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Pope's representative tours Victoria Falls
05 Jul 2024 at 16:35hrs | Views
Archbishop Janusz Stanislaw Urbańczyk, the newly appointed Roman Catholic Church's Apostolic Nuncio to Zimbabwe, visited Victoria Falls on Wednesday as part of a three-day tour of the Hwange Diocese. His visit includes launching the Year of Prayer today, marking a period of intensified spiritual activities and community engagements within the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe. This visit emphasizes the church's commitment to fostering faith and unity among its members.
Appointed by Pope Francis earlier this year, Archbishop Urbańczyk fills a position that had been vacant since July last year. He previously served as the permanent representative of the Holy See to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna and has experience in Bolivia, Slovakia, New Zealand, Kenya, and the United Nations. He is on a tour of Zimbabwe's eight dioceses and has already visited the Archdiocese of Harare and the Gweru Diocese.
During his visit to Hwange, Archbishop Urbańczyk will participate in the Diocesan Pastoral Council mid-year AGM and Presbyteral AGM and preside over the mini-Eucharist Congress at St Mary's Marian Shrine. He was warmly welcomed by Bishop Raphael Ncube, priests, and church members upon his arrival at Victoria Falls International Airport. He visited three parishes in Victoria Falls, interacted with church members, and prayed for them.
The visit aligns with the Government's initiative to promote religious tourism. Bishop Ncube emphasized the joy brought by the Apostolic Nuncio's visit and mentioned the proclamation of the Jubilee Year 2025 by Pope Francis. The Year of the Eucharist has been proclaimed in the Hwange Diocese, and all Catholics in the Diocese are expected to gather at the Marian Shrine today for the launch.
Archbishop Urbańczyk encouraged church members to remain united and respect elders, emphasizing the importance of being open to Jesus' presence in their lives. He also visited St Josephine Bakhita, where construction work is underway to expand the school and church building. The school, opened in 2013, faces challenges in feeding vulnerable children, particularly due to the El Nino-induced drought, and provides supplementary feeding twice a week.
From Victoria Falls, Archbishop Urbańczyk and his delegation left for Hwange to attend the pastoral AGM, involving various diocesan councils and meetings.
Appointed by Pope Francis earlier this year, Archbishop Urbańczyk fills a position that had been vacant since July last year. He previously served as the permanent representative of the Holy See to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna and has experience in Bolivia, Slovakia, New Zealand, Kenya, and the United Nations. He is on a tour of Zimbabwe's eight dioceses and has already visited the Archdiocese of Harare and the Gweru Diocese.
During his visit to Hwange, Archbishop Urbańczyk will participate in the Diocesan Pastoral Council mid-year AGM and Presbyteral AGM and preside over the mini-Eucharist Congress at St Mary's Marian Shrine. He was warmly welcomed by Bishop Raphael Ncube, priests, and church members upon his arrival at Victoria Falls International Airport. He visited three parishes in Victoria Falls, interacted with church members, and prayed for them.
Archbishop Urbańczyk encouraged church members to remain united and respect elders, emphasizing the importance of being open to Jesus' presence in their lives. He also visited St Josephine Bakhita, where construction work is underway to expand the school and church building. The school, opened in 2013, faces challenges in feeding vulnerable children, particularly due to the El Nino-induced drought, and provides supplementary feeding twice a week.
From Victoria Falls, Archbishop Urbańczyk and his delegation left for Hwange to attend the pastoral AGM, involving various diocesan councils and meetings.
Source - The Chronicle
