ZAMBIA: Catholic Media Services Mourn Fr Charles Chilinda

By Mwenya Mukuka

Catholic Media Services (CMS) and the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) Communications Commission have received the sad news of the demise of Rev. Fr. Charles Chilinda, SJ. with a sense of shock and grief.

Fr. Charles Chilinda who has succumbed to Covid19 complications was until his death director of Loyola Productions studio and TV station in Lusaka.

Loyola Productions is a creative media company built on a 450-year-old Society of Jesus tradition of effective involvement in mass media and communications.

In a statement issued by Catholic Media Services Executive Director by Fr. Winfield Kunda, he noted that Fr. Chilinda, SJ. was part of the growth of the catholic media in Zambia and greatly impacted both church-run media outlets and the secular ones in Zambia.

“ Fr. Chilinda greatly impacted both church-run media outlets and the secular ones. In his quest to ‘feed’ the nation with right information, Fr. Chilinda traversed this country and beyond resulting in the production of well researched programs that were aired on various media platforms. Through Loyola production studios, Fr. Chilinda also helped in recording and archiving many events of the nation and the church which shall be referred to in many years to come,” said Fr. Kunda.

“Fr. Charles Chilinda, SJ contributed greatly to the establishment of the catholic television stations in Zambia. He was a member of the Lumen TV Steering Committee at the time the Catholic Bishops were planning to establish a national Catholic Television, Lumen TV. It is also through his leadership that the Jesuits managed to setup the Jesuit TV station, Loyola TV. Hi demise is a great loss to both the Church and many students in various institutions of learning whom he spoke to on film production,” added Fr. Kunda.

Fr. Kunda further said that the Catholic Church in Zambia and the region will greatly miss his advice on various media and communication matters.

“On behalf of Catholic Media Services and all our Catholic media houses across the nation, I send our heartfelt condolences to the Jesuit Community, the family and friends on this great loss of a priest that took advantage of his ministry as a shepherd to bring peace among our national political leadership,” said Fr. Kunda.

The death of Fr. Chilinda has been confirmed by Fr. Leonard Chiti, the Society of Jesus Zambia – Malawi Provincial.

Fr. Chiti. SJ said Fr. Chilinda SJ. died Thursday, 21^st January, 2021 at Maina Soko Military Hospital in Lusaka due to complications brought about by the Covid-19.

He was admitted to the COPTIC Hospital on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Fr. Chiti says the late Father Chilinda will be remembered as a generous priest who had passion for preaching the word of God and touched the lives of many through his services.

Zambia recently lost another guru in Church communications, Rt. Rev. Moses Hamungole of Monze Diocese who until his death was Bishop Director for Communication at Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB).