The Zimbabwe Catholic Council for the Laity is to hold the first ever pan-Zimbabwean congress in Harare in September this year and there are expected to be around a million Catholics attending the gathering.

Rev. Samson Mutsvanga of Masvingo Diocese confirmed the event which is expected to take place at the National Sports Stadium in Haarre from September 1-2, 2012. “We are to witness what our eyes have never witnessed and what our minds have never imagined, a national gathering for all Catholics, of all dioceses, all ages and all guilds. Imagine the crowd,” said Rev Mutsvanga. 

The Congress is being organized by Bishop Patrick Mutume of Mutare, the Bishop President of the Zimbabwe Catholic Council for the Laity. Previously, the Catholic Church has held congresses for its different guilds like the St Anne’s Women Society and never has there been an all-Catholic Congress.

The proposed theme for the Congress is “The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe, we are the light and salt of the World – preach the word.”

Rev. Mutsvanga said the congress will just be an overnight event where people come in on the 1st and leave on the 2nd of September because managing such a big crowd will not be possible over a period of more than a day.

Delegates will pay USD10 to go to the Congress, and this will be used for the hiring of the stadium and other administrative costs.