Recollections and Reflections

About the Book

This book is an autobiographical account by Athanasio Dzadagu, a former Zimbabwean Catholic priest, outlining and reflecting on the experiences he had in Britain during the period from 1996-2014. While indeed the book is largely about the author’s own experiences as an immigrant, an African and a Zimbabwean, in many ways it is also a reflection on the experiences of Zimbabweans in Britain. These include the challenge of being far away from home, the initial shock of finding their good English not understood, experiences while undertaking further studies, the challenge of an environment characterised by persistent negative headlines about Zimbabwe and its president, Robert Mugabe and the challenge of British social and cultural values. The book also opens the reader’s eyes to how, having come to Britain hoping to return to Zimbabwe as a high-flying academic, to teach in the Major Seminary or any one of Zimbabwe’s universities, Fr Dzadagu instead ended up leaving priesthood.

About the Author

Athanasio Dzadagu was born on 01/06/1962, in the city of Harare, in Zimbabwe. After attending primary school at Chindotwe, in Musana, he entered St Charles Lwanga Minor Seminary in Chimanimani in 1977, to start training for priesthood. He proceeded to Chishawasha Regional Major Seminary in 1982, completing his priestly training, in combination with a BA Honours degree in Religious Studies at the University of Zimbabwe, in 1989. Following ordination to priesthood on 03/09/1989, he served at three successive parishes in Zimbabwe until August 1996. Athanasio is a holder of a Master’s degree in Systematic Theology (MTh) from Heythrop College, University of London, a PhD in The Study of Religions from SOAS, University of London, and a Diploma in Advanced Psychotherapeutic Counselling from Chrysalis. In 2001 the then Fr Dzadagu founded the Zimbabwean Catholic Community in England and Wales. He left priesthood in October 2014.