Bishop Mutume – loved in life and death

19 Feb, 2017 - 00:02 0 Views
Bishop Mutume – loved in life and death The late Bishop Mutume pose for a picture with two attendees of the Carmelite Sisters Golden Jubilee Celebrations at Mother House, Yeovil in Mutare.

The Sunday Mail

Dominic Satumba Religion Correspondent
IN some African beliefs, if rain falls during a funeral procession, the deceased will go to heaven.

In Christian settings, rain is associated with God’s blessings (Psalm 84:6; 147:8) and favour toward humanity (Hosea 6:3).

Since rain benefits all, it is metaphorically associated with the just king who is a blessing to all, and nurtures life instead of threatening it. (2 Sam. 23:4)

That same association can be likened to the life and death of the late auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mutare, Right Reverend Patrick Mumbure Mutume.

During his Episcopal ordination, there was a heavy downpour on that beautiful Sunday as well as when thousands waited for his burial at Triashill Mission.

Bishop Mutume was born on October 13, 1943 ordained to priesthood on September 3, 1972; appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Mutare March 15, 1979); and consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Mutare on June 17, 1979. He died in February 2017 after battling kidney failure for more than eight years. (He lived on dialysis.)

The 15 000-seat capacity Sakubva Stadium was filled to the brim on his ordination.

On his death, thousands stayed awake during the funeral night vigil at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Mutare, thousands thronged the funeral mass held in his honour at St Dominic’s High School grounds, and thousands waited for his burial at Triashill Mission Cemetery. Not pure coincidence!

This all has a meaning for the larger-than-life character of Bishop Mutume.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Archbishop Marek Zalewski; Archbishop of Harare, Most Reverend Robert Ndhlovu; Gweru Diocese Bishop Right Rev Xavier Munyongani; Bishop Emeritus of Mutare, Alexio Muchabaiwa; Bishop Emeritus of Gokwe, Angelo Floro; Bishop Elect of Gokwe, Monsignor Rudolf Nyandoro; Bishop Emeritus of Gweru, Martin Munyanyi; Vicar-General of Masvingo Diocese Father Walter Nyatsanza; Vicar-General of Harare, Fr Kennedy Muguti; secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Fr Frederick Chiromba; and several priests and sisters attended the funeral.

Bishops from other churches, including Trevor Manhanga of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe and retired Anglican Church Bishop Sebastian Bakare were also present.

So likeable was the shepherd.

His sheep knew him. He literally knew all his sheep and he called them by name. He was the modern day bishop Pope Francis wants for the Church — a bishop who lives for the people, and with the people. A shepherd who smells like his sheep!

Bishop Mutume broke the rule book of a conventional bishop. He was not the strict orthodox or of the straight jacket type. He broke the distance barrier between some pastors and their followers. He was not only a man of the people, but also a voice for the people.

Bishop Mutume lived for justice. He lived for fairness. He lived for peace.

He never told his followers to do one thing while he did another. He walked the talk.

He was inspired by Fr Conal Collier. “Sakubva and Dangamvura owe it to Fr Collier, he single-handedly worked to spread the gospel in these two residential areas.

He had a vision for the Church, and that caught up with me as well while I was still in primary school,” said Bishop Mutume.

He assumed many leadership roles under the ZCBC . At one time he was bishop president of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace; and bishop president in charge of the Guilds and all the Laity.

He is credited with organising the first ever Zimbabwe Council for the Laity All-People’s Conference at Borrowdale Race Course, Harare in 2012.

In his homily during the funeral mass at St Dominic’s, Rt Rev Munyongani described the late bishop as someone who fought for the rights of people since the liberation war.

“Sekuru Mutume sacrificed a lot for this country and for this Diocese considering that Mutare is a very difficult Diocese to lead. We have to pay back for Mutume’s sacrifices by being faithful to God. No going back to n’angas and wearing charms when other people are sacrificing their lives for us,” said Rt Rev Munyongani.

He said Bishop Mutume never grew weary in faith even when he was having dialysis three times a week, encouraging people to emulate him.

Bishop Mutume did not hesitate to delve into politics, although he denied being a politician. He always encouraged Catholics to join politics.

“Members of the church should join political parties to instil good morals and teachings of the church. It is the only way we can preach peace and the love of good, from within.”

During the Second Chimurenga, he embarked on numerous rescue operations in war zones like Avilla and Nyanyadzi, “Even almost driving in my sleeping gown to go and evacuate Nuns in these missions who were under threat from the soldiers”.

He mediated, with other church leaders, in the aftermath of the disputed June 2008 elections.

The role he played in the pre and post-Independence Zimbabwe did not go unnoticed as four ministers — Patrick Chinamasa (Finance), Ignatius Chombo (Home Affairs), Joseph Made (Agriculture) and Mandi Chimene (Manicaland Provincial Affairs) — attended his funeral mass.

Bishop Mutume embraced all people — Catholics, Pentecostals, Traditionalists — and the young and the old, and the rich and the poor. He always took time for people.

The bishop had a propensity to shoot from the hip, sometimes even discarding “decency”.

At one time he told off the Catholic Church’s Charismatic Renewal Group for claiming to be saintly or spiritually superior to others.

Like any other earthly being, Mutume had his flaws, he made some wrong judgments and decisions.

Bishop Mutume is definitely in the embrace of the Queen of Heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God and Mother of the Church, whom he loved so much.

He loved Mary with a passion, the same passion which spurred him to work tirelessly for the unification of the different Marian guilds in Zimbabwe.

And as the rain that poured on his ordination and then burial symbolises cleansing and healing — the same rain brought forth a new life for Mutume. A new life in Heaven! Enjoy your share of the Kingdom of Heaven, Sekuru Mutume!

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