Sr. Judith Chakabveyo, National Coordinator of the Family and Marriage Commission, oversees a group task.
By Muzikayise Sibanda
The family remains the first school of faith and what the Church calls the “domestic Church,” the place where the Gospel is first lived, learned, and handed on to the next generation.
In a time when families are facing numerous social, economic, and cultural pressures, the Church in Zimbabwe is strengthening its pastoral commitment to accompany both young and established families.
It is within this vision that the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC), through its Family and Marriage Commission, is implementing a project titled “A Synodal Journey with Families: Accompaniment of Future and Present Families in the Face of Contemporary Challenges.”
The initiative is being carried out with the generous support of Missio Aachen.
The project, which is being rolled out across eight dioceses in Zimbabwe, seeks to strengthen pastoral care for families through the training of Family Counsellors who can accompany couples and families facing various challenges in their daily lives.
Groups engage in a group task.
The Archdiocese of Bulawayo hosted the first training workshop from 23 to 27 February 2026, bringing together participants from different parishes within the archdiocese.
The workshop was marked by strong participation and a shared commitment among attendees to support families within the life of the Church.
One of the highlights of the workshop was the gracious presence of The Most Reverend Alex Kaliyanil, Archbishop of Bulawayo, who visited the training and offered his blessing to the participants.
In his encouragement, he reminded those present of the vital role families play in the life of the Church and society.
His presence underscored the Church’s continued commitment to promoting and strengthening family life, recognising marriage and family as central to both evangelisation and social stability.
The training sessions were facilitated by Connect Zimbabwe, an organisation with experience in counselling and psychosocial support.
During the workshop, 25 Family Counsellors were trained and equipped with practical knowledge and pastoral skills to assist families experiencing various forms of difficulty.
Participants received formation in areas such as effective listening, conflict resolution, pastoral accompaniment, and ethical counselling practices within a faith-based context.
The training aimed to help counsellors respond with sensitivity to the real-life struggles that many couples and families encounter today.
The broader goal of the project is for each participating diocese to have trained counsellors who can be easily accessible to families in need.
These counsellors will offer their services freely and without charge, ensuring that families experiencing marital, relational, or emotional challenges can find support within the caring pastoral environment of the Church.
This initiative reflects the Church’s synodal approach, which emphasises walking together, listening to one another, and responding to the needs of God’s people.
Families today often face many pressures, including economic hardship, changing social dynamics, and the rapid transformation of communication and cultural values.
Through projects such as this, the Church seeks to accompany families with understanding, compassion, and practical pastoral care, remaining faithful to her mission of proclaiming the Gospel of the family.
Those who have received the training are now encouraged to return to their parishes and communities and serve as instruments of hope and healing. Their ministry goes beyond technical counselling; it is a deeply pastoral service rooted in the Church’s mission of promoting the dignity of marriage, the wellbeing of families, and the common good of society.
Trained counsellors are also encouraged to raise awareness of the availability of counselling services within their parish communities. Many families continue to struggle in silence due to lack of information or fear of stigma. By making these services known and accessible, counsellors can help create safe spaces where families feel supported in seeking guidance.
The successful launch of the training programme in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo marks an important step in the wider implementation of the project across the remaining dioceses in Zimbabwe.
As the programme unfolds, it is hoped that the growing network of trained counsellors will contribute significantly to strengthening marriages, promoting healthy family relationships, and nurturing communities rooted in Christian values.
Ultimately, the Church’s ministry to families seeks to accompany couples and households in their vocation of love, fidelity, and life-giving communion. At a time when the institution of the family faces many challenges, initiatives such as this reaffirm the Church’s commitment to walking with families and proclaiming the Gospel of the Family as a source of hope for the world.
