By Fr. Johnston Z. Mlambo
The Secretary to the Papal Nuncio to Zimbabwe, Fr. Felipe Fabiane, has ended his tenure after serving for three years. He has now been assigned to Paraguay, just 700 kilometres from his hometown.
A farewell reception was held today at the Nunciature in Harare to officially bid Fr. Fabiane farewell. The event was graced by the Archbishop of Harare, His Grace Robert Ndlovu, and the Bishop of Gweru, His Lordship Rudolf Nyandoro, along with a number of priests and religious who gathered to honour the quiet and soft-spoken Fr. Fabiane.
The first to speak at the reception was the Papal Nuncio to Zimbabwe, Archbishop Janusz Urbańczyk. Addressing the gathering, he told Fr. Fabiane that the reception was meant to be a special moment of togetherness with his friends, colleagues, and all those who had interacted with him during his time in Harare.
He went on to recognise and appreciate the work done by the departing secretary, saying:
“I wish to take this opportunity to officially recognise your work and to pay tribute to all priestly and missionary concerns, as well as your professional dedication during your tenure at this Apostolic Nunciature,” said Archbishop Urbańczyk.
The Nuncio drew laughter from the guests when he invited them to draw parallels between Paraguay and Zimbabwe. He pointed out that both countries are landlocked and similar in size, with Paraguay covering just over 400,000 square kilometres, while Zimbabwe spans approximately 390,000 square kilometres. He also noted that both nations were evangelised by Jesuit missionaries and are home to warm and beautiful people.
However, he highlighted a stark contrast in Catholic populations, stating that the entire population of Zimbabwe is smaller than that of Paraguay’s capital city. He observed that Catholics make up less than 9% of Zimbabwe’s population, whereas Paraguay has a Catholic majority of nearly 90%.
As a token of appreciation, Archbishop Urbańczyk presented Fr. Fabiane with two exquisite works of art depicting Zimbabwean culture and wildlife.
In his farewell speech, Fr. Fabiane recalled his initial reaction upon being assigned to Zimbabwe, admitting that the first thing he did was search for the country on Google Maps.
“I had some concerns and even some fears about Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, the image of this country and the continent, from the outside, is often associated with hunger, violence, war, conflict, and infectious diseases. But I overcame these fears one by one … and I can say that I am truly fortunate that my first assignment was in Zimbabwe—no wars, no conflicts, no serious problems of violence, and even a certain prosperity,” said the outgoing secretary.
Reflecting on his mission, Fr. Fabiane expressed gratitude for the opportunity to experience the Church in different places and cultures, stating that the Church in Zimbabwe is “particularly linked to the history and culture of the people.”
He concluded with a light-hearted remark, regretting that he had not managed to learn Shona during his time in Zimbabwe.
Fr. Fabiane’s departure marks the end of a significant chapter in his diplomatic service, as he now prepares to begin his new mission in Paraguay.
After his speech people had some eats.