NO MORE POLITICS AT CHURCH, PRIESTS CAUTIONED – BISHOP
CHIPATA Chipata Catholic Diocese Bishop George Lungu has directed priests in the diocese not to allow any political figure or aspirant to campaign or make political statements during liturgical celebrations or Church events.
This follows an incident in which some Patriotic Front Members of Parliament led by Mporokoso MP Brian Mundubile, turned up and began dancing during the Catholic Women’s Organisation Pilgrimage of Hope at St. Anne’s Cathedral Parish last Sunday.
Bishop Lungu expressed concern over the growing trend of politicians attending Church gatherings and using such occasions to advance their political ambitions through acts of apparent generosity.
In a statement issued by Diocesan Communications Director Fr Gabriel Mwanza in Chipata yesterday,
Bishop Lungu said that it often happens when politicians are designated as “Guests of Honour” or are allowed to “greet the people.”
The Bishop encouraged the laity to continue supporting the local Church but cautioned them to be wary of politicians who exploited generosity for self interest.
“Despite the economic struggles and poverty, we must not opt for easy but unsustainable solutions. Instead, we must work hard to build a self-supporting, self-ministering, and self-propagating Church anchored on honesty and concerted effort”.
“While donations to the Church or community projects may appear generous on the surface, we must
discern the true motives behind them. Too often, such gestures aim to gain political favour and buy votes
ahead of elections rather than serve the genuine needs of the people,” he said.
TOZ
My Bishop is very wise. Yes, we all know that congregants are human, so are church leaders and they have their own philosophical inclination towards governance and other aspects that affect life in general. To use the church for political ambitions is not right. The church is a sacred place, it is a place where people go to worship and recognize God as the Father and the giver of life. It is certainly not a place to take cadres, drunkards to demonstrate their stupidity. They can go there to repent their foolishness and sins, but not show their curse. Any politician who brings cadres to church to do their political misbaviour, God sees them. This is actually Blasphemy.
What would be nice if all Bishops in Zambia and the Catholic Church body could adopt one policy on issue. Each Bishop seems to have his own view on the matter why cant the head bishop get direction from the vatican on the issue to avoid the inconsistent postion by the Church?
Makes the church seem like its role is not the message of salvation by a means by which men of the cloth satisfy their whims and flesh if Bishop Banda is the standard.