Fr Constantine Mashonganyika, a Roman Catholic priest of the Gweru Diocese, died at Driefontein Mission on December 11 after a battle of ten years with cancer. 

He was born in the Christian village at Driefontein Mission in Midlands Province. The family was later moved to Mvuma and then to Sibolela villages in Midlands Province. 

Fr Mashonganyika was well known far beyond his own diocese. He held many positions of great responsibility in the Catholic Church of Zimbabwe. He was vicar general of the Diocese of Gweru, rector of Chishawasha Seminary where he taught moral theology, director of the IMBISA Secretariat (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Southern Africa), and director of Mambo Press. In his last five years he was working as a pastor in Lower Gweru, the first Catholic priest to do this, attracting many converts to the Church.

He stayed at his post virtually to the last moment.

He was buried in Driefontein Mission Cemetery on December 13.