The Sunday Mail
Alvin Zhakata
CATHOLICS in the Archdiocese of Harare on Tuesday launched the Catholic Professionals Network of Zimbabwe.
The launch was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor of the Catholic University of Zimbabwe, Professor Ranga Zinyemba, and dentist and former University of Zimbabwe students’ chaplain Fatherr Nigel Johnson.
The CPNZ is part of an international inter-cultural platform where Catholic professionals and intellectuals share their faith, experiences and deploy their skills in service of the church.
The network is known worldwide as the International Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs and is one of the oldest Catholic lay movements, having been approved by Pope Benedict IV in 1921.
It has a presence in 58 countries, 10 of them in Africa.
In Zimbabwe, the network was first introduced in 2012 by Archbishop of Harare Robert Ndlovu.
On Tuesday, Prof Zinyemba spoke about Pope Francis’ recent letter on marriage and families. He echoed Pope Francis’ sentiments by challenging the clergy to desist from thinking discernment was their preserve and only they had answers to all questions.
CPNZ organising secretary Mr Gift Mambipiri said, “It is the gospel’s demand that we all deploy our God-given talents in service to the Church and to humanity in general. The CPNZ seeks to harness the talents of Catholic professionals for the benefit of the church and for their own benefit. It is a platform through which teachers, for example, will sit to ask how best they can use their teaching skills to enhance the evangelisation mission of the church.”
Mr Mambipiri noted that there were already professional networks bringing together Catholics in specialised fields like politics, media and entrepreneurship.
The CPNZ has chapters in the dioceses of Gweru and Mutare, and others will be launched in Bulawayo and Hwange.
