MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Since 2014 and in more recent editions, the Mossel Bay Advertiser published articles on the art of Father Thomas Lighton, a Catholic priest who not only spent his childhood years in Mossel Bay, but who seems to have left quite a legacy of art behind.
Vince Rayne, who researched the history for the St Thomas Catholic Church in Mossel Bay, stumbled on some of the work and introduced it to the Advertiser’s readers.
But who was this “painting priest”?
Not originally Catholic
Lionel Frank Thomas Lighton was born on 18 December 1913 in Pretoria.
Thomas was the youngest of five boys, originally nine children, of whom four died at an early age.
His father was an engineer and belonged to the Christian Scientists.
From an early age, Thomas was fond of drawings, spending all his play time drawings and copying things of interest.
When the Lightons moved from Pretoria to Mossel Bay, they became good friends with the Catholic community and after some time father, mother and two sons, including the 12-year-old Thomas joined the Catholic Church.
Upon his father’s death in Mossel Bay, Thomas and his mother returned to Pretoria.
Here, aged 18, he was called to the priesthood, but there was no seminary at that time, in the whole of Southern Africa.
The bishop of Aliwal North had taken the daring step to open the very first seminary there. Thomas Lighton heard of the new seminary and entered it in 1934.
He was due for ordination in 1940, but the world war broke out in 1939 and he had to be ordained in the same year, before completion of his studies.
When the war broke out, most of the German priests were detained and sent to distant internment camps, leaving the many mission stations without a priest.
The few remaining priests, the elderly ones and the South African priests, were asked to care for more than one parish.
The second Thomas Lighton mural at St Thomas Catholic Church. The murals were completed during one of Father Lighton's visits to Mossel Bay, when a Father Johan Mayer was the priest at St Thomas Church.
The recently ordained Father Lighton was asked to serve both Indwe and Umhlanga parishes, with six schools and two convents, in an area in places only reachable on horseback.
Despite the obstacles, in five years Father Lighton baptised more than three hundred people.
A legacy of art, education and faith
After the war Father Lighton worked as a priest at Umlamli hospital in Sterkspruit and finally, in 1952 he became a staff member at the famous St Joseph’s Trade School.
Hundreds of pupils from all parts of South Africa, not only learnt various trades at St Joseph’s.
They also received a solid religious formation and for twenty-three years Father Lighton was one of the pillars of that formation house.
In 1975 Father Lighton was appointed administrator of the cathedral of the diocese and only a few years later was decorated with the Honorary Title of Papal Chamberlain.
During those years Father Lighton also helped hundreds of those who wanted to build their own houses, but could not afford the fees of an architect.
Thanks to his artist's hand, hundreds of house plans originated at his desk and were a great help to many.
At the same time he produced many paintings, held several art exhibitions and became well known as an artist. His eyes sought out beautiful landscapes.
When he became weak and needed continuous care, he took refuge at the Holy Cross Sisters of Fatima Home.
On 1 December 2001, in the early hours of the morning, he passed away.
He was buried in Aliwal North next to his mother as it was his wish.
ARTICLE: CORNELLE CARSTENS, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER JOURNALIST
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