By Tatenda Mqetu
The Bishop of Masvingo Diocese Michael Bhasera tasked Marian Guilds to be missionaries who evangelize their communities whilst supporting priests and religious. He said this at the National Marian Guilds in Zimbabwe 6th Congress held under the theme Baptised and sent in the footsteps of Mary the star of evangelization that took placefrom the 22nd to the 25th of August 2019 at Gokomere Mission.
Addressing the Congress partakers which included Solidarity of Mary, Legion of Mary, Mary Mother of Perpetual Help, Mary of Mount Carmel, Mary Queen of Heaven Guilds and other Catholic Guilds that attended the congress, the Masvingo Diocese shepherd pointed out that the laity should take the lead in evangelizing.
“You are not alone, Mother Mary is with you, she walks with you, Marian Guilds are instruments of holiness and evangelization, the Church looks to you to be fully involved so that the light of the gospel shines everywhere, without your full involvement light of the gospel will never shine to the whole world, the salt of the earth will be salt in the earth, there are places where the priests and religious cannot reach and do not have to reach, but only you can reach those places, go and evangelize,” said Bishop Bhasera.
Bhasera also noted that it is essential that everyone renews his missionary vows to fulfill the discipleship of Jesus and being members of the Catholic Church.
“I believe that you are inspired by the universal theme of the Extraordinary Mission Month to choose this theme; Pope Francis has invited us to celebrate this important moment in the Church as a way of missionary renewal, we need this renewal ourselves, we have always been aware of our being disciples of Jesus, our being members of the Church and our being members of different Marian Guilds,” said Bishop Bhasera.
Spontaneously the Diocese of Masvingo is under the patronage of Our Lady Mary Queen of Peace and it presented the Marian Guilds a platform to glorify their Patron Saint in the midst of the Marian terrain.