THE Roman Catholic Church has distanced itself from a statement by Change Life Zambia Director Frank Bwalya claiming that President Rupiah Banda’s attendance of the Good Friday celebrations at St Ignatius was a mockery to the Catholics.
And the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) has also distanced itself from the statement made by Fr Bwalya that President Rupiah Banda should not have attended the Good Friday mass in the Catholic Church. ZEC spokesperson Paul Samasumo said Father Bwalya was not a spokesperson for the church and what he said were his own personal views.
The church described Fr Bwalya’s statement as one aimed at denting the image of St Ignatius and yet he did not represent the parish in any way. Superior of the St Ignatius Parish, Charles Chilinda said there was no wrangle between the Government and the catholics and advised the president not to respond to Fr Bwalya’s seven days ultimatum to apologise to the catholics because that was not the ultimatum from the catholics but from Fr Bwalya.
And St Ignatius, Vice-Parish Council chairperson Evaristo Njelesani said as a parish, it welcomed people who wanted to fellowship with them and that Easter was a big event in the Catholic Church and attendance was open to everyone.
Speaking at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday at St Ignatius, Father Chilinda said the Catholic Church was grateful and humbled to see President Banda, Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata and Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi as it was a big inspiration to unity.
[pullquote]Speaking at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday at St Ignatius, Father Chilinda said the Catholic Church was grateful and humbled to see President Banda, Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata and Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi as it was a big inspiration to unity.[/pullquote]
“ Fr Bwalya is not speaking for St Ignatius; he is from Copperbelt, we can only speak for ourselves and what we are saying is that the president must not apologise, let him ignore the ultimatum because Fr Bwalya is speaking for himself and not the Church, Fr Bwalya has no authority over St Ignatius,” he said.
He said Fr Bwalya was using any opportunity to champion his mission and urged him to stop using the media to create an impression of enmity between President Banda and Mr Sata when in actual fact they were good friends.
Fr Chilinda said the Catholic Church brought everyone together and that it would continue welcoming the president each time he wanted to join them in prayers because the Church was the house of the Lord.
He said politics should be influenced by Christian values which was not the situation saying what was being witnessed was politics of conflict and unChristian events and utterances.
Fr Chilinda has advised the media to stop focusing on the negatives each time they write their articles as Friday’s function was aimed at promoting unity, peace and love. “There is no better time for reconciliation than this one, let’s have a media that promotes peace,” he said.
Father Samasumo said only he and the secretary general of ZEC Joe Komakoma were official spokespersons for the church. He said if a bishop spoke, his views could also be taken as the official position of the church and not any other priest.
Father Samasumo said the church at St Ignatius Parish invited Mr Banda to be one of the congregants at the special church service as a way of building solidarity, unity and reconciliation among people in the country.
He said among those invited were Mr Sata, Ms Nawakwi and United Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema.
“There is no way we can invite someone and later start condemning him for attending our church service,” Fr Samasumo said.He said the statement by Fr Bwalya was unfortunate.
The church was reacting to Fr Bwalya’s statement in which he gave President Banda a seven-day ultimatum to apologise to the Catholic Church failure to which the church would make him feel unwelcome whenever he attends any service for the rest of his life.
Fr Bwalya was quoted on QFM Radio and the online publication LusakaTimes.com as having said that President Banda’s attendance of the Good Friday celebrations at Saint Ignatius Catholic Church last Friday should be viewed as a mockery to the Catholic Church by all Zambians.
Speaking to QFM in a telephone interview yesterday, Fr Bwalya said the action by the president was not different from that of former president Chiluba when he went to the same church and received communion when he knew it was wrong for him to do so.
He said it was wrong for the president to attend the celebration because he is presiding over a government that has accused the Catholic Church of promoting genocide in the country. He said the action was an act of insult to Catholic priests.
[Times of Zambia]
I think the problem which Fr. bwalya does not realise in himself, is the tendency to talk too much. Rightly said, he is not the Spokesperson for the Catholic Church in Zambia and of St. Ignatius Parish in Lusaka, nor is he a Spokesperson for any Catholic Parish or Catholic Group in Zambia. Let this fact sink into people’s minds to avoid implicating the Church in Fr. Bwalya’s statements. If he continues to talk too much, and sometimes unnecessarily he risks denting even the good points and observations he makes about Governance.
