Antony Chawagarira
HARARE – The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Harare has warned priests, religious leaders and the lay faithful over a man identified as Francis Gano, who is presenting himself as a Catholic priest or Franciscan deacon in various parishes and communities.
In a circular dated July 23, 2026, Archbishop Robert Christopher Ndlovu said Gano had been preaching and acting as though he were an ordained priest of the Catholic Church despite having no authority to do so.
Archbishop Ndlovu clarified that Gano “is not, and has never been, a Catholic priest or deacon.” He said Gano has no recognised ordination or formation from Catholic institutions and therefore has no authority to preach, celebrate sacraments or perform any ministry within the Church.
The Archbishop further noted that Gano is a married man and cited the Code of Canon Law, which requires clergy to be lawfully ordained and authorised by the diocesan bishop before exercising ministry.
To safeguard the integrity of the Church, the Archdiocese directed priests and the faithful to observe several measures. These include not allowing Gano to preach, celebrate liturgies, administer sacraments or engage in any ministry within the Archdiocese, not recognising him as a priest, deacon or minister, and ensuring that visiting clergy do not undertake any liturgical functions without the permission of the parish priest.
The statement also urged clergy to verify the identity and credentials of anyone claiming to exercise ministry before permitting them to participate in liturgical functions.
Archbishop Ndlovu called on members of the Church to remain vigilant.
“I urge everyone to remain vigilant and verify the credentials of those presenting themselves in this capacity. Together, we can protect our community from deception and uphold the integrity of our Church,” the circular reads.
