Written by Administrator

APOLOGY

Jesuits Ziimbabwe apologise to our valued readers for the disappearance of this website for the past few days.

Our web host tells us that the average monthly number of hits has risen dramatically from December to January when we started updating old articles, and adding new articles.  Statistics available to the administrator indicate that the readership has doubled from 25,000 up to 50,000 hits to individual articles per month.  

This resulted in the site suddenly and without warning being blocked.  We have now managed to contact the web host who tells us he has increased our band width to accommodate the extra usage.

Naturally, we shall continue to try to satisfy the requirements of our readership by continually updating articles, and adding new ones.  Currently we are planning to add information on more activities: Youth Ministry, the Pedro Arrupe Centre at Musami, the Students' Chaplaincy, and the Jesuit Refugee Service.

Please, if you have any comments, suggestions, or requests, email us - go to 'CONTACT US'. 

A Brief Introduction to the Jesuits

The Society of Jesus, more often known as Jesuits, is an international order of Catholic priests and brothers founded about 500 years ago in Rome by St. Ignatius of Loyola.  We are present in over 100 countries, and the presence of the Society of Jesus here in Zimbabwe dates back to the late 19th century. 

Currently there are about 120 Jesuits living and working here in Zimbabwe in a variety of different apostolates.  Perhaps what we are most well-known for are the schools that we own and run like St. Georges College, St. Ignatius and St. Peter’s Kubatana, as well as the mission schools we run on behalf of the diocese at Makumbi, Musami and Makonde, in all 18 schools in the Harare and Chinhoyi dioceses. 

Jesuits are involved in running 4 parishes in Harare: Mount Pleasant, Braeside, St. Peter’s Mbare, Mabelreign-Marlborough-Dzivarasekwa, as well as Chishawasha just outside Harare.  We are also responsible for a further five rural parishes:  Banket, Makonde and Murombedzi, Makumbi and Musami. 

Social development that focuses on building a more just, equitable and participative society is another central work of the Jesuits in this country.  This apostolate is run mainly from our social centre at Silveira House, but has other dimensions, such as the Jesuit Aids Project, Zambuko House rehabilitation and skills training home for street kids,  and the Pedro Arrupe home and education centre for hearing impaired children, as well as the Jesuit Relief Fund that distributes food to those most in need around the country.  

A few Jesuits are also involved in the media, running publications, producing documentaries and radio programmes. 

Woven into all of this diverse tapestry of activities is the spirituality apostolate, where we as Jesuits seek to communicate to others the gifts, the freedom, and the joy of our Ignatian spiritual heritage. We do this most directly through the giving of retreats and the formation of 'Christian Life Communities'. But this Ignatian spirituality invariably shines out also through all of our other various works. 

See also:

 www.facebook.com/pages/Jesuits-Zimbabwe/215774741767990