Dioceses

ARCHDIOCESE OF HARARE

Archbishop Robert C. Ndlovu – Archbishop of Harare,

ordained on 9 May 1999, appointed on 10 June

2004 and installed on 21 August 2004

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

The Archdiocese is but a fragment of the original Zambesi Mission which was entrusted to the Fathers of the Society of Jesus by Propaganda, on the 2nd of July 1879. In 1893 the Portuguese territory was cut off and in 1927 the erection of the Broken Hill Prefecture further reduced the vast area to about half. The erection of the Independent Mission of Bulawayo (now Archdiocese) in 1930, reduced the area to 280,912 square km. In 1946 ten civil districts and part of an eleventh became the Prefecture of Fort Victoria (now the Diocese of Gweru) and were confided to the Bethlehem Fathers. In 1953 the districts of Makoni, Inyanga (Nyanga) and Umtali (Mutare) with Melsetter (Chimanimani) and Chipinga (Chipinge) from Fort Victoria Prefecture were formed into the Umtali Prefecture (now Mutare Diocese). Selukwe (Shurugwi, Gwelo (Gweru), and Que Que (Kwekwe) were transferred to the Fort Victoria Vicariate (now Diocese of Gweru.) Sebungwe became part of the Wankie Prefecture (now Hwange Diocese). In 1974 the districts of Darwin, Lomagundi, Sipolilo (Guruve), Urungwe and that part of Kariba east of the Umniati River were formed into the Sinoia Prefecture (now Chinhoyi Diocese). This further reduced the area by 54 345 sq. km. The Archdiocese now comprises the civil districts of Mazowe, Bindura, Shamva, Murewa, Rushinga (south of the Mazowe river), Mudzi, Mutoko, Kadoma, Chegutu, Harare, Goromonzi, Seke, Marondera, Charter, Wedza and Buhera.

Area: 63,555 sq. km

Population: 4 866 000

Catholics: 483 293

Diocesan Feastday: St Peter Claver

ADDRESS:

Archbishop’s House, 66 Fifth Street,

P. O.Box CY 330, Causeway, Harare

Tel: 04 727 386

Fax: 04 721 598

Email: hrearch@zol.co.zw

MUTARE DIOCESE

Rt. Rev. Paul Horan – Bishop of Mutare,

Ordained on 27 August 2016.

Holy Trinity Cathedral

The Prefecture Apostolic of Mutare was erected on the 2nd of February 1953. It was entrusted to the care of the Carmelite Fathers of the Irish Province. The territory consists of parts divided from the Vicariates of Salisbury (Harare) and Fort Victoria (Masvingo), and comprises the greater part of the administrative Province of Manicaland. On February 15 1957, the Prefecture was raised to the status of a Diocese.The civil districts included in the Diocese are Maungwe, Mutasa, Mutare, Nyanga, Chimanimani and Chipinge.

Rt. Rev. Paul Horan – Bishop of Mutare,

Ordained on 27 August 2016.

Area: 32,202 square kilometres

Population: 1,675,000

Catholics: 119,500

Diocesan Feastday: Our Lady of Mount Carmel (16 July)

ADDRESS:

Bishop’s House, Marymount Rd,

P.O.Box 47, Mutare,

Tel: 020 62347

E-mail: diomutare@gmail.com

Website: www.mutarediocese.co.zw

MASVINGO DIOCESE

Bishop Michael Dixon Bhasera – Bishop of Masvingo, appointed on 9 February 1999, installed on 24 April 1999

Masvingo Diocese Cathedral

The Diocese of Masvingo, cut off from the Diocese of Gweru, was established on the 24th April 1999. It comprises the following civil districts: Beitbridge, Chiredzi, Chivi, Gutu, Bikita, Masvingo, Mwenezi and Zaka.

Area: 70,000 square kilometres

Population: 1,863,650

Catholics: 215,500

Diocesan Feastday: Mary Queen of Peace (22 August)

ADDRESS:

Bishop’s House, 1

5B Glyntor Road, Clovelly,

P.O.Box 1400, Masvingo

Tel: 039 263 465

Fax: 039 263 541

E-mail: bishopmd00@gmail.com

masvingodioc@gmail.com

HWANGE DIOCESE

St. Ignatius Cathedral

Bishop Raphael Macebo

Mabuza Ncube

The Prefecture of Hwange, cut off from the Apostolic Vicariates of Salisbury and Bulawayo was erected on 29th June 1953 and confided to the Fathers of the Spanish Mission Institute (SMI). The first Prefect Apostolic was Mgr Francis Font, 1953-1955 (+1961), followed by Mgr Dominic Ros, 1955-1963 (+1966). On 1st March 1963, the Prefecture of Hwange became a Diocese. On 3rd July 1991, the civil district of Gokwe, the area of Omay between the Sengwa and Sanyati rivers in the Kariba district, and the area of the Nkayi district north of the Shangani river, were cut from the Diocese of Hwange and formed into the Diocese of Gokwe.

