New bishop’s colourful past

There’s nothing ordinary about the life of the new Bishop of Zululand, Dino Gabriel. The Italian-born South African resident is fluent in isiZulu, has a Swazi wife, changed his denomination from Catholic to Anglican and wasn’t even in the running for the

VERYTHING is God’s will. That’s the only explanation I can offer,” says Dino Gabriel, who turns 60 in September.

Speaking by phone from his office in Eshowe, Gabriel said he was surprised and honoured to fill the shoes of his predecessor, the Bishop of the KZN Anglican Diocese, Rubin Phillip.

“I was at the election last week as a representative to monitor the process, a member of the advisory committee. There was a deadlock with the nomination process so I was nominated from the floor.”

He added: “People asked me, ‘Why don’t you put your name forward?’ and I was, ‘You must be crazy’. God’s will, I received the majority vote.”

Gabriel said he was humbled by his appointment and looked forward to his enthronement in November.

He said it was still “early days” for any plans he might have.

“This is all very new to me. For me, listening to what everyone has to say, learning and then moving forward together is imperative. It’s very important for me to understand where people are and not where I want them to be.”

Gabriel will move from his Zululand home into the official residence of the bishop in Morningside later this year.

“I cannot wait to move to Durban. My daughters are studying and working in Durban and it will be convenient.”

Gabriel was born in Italy in 1955. Raised in a Roman Catholic home, he described his upbringing as “happy.”

“We had a humble upbringing. Our home was in the rural village of northern Italy. We had no running water and our toilet was outside. We were regular churchgoers.”

He grew up with a brother and two sisters. “My sister lives in Australia; my brother died in a car accident and my other sister died at just a year old.”

After matriculating he studied for a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louvain in Belgium, then for his Masters in Theology there.

In 1980, Gabriel was ordained as a priest and spent the next seven years doing youth work in Italy. In 1987, his elders from the Roman Catholic church sent him to South Africa to be a missionary in Kangwane in Mpumalanga.

“It wasn’t my choice and I was nervous. My family and I were very aware of the political upheaval, more especially under apartheid. During that time many people from the churches had their visas denied. Mine was approved thankfully.

“I was sent to learn isiZulu because I was going to be preaching in the rural areas.”

Gabriel said six months later he was fluent in isiZulu.

“Well, I was able to preach without my prayer book. I am fluent in isiZulu but there is always room for learning.”

When he gets confused he gets help from his Swazi wife, Nobelungu (“Elizabeth”), 47. “Her name means ‘With a white man’,” he chuckled. “My father-in-law was a prophet.”

Naturally, the pair met in church. “It was her singing that first caught my attention. She sang in the church choir.”

However, Gabriel could not marry as a Roman Catholic priest. “In 1991 I decided to leave the Catholic church and join the Anglican church. I wasn’t allowed to go straight into the ministry and spent the next year working for Operation Hunger, an NGO that deals with poverty.”

In February 1992, Nobelungu and Gabriel were married by an Anglican priest.

In 1993, Gabriel was offered his first parish, Piet Retief, and spent six years there.

In 1999, he was invited by the then Bishop of Zululand to be dean of the Cathedral of Eshowe. He was consecrated as bishop of Zululand in 2005.

Having spent 10 years in the position, Gabriel described it as fulfilling.

He said he owed much of his success to his wife, a primary school teacher, and four children

His son Thabo, 28, is an assistant manager at a building material shop, while daughter Zinzi, 24 is a social worker, Valzina, 22, is a beautician and Charis, 19, will be studying branding in Durban next year.

“Charis is in Europe doing volunteer work… She will be home in January and Zinzi is also renting in Durban, so all my girls will be home.”

As a permanent resident of South Africa since 1992, Gabriel says this is his home and he plans to retire here.

In 1996 his wife travelled to Italy to meet his mother and the rest of his family.

“My family were shocked that I had converted from Roman Catholic to Anglican. The race thing didn’t shock them at all.”

So what type of food does the new bishop enjoy?

“Oooh I love Italian food – pizza, pasta and Tiramisu. But I am also a simple eater. Tripe is something I enjoy.”

His hobbies include watching soccer. “I don’t play soccer any more, but I support Inter Milan. I also like going to the gym, watching current affairs programmes and listening to music.”