Father your article was well said. At least you made your point and its been noted
ather your article was well said. At least you made your point and its been noted. Let’s keep our eyes on the ball en focus on the red card campaign. Advise where the next launch will be and when
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I was also shocked to see Fr. Bwalya’s statement as prayers are meant to allow people to reflect on whatever wrong they could have done in society. I honestly did not see anything wrong with the President praying with others. In fact, even a well known criminal in Chiluba is never condemned for attending church. Then why should an innocent president in RB be prevented from congragting? I think Fr. Bwalya has gone far too far. He must be advised. We do no want extremists in our society. There should be moderation and I wont be surprised if he is fired from the church sooner than later.
Here is a conundrum. When an MMD cadre speaks, it’s attributed to RB. But a Catholic priest speaks, it is said, it is his personal opinion. FDD President also speaks in his personal capacity. Why then is RB being made responsible for Findlay’s remarks, William Banda’s, MMD youth chairman’s etc? It is just hatred.
Here is a conundrum. When an MMD cadre speaks, it’s attributed to RB. But a Catholic priest speaks, it is said, it is his personal opinion. FDD President also speaks in his personal capacity. Why then is RB being made responsible for Findlay’s remarks, William Banda’s, MMD youth chairman’s etc? It is just hatred.
Anyone calling Mr Bwalya ‘Father’ could as well call the devil that. This man should learn from people like Romero in South America who opposed really brutal regimes, Tutu in South Africa & Luwum in Uganda’s Idi Amin. Zambia is a democracy & there is no need to agitate for civil disobedience unless ‘you are of your father the devil’ a liar & murderer & thief.
Fr Frank Bwalya lost direction on this one and need to repent and should apologise to his Excellence the President of the Republic of Zambia RB and the whole Catholic on this earth.
But the RED CARD plan is still going on, so we the Catholic particularly Zambians are not against RB and his associates, so you are welcome to church and attend church Masses at anytime.
RED CARD :((
Why does Zambia’s Catholic Church produce funny people. We had Lenshina, Milingo, and now Bwalya? I suspect there must be something in the wine!
WE HAD FIRST FATHER BWALYA,THEN FATHER WALYA AND NOW FATHER YAWA. WAYA WAYA OR KAWAYAWAYA. FATHER WAYA KUCHAINAMA.THE TIME TO SEPARATE THE ‘DIRT” PRIEST AND THE CLEAN ONES IS NOW.THIS IS NATURE SEPARATION. ABAPENA THIS SIDE ABAMANO THIS SIDE. UBUSUMA ABAMANO A MANY IN THE CATHOLIC.IT IS ONLY TUMBUYE FATHERS FROM THE NORTH ATWAPENA.
#10, The Saint, I am sorry Ba Saint, but Alice Mulenga Lenshina was never a Catholic. She was what you would now call UCZ. She was congregating at Lubwa Mission when she had that illness and was said to have died and resurected after two or so days. The nearest Catholic church to her village, Kasomo, was Ilindola Mission and she was not a parishioner there.
Thank you Sir.
Father Bwalya or whatevr you call he is confused. You don not oppose everything MMD does. Jesus came for the sinners and RB has realised is a sinner, why should he prevented from attending any church he wishes?
Sort out your sexual abuse mess in the catholic church, infact you need members !
Someone should just get a wife for this man. She will sort him out for all.
Father Bwalya loves attention even at Kitwe Boys he was like that no wonder he went into Priesthood. He is useless.
find a wife man
I have been fasting and praying over this priest, and not long ago I said all would be revealed in time. The evilness behind the masquerade of a campaign he calls red card would be revealed. And it hasn’t taken long, it has come to pass. How ironic, that at a time when the catholic church should be in a sombre mood reflecting, and allowing for peace and forgiveness among us, as the slate has been washed clean by the blood of Jesus, yet you find a man of God rushing to the closest radio station, to expose his demon possessed mind. The devil too has a following, and his following is always drawn to the sweetness in him.This Bwalya has managed to capture a number of minds on this blog, but each day I pray, that we may not loose many to a lost cause, that they will return to a righteous…
That was uncalled for Fr. Bwalya! You are basically doing fine with the RED CARD campaign. The father shouldn’t lose touch with the majority with mistakes as this one. Who is he to speak on behalf of St. Ignatius church? What authority was he commanding??
