and the co-consecrators were Archbishop J. C. Garner,Metropolitan of Pretoria, and Bishop H. Boyle of Johannesburg. Also on the sanctuary were Bishop Bilgeri ( Eshowe),Bishop Kelleter (Bethlehem),Bishop Des Rosiers ( Maseru), Bishop A. Fleischer (retired), Bishop C. van Hoek ( Pietersburg), Bishop-elect E. Schlotterback ( Keetmanshoop), Bishop E. Mabatoana ( Leribe), and Monsignori Hughes and Mason ( both Pretoria). The Masters of Ceremonies were Fr E. Howlett, Fr. Engelhardt and Fr Collins.
Among the 60 other priests from neighbouring dioceses and parishes were many provincials and superiors of the different religious orders.There were also many brothers and nuns from the various parishes of the diocese. The chants were sung by the choir of 14 seminarians from St John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria, under the direction of Fr Isidore Maher,Dean of the seminary.
The Mass of St Cecilia was beautifully rendered by the cathedral choir under the direction of Fr F. Demel,the parish priest. During the anointing of the bishop-elect by the consecrator the Panis Angelicus was sung with feeling by Dr K. Hubner of the Glen Cowie Mission Hospital. The cathedral was filled to capacity. In the gallery sat the sisters of the Convent, as well as the two choirs. In the nave of the Cathedral were approximately 600 European guests and almost 200 natives from the mission schools.
Among those present were the very Rev. Fr Mc Fadden ( Lieut.-Col) chief chaplain to thew South African U.D.F.; Mr Vincent Rodgers ( Knight of St Gregory); Rev W. M. Croll ( Presbyterian); Archdeacon Wraige and Rev Knowles ( Anglican, Middleburg), Rev H Gaylard ( Anglican, Witbank), Rabbi D. Garb ( Jewish community), the German Consul ( Johannesburg) Herr Nesselberger ( representing Austrian consul), Herr Grohs ( representing Austrian trade commission), Adv. and Mrs Quinlan ( (Johannesburg), the Mayor, Cr F. N. Viljoen,Cr L.N. Conway,Cr Theron ( Witbank), Dr and Mrs Counihan, Dr Walkden-Davis, Mr and Mrs R Hector ( Town Engineer) as well as many representatives of the various industries and business houses in Witbank.
A brief resume of the main events in the life of Bishop Reiterer up to the time of his consecration are as follows: He was born in Austria and ordained there in 1933. He then came to South Africa in 1935. He was stationed in the parishes of Glen Cowie,Lydenburg and Middleburg until 1950. He was elected superior of the Missionaries, Sons of the Sacred Heart, from 1949 until 1955. He was parish priest of Witbank from 1950 up ot the time of his elevation to the bishopric in March 1956. Bishop Reiterer retired in 1982 and spent the rest of his years in Middleburg until the Lord called him to his eternal home. His body was laid to rest in the crypt of the Cathedral in Witbank on 29 February 2000, exactly 44 years after he had been consecrated bishop in the same cathedral he had helped to build as a priest.
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