On Saturday, the 17th of August, in Marymount Teachers College in Mutare, (Zimbabwe) the episcopal ordination of Fr. Paul Horan, O.Carm., named as bishop of the diocese of Mutare, took place. It happens that in the same place in 1957, Donal Lamont, O.Carm., was ordained as the first bishop of that diocese.
The celebration was led by the Archbishop of Harare, Robert Christopher Ndlovu, the principal ordaining prelate. The concelebrants included the Apostolic Nuntio, Marek Zalewski, all the active bishops of Zimbabwe, the Prior General, Fr. Fernando Millán Romeral, O.Carm., the Councillor General for Africa, Fr. Conrad Mutizamhepo, O.Carm., the Provincial of the Irish province, Fr. Richard Byrne, O.Carm., the Provincial Commissary of Zimbabue, Fr. Vitalis Benza, O.Carm., the Delegate General for Kenya, Fr. Boniface Kimondolo, O.Carm., and several Carmelites from Zimbabwe and from elsewhere in Africa, along with a large number of priests from the different diocese.
The very joyful celebration included typical African dancing and singing, with an enormous attendance of which different groups of lay Carmelites, the Handmaids of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, (a congregation of sisters founded by Bishop Donal Lamont) and the cloistered nuns from the new monastery of the Holy Family were part.
The following day, the 28th of August. Bishop Paul took possession of his diocese, as part of the celebration of the Eucharist in the Mutare cathedral. The motto chosen by the new bishop is, “Ad unum, cum Maria”.