THE truth is coming out now, kanshi ubushilu bwakale?.THANK VERY MUCH BA BENJIE#15. The guy thinks he can still use “ka mob sychology”even countrywide? if you are a man father marry. Prove it you are better than Ba RB. NOT UKULALEMBELA BAMU-PRESIDENT Utumaletters.
THE truth is coming out now, kanshi ubushilu bwakale?.THANK VERY MUCH BA BENJIE#15. The guy thinks he can still use “ka mob sychology”even countrywide? if you are a man father marry. Prove it you are better than Ba RB. NOT UKULALEMBELA BAMUka-President utumakalata. you are a bad seed.
Ba Fr. Bwalya mwaya sana ibwelenimo. Incito yenu kuleta bantu pamo tekupasa mwalatusebanya pilishi. Leave the Catholic Church and join politics full time. Let me assure you, we are not going to vote for you because you are a disgrace to the mother church. Mr. Sata and Banda should learn to seat on one table for the better Zambia. Post learn to report ifyamano te ma jokes ya chimbuya caba Sata naba Banda.
Ba Father Bwalya please go and preach the gospel,do not waste time with politics it will leave a big dent on your life history.
careful with your comments ba busa otherwise your own red cards will be flashing back at you…………:d/:-\”
I feel proud as Catholic that this priest has be shamed,disowned and his evil schemes exposed.Does he think if he has influence in Kapoto asnd Ipusukilo,then its all Zambia? How can he ignore the Church hierarchy and issue such an outrageous statement.He should be ex-communicated for gross indiscipline.
They are called Fathers so that it will be easy for kids to come to them and be molested. Dig into this so called father and you will find that he has either molested children or had homosexual relationship with another priest or he has a sexual relationship with a nun or some unsuspecting young girls in his parish. Bwalya should repent. The Catholic church should discipline him strip him of his title.
Fr Bwalya do not be disheartened by the useless cowards represented here. You’ve more supporters than these spineless armchair critics that have no clues the amount of guts it takes for someone to take the stance you’ve taken for the suffering masses. Half of the empty heads here dont even realise we’ve brothers and sisters in our prisons sadly enough some of whom are innocent but incacerated due to injustices, incompetence and selfishness of those in the justice system but you are on record to have championed for their plight as well by writing to RB’s missus to advice the almighty stubborn one to channel some of the moneys he’s wasting on useless tours to the prisoners. Only the cowrds
What is the genocidal priest’s stance on Sata receiving the eucharist seeing as though he has been married three times and has fathered three children (that we know of) out of wedlock? Sata was also part and parcel of the Chiluba regime which allegedly stole millions of dollars from the Zambian state coffers and wanted Chiluba to stand for a third-term.
FFB mwanawesu, refocus your strategy. Apa, stop talking and issuing statements. wingile panshi elo ukatuntuke after a while. Go therefore and destroy MMD structures particularly on the CB. We are following your good works.
Am not Catholic but am proud of what the brave catholic priests are doing to improve the welfare of our poor people. Am surprised that even people professed to be catholic have forgotten that this government has been smearing the church with Rwanda mess and accept RB to walk through their church doors without being questioned about it. Cowardice is a very difficult desease to cure, certainly at some point some people will have to get out of their comfort zone and sacrifice whatever they’ve earned for this stagnant country to regain some traction and move forward. VIVA Fr BWALYA, VIVA RED CARD.
