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  Archbishop Alex   Thomas came to   Zimbabwe some   20 years ago and   he claims that very   little Indian traits   are left in him as   he speaks very   fluent Ndebele   language with an   original Ndebele   accent. Archbishop   Thomas was born on 27th May 1960 in Vallamchira parish in the Archdiocese of Changanacherry in India in a very strong Catholic family with a tradition of priesthood and has a sister who is a nun with the Bethany Sisters. He had his basic education in his home town before he joined the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) Minor Seminary in Changanacherry. He completed his Philosophy and Theological studies at Jnana Deepa Didyapeeth in Pune in India. He also obtained a Bachelors Degree in Economics from Mysore University. Archbishop Alex took his final vows in 1987, and was ordained a priest on 7 May 1988 at St. Mary’s Church, Vallamchira, India. Since 1989 Archbishop Alex has been serving as a SVD missionary in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, young Archbishop Alex was first assigned as Assistant Priest at Holy Cross Parish in Tshabalala (1990-1992) before he was promoted as Parish Priest of the Embakwe Mission (1992–97). Between 1997-2005 he was Parish Priest of St. Joseph Parish at Tsholotsho. During that period, he was elected Dean of Southern and Northern Deanery. In March 2005 he was appointed, Archdiocesan Financial Administrator before he was elected Superior of the SVD Region in Zimbabwe in June 2008. Since 2001, Archbishop Thomas has been Ex-Officio Advisor to Catholic Development Commission (Caritas Zimbabwe). Archbishop Thomas was also chaplain to the University students in Bulawayo.

ARCHDIOCESE OF BULAWAYO

Diocesan Feastday: The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Archbishop Alex Thomas SVD
Ordained Bishop 12 September 2009

Physical Address:
Archbishop's House, 9th Ave., Lobengula Street
P.O. Box 837, Bulawayo
Tel: (09) 63590 - Fax: (09) 60359
E-mail: archdbyo@mweb.co.zw
Website: www.bulawayoarchdiocese.org
Postal Address
Archbishop Emeritus: Most Rev. Henry Karlen CMM
P.O. Box AC 127, Ascot, Bulawayo
Tel: (09) 234182
Archbishop Emeritus: Most Rev. Pius Alick Ncube

The Independent Mission of Bulawayo, separated from Salisbury Prefecture, was erected 23 December 1930 and confided to the Mariannhill Missionaries. On 13 July 1932 Bulawayo was raised to a Prefecture Apostolic and became a Vicariate Apostolic on 13 April 1937. In 1953, Hwange District and that part of Shangani District situated between Kana and Shangani River was cut off from the Bulawayo Vicariate and formed into the Wankie Prefecture. On 1 January 1955, the Vicariate Apostolic of Bulawayo was given the status of a Diocese. In 1959, Tati Concession, Botswana north of the Tropic of Capricorn, was cut off from the Diocese of Bulawayo. On 10 June 1994, the Diocese of Bulawayo was raised to a Metropolitan See with the Dioceses of Gweru and Hwange as suffragans. Since the division of Gweru diocese the suffragan Sees of the Bulawayo Province are Gweru, Hwange and Masvingo.

The Holy Father John Paul II. appointed Henry E. Karlen CMM as the first Metropolitan Archbishop of Bulawayo. The Archdiocese of Bulawayo comprises the following civil districts: Bulilima, Mangwe, Nyamandhlovu, Tsholotsho, Bubi, part of Lupane and Nkayi with Shangani River as boundary, Insiza, Umzingwane, Beitbridge and Gwanda west of Umzingwane River, Matobo.

Area: 69,450 square km
Population: 1.925.000
Catholics: 140.000
Rural Missions:16
Mass Centers in Rural Areas:264
Town Parishes: 25
Diocesan Clergy: 39
Religious Priests: 36
Permanent Deacons: 19
Men Religious Congregations: 5
Women Religious Congregations: 6
Primary Schools: 13
Secondary Schools: 9
Hospitals: 3
Clinics: 3



ADMINISTRATION

 

Vicar General

Very Rev. Kevin Takaendesa

Chancellor

Fr. Pius Dumani Sibanda

dumspia@googlemail.com

Financial Administrator

Fr. Pius Dumani Sibanda

dumspia@googlemail.com

Secretary Mrs. Rita Normington
Receptionist Sr. Austin Tshabalala AMR
Pastoral Co-Ordinating Team

Fr. Reason Mlilo (Emthonjeni)

Fr. Krystian Tracyzk

Fr. Cephas Gumbo (Director of Catechists)

Sr. Celestine Nyoni (Youth Office)

Sr. Emmanual Matimati (Education)

Mr. A. R. Gwenelo (Christian Community Organizer)

Fr. Norbert Nyathi

Fr. Marko Mkandla

Fr. Johannes Maseko

Fr. Lungisani Moyo

Fr. Peter Mthombeni

Deacon Isaac Sibanda

Sr. Flora Fuyana

Mr. Raphael Zulu

Ms. Anna Mkwananzi

Diocesan Consultors

Archbishop Alex Thomas S.V.D.
Fr. Kevin Takaendesa - Vicar General
Fr. Gabriel Mthombeni - BADIC (chair)
Fr. Cephas Gumbo - Rector of St. Bernard’s Seminary
Fr. Marko Mkandla - Dean
Fr. George Dube - CMM
Fr. Sipho Kunene - OMI
Fr. Tadeusz Grenda - SVD
Fr. Pius Dumani Sibanda - Chancellor

