DIOCESE OF KEETMANSHOOP

 

Aranos, together with Cambridge farm, was founded by Fr. George Schmidt OSFS. The origin of this foundation was the farm Oriana, near Aranos, where Fr. Schmidt kept some livestock. He held church services at Oriana and also on other farms in the area.

     

Already in 1954 Bishop Esser had applied to the Department of Lands for 2 ha. at Aranos for a church and a school.  In 1957 the application was renewed, for 3 ha.

     

Aranos had about 4000 inhabitants, including 400 Catholics. It is north-west of Witkrans and Stampriet, about 95km from the edge of the Kalahari desert. The farm "Cambridge" lies about 10km from Aranos.

     

When Oriana was returned to Mr. Sheldon, the Bishop bought Cambridge in 1958 from a Mr. Koot van Zyl.  This was the only way in which the Church could obtain a place to stay. Its area is about 5000 ha., on the rugged banks of the Nossob river.  On the farm there are karakul and dorper sheep, Boer goats and cattle. There is also some game.  It required much work by Fr. Schmidt to convert the farm into a mission station.

     

He lived in the old farmhouse.  The children who attended school there were day-scholars who had to walk every day from Aranos - a distance of 6 km each way as Fr. Schmidt let them take a short cut through the farm camps. Some time later the girls were lodged in one of the farm buildings, while the boys had to sleep in the open.

     

Later a school hostel was built, while the school building also served as a church. The highest standard was Std.4 (Grade 6).  There were one hundred pupils; their home-language was mostly Tswana. The teachers were all lay people who also lived at Cambridge. On 7 December 1966 the registration of the farm school was recommended.

     

Faithful helpers of Fr. Schmidt were, among others, "Ou Sofie", the Afrika family, the Diergaardt family and Piet Moreni, the shepherd, and his family. Regarding the building of a church at Aranos, there was much difficulty in trying to get a piece of ground; there was much opposition. In the meanwhile Fr. Schmidt patiently and full of hope continued to hold services in a galvanised iron house in the old township.  When the Municipality eventually granted a plot, Fr. Schmidt immediately began to build,  The work proceeded slowly, due to his advanced age, weak health and other commitments.  Bishop Schlotterback blessed the church of St. Andrew in 1976.  In May 1978 Bartholomeus Gariseb was installed as lector and acolyte. He put the ceiling in and the lights.