Catholic youth in Church are set to host youths from Europe, America and Africa in a 10day mag+s/magis experience from the 15th to the 24th of August this year. The event will take place in various selected places and with few selected local Catholic youths participating. It is running under the theme “The Ignite Africa Experience.”

Magis is a young adults movement aimed at formulating a people who are “people for others” who always try to secure justice, faith, love and peace and the vision of St Ignatius of “finding God in everything” will be the major drive.

The event is expected to host 400 youths from various invited countries. According to the organizers of the event, 13 countries have confirmed attendance and these are Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, Mauritius and Angola.

The 10 day experience will begin with “The Ignatian Gathering” that will run from 15-17 August at St Ignatius College with “The Experiments Week” from18-22 August all over Zimbabwe and will close with “The Ignatian Celebrations”23-24 August at Visitation Makumbi mission.

The youths are expected to get exposure to the real African situation in areas of social justice, environmental and ecological experience, HIV and AIDS in as well as spirituality and St Rupert’s Magonde , Mutemwa , Benedictan Monastery Macheke , Mashambanzou in Zimbabwe,  and Chikuni Mission in  Zambia are some of the areas that are set to host various activities and experiences during the event.

The Mag+s Zimbabwe coordinating team is inviting the young and old aged to the Ignite Africa festival at Makumbi Mission which is on the 23rd of August and tickets are going for $5 only.

Vapostori attacking Cops in Budiriro (photo: Newsday)

Barely a month after the ugly scenes of Vapostori violence rocked Harare’s Budiriro suburb, it has emerged in yet another disturbing development that H.I.V positive members of Vapostori sect are shunning use of the life-saving antiretroviral drugs(ARVs) opting, instead, for faith healing.

The regrettable incident of last month, precipitated by an attempt to ban the Vapostori sect led by fugitive Madzibaba Ishmael, proved fatal as resistive violence broke. The Vapostori sect members descended ruthlessly on police officers in an act which later drew the wrath of the law. It is always lamentable when a dark shadow has to be cast on religion as a result of the malpractices of a few cults. SAFAIDS head of Communication and Knowledge Management, Tariro Chikumbirike-Makanga, highlighted that HIV and AIDS have not spared any sector of the society-rich or poor. Even the Vapostori are hard hit, more so with their commonly polygamous doctrines.

However, it should be noted that not all Vapostori sects fall into this category. Zimbabwe is found amongst Southern African countries with high HIV prevalence yet members living with H.I.V in these local religious groups are being prevented from taking the revolutionary drugs. As a consequence, members in the sects are dying early as they are being treated via the incredulous route of water and stones. It is even suicidal that sect members are reportedly being asked to stop taking their medication at some point after beginning the therapy. Stopping of anti-retroviral therapy once it has begun is akin to pulling the trigger of a loaded gun in one’s mouth.

Religion is something that all great figures of history upheld and extolled. It is universal to all sane beings and gives meaning to life. It would only be myopic to try and cast blame on faith or religion in light of the Vapostori conduct. It is without doubt that God heals any ailment in his creation yet it is vital that faith is not misplaced. While religion indeed plays an influential role in our lives, there certainly is a need to monitor some wreckful beliefs. The Vapostori beliefs become a great cause for concern especially when they lead to unnecessary loss of human life. A woman member speaking in strict confidence noted that it is something of an anathema to be seen to be taking Western medication in her sect despite the common deaths resulting from the practice.

I have always been inspired by the American Unilateral Declaration of Independence (A.U.D.I) which has been described as possessing some of the finest words of the English Language. It states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator certain inalienable rights, which among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This quote might have its grounding in American history yet it carries a deeply fundamental theme with an application which cuts across humanity.

Every human being, by mere fact of being human, has certain rights bestowed upon them which no one should take away. Whether one is a vagrant in the streets of Harare or the president himself sitting upon his throne, they all possess a right to belong to a religious group of their choice even as enshrined in The Zimbabwean constitution section 60(1) (a) (b). It can only be fascistic to try and coerce any group of people into embracing beliefs contrary to their chosen faith.

While I am a firm believer in people’s right tofreedom of worship, it remains doubly crucial that people are not allowed to become a danger unto others or themselves as is currently happening in the Vapostori sects. Turning a blind eye on the happenings in these sects, in my view, is failing the vulnerable members in these groups. Church leaders have a pivotal role to demystify the scourge. There should be no mystery or curse connotations about the H.I.V pandemic. H.I.V does not afflict the promiscuous only as is commonly peddled in some congregations. It is the worst mistake that can be made to associate the disease with sin. In fact, statistics tell a sobering story of how thousands are victims not to mention children born with the virus.

H.I.V is anyone’s disease hence at the New Start Centres they rightly mention, when one tests negative that only at that moment is one free of the virus. At any moment one can be infected.  The stigmatization of the disease continues to be a major contributor fanning the warped beliefs in these sects. Everyone is at risk and it is incumbent upon religious leaders to promote openness and clear the path for information about the disease. Imagine how different things would be if these leaders encouraged voluntary testing and counseling as opposed to associating the pandemic with sin. How many lives would be saved?

There is no doubt that the current acts in the Vapostori sects, at large, constitute classical abuse and the leaders prevailing over such groups indeed must be brought to book. It would appear the need to limit the rights of religious sects has become a priority matter in Zimbabwe to protect and save lives in this regard.

I have always been inspired by the American Unilateral Declaration of Independence (A.U.D.I) which has been described as possessing some of the finest words of the English Language. It states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator certain inalienable rights, which among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This quote might have its grounding in American history yet it carries a deeply fundamental theme with an application which cuts across humanity.

Every human being, by mere fact of being human, has certain rights bestowed upon them which no one should take away. Whether one is a vagrant in the streets of Harare or the president himself sitting upon his throne, they all possess a right to belong to a religious group of their choice even as enshrined in The Zimbabwean constitution section 60(1) (a) (b). It can only be fascistic to try and coerce any group of people into embracing beliefs contrary to their chosen faith.

