Vatican-banished ‘sisters’ expelled by Catholic Church in Lusaka
…..as Archbishop Alick Banda blacklists two breakaway groups, warning the faithful that the “nuns” are actually lay persons operating with zero church authority.
By DAVID KANDUZA
THE Catholic Archdiocese of Lusaka has officially stripped two breakaway groups of any religious standing, declaring that their members are operating as ordinary citizens with no backing from Rome
In a stern memorandum issued on July 24, 2026, Archbishop Dr. Alick Banda revealed that the ‘Minoresses of Divine Providence’ and the ‘Sisters of Divine Providence’ have no ecclesiastical recognition, validity, or approval.
The conflict stems from a decade-long history of defiance against Vatican directives:
In 2015, a faction of nuns broke away from the established Sisters of the Child Jesus of Kasama to form the ‘Sisters of Divine Providence.’
Following failed reconciliation attempts, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples formally expelled 21 members, stripping them of their vows and reducing them to lay persons
Despite the papal ban, the individuals continued to live disguised as religious sisters. Internal feuds eventually caused a secondary splinter group to form: the ‘Minoresses of Divine Providence.
Archbishop Banda confirmed that the founders of the new group recently tried to secure official recognition from the Lusaka Archdiocese.
The request was flatly rejected, as approving them would directly violate the Holy See’s standing commands.
“The groups presenting themselves as ‘Minoresses of Divine Providence’ as well as ‘Sisters of Divine Providence’ are neither Catholic Institutes of Religious Life nor pious groups,” Archbishop Banda stated unequivocally.
The Archbishop delivered a clear ultimatum regarding the groups’ ongoing operations:
He said members must immediately stop dressing, acting, or presenting themselves as Catholic religious sisters in public or private.
The Catholic faithful and the general public have been urged not to treat or recognise these individuals as valid nuns.