ZAMBIA: ZCCB lauds the Work of Society of St. Vincent De Paul

Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) appreciates Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul for being of help to the Church in reaching out in her evangelization through faith in action.

Speaking at the Catholic Secretariat in Lusaka during a courtesy call by Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul President General Renato Lima de Oliveira, on 5^th, March, 2018, ZCCB Bishop Director for Pastoral, Rt. Rev. Clement Mulenga, SDB, praised the work of the Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul in different areas of need being, prison visitation, food supply to the poor, education, and building of houses for the vulnerable among other charitable activities.

(Left) ZCCB Bishop Director for Pastoral, Rt. Rev. Clement Mulenga, SDB and Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul President General Renato Lima de Oliveira — (Left) ZCCB Bishop Director for Pastoral,
Rt. Rev. Clement Mulenga, SDB and
Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul President
General Renato Lima de Oliveira

“The work of the Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul like the building of houses for the vulnerable, education support for the needy, food supply, ex-convicts’ community reintegration, repatriation of stranded people to other parts of the country is commendable. This kind of work has helped the Church in reaching out in her evangelization through faith in action. And we would like to say thank you to the Society for this partnership,” he said.

Bishop Mulenga also appreciated the financial support the bishops received from the International Council General [Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul] when they lost some local members of the Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul in the Mbala’s fatal road accident in 2017.

Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul President General Renato Lima de Oliveira, With Secretariat Staff — Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul President General
Renato Lima de Oliveira, With Secretariat Staff

He however noted the challenges faced by lay movements in Zambia and asked for some ideas on how to overcome them.

Meanwhile, Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul President General Renato Lima de Oliveira revealed that Zambia is special to the international community of the Society of St. Vincent-de-Paul because of the membership figures which are quite impressive.

“The membership figures are so impressive in Zambia. We have 1,420 groups in all the 11 Dioceses. The statistics in Zambia are impressive because of the hard working men and women on the National Council,” Mr. Oliveira said.

∽Ends∽

By Mwenya Mukuka, ZCCB Communications Officer