MIRROR REPORTER

MASVINGO – Former Roman Catholic SOCCOM national board member, Matthew Takaona has urged Catholics to extend their begging bowl for the church’s projects dotted around the country to members in the Diaspora.
Takaona was speaking at Don Bosco in Masvingo on Sunday where he was guest of honour at a fundraising event to raise US$20 000 for the completion of a priests’ house.
He urged the Diocese to make fundraising a full-time activity manned by a full-time secretariat.
Well over 1000 Catholics mainly from the parish attended the event and Mass was conducted by Bishop Raymond Mupandasekwa.
Parish Priest-in-charge, Fr Ricky Hungwe, Parish Chairman Sylvester Tererai, Provincial Education Director (PED) Shylatte Mhike and professor Crispen Matsika attended the event.
Takaona acknowledged the many projects that Catholics in Masvingo Diocese completed in the last few years including Rujeko Church, Masvingo Cathedral, Chatikobo and Firomumwe churches in Gutu but said the turnaround time could be shorter if the church turns to members in the Diaspora.
“Funding is a critical cog of evangelisation and therefore serious fundraising cannot be left to amateurish fund raisers.
“There could be close to half a million Catholics in the Diaspora yearning to support the church but we need a well-oiled fundraising system to get things going. We need to get the support of the Diaspora because our congregations in rural areas cannot do much considering persistent droughts and other economic factors.
“Zimbabweans in the Diaspora earn upwards of US$30 billion a year, according to an IPEC report and a large number of these are Catholics. Mr Chairman, the ball is in our court. Let’s move ahead and implement some of these ideas,” said Takaona.
He also urged Catholics to confront the reality of the church’s challenges and accept that the majority of priests are living in conditions that are not desirable.
“Mr Chairman, we need to fundraise. We need to accept that our priests, particularly in rural areas have no vehicles and for those who have they have no money for fuel or maintenance.
“We need decent living standards for God’s servants hence this function taking place here is very important,” said Takaona. Tererai applauded parishioners for attending the fundraising and urged them to continue donating and assisting in the project.