Divine Word Missionaries in Zimbabwe

Vincent is a missionary from Zambia. He did his postulancy and philosophical studies in Zambia and his novitiate and theological studies in Ghana. Vincent also had his cross-cultural experience in our Central American Region that is composed of Panama, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

After arrival in Zimbabwe, he worked in Ndolwane Mission. The apostolate he enjoyed most was children & youth ministry. Afterwards he went to study Biblical Theology in Rome and came back in 2017 when he took responsibility for our ILizwi Biblical Centre in Plumtree.

In 2020 he was appointed our superior and he is leading our missionary team in Zimbabwe.

Alex was born in 1961 in India. He came to Zimbabwe in 1989, a year after his priestly ordination. 

At the beginning he worked at the Holy Cross Parish in Bulawayo. He was promoted as parish priest of the Embakwe Mission in rural area. Later he worked in Tsholotsho Mission. 

In June 2008 he was elected superior of the Divine Word Missionaries in Zimbabwe. He worked also as a chaplain for university students in Bulawayo, as an archdiocesan financial administrator, and an advisor to the Catholic Development Commission. 

On 12 September 2009 Alex Thomas Kaliyanil was ordained Archbishop of Bulawayo. Since then he has been leading the archdiocese wholeheartedly, keeping in mind his missionary vocation and spirituality.

Our Indonesian missionary Mateus came to Zimbabwe in year 2000 and worked in our vocation promotion and formation programme. For three years he served in Bulawayo as our superior - leading or whole team. 

Mateus has a local Ndebele surname - he is known as Father Ndlela that means the way or path. He always comments: "UNdlela usendleleni insuku zonke. Ndlela is on the way every day." Being a missionary for him is being on the way all the time. He likes to be with people and show them the way to face challenges. 

Now he serves as our treasurer.

Sony is a small fellow with a big heart, someone with a positive attitude and approach. His life is about loving others and giving them as much as he can. His ordination theme sums it up: "Going about doing good." 

After his priestly ordination in 2010 Sony worked in a parish in his native state Kerala for almost a year. He participated in designing and building a grotto there and he felt so blessed to be part of it. 

He arrived to Zimbabwe in 2011 and after the Ndebele language course he worked hard in some of our missions. Afterwards he went to advance his studies in India. 

In 2022 he was appointed parish priest of our Nketa Parish.

Leonard is from India. Soon after his ordination he worked in Mumbai. 

In 2008 he came to Zimbabwe and learnt Ndebele language. He worked in the Holy Family Parish in Bulawayo, Dlamini mission, and Plumtree. 

Now he works in Nkulumane as a parish priest. 

Leonard really loves being a missionary in Africa.

Edmundo is an Indonesian missionary. He studied theology and was ordained a priest in his fatherland and came to Zimbabwe in 2009. For six months he was learning English and then started to study Shona. 

After working in Harare and Mubayira, he became a parish priest of our newest mission - St. Monica in Beatrice. 

He loves taking care of plants and animals and most importantly the people in his mission.

Edson is our Zimbabwean missionary. He comes from the city of Bulawayo, from a non-Catholic family. As a child he was inspired by his friends to get baptized in the Catholic Church. 

After joining the missionaries, he did his formation in Zambia, Ghana, and Kenya, and was ordained in 2012. His first mission was Dlamini. 

Currently he works in our rural mission of Gomoza where he enjoys a bit of farming and a lot of pastoral work with local community. 

His heart burns for justice for the poor and oppressed, for weak and neglected. He is also the director of Biblical Apostolate for Hwange Diocese.

Marek comes from Poland. 

After his ordination in 1998 he worked in Malbork as an assistant priest for two years. He studied English in Harare and worked in Ndolwane Mission, in Tsholotsho, and in Plumtree. 

Since 2014 he's been staying in Dlamini, leading the Catholic community in the deep rural area.

Fransiskus was born in Indonesia, ordained in 2006, he's been working in Zimbabwe since 2008. He studied missiology in Tagaytay.
Now  he is a parish priest in St. Theresa Mission in Plumtree. He is also a mission secretary so he takes care of our lay partners in Zimbabwe and works on mission animation.

Mukesh comes from India. 

After completing his Ndebele language course, he worked in our Gomoza mission. 

Now he is in charge of our mission in Ndolwane.

Sunil is a missionary from India. 

