Advertisement

Embrace “unity of purpose, vision” to Grow Together as Local Church: Bishop in Zambia

Bishop Benjamin Phiri of Zambia's Ndola Diocese. Credit: Courtesy Photo

The Bishop of Zambia’s Ndola Diocese has called upon the people of God in his Episcopal See to unite with a purpose and vision that seeks to build and develop the local church for the common good of all.

In a report by the information service of Propaganda Fide, Agenzia Fides, Bishop Benjamin Phiri said that the development of the local church relies on the collaboration of all the people including members of the Clergy and the Laity. 

“It is important to have unity of purpose and unity of vision to build the local Church with a common motivation,” Bishop Phiri has been quoted as saying in the Wednesday, May 25 Agenzia Fides report.

The Zambian Catholic Bishop told Agenzia Fides that progress in local churches becomes a distant dream especially when there is no unity and people are approaching issues individually without any sense of solidarity.

“Not much progress can be made in the local churches if each pastoral urgency is seen as something individual,” he said, adding that motivation just like unity and vision is equally important and need to be embraced.

Advertisement

The Catholic Bishop highlighted the issue of COVID-19 and the ongoing preparations for the Synod on Synodality and said that unity and solidarity among the people enabled the fight against the pandemic and the participation in the Synod.

“We have gone through COVID-19 together; we have seen the need to continue along the same line of unity and solidarity, also with a view to a good preparation for the next Synod of Bishops,” he said.

The Zambian Bishop who has been at the helm of Ndola Diocese since August 2020 made reference to his Episcopal coat of arms and said that it represents unity through the cross.

He explained in reference to his coat of arms, “May we be one through the cross. This is because the cross is a uniting factor for all believers.”

“The spirit that encourages us to work together is growing among the pastoral agents and we hope, through this collaboration, to achieve more and more,” Bishop Phiri said.

More in Africa

Addressing himself to women and men Religious, the Zambian Bishop who will turn 63 years next month said that the Consecrated persons are not sent to Dioceses to do their own personal activities but they are sent to evangelize the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“The Religious do not come to a Diocese to take care of their own activities, but join the Diocese to support the efforts of the local Church and carry out what is in line with evangelization,” he said in the May 25 report by Agenzia Fides.

The Catholic Bishop continued in reference to women and men Religious, “In their apostolates they must work in collaboration to bear witness to Christ and evangelize for the salvation of souls.”

Bishop Phiri said that since the Religious are well informed on their duties, collaboration from the other members of the church is necessary. He added that focusing on a particular purpose is what is needed to achieve the common good of the Diocese.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.