DIOCESAN NEWSLETTER

Vol. No. 7

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF LIVINGSTONE

April to October, 2012

The Year of Faith ope Benedict the XVI, declared the period from 11th October, 2012 to 24th November, 2013 (Feast of Christ the King), as the Year of Faith. This he did during the launch of the Apostolic Letter, Porta Fidei (The door of faith), on October 11, 2011, in Rome, Italy. In proclaiming this year, the Holy Father invites all the faithfull to reflect deeply on the meaning of faith. In Porta Fidei, the Pope states that: The door of faith (Acts 14:27) is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church (Porta Fidei #1). Faith is one of the three cardinal virtues; faith, hope and love. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines faith as: a gift of God, a supernatural virtue infused by him (Catechism of the Catholic Church #15). In Christian living, Before this faith can be exercised, man must have the grace of God to move and assist him; he must have the interior helps of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and converts it to God, who opens the eyes of the mind and makes it easy for all to accept and believe the truth (Dei Verbum# 25). With faith, we plunge ourselves in that deep relationship with God the almighty. Faith helps us approach and see various challenges of Christian life with a different perspective. With faith, one is able to move mountains (Mathew 21:21). We thank the Holy Father for giving us this year of grace, the Year of Faith. As a local Church in Livingstone, how are we going to celebrate this year? In our families, in the Small Christian Communities, at deanery level and as a whole Diocese? As individuals, how are we going to deepen our faith during this year? The Church is endowed with many resources to help us grow in our faith: the Eucharist, the Word of God (the Sacred Scriptures), and the Sacraments, the sacramentals, various prayers and devotions. These are meant to bring those who believe and have faith in them, come closer to God. We ask the Holy spirit to fall afresh on us; where our faith has slackened, may it be re-awakened; where our faith is strong, may we stregthen those who are weak. May Mary our Mother accompany all of us on this journey of faith.

Farmers Conference for Women he farmers Conference for Women was held in Livingstone from 1st to 4th May 2012 at Womens Centre. The topics that were covered included Making Herbal Vaseline, Nutrition and food security, composite making and conservation farming, tea manure, keeping local chickens and soap making. The participants appreciated the skills which they learnt and which they can now use. Within such a short time, a lot was indeed grasped. The conference also helped the women to have greater awareness of Gods blessings through nature and their responsibility to take care of Mother Earth. Everything that was learnt was practical and the emphasis was to take care of the natural environnment. The women appreciated the fact that it is possible for human beings to co-exist with nature. Our prayer is that God blesses these women, so that the conference can bear fruits in their lives. Participants were drawn from Makunka, Sekute, Kazungula, St. Josephs Hospice, St. Francis HBC, Luumuno, and LSSF Postulancy. Facilitators were Sr. Inez, Mrs. Rita Tumbila and Martha from Kaoma.

Mission Sunday 2012 orld Mission Sunday this year, 2012, falls on 21st October. As a diocese, we commemorate this feast keeping in mind the Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary) of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council (1962). We also hold dear to heart, as we celebrate our mission, the opening of the Year of Faith. Pope Benedict XVI titles his message for World Mission Sunday 2012 as Called to radiate the Word of truth. All Christians, by virtue of being made children of God the Father and disciples of Christ need to embrace the mission of evangelization as our priority and urgent response of faith. To be able to effectively announce the Gospel, we need to develop passion for the Word of God in the Scriptures, and an encounter with the Christ in the Blessed Sacrament(the Eucharist). The encounter with Christ as a living Person, who satisfies the thirst of the heart, cannot but lead to the desire to share with others the joy of this presence and to make him known, so that all may experience this joy, [Benedict XVI, Called to radiate the Word of truth]. Generosity of all during this celebration cannot be overemphasized. We call upon all parishes, diocesan institutions and communities to offer unreservedly towards the Universal Solidarity Fund of the Pontifical Mission Society of the Propagation of the Faith. The Pope, in the World Mission Sunday 2012 message, 1 clearly outlined the areas in which this fund is instrumental in assisting the work and drive of evangelization: I remember and thank the Pontifical Mission Societies, instruments for cooperation in the universal mission of the Church across the world. Through their action, the proclamation of the Gospel also becomes an intervention on behalf of ones neighbour, justice for the poorest, the possibility of education in the most remote villages, medical aid in isolated places, emancipation from poverty, the rehabilitation of the marginalized, support for the development of peoples, overcoming ethnic divisions, and respect for life in all its stages. Let each one of us pray for all the missionaries who tirelessly advance the mission of evangelization, and for ourselves to experience an outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the good of the announcing of the Gospel. Holy Childhood 2012 Talent Show he Holy Childhood of Livingstone held a Talent Show on 1st May 2012, at the Youth Community Training Centre in Libuyu, near Christ the King (Maramba) Parish, Livingstone. The Children exhibited their talents in choir, gospel music miming, drama, poetry, tradition and modern dance. Over five hundred (500) Catholic and non Catholic children were in attendance.

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he PMS of Livingstone organized a Holy Childhood Congress, from 2nd May to 5th May 2012, at the Cathedral of St. Theresas Livingstone town. One hundred twenty five (125) children delegates, accompanied by twelve (12) animators and five (5) members of the Livingstone PMS Diocesan Animation Team from parishes in Livingstone Deanery, were in attendance. Inputs at the congress, presented by various priests and Youth Alive Facilitators, included PMS and the Holy Childhood,The Sacraments, Holy Childhood and Evangelization through Radio, Holy Childhood and Prayer, Children and the Bible, as well as Adventure Unlimited and Behavior Change.

