Roman Catholic Church's Archdiocese Of Bulawayo Ordains Record 7 Priests
The Roman Catholic Church in Bulawayo on Saturday witnessed the ordination of a record seven new priests who took up their final vows at a ceremony presided over by Archbishop Alex Thomas, the head of the church in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo.
The event was attended by hundreds of Catholics drawn from across the Archdiocese of Bulawayo and other dioceses in Zimbabwe such as Gweru, Hwange, Mutare and Archdiocese of Harare and also as far as Botswana, Zambia, South Africa and DRC.
The priestly ordination was held on Saturday at Our Lady of Fatima in Pumula South.
The Chronicle reported that Reverend deacons Thomas Maqandar Moyo, Thabiso Clive Sibanda, Jackson Dube, Musawenkosi Moses Sibanda, Nobert Mandungumana, Thabo Dube and Patrick Mpofu took their final vows to become full priests.
Archbishop Thomas who assumed the bishop role in 2009, and has ordained 59 priests, said:
Today is a great day having ordained seven priests, five from the Archdiocese of Bulawayo and two from the religious congregations but they all belong here and they will work here.
It’s a great joy for us, it is not very easy to get a priest because they go through a long period of training and formation and to choose a life that is different from others, a life of promise of obedience and to live a life of being very simple and humble.
Today was the highest number we had together in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo. As of now, we are 104 priests who are active, 58 of which belong to the local diocesan clergy and others belong to various religious congregations.
Ever since I became the Archbishop for Bulawayo in 2009, I have ordained 59 priests so I am very happy that in such a short time I was able to get so many priests.
It is not my greatness; it is the help of God. It is God who calls priests, deacons, brothers and sisters to lead a life of commitment.
Training for priesthood takes close to 10 years.
All seven new priests conducted their first Thanksgiving Mass at their respective parishes.
More: Pindula News