#29
Am sorry but i strongly disagree, why should he go underground for? what sin has he comitted to stop exercising his human rights? its amazing how feeble some peoples minds are, even a useless onesided article like this one is capable of swaying their minds away from the bigger picture. The question is, did the catholic church ( mark the word church) start or indeed commit genocide Rwanda? if the answer is yes then pick a stone and through it at Fr Bwalya but if the answer is NO then stop for a moment and look at the ultimatum he gave RB if its unreasonable
# 30
The Catholic Church teaches that we should condemn the sin but not the sinner. Put in another way, to sin is human but to forgive is divine. Who are we to bar anyone from the grace of God. Even Banda, critical as he has been of the Catholic Church cannot be barred from receiving God’s favour when his heart is moved.
The only other thing I have observed on this forum is that in our criticism of Mr. Bwalya, silly as he has been, justifying some people’s reservation about him as being driven by hatred rather than love for the country, we have also condemned him as a human being. He too deserves the grace of God. He has erred in his judgement but he is still human.
msana wanjili, I thought that Katie Good had given you some free lessons in civility and good manners. Obviously, you are unteachable and it is a fact that the unteachable cannot teach others.
Thank you for speaking out ba Catholic leadership, your silence was beginning to be misunderstood at the expense of your good church.
The demons are coming out angrily now because the last ten days have not been good for them as we entered the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. First the Pronuncio’s statement, then the clarification by Archbishop Mpundu, and now ZEC/ St Ignatius Parish distancing themselves from the devil. This was indeed not a good Easter period for demon possessed priests and politicians, a victory for our Christ the Saviour.
the fr has been bashed from left, right and at the center…..none has seen sense not even a bit on his statement. I stand not judge him.
come on no 34 even a total fool can see tha frank bwalya is a demon possessed part time priest. he had no right to issue such a statement. as for rwanda and other so called smears, they are not smears. there is a catholic priest right now languising in jail for inciing genocide through a radio station in kigali. he was also a station manager like frank bwalya and he was allowed to spew out so much hatred similar to what Post is doing with frank and other fools in the opposition
#35, just because the so called priest was supposedly inciting the Rwanda Genocide does not make every catholic a bad person. And just because Zambia is being led by a spineless useless government doesn’t make you one or does it ? mmm?
#32 Shushushu
I dont remember that little ###### giving me any lectures, is she your concubine i wonder? please stick to the topic at hand. Thank you.
This is where we shall see if Fr Bwalya is for real or just a pretender, whether these few spineless critics will dampen his passion or infact spur him even more to get in the faces of the selfproclaimed dogs including the vicious rotweilers, bulldogs, pitbulls, german sherpards, Doberman Pinschers, Presa Canarios, Boxers, chihuahua kafupi etc. He has to pass this test bearing in mind their weak spins even within the priests. VIVA BWALYA VIVA RED CARD.
but who has said all catholics are like bwalya? the chap is not a representative of the church but the catholic church has shown serious tendencies in the past for violence and this cannot be denied including collaboration with the hitler regime
Good , at least the church in lusaka has set the record straight .
….I also might mention that the tendency for some of us commenting here to use terms like demon possession , sins , evil priest , the devil , blood of christ ,and repentance is actually driving the debate into the realms of fantasy.
Bear in mind , that is only an opinion though ..!………………………….Peace.
The last three paragraphs sums up Bwalya’s gripe with RB… and Chiluba. Have you guys noticed that? In his view, 1. It’s wrong for Banda to fellowship with the very church he has accused of genocide. 2. Chiluba should not have partaken of the communion at the catholic church. These are genuine concerns and I think Fr. Samasumo owes Bwalya some answers, before distancing the church from his statements. It’s easy for all of us to condemn Bwalya and call him names, but I think the fellow has a point. I would question RB and Chiluba’s presence in the church if I was a true Catholic, you see? Things like this can drive a genuine devotee crazy~X(
No one here has answered any questions that I asked. No one has answered why Rupiah went to a Catholic Church in the midst of the insults that has been hauled at Archbishop Mpundu by MMD cadres like yourself. No one, not even your Pastor Shikapwasha came to the side of the Catholic church when you MMD cadres and your friends (non Catholics) tried to bulldoze through the Catholic hierarchy to remove the Godly man Archbishop Mpundu. RB paid you for the nonsense and thank God that white man the Vatican Ambassador saw through your RB and MMD crap and told you to go pound sand .
