ZAMBIA: On Memorial of Cardinal Mazombwe, Beatification Floated as a Food for Thought
His Eminence Medardo Joseph Cardinal Mazombwe
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
On remembrance of the 7th anniversary of His Eminence Medardo Joseph Cardinal Mazombwe, Church leaders in Zambia have hinted that they are considering the process of sainthood for the Prelate following his zeal for service in the Church, terming him a “holy man.”
Drawing inspiration from St. Paul’s letter to Timothy where he says “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith” Bishop George Cosmas Zumaire Lungu described what can be used as a consideration to the sainthood of the late Cardinal Medardo Mazombwe.
“If this is accepted as a definition in waiting for canonization or beatification, you have my vote for Cardinal Mazombwe! He was a holy man,” Bishop Lungu who is also the President of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) expressed.
Speaking as he officially opened a four-day virtual session to discuss the life and ministry of Cardinal Mazombwe Bishop Lungu said, “This exercise draws its inspiration from a Biblical quotation Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Bishop Lungu who is the Local Ordinary for Chipata Diocese described the late Cardinal as a great pastor of the Catholic Church who had great passion in pastoral work.
“Cardinal Mazombwe was always among us in his humble way as one at our service. He knew that if we have to be serious about pastoral work, we needed agents for evangelization, hence the birth of St. Mary’s junior seminary. He was a man of conviction, a man of faith, a man of prayer and now we are enjoying the fruits of St. Mary’s Junior Seminary,” ” the Prelate said.
During his testimony, Bishop Evans Chinyama Chinyemba remembered the Cardinal who founded the congregation of the Good Shepherd Sisters in Chipata Diocese, as a man of the people who aggressively campaigned for debt cancellation during the Jubilee 200 movement and advocated for the voice of the voiceless.
“I remember his voice when he said, ‘It is foolish for our country to continue spending millions of dollars each year on servicing debt rather than servicing to the people” Bishop Chinyemba said and explained, “This is what drove him into fighting for justice and to be part and parcel of the Jubilee 2000 movement which eventually led to the cancellation of the debt of Zambia and many other African countries.”
Bishop Chinyemba who is the Local Ordinary of Mongu Diocese said that the Cardinal stood firm to “speak against those stealing public resources meant to help the poor.”
On his part, a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) said, “The late Cardinal Mazombwe spoke strongly against the gap between the rich and the poor. His passion to reach the remotest parts of his diocese was, in a way, a search for the poor having realized the gap that existed.”
The discussion of the life and ministry of Cardinal Mazombwe from 31st August-3rd September revolved around his inspiring example to priests; his life as a champion to the Religious; and how he was remembered by the lay faithful.
In a four-day session moderated by the Secretary General of ZCCB Fr. Cleophas Lungu, the participants and guest speakers appreciated and described Cardinal Mazombwe as a man of religious conviction and discipline, a humble pastor with passion for self-reliance, a pastor always available to his people, simple man with his feet on the ground.
Cardinal Mazombwe who once served as Chairman of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), died on 29 August 2013 after serving as a Bishop of Chipata Diocese, Archbishop of Lusaka and the first indigenous Zambian Cardinal.
