Parish Renewal Guides (PRGs) Duncan and Mandy Keil share their first hand account of renewal in South Africa: "This is our testimony—not to say 'look at us,' but to say, 'God hasn’t forgotten South Africa.'"
Duncan Keil | June 19, 2025
Most people don’t look to the Catholic Church in South Africa and expect revival. But something is happening at Bryanston Catholic Church (BCC), and it’s not by accident.
We’ve been caught up in a movement—Divine Renovation. Not a program. A transformation. It’s not about better systems or busier schedules. It’s about what happens when a parish dares to put the Holy Spirit first, makes evangelisation the mission, and raises up real leadership to shepherd the flock and the lost alike.
This is our testimony—not to say “look at us,” but to say, “God hasn’t forgotten South Africa.”
In 2018, something unexpected happened in Johannesburg—we hosted the Divine Renovation conference. Mandy and I were invited to be part of the team supporting the volunteers. We didn’t know it then, but this wasn’t just another church event.
It was the beginning of a shift.
The conference was a success on paper — organized, well-attended—but something deeper happened. A few of us were moved to go further. We picked up ‘Divine Renovation’ by Fr. James Mallon and started to wonder: Could this really be possible in our parish? Could we stop managing decline and actually grow—spiritually, missionally, numerically?
I remember sitting at the back of the church during the conference, watching everything unfold, and hearing the phrase: “Pew warmers. Caretakers of the aquarium—not fishers of men.”
That hit me hard. I realized that so many of us, myself included, had settled into comfort. But this movement, this moment—it was a wake-up call. The Holy Spirit was stirring. And once you’ve been stirred, you can’t just go back to business as usual.
Could this really be possible in our parish? Could we stop managing decline and actually grow—spiritually, missionally, numerically?
I was an atheist for the first 33 years of my life. Church wasn’t even on my radar. But in 2004, through an Alpha course, I met Jesus—and everything changed. Since then, I’ve been running Alpha, year after year, because I know firsthand how it can change a life.
But even after all that time, by 2018, something was still missing. I had never thought to bring Divine Renovation and Alpha together—as one mission, with one fire. When I did, it was like a second conversion.
We didn’t just find a method. We fell in love with the mission. We caught a glimpse of God’s vision for parish renewal—not just for Bryanston, but for the whole of Africa.
By 2019, it felt like the pieces were falling into place. Here in Johannesburg, we had momentum. Fr. Keith, our parish priest, wasn’t just on board—he was driving Divine Renovation and Alpha forward with conviction.
It felt like we were on the edge of something big.
And then—2020. COVID hit.
Like the rest of the world, everything stopped. Teams scattered. The energy, the vision, the momentum—it all felt like it was slipping away. For a while, we didn’t know if we’d recover.
But we adapted. We created online Masses and Alpha courses. We launched a parish newsletter, set up a senior leadership team—our “Digital Team”—and started live-streaming on YouTube. We even ran baptism courses online.
Connect Groups started springing up. Community didn’t die—it grew deeper roots. It was like God had sent us all to the “naughty corner,” not to punish us, but to meet us there. We had no distractions left. Just Him. And in that space, we saw what the Church could be.
"We’ve fallen in love with the mission. And we’re not turning back."
In 2023, our journey hit another curve. Our parish priest moved on, and with change came a pause. Some momentum slowed. But even in the uncertainty, one door reopened—Alpha in person.
In early 2024, we launched our first full in-person season post-COVID. 140 guests. People hungry for truth, for Jesus, for connection. It was a sign: God was on the move again.
Tom, Mandy, and I have been driving Alpha and Divine Renovation ever since – keeping the flame alive, even when the winds shift.
And last Easter, something new happened. A regional lead from Divine Renovation approached us about becoming Parish Renewal Guides (PRGs) in a new program called Genesis Compass.
Now, Mandy and I aren’t just building at BCC. We’re walking with other churches across the region—helping them rediscover mission, raise up leaders, and welcome the Holy Spirit back into the centre.
Right now, we’re walking the Genesis Compass journey with Craighall Parish. We’ve completed Day 1—Missional Prayer—and are preparing to step into Vision. Their whole team, including Fr. Bruce, even joined us for Alpha. And we watched God move. Lives were transformed. Hearts softened. Something new began.
And now—God’s stretching us even further. We’ve been paired with a parish in Massachusetts, USA—St. Rose of Lima in Northborough. From Johannesburg to Northborough, from Bryanston to wherever He sends us next—the mission keeps growing.
What’s next for us?
All we know is this: it’s His will, not ours.
We’ve fallen in love with the mission.
And we’re not turning back.
Duncan and Mandy Keil
Parish Renewal Guides, South Africa
