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	Catholic Priest in Girlfriend Row By Stanford Chiwanga Sunday News March 1, 2010 http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=5691&cat=1 ZIMBABWE -- THE story of Roman Catholic priests breaking their celibacy vows is a tired tale, but in Bulawayo's suburb of Tshabalala the narrative is made more intriguing by angry radical church youths who voiced their displeasure against their Holy Cross Parish priest for allegedly having a girlfriend by writing graffiti on the church's wall a fortnight ago. The graffiti that has since been covered with white paint painted the youthful Father Norbert Nyathi as a womaniser and an abuser of church funds, allegations that the man of the cloth strongly denied. The statement on the wall read: "Norbert you used our tithe and offering money to take Mimi (Abigail Miti) for a holiday in Durban. Go and leave us in peace, you don't deserve to be a priest! You are a tribalist and a womaniser!" Such accusations did not go down well with Father Norbert who is said to have wanted to take the suspected radical youths to task, but was made to see reason by Bishop Alex Thomas who calmed tempers. Bishop Thomas is said to have pleaded for unity in the church and urged the protagonists to bury the hatchet. In an interview last Thursday Father Norbert who was visibly jittery denied that he was involved in a sexual relationship with Abigail and the other unnamed string of women he was linked to. The Sunday Leisure has in its possession a copy of a statement issued by the man of God in which he alleges that this paper is involved in a conspiracy to tarnish his image. "These malicious accusations are unfounded, based on palpable hatred and hasty generalisations. It is a pity that I belong to the wrong tribe; hence I am termed a tribalist. This is clearly a tribal war. These pseudo-Catholics who reported have a satanic agenda and are using your paper as a tool to actualise their lucific agenda. "Unfortunately, you are working hand and glove with them. Your paper is supposed to be factual, objective and promote human values, respect and family life, unity and not disunity, love and not hatred. These people are not only destroying me in person, but the whole Catholic Church and are tarnishing its image." Attempts to reach Abigail failed, as her mother, who was literally frothing at the mouth, told the Sunday Leisure crew in no uncertain terms that there were not going to interview her daughter. The priest has raised the ire of church members in the past with sermons that reportedly carry undertones of sexual innuendos. "Father Norbert once angered women in church when he told them to dress properly because he is also human and has feelings," revealed a member of the church's executive on condition of anonymity. Father Norbert, however, denied these allegations and referred this reporter to the statement he issued. "I have said enough and I think my written statement is adequate." Meanwhile the story took an ugly twist last Tuesday when three unidentified youths from the church were arrested, questioned before being released for allegedly writing the graffiti. Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Police Spokesperson Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo confirmed the arrest. "We picked three guys in connection with the graffiti incident and they are assisting police with investigations." Attempts to interview the three hit a brickwall as they refused to comment in respect of the Roman Catholic Church"s policy. "We are law-abiding citizens and it's sad that this issue has been laid at our doorstep when we had nothing to do with it," said one of the three who refused to have the statement attributed to him.
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