The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC) 2025 Plenary Assembly was officially opened at Manna Resort in Harare with a solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by the ZCBC President, His Lordship Bishop Paul Horan, O. Carm.
The assembly is being held under the theme, “Reigniting the Flames of Hope in the Synodal Journey.”
The opening Mass was animated by seminarians from Ss. John Fisher and Thomas More National Seminary, who brought the liturgy to life with their spirited singing.
Addressing the congregation during the Mass, Bishop Horan reflected deeply on the Christian meaning of suffering. “Suffering is part of human life and experience. Jesus experienced the execution reserved for the worst criminals of his time. He submitted to that because he believed that this is what the Father had asked him to do for something great, the salvation of all God’s children.”
“The pain and experience were awful for Jesus, not only on the physical level but also on the psychological and spiritual level, but he was strengthened by the good that would come from his suffering.”
“The experience of Jesus is a great consolation for us, especially in times of suffering. Like Jesus, like Stephen, and every other human being here on earth, we experience suffering of different kinds. But for a Christian, a follower of Christ, you can overcome these experiences and grow through them. If we don’t have some experience suffering, we will not grow.”
Following the Mass, the ZCBC President officially opened the Plenary Assembly and welcomed all delegates. He reiterated the conference’s commitment to the synodal journey and the need to renew hope among the faithful.
Bishop Raphael Mwape, representing the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops, presented a solidarity message from his conference. The opening session featured solidarity messages from the Episcopal Conferences of Malawi and Zambia. These three national conferences—Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—comprise the Association of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (ACBC-MAZAZI), a newly formed sub-regional body aimed at strengthening pastoral cooperation and evangelisation efforts.
Bishop Martin Mtumbuka, President of the Malawi Catholic Bishops’ Conference, appealed to his counterparts from Zambia and Zimbabwe to intensify collaborative efforts.
“We should all, the three of us, strengthen our commitment to enhancing pastoral collaboration through joint initiatives and shared programs in areas like providing primary evangelisation, sound catechesis, effective pastoral care and formation programs.”
Some of the objectives discussed during the assembly include:
– Revamping Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) desks across dioceses to engage actively in promoting social justice.
– Integrating Catholic Social Teaching into catechesis to form socially responsible citizens.
– Empowering the laity to participate meaningfully in civic and political life.
– Reforming and adapting educational curricula at Catholic institutions such as the Catholic University in Zimbabwe, Arrupe Jesuit University, and Bondolfi Teachers’ College.
– Renewing seminary formation programs to reflect the evolving needs of society and the Church.
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ) concluded the day’s sessions with a presentation titled “Prospects for Reconciliation, Integration, and Healing Efforts in Zimbabwe,” addressing the country’s ongoing quest for national healing and peacebuilding.
