Background Summary

On 4.6.1963 Colonel Sweetman offered the Jesuits 15 acres of land. On 1.10.1964, the building of the church and priest’s house began. In 1965, the parish became independent of Sinoia parish when Fr Weishrich moved there on 12.3.1965. The church was blessed by Archbishop F. Markall on 28.03.65. In 1969, St. George’s Primary School was opened by Fr. Sunder. In 1972. two classrooms were added. In 1974, under Fr, Husemann, the church was enlarged in the form of a cross; and glass doors were put into the arches; also three classrooms were added to St. George’s Primary School, later a fourth was added and on Pentecost, the “new” church was blessed. On 29.2.76 the parish center, built by Fr. Husemann out of three old classrooms, was blessed by Bishop Chakaipa. Since 9.03.1976 Fr. Huwe helped in the parish. Mgr Reckter blessed the church in Muriel Mine on 1.2.1976 and in Sutton Mine on 30.5.1976. A convent was built and blessed on 30.1.1977. The LCBL Sisters arrived in Jan. 1977. Fr Huwe left for Germany in July and Fr. Muschalek arrived in October 1977 and an administration block for the school was built in the same year. A guest- house was built as well. On 15.10.1978 Mgr Reckter blessed the church in Trelawney and on 10.12 1978 Archbishop Chakaipa blessed the church in Ceasar Mine. In 1979 while the parish priest went on a seven-month leave, Fr. Reuter supplied the services. After the parish priest returned, Mtorashanga (including Raffingora and Ceasar Mine) became a separate parish in 1979 with Fr. Reuter as parish priest. Fr. Muschalek left Banket and Fr. Hipler supplied while he was unable to visit Sipolilo because of the war. The convent was enlarged and three more classrooms added and blessed on 7.4.1980. It then had 10 classes with 500 children. On 21.12.1980 a church at Highlands, a former tobacco barn, was blessed. A small guest house also was erected in 1980. After Fr. Thamm’s first stay from 1986 to 1992, Fr. Modikayi was parish priest from 1993 to 1996, helped by Fr. Antony Bex, who stayed on, with Br. Lawrence Makonora, under the diocesan parish priest Fr. Murombedzi. Fr. Thamm returned to Banket in 1999. He built a new secondary day school which was blessed on 18.2.2000 by Bishop Reckter. There had been a study group (to obtain O-levels) for 19 years. Churches: Muriel Mine, Sutton Mine, (Raffingora.) Trelawney TRS, (Caesar Mine) and Trelawney and 5 smaller ones at other places. Parish priests: Weisbrich 1965-1966, Sunder 13.11.1966-1973, Husemann 1973-1985, Thamm 1986-1992, Modikayi 1.11.1992-1996, V.Murombedzi (diocesan) 1997-1998, Thamm 1999-(2006), Fr. Ignatius Tambudzai.

Parish Centers

1. Banket	2. Batch	3. Buwi	4. Chidziva
5. Greycourt	6. Little England	7. Mahewu	8. Makwidiba
9. Mayfort	10. Mushamukuru	11. Raiton	12. Redmile
13. St. Joseph’s Darwendale	14. St. Mary’s Trelawney	15. St. Paul’s Kutama	16. St. Theresa Marere
17. Woodrow/Zalonyika