ZAMBIA: Mansa Diocese Mourns Long Serving Formator Fr Rock Mwansa

Mwenya Mukuka

The Catholic Diocese of Mansa has lost one of its senior priests to death, Father Roch Mwansa,73, who succumbed in the early hours of 20^th April, 2021 at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka.

Announcing the death of Fr Mwansa, the bishop of Mansa Diocese Rt. Rev. Patrick Chisanga Ofm Conv. said the late priest was evacuated to Lusaka from Mansa on April 14, 2021, following cardiac complications he developed on Holy Saturday, April 3, 2021.

Father Mwansa’s body was interred on the 22^nd April, 2021 at Kabunda Mission in Mansa Diocese.

Born on 15^th May,1947, Fr. Mwansa who Bishop Chisanga described as a dedicated pastor was ordained priest on 20^th October,1974. He served in various positions in the diocese as well as at St. Dominic’s National Major Seminary where he served as Rector for many years.

Many priests who passed through the hands of Fr. Mwansa as seminarians described him as a disciplinarian yet a gentle Rector who wanted the best out of them.

Among those that Fr. Mwansa formed while serving as Rector include Bishop Charles Kasonde of Solwezi Diocese and current chairman of AMECEA, Most Rev. Dr Alick Banda of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lusaka, the late Bishop Moses Hamungole of Monze Diocese, the ZCCB Secretary General Fr. Cleophas Lungu and ZCCB Communications Secretary Fr. Winfield Kunda, among others.