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John Bradburne (1921–1979) lived an extraordinary life. He was a reluctant hero of the Second World War, a pilgrim and a hermit, a poet and a musician, a joker and a mystic, and a theologian. After many years travelling and searching, he found the place that God wanted him to be – living alongside men and women suffering with leprosy in Mutemwa, Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe), a place he helped transform into a community of peace, joy and love. Soon after his arrival, in 1962, he confided to a Franciscan priest that he had three wishes: to serve leprosy patients, to die a martyr, and to be buried in the habit of St Francis.
The single-minded loving care he gave the residents eventually brought him into conflict with the management committee. He refused to put number tags around the patients necks and reduce their already small diet, so he was sacked. He then lived in a prefab tin hut, lacking water and sanitation, just outside the leprosy compound. From there he continued to help the leprosy patients as much as he could.
As a lay member of the Third Order of St Francis, he obeyed its rule, singing the daily office of Our Lady. He lived its hours, rising at dawn for Matins and ending the day with Vespers and Compline. This discipline provides the context for many poems written at the turning-points of the day.
Then, during the civil war of 1979, John was kidnapped and murdered. Since his martyrdom, word of his life has spread around the world, and miracles have occurred in association with his name.
You can now dive deeper into the fascinating life of John Bradburne with Didier Rance’s latest book ‘Of John Bradburne’.
With forty years of familiarity with Bradburne’s name and fifteen years of dedicated research, Didier Rance presents a compelling collection of studies and essays. From companion pieces to his biography to unpublished insights, this book promises to enrich your understanding of Bradburne’s extraordinary life, work and thought.
To purchase your copy for just £10, visit www.johnbradburne.com
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The John Bradburne Memorial Society
The John Bradburne Memorial Society was founded as a charity in England in 1995 in order to help support Mutemwa Care Centre in Zimbabwe. It was set up in honour of it’s late warden, John Bradburne who spent the last 10 years of his life from 1969 -1979 caring for the leprosy patients of Mutemwa.
The society continues to support the Mutemwa Care Centre, whilst also spreading information about Bradburne’s saintly life and life prolific writings. JBMS produces two newsletters a year in the summer and winter to a board membership with the UK and the rest of the world.
The donations we raise go towards the basic running expenses, salaries of workers, additional food and medication required by the Mutemwa community. Brother Raymond who is lay Franciscan is the administrator for Mutemwa, whilst Father Linous is in charge of the spiritual well being of the entire community at Mutemwa.