Online Reporter
Online Reporter
A ZIMBABWE-BORN priest – Reverend Naboth Manzongo has been elected the 14th Bishop of the Diocese of Rupert’s Land, making him the first Black bishop and the first in Africa to hold the position.
Manzongo, currently the incumbent of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Winnipeg, was elected last month and will formally begin his duties in September.
He succeeds Bishop Geoffrey Woodcroft, who announced his retirement in October 2024 following a terminal cancer diagnosis, effective June 1.
Expressing mixed emotions upon his election, Manzongo said:
“I was just surprised and overwhelmed at the same time. I became emotional and now I was asking myself in the head to say, ‘Is this what the Spirit has whispered to the people? What, for me?’
“And then that turned into gratitude for the trust that the people have put in me.”
The Diocese of Rupert’s Land encompasses Northwestern Ontario and Southern Manitoba
Ordained in 2008 as a deacon and 2009 as a priest in the Diocese of Harare, Zimbabwe, Manzongo brings a wealth of experience.
His early ministry in Zimbabwe included serving at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Avondale, and as rector of St Joseph’s, Dzivarasekwa.
He holds a B.A. and a master’s degree in leadership and management from the University of Zimbabwe, and a master’s degree in theological studies from Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin, with a focus on moral theology and ethics.
Manzongo moved to Canada in 2018, serving as incumbent of St Luke’s Anglican Church in Dryden, Ontario, before taking on his current role at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in September 2024.
He is also pursuing a doctorate of ministry in leadership from Tyndale University.
As bishop, Manzongo plans to prioritise “building bridges among the people, building trust and honouring history, but also embracing new opportunities.”
This includes fostering relationships within the clergy, between clergy and parishioners, and among parishes and the diocese, while also addressing financial challenges.
He emphasised “faith raising before fundraising,” questioning the place of discipleship and love within the diocese.
He also committed to strengthening truth and reconciliation efforts with Indigenous peoples, including exploring a proposal to use funds from property sales to benefit Indigenous communities.
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