SIMBARASHE MTEMBO
MIRROR REPORTER

MASVINGO – Masvingo Diocese is preparing for its big silver jubilee anniversary on October 25 and 26, 2024.
This is confirmed in Bishop Raymond Mupandasekwa’s circular to priests, religious and lay faithful.
The diocese was cut off from Gweru Diocese and founded on April 24, 1999.
Vicar General, Fr Emmanuel Jongwe said the celebrations will run under theme: For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
The diocese has 26 parishes and covers Masvingo, most parts of Gutu, Bikita, Zaka, Chivi, Mwenezi, Chiredzi and Beitbridge. It has 215 500 parishioners and covers 70 000 square kilometres.
Celebrations will be heralded by a benediction mass led by the Papal Nuncio to Zimbabwe Monsignor Janusz Stanislaw Urbañczyk at Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Bulawayo on October 25.
Masvingo Diocese is under the Bulawayo Ecclesiastical Province.
The mass will be preceded by a pilgrimage to Gokomere Mission and an all-night exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. There will also Prayers for the diocese founding fathers and mothers and those who died and contributed to the Diocese’s formation.
“I humbly ask parishes and guilds to bring to the celebrations the names of those who have died, and we will continue to pray for them to rest in eternal peace,” reads part of the circular.
The Diocese founding Bishop is Rt. Rev Michael Dixon Bhasera who resigned in 2022.
“…I write to inform and invite you to celebrate together the Silver Jubilee of our Diocese on the 25th and 26th of October 2024. This significant milestone marks 25 years of grace, service and commitment to our Lord and His Church. It is a celebration in which we want to acknowledge, appreciate, and thank God for the many priests, religious and lay faithful of our Diocese most of whom were its founding fathers and mothers…,” reads part of the circular.