Town Deaneries

Fr. Kevin Takaendesa - East Deanery

Fr. Cephas Gumbo - South West Deanery

Fr. Hlaknipa Dube - North West Deanery

Rural Deaneries

Fr. Pascal Ndlovu - Tsholotsho Deanery

Fr. Marko Mkhandla - Lupane Deanery

Fr. Marek Glodek SVD - Empandeni Deanery

                             - St. Joseph Deanery

Fr. Bernard Makore - Ekusileni Deanery

Financial Council

Archbishop Alex Thomas

Fr. Pius Dumani Sibanda

Fr. Tadeusz Grenda SVD

Mr. Charles Dube

Mr. Felix Da Silva

Mr. Andrew Phiri

Mrs. Cathrine Ganyane

PMAS Pontifical Mission Aid Societas

Fr. James Batsirai
Education Secretary Sr. Mary Emmanuel Matimati CPS
Formation of Deacons

Fr. George Dube CMM

Liturgy

Fr. George Dube CMM

Fr. Kevin Takaendesa

Fr. Marko Mkandla

Fr. Reason Mlilo

Fr. Innocent Ndlovu

Sr. Florah Fuyana

Sr. Celestine Nyoni

Mr. A.R. Gwenelo

Promoter of Ecumenism

Fr. Victor Dube

Director of Justice & Peace Mr. J.B. Nkathazo 
CADEC Co-Ordinator Mr. W. Sibanda

Ex-Officio CADEC

and Sibambene

Fr. Gabriel Mthombeni
Christian Community Organiser Mr. A.R. Gwenelo
Promoter of Vocations Fr. Cephas Gumbo
Youth Spiritual Director Fr. Alphonse Mhlanga
Health Secretariat

Ms. M.T. Wami

Dr. R Bischoff

Marriage & Family Fr. Simon Mabhena
Marriage Fr. Charles Mafuruttu    

Diocesan Aids

and Orphan Care Board

Fr. Gabriel Mthombeni (Chairman)

Fr. Tadeusz Grenda SVD 

Sr. Ludbirga Schumacher CPS

Sr. Celestine Nyoni CPS

Mr. W. Sibanda (CADEC)

Mr. S. Mhumi

Ms. M.T. Wami  (Medical Adviser)

Aids and Orphan Care

Executive Committee

Mrs L. Malimane (Urban)

Sr. Ludbirga Schumacher CPS (Mat. South)  

 

offices

Catholic Commission

for Justice and Peace

Mr. J.B. Nkathazo

Archdiocese of Bulawayo, Box 837 Bulawayo

Tel:  (09) 62386  (09) 62386

Aids & Orphan Care Services

Mrs.Lucia Malemane          

P.O. Box 104, Bulawayo

Tel:  (09) 67545  (09) 67545

Catholic Youth Office

Sr. Celestine Nyoni 

Bishop’s House, P.O. Box 837, Bulawayo

Tel:  (09) 882727  (09) 882727

Catholic Development Commission

Mr. Welcome Sibanda

P.O. Box 830, Bulawayo

Tel:  (09) 69218  (09) 69218 , Fax:  (09) 69218  (09) 69218

E-mail: cadecbyo@mweb.co.zw

Diocesan Education Board

Fr. Tadeusz Grenda SVD

Sr. Mary Emmanuel Matimati CPS

Sr. Gertrude Sale AMR

Sr. Veronica OP

Bro. Kostka Turner CFC

Diocesan Pastoral Team

Mr. Alexander R. Gwenelo

P.O. Box 837, Bulawayo

Tel:  (09) 888719  (09) 888719

Marriage Encounter Movement

Diocesan Co-ordinators:  Martin & Avril Brittain

3 Enstone Rd., Montrose, Bulawayo

Movement for a Better World

P.O. Box 975, Bulawayo

Tel:  (09) 226134  (09) 226134

Social Communication Department

Mr. Gerald Mabweazara  

P.O. Box 837, Bulawayo  

Tel:  (09) 62585  (09) 62585 , Fax: (09) 60359

E-mail: cathcom@mweb.co.zw

Parliamentary Liaison Officer Ms. N. Ndlovu (Coghlan and Welsh)
 
chaplaincies
Biblical Apostolate

Fr. Krystian Traczyk SVD

Catholic Charismatic Renewal Fr.  Kevin Gonzalves ofm.cap
Catholic Students

Fr. Nigel Johnson SJ

CCJP

Fr. Bernard Makore

CLG/CLC Sr. Celestine Nyoni
St. Joseph's

Fr. Pius Dumani Sibanda

Deacon Leonard Mukombe

Exorcism

Fr. Peter Mthombeni

Fr.  Kevin Gonzalves ofm.cap

Holy Childhood Fr. Alphonse Mhlanga
Military and Prisons Fr. Charles Mafurutu
Mpilo Hospital

Fr. Simon Mabhena

Fr. Fernando Ncube

Spiritual Directors of:

CWL, Legion Of Mary,

St. Anne’s, Sodality

and Sacred Heart Association

Fr. Tadeusz Grenda SVD

 

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