While I am a firm believer in people’s right tofreedom of worship, it remains doubly crucial that people are not allowed to become a danger unto others or themselves as is currently happening in the Vapostori sects. Turning a blind eye on the happenings in these sects, in my view, is failing the vulnerable members in these groups. Church leaders have a pivotal role to demystify the scourge. There should be no mystery or curse connotations about the H.I.V pandemic. H.I.V does not afflict the promiscuous only as is commonly peddled in some congregations. It is the worst mistake that can be made to associate the disease with sin. In fact, statistics tell a sobering story of how thousands are victims not to mention children born with the virus.

H.I.V is anyone’s disease hence at the New Start Centres they rightly mention, when one tests negative that only at that moment is one free of the virus. At any moment one can be infected.  The stigmatization of the disease continues to be a major contributor fanning the warped beliefs in these sects. Everyone is at risk and it is incumbent upon religious leaders to promote openness and clear the path for information about the disease. Imagine how different things would be if these leaders encouraged voluntary testing and counseling as opposed to associating the pandemic with sin. How many lives would be saved?

There is no doubt that the current acts in the Vapostori sects, at large, constitute classical abuse and the leaders prevailing over such groups indeed must be brought to book. It would appear the need to limit the rights of religious sects has become a priority matter in Zimbabwe to protect and save lives in this regard.

Vapostori attacking Cops in Budiriro (photo: Newsday)

Houses belonging to four leaders of the Johane Masowe yeVadzidzi in Gomo village, Mashonaland Central, were razed down by suspected Zanu PF supporters who accused them of wielding too much political influence in the area.

The assailants allegedly belong to a popular apostolic church led by Aaron Mhukuta popularly known as Wimbo.

Villagers told NewsDay that last week, the houses belonging to Ishmael Magodi (Stebilon) Edson Mukohwa (Astron), Peter Tabviroona (Akinoji) and Maxwell Kapasura, all part of the church leadership were destroyed by the Zanu PF youths.

The youths accused the four of campaigning for one Zacks Pamacheche against Labour minister Nicholas Goche during party primary elections held last year before the July general elections.

A petition written by villagers, most of them known Zanu PF supporters shows that the four had become so powerful as to influence political decisions of their legion of followers hence the decision to evict them.

“While we have no problem with democratic dispensations of any political party, the approach taken by the four in campaigning for Zacks Pamacheche in the Zanu PF primaries was coercive, using their influence to demand support from some village members and unfounded accusations against those who seem to be against them,” read the petition.

“They also abused the home of VaMudzidzi (Wimbo) by using it as a campaign base without the consent of the family, so we are informed. This polarisation, bred mistrust among members and introduced fear in the village. It is also worth to put on record that we, as Gomo village, are a pro-Zanu PF community seasoned enough to choose what we need without coercion.”

The four were also accused of involvement in the alleged murder of a church member from Gwanda last year and abuse of minors among other myriad of accusations.
“Although some of us go to different churches, we have great respect for VaMudzidzi and the Masowe (church), that he leads. Therefore we cannot watch the legacy of this institution destroyed as it is important to our livelihoods,” the petition further read.

The houses belonging to the four, built close to the shrine, were allegedly destroyed by the youths and Zanu PF leaders in the community who wanted the apostolic leaders evicted from the village.

According to the history given, the four came seeking divine help from Wimbo years back and rose through the ranks to powerful and influential positions in the church.

They were accommodated into the church and village after being allocated land.

“Since then, through infiltration into the ranks of the Johane Masowe yeVadzidzi church, they have assumed tremendous power and influence over both the village and the church which they are now abusing leading to perpetration of acts of disrespect, disorder and violence in the village and the Gomo family, a member of our village.”

Wimbo and the four evicted villagers could not be reached for comment.

Religion is defined by the Concise English Dictionary as, “the belief in and worship of a supernatural controlling power, especially a personal god or gods.” Religion entails faithfulness to a given set of principles. Most people have real strong attachments to their religious beliefs and any attempt to take them away can only lead to arguments that are as futile as they are pointless. Strong emotions characterise religion. Religion has seen thousands of martyrs putting their lives at the stake.

Religion is what saw early missionaries leaving the comfort of their countries to come to jungles and lion-infested lands on the strength of their convictions to spread the Word. It is religion which motivated the SecondChimurenga with the conviction the freedom fighters had that the great ancestor, Nehanda, had said, “Mapfupa angu achamuka” (My dead bones will rise) before the settlers had killed her.

Religion, to the majority, is a matter of life and death. I know of medical doctors and engineers who gave up their well-paying jobs in heeding religious calls. It follows that religion is no laughing matter.

Now, it is the very nature of religion that it is unique and each person has a right to choose how they want to worship. It is difficult to force anyone into believing anything they do not want to believe and it is not right to try and ram one’s religious beliefs down the throats of others. One ought to convert to a certain religion with willingness and conviction. The very structure of religion makes it difficult to control beliefs or anyone since they have a right even recognized in most constitutions.

Section 60(1) (a)(b) of the new constitution notes that, “Every person has the right to freedom of conscience, which includes freedom of thought, opinion, religion or belief; and freedom to practice and propagate and give expression to their thought, opinion, religion or belief whether in public or in private and whether alone  or together with others.”

In light of this clear provision it can only be illegal to interfere with anyone’s religious beliefs. History overflows with examples of violent clashes and tragedies that were precipitated by attempts to control people’s religious beliefs. Most democratic countries thus naturally guarantee people’s right to freedom of worship.

Now, the ugly scenes of violence that rocked Budiriro last week are ample proof that people will not give up their religious beliefs easily, no matter how absurd. The savage attack on police officers will rank as one of the most shocking incidents the country has ever witnessed in religious circles. While regulating religious beliefs is not the most desirable thing to do, there comes a time when some practices simply become blatantly evil to be associated with God.

Zimbabweans will be quick to recall the spine-chilling abuses perpetrated by jailed religious leader Martin Gumbura on his female congregants. Surely, one does not need to be a spiritual being to recognize abuse. The sad thing, though, is that most victims of abuse do not view it as such. It pains to realise how the religious insanity now prevailing in our country opens valves of abuse against God’s name by the heathen. It makes religion appear like a force that blinds its followers when, in essence, it should open their eyes to the goodness of the Creator. It is very sad to see open abuse of women and children all in the name of religion.

