ZAMBIA: Bishop of Ndola Diocese Calls for More Youth Involvement in Church Activities

Mwenya Mkuka

Catholic Diocese of Ndola Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Benjamin Phiri has called for the involvement of more youths in Church activities.

On his recent pastoral visit to St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Ndola, Bishop Phiri said time is now for youths to run church affairs alongside the elders saying the participation of youths in Parishes and Small Christian Communities affairs facilitates smooth transition as elders become less active.

“I would like to see the youths participating more in many of these Church activities. This idea of the youths being leaders of the Church tomorrow is not a very good idea because they should start participating now, so put them in the programmes that you undertake,” Bishop Phiri said.

“Let them (youths) also stand out; let them be noticeable so that as we the older people stand down and step aside, they will be able to smoothly take over. There will be no smooth takeover if the youths are not groomed today. They must be groomed. Even in the Christian Communities and in the parish,” he said.

Bishop Phiri said Christians should not hold on to Church positions for many years.

“It does not give credit if you come to me and say Bishop, I am the one who has built St. Anthony, I have been the leader there for the last 30 years. That will not be a credit to you; 30 years and you are still leading? That means we are not progressing very much. It is repeated 30 years one year after another. We need to also allow the younger people to become our deputies. So that they can learn and, in that way, we are going to make headways,” the Chief Shepherd said.

Radio Icengelo reports that Bishop Phiri said this during his recent pastoral visit to St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Ndola town.