Holy Childhood Congress

Airport Parish Secondary School Groundbreaking Ceremony n 10th May 2012, Airport Parish witnessed the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a modern Secondary School. Present at the event were Mr. Paul Sensele (the Livingstone Disctrict Commissioner), Mr. Mwala Imasiku (the Livingstone District Education Board Secretary) and Mr. Saxon Simachembele, the area Councillor. Others were Fr. Patrick Bupe (the St. Peters (Airport) Catholic Church Parish Priest), the Building Constructor, the local community and the donors from Italy. Speaking at that occassion, the Livingstone Disctrict Commissioner, expressed gladness that the church came up with the initiative to construct a school. He promised continued government partnership with the church in development issues. Once completed, the school will serve the community around Airport and other nearby areas.

Diocese Participates in Constitution making he Diocese of Livingstone through Caritas participated in the debate of the Constitution making process. Two workshops at deanery level were held in Livingstone and Sesheke respectively which brought together the Clergy, religious and the laity, to deliberate and contribute to the Draft Constitution, released by the Technical committee to the public on 30th April 2012. Graced by His Lordship Bishop Mpezele, and facilitated by Caritas Livingstone, the Church in Livingstone Diocese gave inputs through a cascade approach as those who attended the two workshops mostly priests, heads of institutions, sisters and lay leaders took the process back to the grass roots (small Christian communities) for further debates and analysis. What are the people saying in the Diocese about the Draft Constitution of the Republic of Zambia? Generally the Draft caters for the majority of the aspirations of the people. Among the positive issues identified are that this Draft Constitution, acknowledges the supremacy of God Almighty. It declares Zambia as a Christian nation but gives the right to every person to enjoy his/her freedom of conscience or religion. It also upholds the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons and confirms the equal worth of men and women.

Preliminary inputs being received so far for consideration include the following: On elections while the fifty plus one is a welcome thing, the people are saying the constitution should realign the system that is uniform at all levels. The creation of three distinct systems is confusing. People feel the proportional representation system being proposed will be hard to implement. On the Dual citizenship it is felt this is a welcome clause but that for the Presidential candidature qualification only, it should stand as enshrined in the current constitution. As for the Church the death penalty should be abolished and replaced with life imprisonment as no one Biblically has the right to take away ones life. The Human rights as it pertains to prisons needs to be upheld to include inmates, suspects including convicts. The constitution lacks a clause to affirm prisons rights. Decentralization of districts and creation of provincial assemblies sounds good and people feel that there will be need for intensive consultation and clear guidelines on the composition of those to sit on these organs by relevant authorities.

Most Rev. Ignatius Chama who was installed as Archbishop of Kasama on Saturday 28th April 2012 in Kasama. Very Rev. Thomas Zulu, OFMCap, on his election as Vice Provincial for the Zambian Province, on Thursday 3rd May 2012 at Kasisi, Lusaka. We equally congratulate his Councilors. Fr. Dominic Sandu Mizhi, OFMCap, on his appointment as Pastoral Coordinator of the Catholic Diocese of Livingstone. Fr. Imasiku Ngalama, who was elected National AZADCC Secretary on 10th August, 2012 in Chipata.

Congratulations

New Vicar General of the Diocese r. Jeffrey Tembo was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Livingstone by Bishop Raymond Mpezele on 20th Septenber 2012. He was ordained priest on 11th July, 2009. He has served as Parish priest of St. Kizito parish, Sesheke from 1st May 2011 to date. He becomes the first Zambian Priest to be appointed Vicar General in the Diocese.We keep our Vicar general in our prayers. Farewell Fr. Clement Temba r. Clement Damian Temba, CSSp, Vicar General and Pastoral Coordinator, left the diocese after nine (9)years of service. He left for home leave to Tanzania, and later for Sabattical Year in the United States of America. Fr. Clement thanks for your service to the diocese. Business Seminar he Diocese in conjuction with the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), organised a Business Seminar, whose theme was Business Ideas and Resources Mobilisation for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. The seminar took place on Saturday 14th July, 2012 at Courtyard Hotel, Livingstone. Pope Benedict XVIs Best Wishes Fr. Raymond Prayer Intentions ll Catholics are invited Kapilima - He is in to offer their day each Italy to pursue further morning to God and to pray studies in Sacred for the intentions sent to the Scripture. Apostleship of Prayer, by the Fr. Eunia Mutinta, CSSp - On annual Holy Father. holiday OCTOBER General Intention: New Evangelization. That the New The Bishops Evangelization may progress 2 Schedule in the oldest Christian countries. OCTOBER Missionary Intention: 2nd to 8th - Pastoral World Mission Day. That visit - Shangombo the celebration of World 12th to 15th Mission Day may result in Confirmation - Sioma a renewed commitment to 27th - Priestly evangelization. Ordination - Maramba NOVEMBER 28th Confirmation General Intention: Ministers St. Theresas of the Gospel. That bishops, NOVEMBER priests, and all ministers 4th to 11th - ZEC Third of the Gospel may bear the Plenary meeting courageous witness of fidelity Lusaka to the crucified and risen 18th - Confirmation Lord. Airport Missionary Intention: 25th Confirmation Pilgrim Church. That the Our Lady of Angels pilgrim Church on earth may DECEMBER shine as a light to the nations. 2nd Confirmation DECEMBER Maramba General Intention: That migrants throughout the Priestly Ordination: world may be welcomed Deacon Kelvin with generosity and authentic Mufalo love, especially by Christian eacon Kelvin Mufalo, communities. ordained deacon Missionary Intention: Christ, in 2010 at St. Dominic light for all humanity. That Major Seminary, Lusaka, Christ may reveal himself to will be ordained priest all humanity with the light that on 27th October 2012, at shines forth from Bethlehem Christ the King parish, and is reflected in the face of Maramba. Keep Deacon his Church. Mufalo in prayers.

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