Press Releases14 Oct 11

Bishop of Harare visits Ireland, 19–23 October 2011

The Anglican Bishop of Harare, The Right Rev Chad Gandyia, visits Ireland later this month at the invitation of USPG Ireland. His visit is in the wake of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s recent trip to Zimbabwe where he met with President Mugabe. Anglicans in Zimbabwe have been the victims of severe government sanctioned persecution over the last several years. The Archbishops of the Anglican provinces of Central Africa, Southern Africa and Tanzania also attended this meeting, as did the five Bishops of Zimbabwe, including Bishop Chad.

The Bishops and Archbishops gathered to show their solidarity with Anglicans in Zimbabwe, who are suffering serious persecution at the hands of the police. They brought with them a letter for President Mugabe and a dossier of abuses.  Copies of these documents can be found on the the Archbishop of Canterbury’ website, www.archbishopofcanterbury.org along with the statement issued by Dr. Rowan Williams immediately after the meeting.

‘USPG has been a voice for Bishop Chad,’ says Linda Chambers, National Director of USPG Ireland, ‘as his parishioners are intimidated, his clergy beaten and arrested, the churches in the diocese closed and locked.  Properties, including clergy houses, schools and clinics, have been seized. We want to highlight what is going on there.’ With that in mind, USPG Ireland has arranged for Bishop Chad to meet with the Department of Foreign Affairs. They have also organised meetings with the national and international media to highlight the plight of our fellow Anglicans in Zimbabwe.

During his USPG Ireland sponsored visit Bishop Chad will preach at the Church  of Ireland Theological Institute  on Wednesday, 19 October. He will also attend the Dublin and Glendalough synod that day. On Saturday 22 of October he is preaching at a Holy Communion service in St. George’s,  Belfast. On Sunday he will preach in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin.