Catholic Bishops Meet to Reflect on Zambia’s Challenges
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. Reverend George Lungu has since hoped that as ZCCB meets for her Second Plenary of the Year, Bishops will exercise their prophetic ministry by reading the signs of the time and seriously reflect on the challenges that are facing the nation.
Catholic Bishops of Zambia are meeting in Lusaka at Kapingila house for the Plenary until Friday, July 19, 2019.
“Not only that, I hope and pray that as shepherds of God’s flock, we shall endeavour to propose the way forward by providing an alternative route to authentic peace-building and genuine reconciliation. Indeed, from the very beginning when the Church led the National Dialogue and Reconciliation Process,” he said.
“The vision of the Church has always been a conversion of hearts and minds of the Zambian people, leading to a unified, reconciled and peaceful Zambia where all citizens freely participate in governance within a thriving social and economic environment.”
Bishop Lungu further said the Church remains committed and resolved to remain truly non-partisan so as to be inclusive and bring people from all walks of life and political persuasions together in the spirit of ‘One Zambia, One Nation.’
And 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, Maximum Illude, of Pope Benedict XV (1919) under the theme: “Baptised and sent: The Church of Christ on Mission in the World,” Bishop Lungu said for the launch to be a meaningful exercise, there is need for a renewed missionary awareness and 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. With the spirit of courage and fearlessness of our early missionaries and the ingenuity of our present world, we are invited to die to a spirit of self-preservation and be daring enough to venture into the unknown prompted by the Holy Spirit and relying on God’s providence,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bishop Lungu has thanked all who generously contributed towards helping the victims of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe and further reiterated the Bishops’ call on 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 move the necessary food items in areas where “there is literally nothing to eat”.