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Irish Carmelites in Zimbabwe
After
the Second World War an urgent call for missionaries was made by Pope Pius
XII. He was moved by the deprivations of the recent conflict. The Irish
Carmelites responded when Fr Carmel O’Shea, Provincial, began negotiations
with the English Jesuit Vicar Apostolic in Zimbabwe. Fr O’Shea in turn sent
out a call for volunteers. As a result of a very positive response, three
Carmelites, Fathers Raymond Lamont, Anselm Corbett and Luke Flynn set sail
for Africa in a troopship, since most of the passenger-carrying ships were
wrecks at the bottom of the sea. When the three Carmelites reached what was
then called Rhodesia (today's Zimbabwe)
they took charge of the oldest mission station, Triashill. New missions were
opened and in June 1957 Father Lamont was consecrated Bishop of the
present-day Diocese of Mutare. The Carmelites remained in that country all
through the War of Independence.
Bishop Lamont was a key figure in the struggle towards equality and
democracy. Eventually he was tried by the White Government and sentenced to
penal servitude but this was later changed to deportation. Later he was
present at the celebrations for Zimbabwean Independence.
Expansion in Zimbabwe led to houses being established in another diocese –
Harare. The Carmelite ambition is to build up the local church providing it
with Zimbabwean clergy, Carmelite and Parochial. Over the next few decades
there will still be an urgent need for more vocations from Ireland to
supplement these native apostolates until there are sufficient African staff
in all areas. There is a thriving sisterhood engaged in teaching, nursing
and pastoral work. In all our missions we work in full collaboration with
the laity, which includes not only native Zimbabweans but also people who
come for a term of work from Europe and the United States.
Today
there are over twenty Irish Carmelites working in various mission stations
in Zimbabwe. Several African Zimbabweans have entered the Carmelite
Novitiate House at Kriste Mambo (Christ the King), in the Inyanga Mountains.
Students in Zimbabwe live and study in the Carmelite Student House in
Harare.
Carmelite Houses in Zimbabwe:
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The Carmelite
Priory, Mutare
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St Joseph's
Mission, Sakubva
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St Kilian's
Mission, Makoni
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St Simon Stock
Parish, Rusape
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Triashill
Mission, Rusape
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Kriste Mambo
Community & High School, Rusape
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St Joseph's
Priory, Harare
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St Agnes'
Parish, Zenegeza
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Student Formation Community,
Chisipite
Bishop
D.R. Lamont, O.Carm.
Website
The Carmelites in Zimbabwe have their own website:
www.carmelites.co.zw
Publications
Carmelites in Zimbabwe - Golden Jubilee, 1996
The Catholic Church in Manicaland 1896-1996
Celts among the Shona - a
collection of articles written by Irish Carmelites about their early
experiences in Zimbabwe (1946-1966).
His Holiness, Pope
John Paul II being greeted by Fr D. Clarke, O.Carm., upon his Holiness'
arrival in Zimbabwe.
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