Carmelites in Zimbabwe
After the Second World War an urgent call for missionaries was made by Pope Pius XII. He was moved by the deprivations of the recent conflict. The Irish Carmelites responded when Fr Carmel O’Shea, Provincial, began negotiations with the English Jesuit Vicar Apostolic in Zimbabwe. Fr O’Shea in turn sent out a call for volunteers. As a result of a very positive response, three Carmelites, Fathers Raymond Lamont, Anselm Corbett and Luke Flynn set sail for Africa in a troopship, since most of the passenger-carrying ships were wrecks at the bottom of the sea. When the three Carmelites reached what was then called Rhodesia (today’s Zimbabwe) they took charge of the oldest mission station, Triashill. New missions were opened and in June 1957 Father Lamont was consecrated Bishop of the present-day Diocese of Mutare. The Carmelites remained in that country all through the War of Independence. Bishop Lamont was a key figure in the struggle towards equality and democracy. Eventually he was tried by the White Government and sentenced to penal servitude but this was later changed to deportation. Later he was present at the celebrations for Zimbabwean Independence.
