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Clerics in Zimbabwe’s Gokwe Diocese Directed to “arrange how” to Avail Ashes to Faithful

Members of the Clergy in Zimbabwe’s Gokwe Diocese have been directed to “arrange how” to avail Ash Wednesday ashes to the faithful to bring them to their “respective homes” at the beginning of Lent, February 17.

In his Wednesday, February 10 statement, the Apostolic Administrator of Gokwe Diocese, Bishop Rudolf Nyandoro says that his decision is informed by COVID-19 restrictions, which the country’s leadership instituted last month, leading to the “unfortunate” suspension of public Liturgical celebrations.

Bishop Nyandoro has directed that those are the helm of Parishes and institutions of the Diocese “arrange how the faithful will get the blessed ashes from the church for distribution in their respective homes without risking COVID-19 infection.” 

On January 2, Zimbabwe’s Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga, announced a 12-hour dusk-to-dawn curfew to contain the upsurge of COVID-19 reported cases in the landlocked country. 

Only essential services that include hospitals, supermarkets and pharmacies are allowed to operate in the country, with only essential staff allowed to go to work.  

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Worship and recreational services, which were classified as non-essential, were suspended.

On January 29, the lockdown measures were extended for two weeks

The Southern African nation has recorded at least 34,781 cases of the disease including 1,353 deaths and 29,289 recoveries. 

In His February 10 message obtained by ACI Africa, Bishop Nyandoro also calls on the faithful to “make room” for the Word of God during the Lenten Season “and to have the devotion to the Way of the Cross.”

“Let us also encourage them (the faithful) to contribute in a Small way for the Lenten Sacrifice Campaign,” the Bishop who was transferred from the Diocese of Gokwe to Gweru in September 2020 says, adding, “Each family may have their small envelope of collection to be given to the Church before the end of the Lenten Season.” 

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The 51-year-old Bishop also exhorts members of the Clergy in the Diocese of Gokwe to journey with the faithful “during these trying times.”

One way of journeying with the faithful, Bishop Nyandoro says, is “by sharing with them our Homilies/sermons every day through social media.”

“Let us remember, it is the right of the people of God to be nourished by the word of God,” the Bishop says, making reference to Canon 213.

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.