He did his theology studies in India and got ordained in 2017. After having one year pastoral experience, Sunil arrived in Zimbabwe in 2018. After learning Shona language for six months, Sunil was appointed as assistant priest at Holy Cross Parish, Budiriro, afterwards as parish priest at Mubayira. 

Now he works again in the Holy Cross Parish in Harare.

Tadeusz Grenda was born in 1956 in Poland. Called by the Lord when he was 19 years old, he joined the Society of the Divine Word. He started his missionary formation in the mission seminary of Saint Adalbert in Pieniężno. After six years he took his final vows of chastity, poverty and obedience for the mission of Christ and was ordained a deacon. The following year, on 18 April 1982 he was ordained a priest. 

After his ordination Fr. Tadeusz was sent to the mission in Botswana where he worked for 4 years. He moved to Zimbabwe in 1988. 

He served as parish priest of Catholic communities in Tshabalala, Nketa, and Nkulumane, later as acting parish priest in Waterford. He became a vicar general of the Archdiocese of Bulawayo for years 1998-2007. 

Fr. Tadeusz also served as a spiritual director for the lay associations of Saint Ann, Sodality of Our Lady and the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

He was a superior of all the Divine Word Missionaries in Zimbabwe from 2008 to 2017. Afterwards he was given responsibility as a treasurer of SVD in Zimbabwe. 

At the present time he takes care of the Waterford Parish in Bulawayo and helps to develop a new Catholic mission in Matopos area. 

Father Tadeusz enjoys his hobbies – fishing, pigeon racing, reading, and repairing of all sorts of things. He is a loyal fan of the Liverpool Football Club and a devoted follower of the Divine Mercy, his favourite expression of the love of Jesus Christ. 

The Bible verses that has been inspiring Fr. Tadeusz throughout his life are John 15:5 – “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” and Philippians 4:13 – “I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.”

Maciek was born in 1970 in Poland, ordained in 1998. He has been working in Zimbabwe since 2000, right now as P3 Studio Director.

Suresh comes from India and was ordained in 2019. He worked in India for few months and arrived in Zimbabwe in November 2019. After studying Shona language in Harare, he started working in the Holy Cross Parish, Budiriro.

Edward comes from Ghana. He studied theology in Australia. After learning Shona language in Zimbabwe he was assigned to our parish in Harare.

Amrit arriveded in Zimbabwe just recently. He comes from India. Right now he is working in our Plumtree mission.

Adrian comes from Zimbabwe. Right now he is working in our Gomoza mission.

In 2018 Dennis arrived in Zimbabwe from the Philippines. He learnt Ndebele language in Plumtree and was assigned to our mission in Ndolwane. 

Now he serves as a formator and vocation promoter.

Krystian comes from Poland. He was ordained priest in 1980 and has been working in Zimbabwe since 1987 in different apostolates and parishes. He founded the Ilizwil Biblical Center in Plumtree where he printed a lot of prayer books and other materials in local language. 

Currently, Krystian leads Biblical Apostolate under the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference and he is worknig on establishing a new publishing center in the capital city. He also helps in our parishes in the Harare Archdiocese.

Janusz from Poland was trained as a medical doctor and later ordained as a priest in 2011. He came to Zimbabwe that very year. 

After a language course and a short pastoral experience in Nkulumane he started working in local hospitals. 

Right now he is a doctor in Catholic hospital of St. Ann located deep in bush area.

Tawanda, born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, studied philosophy in Kabwe, Zambia at the diocesan seminary, did his novitiate in Nkwatia, Ghana, and his theological studies in the D. R. Congo. He has been involved in the media and communication apostolate for most part of his theological training. 

He can easily speak, read and write - Ndebele, Shona, Bemba, Lingala, Kikongo, English and French. 

The beautiful island of Madagascar was his mission for 3 years. 

After coming back to Zimbabwe, he worked in our formation program and took care of the young men who wished to become missionaries. Right now he is studying psychology.

Daniyar is a missionary from India. 

He joined our team recently and right now he is studying the local language in Harare.

Ajit Kumar comes from India. After his ordination he worked for about two years in a parish. 

In 2010 he came to Zimbabwe. He worked in Gomoza mission and St. Bernadette Parish in Waterford. 

He loves music and singing and also reading books. He enjoys his ministry here in Zimbabwe. Speaking local language Ndebele is a challenge but he loves it and works hard to learn it.