Anglicans in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario have selected the first Black person to be their bishop — and the first who was born in Africa.

Naboth Manzongo, 40, currently rector at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in downtown Winnipeg, was elected to be the 14th bishop of the Diocese of Rupert’s Land last Saturday.

He succeeds Geoffrey Woodcroft, who stepped down for health reasons.

Manzongo, who came to Canada from Zimbabwe seven years ago, had previously served as priest at St. Luke’s Anglican Church in Dryden, Ont. He arrived at Holy Trinity in September.

Manzongo, who is married with three children, will begin his new role as bishop in September.

Being the first Black and African bishop is both a burden and an opportunity, in his view.

“It’s a burden to be the first of anything,” he said, adding he can be an inspiration to Black youth and to youth from other marginalized communities.

His immigrant experience will help him relate to other immigrants and refugees in Manitoba, he said.

Manzongo acknowledged he wasn’t keen on letting his name stand for bishop when it was first suggested, because he had just started his new job at Holy Trinity, and because of his young family, with children ages 11, seven and nine months.

“I never thought I would be chosen,” he said. “But when God calls, you can’t resist.”

Read it all in the Winnipeg Free Press