From the Province of Fátima, we would like to present you with a new proposal: to introduce each of the communities that make up our Province and their mission, month by month.
We are launching this initiative with the community of Claret House in Harare (Zimbabwe).
Claret House, Harare.
The community in Harare is the formation house of the Claretian Missionaries in Zimbabwe. Following the custom of the country, this community is called Claret House, as a symbol or reference to the Claretian charism in this region. As a formation house, our primary mission is to welcome young men who show a vocational interest and wish to discern with us their possible call to religious and missionary life. Therefore, we are speaking about the initial stages of the formation process, known as the aspirancy and postulancy. In addition to an introduction to the life and spirit of our founder and our missionary charism in the Church, the young men also pursue studies in philosophy and prepare for the Novitiate.
Claret House, being located in the capital of Zimbabwe and quite close to the city centre, also serves as a guest and rest house for Claretians passing through, especially those from the Zhomba community, which is in the rural area of the country.
Currently, there are two professed Claretians living at Claret House. Fr. Manuel Ogalla is the formator and superior of the community. In addition to his formation duties, Fr. Manuel teaches theology and conducts retreats, courses, and talks, accompanying the formation of various religious congregations. Fr. Luis María Guerrero is the bursar and vicar. Fr. Luis is the most experienced member of the Claretian group in Zimbabwe, having been part of the team that founded this mission in 2002.
At the time of writing, the aspirants at Claret House are four, each at different stages of their journey. Phillimon Mudadi is in his first year of philosophy at Arrupe Jesuit University. Rodrick Ziumbwa and Tapiwa Gumbo are preparing for their university entrance exams. Lastly, Dzinashe Mahembe is studying for a diploma in religious studies as a preparatory year before beginning his philosophy studies.