One would wonder which God condones grown-up men inserting their fingers in young girls’ privates in the name of religious virginity testing. Which God advocates for denying children their basic right to education? Honestly, which God opposes citizens’ right to own an identity card document? Which godly religion watches people die because they don’t believe in ‘worldly’ clinics?

My friends, there is no right which is not followed by responsibility. One cannot claim to be enjoying their right to religion when it steps on the toes of another’s right. Religion never renders anyone the right to abuse vulnerable members of society. That the Budiriro sect was engaged in deplorable practices should be condemned by all who believe in the sanctity of the name of a pure God.

The Budiriro apostolic sect members’ acts constitute stinking abuse which should be condemned in the strongest terms possible. Also, that they even had the effrontery to assault law enforcers deserves rebuke of the highest form. The need to limit the rights of religious sects has become a priority in this country. Zimbabwe appears to be having more cults than ever in its history. While it must be conceded that religious beliefs are better left unlimited, some things simply can’t be left to go on. The banning of particular practices is really commendable and true religionists should rally behind the protection of the good name of religion

Last week, the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations launched a scathing rebuke at church leaders who are calling on their congregants to stop using conventional medicines in favour of faith healing. Speaking at a two-day conference held under the auspices of the National Aids Council (NAC), the General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, Reverend Lindani Dube spoke firmly about the catastrophe being created by some denominations.

“Churches must encourage people to adhere to medication prescribed by doctors instead of advocating for harmful religious beliefs which discourage the intake of medicine in the name of faith,” he said. “God cannot be manipulated by ascetic tendencies and overzealous emotions which are theologically inconsistent with sound biblical teaching and acceptable societal values.”

And he hit it on the head; God’s power is not subject to the dictates of fallible human beings. The only confidence that we have when we ask anything from God is when we ask for things that are in accordance with his will. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5: 14). Human beings cannot arm-twist the Person of God to bend down to their carnal desires as is widely taught by some leaders today. God, in his unfaltering wisdom, exercises discretion over his creation.

Against this background, I am compelled to make a follow up to my piece of last week in which I highlighted the need for church leaders to stand in solidarity with medical doctors in their God-given wisdom towards the common good, in particular the regulation of the ruinous practices prevalent in some of the Vapostori sects. I also found out in feedback that the call to embrace conventional medication should not be extended only to Vapostori, but also to the sprouting contemporary churches recognizable by an emphasis on miracles and signs.

Faith-healing schools mushrooming throughout the country where also fingered among groups promoting the drug-shunning practice. I received quite a number of e-mails pertaining to the matter from two distinct groups: one uncompromising group rooting for the banning of these groups and the other fighting in the Vapostori corner primarily citing that people have free choice. They argued that Vapostori should not be “persecuted” for their beliefs. Honestly, in my opinion, I find it mind-defying that anyone can sanely support a practice as calamitous as letting people die when medication was readily available. Even one prominent Vapostori leader, who wrote me, did not seem to have a plausible explanation why members should be made to shun conventional medicines except to say there were some things which people didn’t understand.

One member, though, could only say, “We can’t go against ‘the spirit”. On the other extreme, a woman wrote an emotional e-mail profusely thanking and throwing weight behind the “urgent need” to address the problem of drug-shunning groups. Those who largely supported faith healing fought from the point of view of religious liberty. Even as I highlighted last time, there is a fine line between freedom of worship and the abuse of congregants. If we are to interpret religious liberty from this ludicrous angle, then we may as well need to free jailed religious leader Robert Gumbura.

The woman who e-mailed highlighted how she had lost a relative who suffered from a chronic illness after the pastor had instructed him to stop medication. I have, in most of my writings, always fought against practices that malign the good name of God and surely, the shunning of conventional medication is a mutilation of the scriptures. God never said that he would banish all ills in this present sinful world. Biblically, ills such as sickness, poverty and death will remain in this Satan-controlled world until the New Jerusalem is ushered in (Rev 21:4). The trouble with contemporary leader-centered groups is that they want people to believe the leader wields answers to all the troubles of this world which is far from true.

The revolutionary anti-retroviral therapy brought a new lease of life to many people who should have long died. Dr Owen Mugurungi, Director of the Health and Child Care, noted that the majority of people who started anti-retroviral therapy in 2004 are still alive. Information about certain diseases should be made readily available in order to dispel dangerous conclusions. It is very critical that churches and pastors understand that when an HIV patient is correctly and consistently taking their medication, viral load, over time, becomes undetected and this should not be misconstrued to mean that the virus has gone.

The principle of religious liberty should not be abused. The concept is similar to the one which is applied in the courts of law: consent is never a defence. That someone has consented to being abused does not absolve the abuser from wrong-doing. It remains mind-boggling that in a highly literate society like ours, we still have people in support of primitive practices which are as ruinous as they are ungodly.

Christian Heads deserve commendation for standing for true principle and saving the name of God from shame. It is imperative that religious groups pull in one direction on this matter to save lives.

In a bid to arrest rampant child abuse cases the Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children (ZNCWC) has entered into a mutual partnership with some apostolic sect leaders in an effort to make them appreciate children’s rights.

This came in the wake of the alleged rampant abuse of children at some of the apostolic sects across the country.

Some of the abuses include early forced marriages, denying children access to education, birth records and health facilities.

ZNCWC national director Taylor Nyanhete told NewsDay last week that the partnership would encompass training the sect leaders on human rights issues.

“We are engaging apostolic sects especially those that are not sending children to school and doing all sorts of things and in the process violating the children’s rights,” Nyanhete said.

“We are working in partnering with the associations so that we are able to consider training their leaders in children’s rights and ensuring that they appreciate that it is important for every institution to respect the country’s Constitution.

“They should also know that there is a supreme law that one has to abide by.”

Nyanhete said even though there was a clause on the right to religion, there was need for the apostolic sect leaders to respect the Constitution.

“We want the leaders to respect the law of the land and also recognise the rights of the children be it health, education, shelter and so forth,”Nyanhete said.

“We have met with the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe and we are developing a memorandum of association, but we still need to meet more of the apostolic sects. We need to remind them that children have rights too which should also be respected.”

Apostolic sects are known for denying their children the right to education and medication, thus contributing to the country’s high child mortality rate.

