MONROE — As St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Parish, formerly St. Victor’s, says goodbye to Monsignor Larry Bakke after a decade of service, it welcomes a new face also.

Father Tafadzwa Kushamba will be leading the parish starting July 17.

As a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Madison, Kushamba gets assigned to a parish by the Bishop, Donald J. Hying of West Allis.

He has served as pastor as St. Joseph’s Church in Dodgeville for three years.

“It’s always a blessing to be trusted by the bishop to assist him in a mission and the work of the church and diocese,” he said.

From his birthplace in Zimbabwe to his newfound home in Monroe, one thing in Kushambas’s life has remained constant: Faith.

“I always desired to serve the Lord as a priest,” he said. “God called me to this life and it has been a blessing to be able to serve Him and this church and this diocese.”

The church has been at the center of Kushamba’s life since childhood, and he attributes his desire to serve it in part to his Catholic upbringing in Zimbabwe.

A long way from home, Kushamba’s relationship with the Diocese of Madison began during a 2005 trip to Germany where he met Monsignor Jim Bartylla.

Kushamba expressed his interest in priesthood and Bartylla suggested the Diocese of Madison. By 2010, Kushamba was moving to Detroit for seminary.

“I’ve seen the church on both ends, America and Africa, and the beautiful thing about the Catholic faith is, it’s a universal church,” he said. “You just see the beauty of this big family of God that is found in all four corners of the world.”

Kushamba is looking forward to continuing to serve the church and its parish.

“I’m taking over from a very good and wonderful pastor, so I just hope to build on what he’s started,” he said. “I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Monroe and I’m just looking forward to being a part of the community and serving the people of God.”