The centre was establised 2017
To be a Catholic Church living in communion and participating in the Mission of Christ for the salvation of all.
The Diocese of Gweru was erected in 1955 and the first bishop was Rt. Rev. Alois Haene. When he retired, Rt. Rev. Tobias Chiginya succeeded him in 1977 and became the first local man to head the diocese after it had been under the Society of Missionaries of Bethlehem, a Swiss Missionary Congregation. Rt. Rev. Tobias Chiginya died in a car accident and was succeeded by Rt. Rev. Francis Mugadzi, another diocesan priest, who passed on in 2004 after a long illness. When Bishop Mugadzi was the Local ordinary the diocese was divided into two, giving birth to the new diocese of Masvingo. This development left the diocese of Gweru without a pastoral and Training centre as the Gokomere Pastoral and training centre automatically falls to the newly erected diocese of Masvingo. Many attempts were made in finding the suitable location for the pastoral and training centre. some of the locations suggested back then were, Lalapanzi, Regina mundi, mambo press, cathedral open site to mention but a few. in 2004 Bishop Mugadzi died and was succeeded by Rt. Rev. Martin Munyanyi who retired on grounds of poor health and later passed on in 2022. Bishop Munyani seeing the need for the pastoral centre tried his best to establish the desired centre. unfortunately he retired without the fulfillment of his desire. Bishop Xavier J. Munyongani succeeded Bishop Munyanyi. It was bishop Munyongani who after a long struggle of his predecessors to finding the suitable place for the pastoral centre identified Lot 2 of Gainsborough of West Gwelo Block as the site for the Pastoral centre for Gweru Diocese. This piece of Land is 21, 7518 hectares, about 8km from the city centre along Bulawayo Road. In preparation for major open space events Bishop Munyongani through the help from Cardinal Vincent drilled the borehole and installed water pipes. As a welcoming gesture to this noble cause the faithful of gweru diocese embraced this noble dream a committee was formed to spear head the construction of the pastoral centre. This committee zealously engages different fund raising campaigns which proved successful. The Diocese got further help from the Pontificium opus a Propagatione Fidei (POPF). From this subsidy and the local contribution of the faithful an ablution block was constructed in 2017. The 21 Hectare land was put a perimeter fence, and all was set for ground breaking ceremony. Unfortunately Bishop Munyongani was promoted to eternally glory the very week the ground breaking ceremony was to be conducted. From the moment of his death the zeal for the construction of the pastoral centre seemed to have withered away. It is worth to mention that while the energy seemed to have faded away the administration of the time managed to keep the spirit burning. Bishop Munyongani was succeeded by Rt. Rev. Bishop Redolf Nyandoro by installation. Bishop Nyandoro is the sixth local ordinary of Gweru Diocese. On his shoulder apart the administration of sacraments and pastoral work are two major projects, the Shrine project and the Pastoral Centre Project. When he came into office, the diocese was running behind the Shrine project. He embraced this noble cause and embraced the pastoral centre project. As a way of embracing the Pastoral centre project, the Bishop appointed Pastoral centre director to see to it the construction of the pastoral centre and reviving other small projects there. The bishop through local funding installed Solar system to power the borehole which was using generator power for irrigation at the pastoral centre. Presently, through Papal Foundation grant, the Pastoral centre Priest House is under construction. The diocese feels very much in need for a tool like the pastoral centre in order to improve the formation of priests, religious and lay faithful through spiritual nourishment like retreats, and congresses. The New Pastoral Centre will have a measurable impact most of all in the field of formation of both priest and pastoral workers.
The Priest House Construction
Papal Foundation Grant-Project no. 109/22. The diocese extends its gratitude to the Papal Foundation for the initial grant towards the construction of the Priest House. This is the first major structure. Far and wide people of Good will you are welcome to donate in cash and kind towards this noble cause.
Pastoral Centre History and background
Stage One of the Construction [Substructure-Setting out up to Slab Level] {Completed}
Architectural plan designs were done and approved. Contractor contracted and agreement signed. The contractor moved in and setting out was done and approved by inspectors from Vungu Council.
Building materials for stage one were purchased and delivered to the site. Foundation trenching (Excavation was done and approved for the next stage.). Engineering inspection was done and approved before footing. Reinforced footing was laid with 42.5 cement.
Box construction and removal of the top soil was done and inspection by the council done. Back filling and compaction completed
Floor slab was done successfully
The Second stage is mainly brickwork. The structure is now at the Window height awaiting the ringbeam
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