Gokwe, 26 July, 2023 / 8:56 pm (ACI Africa).
The Bishop-elect of Zimbabwe’s Catholic Diocese of Gokwe has underscored the need to strengthen a self-reliant and “true local church) in the country, noting that the vision of the Zimbabwean Diocese under his leadership will be crafted and implemented by the people of God.
In an interview with Zimbabwe’s Catholic Church News published on Tuesday, July 25, Mons. Eusebius Jelous Nyathi, says the Church would only move forward through the use of local resources, even as he acknowledged the support from external partners.
“We really need to emphasize being a true local church which is self-supporting, self-sustaining and self-propagating in nature. We need to continue growing and reaching out to others becoming missionaries to our own people and to others. Self-reliance is key to the growth of the local Church,” Mons. Nyathi says.
Pledging to always put the people of God under his pastoral care at the forefront of Gokwe Diocesan initiatives, he says, “I would not want to give false hope. I need to understand the context first so as to understand who we are. The vision of the diocese has to come from the people of Gokwe; priests, religious and the faithful and together we will find our way forward.”
The Zimbabwean Catholic Bishop-elect, who was appointed Bishop on June 23 further promises to work to sustain unity and peace in the Diocese, respecting all people despite their cultural and tribal backgrounds.