Not so long ago, FTJ heard a press conference at his not deservedly residence in Kabulonga. For your information, the press conference was a brain child of State House from the press desk of Jere. 100% of people in attendance were MMD and Cabinet Ministers. Why? It was at this conference that the foolish short man unleashed the serpent to try to undercut the good works of the Catholic Church and Archbishop Mpundu in particular. Some fools like yourself, not knowing what was at stake bought into that crap. I also have to remind the readership that the fight with the Catholic church is not accidental. Shikapwasha stood in Parliament and accused the church of genocide. So, the visit by Banda to level headed people and those who are able to see through the MMD crap was a mockery.
The attacks on Fr. Bwalya in most cases are not out of genuine concern, but purely out of MMD concern of losing power. On LT the attacks are in some cases out of Jealousy since some of you have never had the audience this young preacher is able to command. Yes, you have rights to say what you want about him, but don’t you think him too has a right to say what he wants? The genius in Fr. Bwalya has you talking and blogging about him. Some of you even after working for over 40 years at ZNBC walked out with thumbs in your mouths. The genius in Bwalya has even introduced a Red Card that has left the all entire MMD leadership dreaming about the future of MMD. With a blank paper, MMD is unable to lie to the nation. The best cure for a sluggish mind is to disturb its routine. Fr. Bwalya did it.
That said, do you guys know that even in the Catholic Priests there are those that are OP/shushushu that are there always on the side of the government? So, be mindful of those that are speaking. You will never know who they work for. Find out who speaks on behalf of the Catholic church. Probably the person quoted by LT is not the spokesperson for the church. Getting excited by a statement from one priest would the last thing. Probably you have to ask yourselves why the Archbishop did not want to conduct mass with Banda around. Probably you want to know how the arrangement was made by a junior priest too.
#12 RECYCLED POLITICIAN
Thank you for the correction. I could add the Ugandan Lord’s Resistance army.
6
THE SAINT- Ba sent naimwe, we have distanced ourselves from the nonsense of one former priest, and I think that should be enough. But typical of MMD cadres you want to complicate things. Your cadres threatened to gang rape a woman, your party failed to disassociate it self from these remarks which means you appove of what your cadre had said.
I don’t see anything good written about Fr. Bwalya when its the “Times of Zambia” who have published an article. All they write about him are negative aspects. Personaly, i think Fr. Bwaly’s words have been twisted by the “Times of Zambia” just to tarnish his name. Ba “Times” mulebako real sometimes, don’t exagerate issues. This your Rupiah Banda is just using you now, I wonder how your articles will be like come 2011, ;;)b-(:-ss#-o
Faza walya has a very big problem. He is one of those priests whose SEEDS in their BLOOD are STRUGGLING to come OUT and his disobedience to eject these materials into the rightful environment is disturbing his psychology.I agree with someone above. Somebody must give him a woman now before he goes to the asylum. Sexual pressure can drive a person real crazy…….ask Milingo……I think he is also too childish.A real grown up ,intelligent,and wise cannot utter such nonsense. What does he know about the teaching on forgiveness? love,humility and kindness? these virtues do not seem to be in tandem with him.He is full of hate.How does he feel now that his fellow priests have seen that he is a fool? the Catholic Church….I ask you to fire him before he brings more shame to the church .
The idiocy Faza Walya has exhibited through his comments on The President Banda’s presence at St Ignatious Church at Easter has made even the most gullible see that Walya’s thinking is warped.Sages questioned the aims and purposes of his campigns right at beginning of his crussade.In the typical way of The Rwanda’s private radio stations’ managers,Walya started with preaching hatred on the Radio Icengelo.When he was satisfied that he had fooled many ,he decided to launch his Filth organisation.Some people thought the course was a just one.But now am sure wise ones are seeing the selfish and childish drives agitating this young man.Look at his folloe\wers! most of them are vagabonds who only sprincle water on their bodies once a month for a bath…..ssshit
Kalos @ #42.President Banda was invited.Secondly, he went to pray.He does not need to get permission from any one not even the pope.