During a sermon of Bishop Benjamin Phiri of the Ndola Diocese, he encouraged the Catholic Community to stay calm in the middle of a conflict between the Church and the government of Zambia. The bishop also highlights the need for unity throughout their nation and asks his congregation to avoid commenting on this issue.
Catholic Church and Zambian Government's Conflict
Catholic Answers stated that the growth of political ideas that oppose the message that Christ brought about the most significant conflict between the Church and the state during the modern era. Ideologies such as socialism, nationalism, and fascism are examples of totalitarian systems that subjugate individuals to the state's authority and oppress religious communities. Moreover, in a recent conflict between the Catholic Church and the Zambian government, Aciafrica reported that it all started on Monday, May 22, when Father Anthony Salangeta denounced the government of President Hakainde Hichilema for using graphs to illustrate Zambia's economic situation. While addressing his homily during Holy Mass, Fr. Salangeta pointed out that Zambians are more interested in matters that directly touch them rather than in graphs. President Hichilema later referred to Fr. Salangeta as a clown in response to his words.
As mentioned, in order to defend the Parish Priest of Regina Pacis Chawama Catholic Church of Zambia's Archdiocese of Lusaka (ADL), the Local Ordinary, Archbishop Alick Banda, criticized the President for equating his Priest with jokers. According to Archbishop Banda, Catholic priests are stewards of God's flock who live among and are aware of the needs of the sheep they are entrusted with caring for. However, the archbishop's comments prompted a response from Batuke Imenda, the Secretary General of President Hichilema's United Party for National Development (UPND), who proceeded to refer to the Local Ordinary of Lusaka as "the Lucifer of Zambia."
As a result, Bishop Phiri warns in his memo that the current condition of affairs between the Church and state, if they are not carefully managed, can strain the friendly and collaborative relationship established between the Catholic Church and the government of Southern Africa. Additionally, the Local Ordinary of Zambia's Ndola Diocese asserted that "The Diocesan Bishops have been requested to communicate to their constituents to refrain from making any public statements on this matter until the Bishops issue further instructions after looking at the matter."
Bishop Urges Calm and Unity
Lusaka Times reported that Bishop Benjamin Phiri of the Ndola Diocese had issued a call to the Catholic people to maintain their composure regardless of what are seen to be disagreements between the Catholic Church and the Zambian Government. The bishop alleviated the congregation's concerns by assuring them that the matter would be discussed at the upcoming gathering of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) that would take place in Lusaka. Accordingly, Bishop Phiri indicated the importance of unity during his speech at the tenth-anniversary celebration of Holy Trinity Parish in Mulenga, Kitwe. He also advised the faithful to stop commenting on the subject and allow the bishops to handle it.
On the other hand, the bishop admitted that members of the Church and certain government officials have engaged in public discourse, including derogatory comments directed toward one other. But he asserted that both organizations were working together to serve the nation and promote its development, notably in education, health care, and social services.
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