The Sunday Mail
Alvin Zhakata – Religion Correspondent
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Harare is in the grip of anxiety following the Pastoral Council’s decision to freeze all choral activities, meaning choirs from the church could miss out on national music competitions.
“Irreconcilable differences” between the Archdiocese’s composers’ association and composers’ association left the Pastoral Council with no option but that to suspend all choral activities.
The Pastoral Council is a consultative body in dioceses and parishes of the Roman Catholic Church that advises priests and/or bishops about pastoral issues. Its main purpose is to investigate, reflect and make recommendations to priests and/or bishops.
The composers’ association monitors and approves Catholic sacred hymns while the conductors association organises events such as music competitions.
“All events to do with choirs in the Archdiocese have been suspended with immediate effect pending the crafting of a consolidated constitution which seeks to reunite people is put in place”, the Pastoral Council said in a statement.
Choral events in the Catholic Church include music courses, competitions and practice among others.
Mr Victor Mudzviti, the conductors’ organising secretary, said activities would only resume after a consolidated constitution that united all members had been crafted.
He lamented that the Archdiocese of Harare’s choirs risked missing national music competitions if the constitution was not crafted and adopted quickly.
“After Easter holidays, we shall hold a crucial meeting and the pastoral council will send representatives to gather what we as conductors wish to see in the constitution”.
Catholic music competitions are among the biggest events in the archdiocese, pulling crowds of over 15 000 at a time.
Alvin Zhakata writes is a Roman Catholic Church member