Masvingo winter gospel festival held at Mucheke hall over the weekend failed to live up to expectations as less than 10 people pitched up for the show.

It is the first time for more than three equally good gospel artistes to play under one roof and fail to attract a reasonable crowd.

Sad to see the said gospel “heavyweights” converge to perform in an empty giant Mucheke hall which on Saturday was filled only with sound checking echoes and band members following a ‘disappointing’ turn out.

Well-known participating artistes were forced to loiter outside the venue in a bid to make their faces and presence felt so as to lure revellers.

Kudzi Nyakudya could not stomach what was visibly the ‘all time’ flop or simply ‘flop of the year’ which left tongues wagging as to whether ‘Satan’ had invaded their ‘holy’ place.

“My brother, from this point in time I have completely nothing to say since the situation is very loud and clear and I believe you can also confirm that we had a bad outing here. This is the biggest flop I have ever witnessed or on a lighter note, it is one of its kind.

“I have never seen such a heart-breaking show in my 13 years as a gospel artiste. We tried all we could to market the show, but clearly we failed. Nothing else to blame except blaming ourselves, the artistes involved,” said Nyakudya.

The show which could have earmarked a memorable inaugural winter festival in Masvingo province ended on a disappointing note piling a heap of burden to the artistes involved with the logistics.

Mutare-based Blessing Shumba was nowhere to be seen on the venue and reports were that he was forced to make a U-turn after receiving the sad news four hours after the show’s scheduled kick-off time.

In what was a ‘silly’ technical blunder, organisers of the event had not clarified on the exact kick-off time on the poster from  which some people had to guess whether the 10:00 was for morning or evening.

One of the 10 people who pitched for the event, really by coincidence, a Mangise, had no kind words for the artistes and she had to force re-imbursement.

“Mr Journalist I do not want to waste my time explaining the kind of situation it was. For your own information, I had come with the intention to promote these guys, but my efforts ruined my day,” said visibly troubled Mangise.

“I do not think I will ever attend any show of this kind in the near future,” she added.

It was a bad day in the office for a couple of vendors who had thronged the event anticipating bumper profits.

The 10 people who had pitched for the gig had to be re-imbursed and left the venue angry and disappointed.

Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri recently described Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani’s Johanne Masowe weChishanu apostolic sect members, who turned violent and bashed police officers during a raid at the their Budiriro shrine in Harare, as “shameful, ungodly and loathsome” elements.

Addressing graduands at a police passout parade at Tomlison Depot in Harare, Chihuri said the police was deeply perturbed by the incident which displayed wilful disregard of the law by men and women of the cloth.

“What is apparently shocking about the reckless disregard for the law is that men and women of cloth are the perpetrators,” Chihuri said.

Vapostori attacking ZBC camera person (photo: Newsday).

“This contradiction is not only deplorable, but shameful, ungodly and loathsome.

“The attack on police officers doing the constitutional duties is the height of delinquent behaviour which should never find any breeding space in our country and is thus roundly condemned.”

Chihuri, an apostolic sect member himself, buttressed his admonishment of criminals by quoting the scriptures, saying citizens should subject themselves to lawful authority.

“Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed and those who resist will incur judgment,” he said.

Vapostori attacking Cops in Budiriro (photo: Newsday)

At least 36 members of the sect have been arrested over the incident and are still awaiting trial although Madzibaba Ishmael is reportedly still on the run.
Chihuri, however, applauded police for reducing the crime rate, but expressed concern over the surge in sexual offences.

“It is, however, disturbing to note that cases of rape involving juveniles increased as 1 494 cases were recorded between January and May 2014 compared to 1 384 cases received during the same period in 2013,” he said.

“I am pleased that the graduands before us undertook a rich and edifying catalogue of courses which among others, included the political history of Zimbabwe, human rights and policing and Domestic Violence Act.”

Prophetic and Healing Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Prophet Walter Magaya on Sunday revealed that there are people who are dragging his name in to the mud through telling lies about him and the church.

Speaking to thousands of pilgrims who attended a Big Sunday service at the church premises in Waterfalls on Sunday, Magaya and some delivered congregants said they are people who are following delivered people persuading them with money so that they speak lies about the church.

“There are some journalists who called me telling that I had beaten a person. That is not true, why would I beat a person and come to stand before you? I do not have power to beat people but I have power to pray. Someone goes to a police station and say it is Magaya,” he said.

The fast rising man of cloth told his followers to be careful of people who are following them after being delivered to tell lies about the church.

This he said after one of the delivered people Charity Makurumidze told the congregants that some man approached her and promised her ‘heaven on earth’ if she features in a video meant to destroy the prophet.

In her testimony Makurumidze, who claimed to have lived under the waters since she was 13 years and have powers to seduce and rip men off their money, said the men who drive expensive cars are promising her US$100 000 plus other expensive goods.

“After getting delivered I met three men in town who promised me money and a house if they record me in a video telling that the prophet is fake and not a man of God. They promised me $100 000 but I refused. They wanted me to lie to the world about Magaya,” said Makurumidze.

Adding to that, Magaya told the gathering that he heard seven cases of people targeting delivered souls to testify against him and the ministry. He said he will beef up security to track the people who are targeting the delivered followers.

“This is the seventh case over this issue, you will not be fighting against me but against your testimony. Anyway we will beef up the security so that we see who these people are,” Magaya told the congregants.

Meanwhile thousands of people throng the Waterfalls venue for the Big Sunday service where the man of cloth was distributing new anointing oil for free.

Police had a torrid time to disperse the crowd and people continued streaming in to delivered from the afflictions. Magaya took to the pulpit and told the congregants to call their relatives who outside that they should come on Wednesday for another service as the venue had run out of space.

Vapostori attacking Cops in Budiriro (photo: Newsday)

EMBATTLED members of the Johanne Masowe eChishanu have challenged the authority of Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) leader Bishop Johannes Ndanga and claims that the church leader is a representative of President Robert Mugabe.

The Vapostori threatened to approach the Constitutional Court if Ndanga does not lift the ban he purportedly imposed on their sect within the next five days.

At least seven anti-riot police officers, journalists and members of the ACCZ were seriously injured on May 30 this year when rowdy members of the sect attacked them.

