Catholic Diocese of Ndola Bishop Benjamin Phiri has warned men in the habit of sexually abusing children under their custody, especially in homes to stop.
Bishop Phiri said it is shameful that some men were sexually abusing their own children in homes.
He said people abusing children should stop and repent before they face God’s wrath.
Bishop Phiri further cautioned female guardians against being cruel to children in homes, especially orphans.
Bishop Phiri said this in his homily when celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday Mass at Divine Mercy Parish in Hillcrest, Ndola attended by scores of people that included juveniles.
“Treat children well, those children whose parents are not there and you agreed to keep them, those children who belong to other people but whom you have agreed to keep. Do not mistreat them. Ladies please don’t mistreat them because their cry is very strong. It is heard by God, their cry is very strong. You may be fine today, tomorrow but eventually after tomorrow you will be crying as well because of mistreating children.”
“So let us treat children well and we the men let us be responsible. There are some of us who go into the zoo to hunt animals. Some of you are hunting your own children in your homes. Shame, God is looking at you, you must ask for God’s mercy today. I am saying what the spirit tells me. These things are happening in your homes, some of you who are seated here. Let us be careful, let us not play with God. May God bless you, may God grant you the graces you need to be able to be true disciples, to me merciful and above all may God protect you from all evil and from all harm,” Bishop Phiri preached.
Meanwhile, Bishop Phiri has spoken against promotion of un-Christian teachings being championed by the Western World that include homosexuality.
He said some of the teachings coming from the western world today are sinful and diabolic.
“I pray that none of you who call yourselves Christians will stand in front of people in order to teach things which are not Christian. Some of the teachings that are coming from the Western World today are sinful. They are sins and you a Christian you will stand in front to open your mouth just to earn a living, to teach those things. May God have mercy on you if you do that because God’s patience tested beyond a certain point actually does give in. When there is no hope for you, let us be strong, let us be true witnesses. Let us teach others to be strong and to be true witnesses but above all let us show mercy to each other especially in families. Mu ma families umu, ma families yenagu appear like war zones. When people arrive at home everybody has already their fists ready for a fight. Whom are you fighting; you are sleeping in the same house. You are all one body of Christ so let us treat each other well especially those children,” Bishop Phiri said.
The Bishop further implored Christians to be merciful, kind and loving to one another as the church celebrates Divine Mercy by emulating God’s mercy towards humanity.
He said Easter demonstrates God’s kindness to humanity that has repeatedly offended him from the time of Adam and Eve.
“God is merciful. We are here because of God’s mercy, we have what we have because of God’s mercy, and we are what we are because of God’s mercy, not because we are better human beings but because God is kind. Let us pray that God may look kindly upon us and bless us and grant us the graces that we need in order to be better, so that we maybe good disciples, good children of God, that we maybe better brothers and sisters to each other, that we may fear God,” Bishop Phiri said.
