This year, Irish Carmelites are marking 80 years in Zimbabwe and have commemorated the milestone with a documentary titled, “Carmelite Friars In Zimbabwe”.
The documentary provides insight to the remarkable history of the Order, its present, and future. First tracing the Carmelites mission of serving Eastern rural communities of Zimbabwe back to 1946. It then goes on to showcase how the friars have continued to help establish the foundation of the Catholic Church through education, healthcare, and community development over the past eight decades.
Fr James Eivers, the prior of the Dublin Carmelite Priory, stated that, “It is inspiring to see how the seeds planted by those early missionaries have borne such abundant fruit.” The success of this mission has resulted in many Zimbabwean Carmelite friars moving to and ministering in Ireland. This exchange has enriched both the Churches of Ireland and Zimbabwe through gifts, leadership, and devotion.
Today, these Carmelite communities continue to prosper since the arrival of the first Irish Carmelites in the 1940’s. This documentary is true testament to the generosity, faith, and friendships that have come from this mission.