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Zimbabwe: Bishop of Gweru dies


Source: CISA

The Rt Rev Francis Xavier Mugadzi, Bishop of Gweru Diocese, has died. Bishop Mugadzi died on Friday, February 6, in Muvonde Mission Hospital Driafontein Mission near Mvuma, the Catholic Information Service Africa report. He was 73.

In a statement, the Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference, Fr Walter Nyatsanza, said that the Bishop had been ill for a while, and was admitted to Muvonde Mission Hospital last November.

A Requiem Mass will be celebrated tomorrow, Tuesday, February 10, at St Theresa Cathedral in Gweru at 1pm.

Afterwards the body will be taken to Driafontein Mission for another Eucharistic celebration on February 11, at 9.30am. This will be followed by burial at Driafontein Mission.

Bishop Mugadzi was born in 1931 at St Raphael near Gokomere Mission. He was educated at Gokomere Mission, trained as a teacher, then went to Chishawasha Regional Major Seminary, outside Harare.

He was ordained priest on December 12, 1964 at Gokomere Mission.

During his ministry, Bishop Mugadzi worked at several missions in Gweru Diocese, including Mukaro, Mutero, Serima and others, before being appointed Rector of Chikwingwizha Minor Seminary in 1976, and Vicar General of Gweru Diocese in 1977. In 1979 the Zimbabwe Bishops' Conference appointed him Rector of Chishawasha Regional Major Seminary, where he served until 1981.

From the Seminary he was appointed National Education Secretary, to work at the Bishops' General Secretariat in Harare. He served in other capacities until October 10, 1988, when Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Gweru. He was then ordained and installed Bishop of Gweru on January 14, 1989. He led the biggest Diocese in the country before it was divided into two, to creating Masvingo Diocese.

Highly interested in pastoral work, Bishop Mugadzi worked quietly as the leader of the flock of God in Gweru.

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