ZAMBIA: Africa Convening 2019 Theme Calls Catholic Sisters To Action
A Zambian Prelate has said the Africa Convening 2019 Catholic Sisters Initiatives’ invitation to reflect on Faith, Hope and Learning was to help them conform more and more to Christ and not just sit back in an artificial peace.
Bishop Patrick Chisanga of Mansa Diocese said this during his homily at the opening of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Catholic Sisters Initiative at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia.
The Convening that ran from 22nd to 26th October 2019 attracted over sixty participants from 15 countries.
Reflecting on the reading of the day, Romans 6:19-23, Bishop Chisanga said the teaching of Saint Paul is applicable to Zambia and any country as he draws the attention of the Christian communities comprising Jews and non-Jewish converts to Christianity in Rome to their realities. He said prior to their conversion to Christianity, the converts behaved in ways that were shameful; after conversion, they received the freedom that leads to sanctification.
In the context of the Zambia, he said the theme of the Convening 2019 was equally fitting to reflect individually upon as Catholic Sisters and as partners. This he said is very important as it would enable the nuns to remain focused as they move forward.
The Bishop was however concerned that people are often comfortable with the status quo where it feels holier and safer within their comfort zones contrary to Jesus’ expectation. “Jesus himself disturbed things. He disturbed the superficial peace of individuals and organizations,” the Bishop who is the Ordinary of Mansa Diocese challenged.
He said Jesus at times said things that others would want to delete from Scriptures: “Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth, no, but rather division.”
In the same way, he challenged the nuns to stair up things; disturb the peace of oppressive systems and individuals and advocate for true peace.
“Let this conference re-energize you dear Sisters to shake up things; to bring up some discomfort around the world, in your areas of operation, around the Church and wherever,” the Bishop said.
Meanwhile, Bishop Chisanga said the Zambia Convening 2019 which has taken place during the October 2019 Extraordinary Missionary Month was a timely step towards actualizing the meaning the call of every baptized man and woman. “You are just responding to this missionary mandate that is rooted in our consecration as baptized and sent in the name of Chris,” the Zambian Prelate affirmed.
The Bishop who is also in charge of Consecrated men and women in Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops, (ZCCB) assured the nuns of their support. “As a Conference I guarantee that you have the support of the bishops here in Zambia and indeed throughout the world in your noble cause,” Bishop Chisanga affirmed.
“You have always been an integral part of the mission of evangelization and you carry out not delegated responsibilities for mission but the mission that arises from your consecration in baptism.”
He went on to explain that Religious life was the right form of consecration. As such, the Holy Father invited us in the month of October to reflect on our commissioning in baptism. In this way, Religious consecration becomes the concretization of our baptismal consecration within a particular charism in the Catholic Church.
The Prelate who is also a member of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual took the opportunity to thank Conrad N. Hilton for his love for the Catholic Sisters. He said the international conference had been made possible, thanks to Conrad Hilton Foundation. The Bishop was surprised that Hilton by that time already had a vision and recognition of what the Catholic Sisters are able to do and how much they would be able to accomplish in the name of Jesus Christ.
He called on the congregation to join him offering the Mass Conrad’s son, Baron Hilton, who passed on recently.
The nuns hailed from more than ten countries in this region of Africa.
By Sr. Grace Candiru, MSMMC, ACWECA Communication Officer
