ZAMBIA: Bishop Kalumba Takes Canonical Possession of Livingstone Diocese
Rt. Rev Valentine Kalumba, New Bishop of Livingstone
By Fr. Winfield Kunda, ZCCB Communications Director
Rt. Rev. Valentine Kalumba, OMI has taken over canonical possession of Livingstone Diocese after being consecrated Bishop in a colourful ceremony that took place at Maramba’s Christ the King parish in Livingstone city on Saturday September 3rd.
The consecrating Bishop, who is the outgoing ordinary, Rt. Rev. Raymond Mpezele urged the new bishop to lead the people of the Diocese by being a good shepherd following the example of Jesus Christ who remains a good shepherd.
“Jesus was a good shepherd who loved his sheep both in word and action; and as a bishop, Bishop Valentine has to love Jesus and only by so doing that he will be able to feed the sheep of Jesus Christ,” Bishop Mpezele said.
Speaking on behalf of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), Archbishop Ignatius Chama, urged priests, religious and the lay faithful of Livingstone Diocese to cooperate with their new shepherd by supporting him both spiritually and materially.
The consecration was attended by the Pope’s representative to Zambia and Malawi, H.E. Archbishop Julio Murat who thanked Bishop Mpezele now emeritus for the general pastoral ministry he rendered to Livingstone Diocese for the last 31 years.
Other bishops from within Zambia and abroad, various priests and religious brothers and sisters, traditional chiefs, civic leaders and lay faithful attended the ceremony.
Bishop Emeritus Raymond Mpezele has been the ordinary of Livingstone Diocese since 1985. The Diocese covers the southern part of Zambia and is approximately 58,200 square kilometres.
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