Zimbabwe: Pius Ncube urges Bulawayo Catholics to respect successor

Archbishop Pius Ncube

In a message to Jesuit Communications, retired Archbishop Pius Ncube, now resident in the Diocese of Hwange, recommended his successor, Archbishop Alex Thomas SVD, consecrated on 12 September, to the Catholics of Bulawayo.

”I urge all in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo to respect Archbishop Alex and to cooperate with him fully. When Fr Alex was in Tsholotsho each year, I had the highest number of Confimations there because he was pastorally very diligent. He would visit all neighbouring schools and follow up all the baptised Grade 7 pupils and enrol them and prepare them for Confirmation. So each year I would confirm 300 people there. He also was very conscious of the activity of the sects some of which were very anti-Catholic. He therefore aimed at teaching them Catholic doctrine thoroughly so that they could be stable in the Church.

"He also was very caring towards the poor. Once when we were blessing a Church he left me and other guests at table and without eating went out to see to it that everyone was fed. He stayed out there for long out of concern that no one should be disadvantaged in the sharing of food of about 1500 people who were there. Archbishop Alex is therefore a hard working person, who has a heart for people.”

Jesuit Communications