16/06/2026
Our Youth, Our Story, Our Past, Our Future: A Parish Witness ⛪️
Our parish, St Mary of the Angels, is not only a place of worship, it is part of a living history shaped by faith, courage, and the struggle for justice. During the years of apartheid, many young people from our community rose to stand against injustice.
Among them were Robert “Robbie” Waterwich and Coline Williams, two young people whose lives remind us that the struggle for freedom was not far away—it was lived here, in our streets, in our families, and within communities like our parish. Robbie Waterwich, who grew up in Athlone and was rooted in a life of faith, believed that faith and justice belong together. Like many young people of his generation, he could not ignore the suffering and inequality around him. Together with Coline Williams, he became part of a generation of youth who chose courage over silence.
In July 1989, both Robbie and Coline lost their lives during the struggle. They were young, full of potential, and deeply committed to building a better South Africa. Their loss was not only political—it was deeply personal for families and communities like ours.
Today, we remember them not only for how they died, but for how they lived:
• As young people of conviction
• As members of a community shaped by faith
• As part of a generation that helped bring about change
They represented the youth of Athlone, young people who grew up in families of faith, who walked the same streets, and who shared in the life of parish communities like St Mary of the Angels.
For our parish, their story is part of our identity. It reminds us that the values we cherish—faith, dignity, justice, and compassion—are not just words, but actions lived out in difficult times. Our parish carries a deep and meaningful history during the fight for democracy. This significantly recognized with the visit of our late former President Nelson Mandela on 12 September 1993.
As we honour them, we also look to the youth of today. May the example of Robbie Waterwich and Coline Williams inspire us to continue building a parish and a society rooted in faith, courage, and hope. 1 Timothy 4:12 says "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
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*This post was created with the assistance of AI tools
*Information sourced from South African History Online
