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| Zambia Catholic Bishops with Apostolic Nuncio (holding the Staff) |
By Mwenya Mukuka
Catholic Bishops of Zambia say when political life is not seen as a form of service to society it can become a means of oppression, marginalization and even destruction.
President of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) and Bishop of Chipata Diocese, Rt. Rev. George Lungu hopes that as Catholic Bishops of Zambia met in Lusaka at Kapingila house for the Second Plenary this week until Friday, 19th July, 2019, they will exercise their prophetic ministry, having read the signs of the time and reflected on the challenges facing the nation.
“I hope and pray that as shepherds of God’s flock, we shall provide an alternative route to authentic peace-building and genuine reconciliation as it was in the past when the Church led the National Dialogue and Reconciliation process,” he said.
“The vision of the Church has always been conversion of the hearts and minds of the Zambians, leading them to a unified, reconciled and peaceful nation where all citizens freely participate in governance within a thriving social and economic environment,” he added.
The ZCCB president further said that the Church remains committed and resolved to be truly non-partisan so as to be inclusive and bring people from all walks of life and political affiliations together in the spirit of ‘One Zambia, One Nation.’
Commenting on the launch of activities for Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019 as announced by Pope Francis in commemoration of the centenary of the Apostolic Letter on the Church’s mission in the world, Maximum Illud issued by Pope Benedict XV (1919), Bishop Lungu said there is need for a renewed missionary commitment.
“Activities have to be carried out in such a way that there is indeed a renewed missionary awareness and commitment, with fresh evangelical impulse to our way of preaching and bringing to the world the salvation of Jesus Christ who died and rose again. We are invited to die to a spirit of self-preservation and be daring enough to venture into the unknown as prompted by the Holy Spirit and relying on God’s providence, with the courage and fearlessness of the early missionaries,” he said.
Bishop Lungu thanked organizations and people of good will who have generously contributed towards helping the victims of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe and further reiterated the bishops’ call on the Zambian government to declare places affected by unfavourable weather conditions in the 2018/2019 rainy season a disaster.
He said this will help to mobilize the much-needed resources to bring the necessary food items in areas where there is literally nothing to eat.
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