The attack followed Ndanga’s announcement that the church, led by Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani, had been banned from operating in the country for alleged human rights abuses, including allowing fathers to test their daughters’ virginity.

But in a letter directed to Ndanga by the sect members’ lawyers Mbidzo, Muchadehama and Makoni Legal Practitioners, the Vapostori contend that the ban imposed by Ndanga infringed on their freedoms of conscience and religion which are guaranteed by the country’s Constitution.

“The sect also wants to know if Ndanga’s claim that he was representing the Presidium and that he was the representative of high offices in government were true,” the letter reads.

They also argued that Ndanga had no legal authority to ban their sect and the allegations raised against them were malicious.

They further contended that Ndanga had no basis to impose such a ban on their group because it was not affiliated to ACCZ.

“We are further instructed that you, within the same period of five days from the date of this letter, reverse the ban, failing which our clients will be left with no choice, but to approach the Constitutional Court for the restoration of their freedoms of conscience and religion,” the letter reads.

The Vapostori also want to know in what capacity Ndanga visited their Budiriro shrine where violence later broke out leading to the arrest of 35 sect members.

“We have been requested to demand as we hereby do that within five days of receiving this letter you advise us the authority under which you were acting when you visited the shrine, the legal basis for your order to ban our clients’ section,” the letter further reads.

The lawyers accused Ndanga of making embarrassing and unsubstantiated allegations against their clients including claims that the Vapostori were involved in polygamous marriages in which under-age girls were married off to elderly men.

Vapostori attacking ZBC camera person (photo: Newsday).

“Our clients advise us that they will not dignify your malicious allegations by responding to them in this letter, as such allegations are born out of a series of imaginations and hallucinations which you want the whole nation to believe.”

Ndanga confirmed receiving the letter and said his lawyers would respond in due course.

“We received the letter, but we have handed it over to our lawyers who are analysing it so that they can respond,” Ndanga said.

“The issues that are being raised are not why we had gone to the church. The lawyers are being misled. All that is in the letter is nothing of what we went to do there, but we will leave it to the lawyers to respond.”

At least 27 members of Johane Masowe eChishanu accused of assaulting police officers, journalists and ACCZ officials are currently facing violence charges and will be back in court on July 16 for routine remand hearing.

See related reading:

Cop-attack Vapostori a disgrace, Mujuru 

There is more to Budiriro police, vapostori clash 

The police and apostolic sect fiasco in Budiriro high-density suburb in Harare has resulted in as many jokes on the social media networks, yet the result of the State and religion interaction and friction could have far more negative consequences in relation to religious liberties and freedom of worship.

As a result of the actions by the Madzibaba Ishmael sect in Budiriro as well as other related allegations of abuse by the church leaders, there have been calls to ban or regulate churches.

This call, as has been argued by  the mainstream media elsewhere, is uncalled for and will only take Zimbabwe to the same level as some Middle Eastern countries where preferred religious practices, especially Islam, are enforced by the State and those of a different religious persuasion, especially Christians, persecuted.

Churches have been burnt; Christians arrested and killed in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Nigeria and other places.

In Sudan, a woman is in jail for marrying a Christian man and faces the hangman’s noose for her religious beliefs and love.

The essence of religion, which is to promote love and peace, is, therefore, lost when religion is enforced by the State and rights violated because the State prefers a particular religion over another.

The events in Zimbabwe over the past two years, where some religious leaders have been accused of rape, theft, self-enrichment and in the latest case outright criminality by beating up police and media workers, have ignited the debate as to whether the State has a role to play in religious matters.

My argument, and I think one shared by all other religious people, is that the State has absolutely no business in regulating religion in much the same way it does not regulate how many beers one takes and how beer drinkers and traditionalists spend money on their ancestors.

Religion and spiritual issues are central to social life within the realm of our various beliefs and contribute to one’s understanding of life, why we are here, where came from and where one is going in that life.

While others say they are neither Christian nor of any other known religious persuasions, the same probably hold some belief of sorts. Spirituality is something that everyone was internally built in them by the Creator, and even the atheist among us still believes in something.

Many of them read the horoscope in vain for guidance.
Traditionalists, on the other hand, reach out to the dead for guidance, even as the dead cannot hear them nor wake up from their graves to participate in the world of the living. It is on the basis of an appreciation of our diverse spirituality that respect for such differences must be maintained.

The State cannot, therefore, seek to control one aspect of religious beliefs which is Christianity and not control the beliefs of the traditionalists who equally in their wisdom or lack of it spend money pouring beer on the ground in libations to the dead and kill as many cattle in honour of the dead.

Will the State ask bars and other beer outlets to regulate the foolishness of the beer drinker, who spends all his income on beer as much as it seeks to regulate the foolishness of someone who gives all their money to a pastor ostensibly to be blessed and get the latest car on the market?

If there are churches that are making money out of the foolishness of people, then let it be so, as there are as many bars making money out of the foolishness of men and women.

Giving money maybe therapeutic and spiritually gratifying to the giver. A distinction has to be made between  outright criminality, be it raping fellow church congregants men or women, denying medical treatment to children who cannot make decisions on their own, denying education to children, women, or spousal abuse and the beating up law enforcement agents.

The raping of women in church and the Budiriro violence are criminal and not religious acts and must thus be treated as much. These events must and cannot form a basis to regulate churches as is being proposed.

In the same vein, the activities of Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe’s (ACCZ) Johannes Ndanga, who has assumed the role of regulating churches, is to be stopped forthwith.

Ndanga’s ACCZ, as reported by a local daily on May 31, “has no legal mandate to issue judgments and enforce its orders because it is not a court of law”. It is therefore sinister how and why the police escorted him to the apostolic sect shrine in Budiriro to “ban” the church reportedly because of abuse of women and what Ndanga called evil practices by the church leaders.

If the story was the abuse of women and children, and denial of treatment, then the police should have investigated and taken action without involving Ndanga and his grouping. Ndanga is therefore violating the constitutional rights of citizens of Zimbabwe to freedom of worship and religious liberties and should be stopped.

Ndanga, in his wisdom or lack of it, is trying to bring in the State into religious matters by seeking the support of the security sector to enforce his erroneous “judgement”. He must be reminded that judgment belongs to God and it will come at the appointed time. Ndanga is usurping the role of the police to investigate criminal matters and arrest those at fault.

