The Diocese of Mutare & The Carmelites in Zimbabwe - the Irish ...

consideration expressed that Carmel College and the Dominican Convent, who were also experiencing difficulties
could complement each other but all was of no avail. By 1973 there were only a few pupils at the College. At the
1973 Provincial Chapter in Dublin, representation was made by the Regular Superior and the Delegates to the
Chapter to close Carmel College in Umtali. At the time of closure the College was in its ninth year. Regarding
the Community at the College at the time of closure, Martin Farragher and Albert Breen went to Mount
Melleray Mission and Sean Murphy became Secretary to Bishop Lamont. Father Dunstan O’Connor looked after
the College after the closure and auctioned off anything that he could. After a short time the army began to show
an interest in the property as there were plans to build an army barracks in Umtali. The College was sold to the
army for $300 000.00 Rhodesian dollars and the five thousand pounds which the Carmelites paid to the
Municipality for the sixty acres back in 1963 was also refunded as the site which was for ‘Religious and
Educational purposes’ was now changed to ‘Security purposes’, so we did alright financially!!! As the war
developed in the Country and in Umtali, Marymount College and the Dominican Convent had to close their
schools.
Kriste Mambo, Secondary School (1964)
The Sisters of Charity from The Netherlands decided to build a Secondary School for girls during 1963. While the
school was being built, the Sisters together with Paul Hughes and Joseph Clinch taught the Form One girls at
Triashill Mission. Miss May Bloomefield, a convert to Catholicism from Anglicanism and who was a lay missionhelper
at Bonda Mission, owned a property about three miles from Triashill Mission. Miss Bloomefield donated
some of her property to the Sisters of Charity for the girls’ school. The school was built by John Sisk and Co. and
with the completion of the buildings, Kriste Mambo was one of the finest schools in the country. The school had
the customary draw back, no water near the site, two bore holes had to be sunk which operated very well. The
Sisters of Charity were in charge of Kriste Mambo and there was also a Carmelite either on the staff or as a
Chaplain. Father Paul Hughes was the first Chaplain, followed by Father O’Sharkey, Edward Ward and Jim
Doyle.
Kriste Mambo continued to function during the war years and it was only towards the end of the war that it had
to be closed down. The Sisters moved away from Kriste Mambo before its closure during the war and a
Headmaster ran the school. The Sisters of Charity offered the Kriste Mambo Convent to the Carmelite Sisters
during the seventies and the Carmelite Sisters occupied the building for some years.
Later the Carmelite Friars occupied the Convent section of Kriste Mambo and in later years took
possession of the entire Kriste Mambo complex. As the Friars took over the management of the
school, they appointed a Priest Manager to work with the Headmaster in the school. Also during
1985 the Carmelite Friars used the convent building as their Novitiate and later the Pre-Novitiate was
introduced at Kriste Mambo. Many of the brethren have served at Kriste Mambo over the years either
in Formation, Education or in Pastoral Ministry. Kriste Mambo High School as it is known now
offers quality education up to Form Six and is staffed by a dedicated Headmaster, Manager and Staff,
both teaching and non-teaching. The Kriste Mambo Formation Centre, Novitiate and Pre-Novitiate
continues to accept aspirants who wish to follow the Carmelite way of life.
Saint Michael’s Mission, Tanda (1968)
Saint Michael’s Mission, like all Missions had a humble beginning. When Bishop Lamont applied for permission
to begin a Mission in Tanda, he was given a small portion of land in the Tanda area. When Father Paul Feeley
went to the Tanda area during 1968, there was a flourishing Upper Primary school at one of the out-stations.
When Father Peter Claver Marimanzi was in charge of the out-schools at Saint Benedict’s Mission, he built a
Priest’s house at an outstation, this out-station was to be the future site of Saint Michael’s Mission. Tanda was
always regarded as a part of the Saint Benedict’s area and when the number of Catholics increased it became
difficult to cope with the numbers and it was decided to expand and open a new mission.
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