Today marks a great occasion in the history of the Roman Catholic Church in Zimbabwe as the cause for the beatification of John Bradburne will be opened on the 5th of September 2019 at Mutemwa Leprosy Catholic and Care Centre in Mutoko.
On 1 July 2019 the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome issued a formal nihil obstat for the cause of beatification of Franciscan Missionary John Bradburne to proceed. The letter was sent to Archbishop Ndlovu, primate of Zimbabwe, who in April this year had convened a meeting of Zimbabwean Bishops at which there was unanimous approval to support the cause.
John Bradburne, a third order Franciscan died in 1979 in Mutemwa leaving behind the lepers he had looked after for so many years. Since his death, Mutemwa the leprosy settlement where he worked, has become a major pilgrimage centre. Each year on the anniversary of his death thousands gather to hear Mass and process up the mountain where he walked and prayed.
On 5 September 2019 at 12.00p.m the 40th anniversary of John’s death there will be a special ceremony at Mutemwa, where the cause will be officially launched. Mass will be celebrated by His Grace Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Harare Robert Christopher Ndlovu. Thousands of people are expected to be there including many from outside Zimbabwe.
The Mutemwa Leprosy Catholic and Care Centre Board will continue with John’s legacy by providing perpetual financial support for Mutemwa, desperately in need of help and to promote his cause for beatification, given the wide- spread belief in his sanctity expressed by all who met him.
The centre is in dire need of medical assistance for its patients, including an ambulance, refurbishment of the patients’ residence, more water to sustain current projects on site that include piggery, cattle and chicken production and food stuffs. A big thank you to our perennial donors who have sustained the institution for years who range from the government, NGOs, private and public entities, churches and individuals.
The event is for free, however there will be fund raising activities running to raise money for the running of the institution and these include parking fees and seating chairs.