If the police had been doing their job, then the Budiriro incident would not have happened. Noting the above, it is safe to conclude that religion and spirituality cannot be enforced by the State without violating citizen’s rights to freedom of worship and religious liberty.

On religion, divided we stand.

The newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Zimbabwe, His Excellence Archbishop Marek Zalewski, has now arrived in Harare to assume his duties. He arrived last Thursday to a warm welcome at the airport by members of the local Church, and officers from the ministry of Foreign affairs.

The newly appointed Nuncio takes over from Archbishop George Kocherry who moved to Bangladesh towards the end of last year.

Archbishop Marek Zalewski was met at the airport by the Secretary to the Nuncio, Fr John the Baptist, as well as archbishops Robert Ndlovu (Harare), and Alex Thomas (Bulawayo). Other bishops who welcomed him at the airport are +Alex Muchabaiwa (Mutare), +Xavier Munyongani, and + Angel Floro who came all the way from Gokwe.

Speaking at a welcome reception held at the Nunciature in honour of the new Nuncio, Fr John Baptist was grateful that, after 10 months of waiting for a Nuncio, Archbishop Marek Zalewski has finally arrived.

“In the first week of September 2013, when Archbishop George Kocherry left for Bangladesh, this pontifical household was left in darkness. The head was going, leaving behind inexperienced staff who did not know anything about diplomatic functions.

“The vacuum created by the departure affected to a greater extent the ecclesiastical function of this mission hence there are a number of pending issues in our trays. We thank God that the era of darkness and uncertainty is coming to an end. We thank the Holy Father and God for the gift of the new Nuncio.”

Speaking at the same occasion, Archbishop Ndlovu said:

“The wait has come to an end and we have now joy. The announcement of the new Nuncio was made on the day of the Annunciation, (25 March) and we felt it was a befitting day for the good news.  Last month when we were at the Vatican as Zimbabwean Bishops meeting the Pope, that’s when you were made Archbishop and we remembered to pray for you.

“We hope that your coming, with a lot of experience that you have had in different missions, will add value to our local Church.

“We have a lot to learn from you, and through interacting with all of us, you will soon know well the Church in Zimbabwe. We look forward to the day when we will invite you to our individual dioceses and there, you will come face to face with the people and also experience their warmth in one way or the other.

The Archbishop of Harare was also kind in his praise of Monsignor John the Baptist who had held fort at the Nunciature in the absence of a substantive Head.

“Monsignor has spoken about the “darkness” they experienced in the last 10 months without a Nuncio here, but I must say you have a very good secretary. He did quite well, I like his humility. He is a good John the Baptist who wants to decrease at the right time and point to the one who has come.

“On behalf of all Zimbabweans and on behalf of the local Church and the Archdiocese of Harare where you shall be a member, I say welcome.

The reception was attended by Superiors of Major Religious Congregations working in Zimbabwe, including Jesuit Provincial, Fr Stephen Buckland S.J.

Pope Francis apologised on behalf of the Church to victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy during Mass held at the Vatican last Monday.

The mass was attended by some of the victims of sexual abuse, as well as families and members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The Pope later met 6 of the abuse victims for discussions and sharing.

During the Mass, the Holy Father bemoaned the betrayed trust by members of the clergy, as well as the silence of the church when all these violations were taking place.

He also prayed for grace to be able to work tirelessly and make sure the Church does not in any way again shield and protect people who commit the despicable crimes, because “for some time now I have felt in my heart deep pain and suffering.

Pope Francis said “..As I look at you, and think of so many men and women, boys and girls…I ask for the grace to weep, the grace for the Church to weep and make reparation for her sons and daughters who betrayed their mission, who abused innocent persons. Today, I am very grateful to you for having travelled so far to come here.

“And those few who began to weep have touched our conscience for this crime and grave sin. This is what causes me distress and pain at the fact that some priests and bishops, by sexually abusing minors, violated their innocence and their own priestly vocation. It is something more than despicable actions. It is like a sacrilegious cult, because these boys and girls had been entrusted to the priestly charism in order to be brought to God. And those people sacrificed them to the idol of their own concupiscence. They profane the very image of God in whose likeness we were created,” he said.

He added: “I know that these wounds are a source of deep and often unrelenting emotional and spiritual pain, and even despair. Many of those who have suffered in this way have also sought relief in the path of addiction. Others have experienced difficulties in significant relationships, with parents, spouses and children. Suffering in families has been especially grave, since the damage provoked by abuse affects these vital family relationships.

“Some have even had to deal with the terrible tragedy of the death of a loved one by suicide. The deaths of these so beloved children of God weigh upon the heart and my conscience and that of the whole Church. To these families I express my heartfelt love and sorrow.”

“Sins of clerical sexual abuse against minors have a toxic effect on faith and hope in God. Some of you have held fast to faith, while for others the experience of betrayal and abandonment has led to a weakening of faith in God. Your presence here speaks of the miracle of hope, which prevails against the deepest darkness. Surely it is a sign of God’s mercy that today we have this opportunity to encounter one another, to adore God, to look in one another’s eyes and seek the grace of reconciliation.

“Before God and his people I express my sorrow for the sins and grave crimes of clerical sexual abuse committed against you. And I humbly ask forgiveness.

“I beg your forgiveness, too, for the sins of omission on the part of Church leaders who did not respond adequately to reports of abuse made by family members, as well as by abuse victims themselves. This led to even greater suffering on the part of those who were abused and it endangered other minors who were at risk.

“On the other hand, the courage that you and others have shown by speaking up, by telling the truth, was a service of love, since for us it shed light on a terrible darkness in the life of the Church. There is no place in the Church’s ministry for those who commit these abuses, and I commit myself not to tolerate harm done to a minor by any individual, whether a cleric or not. All bishops must carry out their pastoral ministry with the utmost care in order to help foster the protection of minors, and they will be held accountable,” the pope said.

The Pope also challenged the church to exercise vigilance in priestly formation and to make sure that all minors, whatever religion they belong to, are not exposed to abuse. He said there is need for “better policies and procedures in the universal Church for the protection of minors and for the training of church personnel in implementing those policies and procedures.”.

The Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi, Archbishop Julio Murat officially opened Zambia’s eighth Catholic owned radio station, Radio Kabangabanga, on 28 June 2014.

The official opening of the radio station in Zambia came not as a surprise as the country, prior to that, had 7 other thriving Catholic community radio stations.

The volunteers have not been idle in their waiting for a broadcasting licence, and they are on a mobilisation tour of parishes every weekend where they are engaging fellow Catholics on the functions and potential benefits of the Catholic radio station.

Parishioners should pull resources together in order to sustain religious men and women of God who have committed themselves to do the work of God, Archbishop Ndlovu has said.

Speaking to hundreds of parishioners who converged for Mubatanidzwa (guilds get together) Ndlovu said its high time local people that local people support priests instead of them being supported by foreign countries.

“Gone are the days when the welfare of our priests was the responsibility of people from far away countries. Local parishioners should pull resources together to support the religious men and women daily working for them…” Archbishop Ndlovu has said.

The guilds get together was meant to fundraise for tuition and other and other support for seminarians in Harare.

The event was held at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe and ran under the theme “The responsibilities of a family in the life of the priests and nuns.”

The fundraising initiative was a response to the sorry financial situation at the seminary in Harare.

The institution that trains diocesan priests for Zimbabwe and Botswana has not been spared the economic challenges bedeviling the whole country. The infrastructure at the seminary is in a sorry state and feeding the students is also a tall order at the place.

Addressing the gathered men and women at the Catholic University, the archbishop first thanked “God for the vocations in our country, and also for the faith that bears fruit in these vocations.”

Ndlovu went on to challenge the faithful to change their mindset when it comes to the welfare of priests and nuns.

“In the olden days, we used to get missionary priests without knowing where and how they were born, where they trained to become priests, and who provided for their meals and upkeep as they worked for us here?

“We used to think priest are not ordinary human beings like us. It was so because even the seminaries were no go areas for most of us. We would just say the bishop takes care of everything.

“That was bad because it even made the priest feel different and special, way better than ordinary human beings who they are supposed to serve.

“Now the seminary is like an open book and I invite you to go and see the conditions the seminarians live under. I thank some of you for the support that you have been giving to the seminarians ever since you visited the seminary” he said.

The archbishop also addressed families that have given the church priests and nuns, edging them to keep supporting their relatives, and not give up simply because their family member has joined the seminary.

“In other countries, parents pay for their child’s seminary tuition, just like they do at university. We don’t have to celebrate when a child joins religious life and we say ‘one burden removed.”

“I am surprised that a seminarian comes to the seminary and has no lotion or toothpaste. I wonder whether such seminarians have parents or not.

He further encouraged parishioners to get responsibility of their priests.

The Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi, Archbishop Julio Murat, recently officially opened Zambia’s eighth Catholic owned radio station, Radio Kabangabanga.

The official opening of the radio station in Zambia came not as a surprise as the country, prior to that, had 7 other thriving Catholic community radio stations.

The licensing of Radio Kabangabanga in the Diocese of Solwezi, Zambia is testimony to how both the Zambian government and the Church have found community radio as a useful tool for development and evangelisation.

The development also dovetails well into the recommendations from the recent Synod on New Evangelisation which challenged the church to make extensive use of digital media for evangelisation.

The developments in Zambia can only draw envy from their neighbours, Zimbabwe who are battling against all odds to have community radios licenced.

The Zimbabwean government has never licenced community radios despite there being enabling legislation for the operation of community radios in the country. There are up to 20 community radio initiatives in Zimbabwe that have been fighting with the government for licences in the last 15 years.

One of the Radio Initiatives strongly pushing for a licence is Radio Chiedza, a Jesuits led initiative in Harare. Chiedza means “light.”

The initiative has been ‘clearing the ground’ since October 2013 and is positioning itself for a broadcasting licence once the government decides to allow community broadcasters on air. So far, a huge number of Catholics mainly in Harare have registered as volunteers to help the station in creating content as well as creating avenues for fundraising.

The volunteers have not been idle in their waiting for a broadcasting licence, and they are on a mobilisation tour of parishes every weekend where they are engaging fellow Catholics on the functions and potential benefits of the Catholic radio station.

APOSTOLIC Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) leader Bishop Johannes Ndanga says he is shocked by the accusations made by members of the Johanne Masowe eChishanu to the effect that he banned the apostolic sect from conducting church activities.

The Vapostori, through their lawyers Obey Shava and Andrew Makoni of Mbidzo, Muchadehama last week threatened to approach the Constitutional Court if Ndanga did not, within five days, lift the ban he purportedly imposed on their sect.

But in response to the Vapostori, Ndanga denied banning the apostolic sect and accused the Vapostori lawyers of misleading their clients.

The ACCZ leader charged that he had visited the Johanne Masowe eChishanu shrine in Budiriro high density suburb at the “command” of the Zimbabwe Republic Police who were probing the activities of the apostolic sect which stands accused of violating women and children’s rights.

Ndanga’s lawyers said the ACCZ leader never made allegations against the Vapostori except the accusations which the police were investigating.

“Our client believes that your clients, some of whom are fugitives from justice, are hallucinating in a bid to manufacture a case out of nothing and as a publicity gimmick that people are divorced from the issues which the police are investigating against them,” reads the letter.

Recently in a letter directed to Ndanga, sect members said the ban imposed by Ndanga infringed on their freedoms of conscience and religion which were guaranteed by the country’s Constitution and wanted him to lift the ban.

The sect also challenged Ndanga to prove that he was representing President Robert Mugabe and others members of the Presidium when he purportedly banned the church.

They also argued that Ndanga had no legal authority to ban their sect and the allegations raised against them were malicious.

At least seven anti-riot police officers, journalists and members of the ACCZ were seriously injured on May 30 this year when rowdy members of the sect attacked them.

At least nine churches recently participated in the choral competitions hosted by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches Budiriro fraternal Community in partnership with Heal Zimbabwe Trust.

The competition which took place at the Anglican Church in Budiriro 2 brought diverse community members from 9 different churches in Budiriro.

Some of the churches that participated are The Salvation Army, Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, CPCA Anglican Church, Reformed Church of Zimbabwe and United Church of Christ Zimbabwe.

The choral competitions are an annual contest where different churches that fall under the Zimbabwe Council of Churches Budiriro fraternal community come together and compete in choral competitions with the objective of fostering a culture of peace and tolerance in the community.

“The initiative comes against a backdrop of violent clashes in Budiriro in June between members of the Apostolic Sect and the police. The platform presented an opportunity for interaction and promotion of non violent resolution of community conflicts.

“Churches in the past have been used as mediums of conflict resolutions in communities but of late reports of intra and inter party conflicts have been reported hence the need to make strides towards bringing churches together as community torch bearers who champion peaceful coexistences amongst communities,” reads part of the statement by Heal Zimbabwe.

The partnership is part of Heal Zimbabwe’s strategy of building synergies with local community peace building structures for the promotion of sustainable peace. The initiative will be  spread to other areas especially rural areas which are most affected by political polarization and intolerance acknowledging that churches can play a pivotal role in uniting communities.

Married priests? I am one. As a former Anglican minister, I have been ordained as a Catholic priest under a special measure called the Pastoral Provision. Through this process a married man who has been ordained in the Anglican (and sometimes Lutheran and Methodist churches) is granted a dispensation from the vow of celibacy in order to be ordained as a Catholic priest.

Therefore I am frequently asked, “Father, you are so good with the children, and you understand marriage first hand. Don’t you think the church should allow priests to marry?”

First of all there are some distinctions to be made. Celibacy for priests is a discipline of the church, not a doctrine. That is why exceptions can be made and the rule could be changed.

However, if it is changed that doesn’t mean that priests can be married. The Church continues to uphold the fine and ancient tradition of priestly celibacy and a priest has taken a vow of celibacy which is lifelong and cannot be broken.

The Eastern Orthodox discipline is that married men may be ordained, but priests may not marry. In other words, if you’re already married you may be considered for ordination, but if you’re an unmarried priest you may not marry. This would seem to be in accord with St Paul’s instructions to single men that they “remain as he is” (I Cor. 7.25-27) and his instructions to Timothy on the other hand, that bishops and deacons should be the husband of one wife.(I Tim. 3) That is to say men who are already married to only one woman (he forbids polygamy) may be considered worthy of ordination. It is the discipline of the Western Church that clerics are celibate, but it is a discipline which could be changed. Paul himself says in I Cor. 7.25 that his opinion that the unmarried remain so is not mandated from the Lord, and implies that it could be changed. Should it be changed? Should we allow married men to be ordained?

It would certainly seem, at first glance, to solve a lot of problems, not only in the developed countries where, arguably, the mandatory vow of celibacy is one of the greatest deterrents to increased vocations, but it would also be a great help in Africa where celibacy is culturally unheard of. It might also help to solve some problems of the modern priesthood in the West. So many of our priests are isolated and alone and a huge number of problems surround the men who struggle with celibacy. So is the answer to allow married men to be ordained?

Not necessarily. Having married priests would certainly help the vocations crisis, and married men might relate better to married people. However, believing that married priests are the answer assumes that they are mature, happily married men. With a bit of reflection we can all see that marriage in and of itself does not automatically make a man mature, self giving and happy.

In my experience of married clergy in both the Evangelical Churches and the Anglican Church marriage is not the magic bullet for the lack of vocations. Having married clergy will not necessarily solve the vocations crisis, nor will it necessarily improve the priestly ministry, and it certainly won’t be the solution to the priestly sex abuse problem.

Remember married men are not perfect. Married clergymen are often workaholics. Many married clergymen are immature. Some married clergymen have sexual problems just like celibate men do. Married clergymen have drink problems. Married clergymen struggle with porn and same sex attraction and abuse children. When a clergy marriage breaks down it is usually disastrous and scandalous and the hurt and pain ripple right through the whole church. I don’t mean to paint a horrible picture of married clergy–just reminding people that it’s not all quite as happy and wonderful as they seem to think.

There are other practical problems. Catholics say they want married clergy, but do they want to pay for them? As a married man with a family I get by because I earn an extra income through my writing and speaking. In addition to this my wife runs her own business. Not all married priests and their families can do this.

When it comes to the financial aspects of having married priests many Catholics who are in favor of married priests forget that a young priest and his wife will be living by all the teachings of the Catholic Church. That means they will not be using artificial contraception. If they’re young and fertile they will have a large family. Do Catholics really want to provide a rectory and the income for a family of 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12? It’s not really cheaper by the dozen.

These questions are only part of a larger and very complicated matter. Before anyone changes the existing discipline every angle and possibility needs to be considered. The complex situation of the church in the developing world needs to be taken into account as much as the demands in the wealthy West.

Yes, there are problems with celibacy for priests. Believe me, there will be equal or greater problems if we have married clergy.

Harare archbishop, His Grace Robert Christopher Ndlovu has said the faithful must play a watchdog role in the life of seminarians to avoid his office ordaining people who are full of scandals.

The archbishop was speaking to members of various adult guilds at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe on the eve of Vocations Sunday.

His call comes in the wake of an increase in cases of unbecoming behavior by priests and other religious leaders in the local media.

The archbishop pleaded with the faithful to always report wayward behavior especially amongst the seminarians when they are on pastoral assignments. He said the reports would help them in their assessments of who should be ordained a priest.

“Help me please, even when it comes to the selection of those who must be ordained priests. You witness a lot of unbecoming behaviour at your parishes but you often keep quiet.

“I know in one diocese, a seminarian went for pastoral work and he got involved there with a girl. The parents of the girl and those of the seminarian are seasoned Catholics, but they decided to play things underground. They negotiated between the families’ dowry for the girl and it was paid, but shockingly, they also decided that the seminarian must continue with his vocation at the seminary,” He said.

Ndlovu added: “Even the other parishioners from their parish knew the secret but somehow kept quiet.

“The young man was eventually ordained a priest. But as you know, old habits die hard, he continued with his scandalous life but this time, people were saying the bishop has a problem to deal with yet all along, they knew about the issues but kept quiet.

“At times we are too polite for nothing. Some things must be exposed for the love of the church. You must ask yourselves always whether you are ready to accept the same individuals you are protecting to be your parish priest one day.”