HARARE-(MaraviPost)-The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe is mourning the loss of one of its most enduring pillars, Monsignor Matthew Mhishi, who died peacefully on Monday morning, November 2, 2026 at the age of 96.
The long-serving priest passed away at his residence at Belvedere Presbytery in Harare, in a moment of poignant symbolism for the faithful – on All Souls’ Day, the day the Church remembers all the faithful departed.
His death was announced by Fr. Ephraim Murwira, Secretary to the Archbishop of Harare.
Born on September 30, 1930 – before the Second World War and decades before Zimbabwe’s independence – Monsignor Mhishi dedicated almost his entire life to the altar, serving through colonial rule, liberation struggle, independence and the many trials of modern Zimbabwe.
For generations of Catholics in Harare and beyond, he was more than a priest.
He was a confessor, teacher, historian, and a gentle but firm moral voice who baptized children, married couples, buried the dead, and remained a constant presence when governments and seasons changed.
At 96, he was among the last of a generation of indigenous priests who helped shape the Zimbabwean Catholic Church into what it is today – rooted in local culture yet universal in faith.
The Archdiocese of Harare said it entrusts his soul to the loving mercy of God and prayed for comfort for his family, his brother priests, and the thousands of parishioners who knew and loved him.
Monsignor Mhishi’s funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in due course.
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