FOUNDING OF MISSIONS AND PARISHES FROM 1951

During  1948  the  Catholic Church  in  Manicaland  consisted  of  the  Pastoral  Area  of  Umtali  Town  and  five Mission Centres and their Out-stations, namely Triashill, St. Barbara’s, St. Kilian’s, St. Benedict’s and  Mount  Melleray. During  1950,  the  ‘Ecclesiastical  area’ which  became  in  time  ‘The  Diocese  of  Umtali/Mutare’ bordered  from  the  Saint  Benedict’s  area  to  the  Mpudzi  River,  15  miles  south  of  Umtali.  As we know, the Trappists (Mariannhill Fathers and Brothers) came to Triashill during 1896 but had  to leave due to the rebellion in Makoni and returned during 1908 and finally left during 1929. The  Jesuits came during 1929 and left during 1948 and the Carmelites came during 1948 and remain to the present day. The  first  Carmelites  came  to  Zimbabwe  during  1946  and  between  1948  and  1950

 

1951  St. Anne’s Mission, Wengezi — discontinued in 1955.

1952  St. Simon Stock Mission, Rusape.

1953  Avila Mission, Katerere.

1954  The Priory, Mutare.

1955  Regina Coeli Mission, Nyamaropa.

1956  St. Thérèse Mission, Chiduku.

 

1957 On 1st February the Prefecture of Mutare was raised to the status of a diocese with the Rt Rev. Donal Raymond Lamont O`Carm as first Bishop. He was consecrated on 16th June in Mutare.

 

1958   Rusape given its first resident priest.

1957   Marymount  College,  Mutare. (RSHM  Sisters).  Closed  during  1976

1958   The Priory, Hatfield, Harare.

1958   St. Joseph’s Mission, Sakubva, Mutare.

1959   St. Andrew ‘s Mission, Maranke.

1959   St. Columba’s Mission, Honde Valley.

1961   St. Peter’s Mission, Sabi Valley.

1961   St. Charles Lwanga Mission, Chimanimani — including Minor Seminary.

1962   St. Patrick’s Mission, Nyanyadzi.

1964   Carmel College, Mutare — discontinued in 1973.

1964   Kriste Mambo

1969   St. Michael’s Mission, Tanda

1971   The Most Holy Trinity Cathedral. Mutare. 11.07.71

1975   Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa came to the Diocese of Mutare.

1975   Saint Martin’s Parish, was administered by the Cathedral Parish up to 1989. The  Spiritan

           Fathers took  over  the  administration  of the  Parish  to present day.

 

1977   Father  D.  A.  Clarke, O`Carm., was  appointed  the Apostolic  Administrator  of  the

           Diocese of  Umtali  when Bishop Lamont was expelled from Rhodesia.

 

1979   Bishop Patrick Mutume consecrated as Auxiliary Bishop of Umtali on 17/06/79.

 

1981   Saint  Dominic’s  Secondary  School  re-opened

1982   Saint  Dominic’s. Diocesan  Administration  Centre, CADEC, DDP  and  other  Diocesan

           departments began co-ordinating the Diocesan apostolate during 1982.

 

1982   Bishop  Alexio Muchabaiwa  consecrated Bishop  of  Mutare on  the  21st of  February

           on  the  retirement  of  Bishop  Lamont.

 

1982  The RSHM Sisters came to Dangamvura.

 

1983   Killaloe Fathers came to the Diocese of Mutare.

1984   Spiritan Fathers and Brothers came to Zimbabwe.

1985   Carmelite Friars began Novitiate at Kriste Mambo

.

1989   Kiltegan Fathers came to the Diocese of Mutare.

1989   St.  James’ Parish. Chipinge  was  an  outstation  of  St.  Charles  Lwanga,

           Chimanimani  up  to  1989.

 

1992   The Diocesan Pastoral Training Centre.commsioned in Mutare.

          1992 DOMCCP became functional.

 

1999   Youth Alive Mutare.  Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa.

           The Franciscan Sisters have continued to the present day to provide various services to

           the community  in the Diocese of Mutare.

1999   Saint Francis of Assisi Parish  Zimunya.

2000   Saint Mary’s High School. Chikanga.

 

2003    Bishop Lamont died in Ireland on the 14th of August.

2003    Sisters of the Divine Child

2004    Official closure of the Killaloe Mission to Zimbabwe, the 7th of June 2004.

2008    Saint  Patrick’s  Missionary  Society,  the  Kiltegan  Fathers, completed  their  Mission  in  the

            Diocese of Mutare during

2010    Child   protection Act lounged by Bishop A. C Muchabaiwa .

2011    St. Peter’s Mission, Checheche, Chisumbanje, Celebrated Fifty Years

2013    Bethania, outstation of St. Barbara’s mission, celebrated one hundred years on June 29th

2013    September 21st St Benedits Mission celebrated the Centenary of  its foundation

2014.   St. Patrick’s Nyanyadzi Golden Jubilee of the founding on March 22nd

2014    St. Martin’s Parish, Florida, Mutare, Silver Jubilee of its foundation on August 9th

2014.   St. Peter’s Church, Mupururu, Chendambuya, outstation of St. Benedict’s mission

            Centenary of foundation on November 1st  2014

2015.   St. James’ Parish, Chipinge, celebrated the Golden Jubilee of its  foundation on January 24th

2015    Arrival of Carmelite Nuns in the  Diocese of Mutare

 

2016.  Father Paul Horan, O. Carm.  Bishop-elect, Diocese of Mutare.  Anounced on the

            28.05.16. The Episcopal Ordination  of Bishop Paul Horan on the 27th of August 2016.

 

2016   Ground breaking ceremony of the construction of the Carmelite Nuns Monastery

           28.08.2016

 

2018   Official handover of St Richards Mission Murambinda from the Archdiocese of Harare) to the

           Diocese of Mutare on the  3rd of July 2018.