Michael Dixon Bhasera

The Most Reverend Michael Dixon Bhasera
Bishop Emeritus of Masvingo, Zimbabwe
Church	Catholic Church
Archdiocese	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bulawayo
See	Masvingo
Appointed	9 February 1999
Installed	9 February 1999
Term ended	19 July 2022
Successor	Raymond Tapiwa Mupandasekwa
Other post(s)	Apostolic Administrator of Gweru, Zimbabwe (28 April 2012 - 15 June 2013) and (24 October 2017 - 24 October 2020)
Orders
Ordination	19 August 1978
Consecration	19 October 1991 by  Francis Xavier Mugadzi
Rank	Bishop
Personal details
Born	Michael Dixon Bhasera (1949-11-11) 11 November 1949 (age 75) Gutu, Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe

Styles of Michael Dixon Bhasera
Reference style	Your Lordship The Most Reverend
Spoken style	His Lordship
Religious style	Bishop

Michael Dixon Bhasera, (born 11 November 1949), is a Zimbabwean Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Masvingo, Zimbabwe from 1999 until his resignation in 2022. Before that, from June 1991 until February 1999 he was Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gokwe, Zimbabwe. He served as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Gweru from April 2012 until June 2013 and from October 2017 until October 2020. He was appointed bishop by Pope John Paul II in 1991. He resigned from pastoral service on 19 July 2022 at the age of 72 years and 7 months of age. He lives on as Archbishop Emeritus of Masvingo, Zimbabwe.

Background and priesthood

He was born on 11 November 1949, at Gutu, Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. He studied both philosophy and theology before he was ordained a priest in August 1978. ^[1]

Priest

He was ordained a priest on 19 August 1978. He served in that capacity until 17 June 1991. ^[1]

As bishop

On 17 June 1991, Pope John Paul II appointed Reverend Father Michael Dixon Bhasera as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gokwe in Zimbabwe. He was consecrated and installed at the Uganda Martyrs Church, Gokwe, in the Diocese of Gokwe on 19 October 1991. The Principal Consecrator was Bishop Francis Xavier Mugadzi, Bishop of Gweru assisted by Archbishop Giacinto Berloco, Titular Archbishop of Fidenae and Bishop Ignacio Prieto Vega, Bishop of Hwange. He served there in that capacity until 9 February 1999. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

On 9 February 1999 the Holy Father created the Roman Catholic Diocese of Masvingo. The Pope appointed him as the pioneer bishop of the new Ordinary See. He served there in that capacity until 19 July 2022, when he resigned. While bishop at Masvingo, he served as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Gweru from April 2012 until June 2013 and from October 2017 until October 2020. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

See also

• Catholic Church in Zimbabwe

References

1. Davis M. Cheney (25 February 2024). "MicroData Summary for Bishop Michael Dixon Bhasera (born 11 November 1949), Bishop Emeritus of Masvingo". Kansas City. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
2. Frashishiko Chikosi (19 July 2022). "Bishop Bhasera Resigns As Bishop". Jesuits Southern Africa. Harare, Zimbabwe. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
3. Magdalene Kahiu (19 July 2022). "Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of 72-year-old Zimbabwean Bishop, Appoints Caretaker". ACI Africa. Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 22 February 2025.

Succession table

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by None (Diocese created)	Bishop of Gokwe (17 June 1991 - 9 February 1999)	Succeeded by Angel Floro Martínez (15 October 1999 - 28 January 2017)
Preceded by None (Diocese created)	Bishop of Masvingo (9 February 1999 - 19 July 2022)	Succeeded by Raymond Tapiwa Mupandasekwa (since 15 September 2023)

External links

• Masvingo Diocese’s first Bishop