The Diocese of Hwange comprises the following civil districts: Hwange, Binga, and the part of Lupane north of the Shabula river. It is bounded on the North by Zambezi river, on the West by Botswana, on the East by the civil districts of Omay, Gokwe, Lupane and on the South by Nyamandlovu.

Area: 43,427 square kilometres

Population: 346,697

Catholics: 38,175

Diocesan Feastday: The Immaculate Conception of Mary (8 December)

ADDRESS:

Bishop’s House, Old Bulawayo Road,

P.O.Box 25, Hwange

Tel: 081 223 25

Fax: 081 222 60

E-mail : bishouse@comone.co.zw

Website: www.hwangediocese.org

GOKWE DIOCESE

Bishop Rudolf Nyandoro

Apostolic Administrator

GOKWE DIOCESE

St. John Cathedral

The Diocese of Gokwe, cut off from the Diocese of Hwange, was erected on 19 October 1991. The Diocese comprises the Civil Districts of Gokwe North and Gokwe South, the area of Omay between the Sengwa and Sanyati rivers in the Kariba District, and the area of Nkayi District, north of the Shangani river. It is bounded on the North by the Kariba Lake, on the east by Kariba and Kadona Districts, on the south by Kwekwe and Nkayi Districts, and on the west by Lupane and Binga Districts.

Area: 26,000 square kilometres

Population: 600,000

Catholics: 79, 158

Diocesan Feastday: Conversion of St. Paul (January 25)

ADDRESS:Bishop’s HouseSasame 2 Area,P.O.Box 90, GokweTel: 059 2396Fax: 059 2382E-mail: diogokwe@gmail.com

CHINHOYI DIOCESE

Corpus Christi Cathedral

The Archdiocese is but a fragment of the original Zambesi Mission which was entrusted to the Fathers of the Society of Jesus by Propaganda, on the 2nd of July 1879. In 1893 the Portuguese territory was cut off and in 1927 the erection of the Broken Hill Prefecture further reduced the vast area to about half. The erection of the Independent Mission of Bulawayo (now Archdiocese) in 1930, reduced the area to 280,912 square km. In 1946 ten civil districts and part of an eleventh became the Prefecture of Fort Victoria (now the Diocese of Gweru) and were confided to the Bethlehem Fathers. In 1953 the districts of Makoni, Inyanga (Nyanga) and Umtali (Mutare) with Melsetter (Chimanimani) and Chipinga (Chipinge) from Fort Victoria Prefecture were formed into the Umtali Prefecture (now Mutare Diocese). Selukwe (Shurugwi, Gwelo (Gweru), and Que Que (Kwekwe) were transferred to the Fort Victoria Vicariate (now Diocese of Gweru.) Sebungwe became part of the Wankie Prefecture (now Hwange Diocese). In 1974 the districts of Darwin, Lomagundi, Sipolilo (Guruve), Urungwe and that part of Kariba east of the Umniati River were formed into the Sinoia Prefecture (now Chinhoyi Diocese). This further reduced the area by 54 345 sq. km. The Archdiocese now comprises the civil districts of Mazowe, Bindura, Shamva, Murewa, Rushinga (south of the Mazowe river), Mudzi, Mutoko, Kadoma, Chegutu, Harare, Goromonzi, Seke, Marondera, Charter, Wedza and Buhera.

Area: 56 000 square kilometres

Population: 2 000 000

Catholics: 100 000

Patrons: St Kizito & St Francis Xavie

ADDRESS:

26 Robson Manyika Drive, P.O.Box 680, Chinhoyi, Tel: 067 225 62, Fax: 067 222 17

E-mail: diochinhoyi@gmail.com

GWERU DIOCESE

Bishop Rudolf Nyandoro

BISHOP OF GWERU DIOCESE

Appointed 11 September 2020

St. Theresa Cathedral

Fort Victoria Prefecture, named after the town Fort Victoria, now Masvingo, was erected on 14 November 1946 and committed to the care of the Bethlehem Fathers (S.M.B.) of Switzerland. The Mission was until that date part of the Salisbury Vicariate. When the Hierarchy was established in this country on 1st January 1955, the Vicariate of Fort Victoria became the Diocese of Gweru. In 1999, the Diocese was sub-divided and the new Diocese of Masvingo was created. The first Bishop of Gweru Diocese was Bishop Alois Haene who resigned and was succeeded by Bishop Tobias Chiginya. Bishop Francis Xavier Mugadzi succeeded Bishop Chiginya who died after a car accident on 14 January 1987. The fourth bishop of Gweru was Bishop Emeritus Martin Munyanyi who resigned and paved way for the late Bishop Xavier Munyongani who died on 15 October 2017.

The Diocese comprises of the following civil districts, Gweru, Kwekwe, Shurugwi, Chirumhanzu, Zvishavane and Mberengwa.

Area: 29 158 square kilometres

Population: 1 521 000

Catholics: 381 659

Diocesan Feastday: Mary Help of Christians (24 May)

ADDRESS:

Bishop’s House,

77 Kopje Road,

Box 622, Gweru

Tel: (054) 223565 Fax: (054) 223381/223181

E-mail: gwerudiocese@yahoo.com