Lusaka Archbishop Alick Banda has warned that people ignoring messages from Priests are doing it at their own peril.
Archbishop Banda said Priests speak from an informed perspective because they live with the people and understand their needs.
In his sermon during the Archdiocese of Lusaka Annual Youth Pilgrimage at the Marian Shrine in Lusaka on Saturday, Archbishop Banda said Priests are not jokers.
The Lusaka Archbishop said he will defend all priests in the Archdiocese of Lusaka in particular and in the world in the general.
Lusaka’s Chawama Catholic Church Parish Priest Fr. Anthony Salangeta is under fire from UPND Government officials and party supporters for speaking against the use of graphs to explain Zambia’s economy by President Hakainde Hichilema.
In his sermon last week on Sunday, Fr. Salangeta said people on the ground are more interested in issues that directly affect them such as nshima as opposed to rhetoric by politicians.
During the recent press conference in Lusaka, President Hichilema used a graph to show growth trends in real Gross Domestic Product from 1973 to 2023.
“As I close my dear young people, I wish to state and defend all priests in the Archdiocese of Lusaka in particular and in the world in the general. A priest is not a joker for heaven sake. A priest is not a joker for heaven sake. A priest is a shepherd of God’s people as he lives among his sheep. He knows his sheep as well as their needs and when he speaks he speaks from an informed perspective. If you ignore his message, you ignore it at your own peril. A joker is a comedian, who performs for amusement and at a fee and when it is done he is paid and he goes off his way. I ask the people of God to judge, who is a true joker, a priest?” Archbishop Banda said.
Minister of Agriculture Reuben Phiri, Minister of Green Economy Collins Nzovu and Local Government Minister Garry Nkombo have all issued media statements against Fr. Salangeta’s sermon.
Meanwhile, earlier in his Saturday sermon, Archbishop Banda reminded young people not be intimidated by anyone for doing what is right and correct.
The Senior Clergy said the truth can sustain youths even in tough times.
Archbishop Banda said young people should protect one another especially the vulnerable, the neglected and the distressed.
“Dear young people cultivate a deep and personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Cultivate love for the Word of God. St. Jerome was right when he said:’ignorance of the scripture, ignorance of the Word of God is ignorance of God. Cultivate the love for the Word of God,’ cultivate a deep and personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. My dear young people do not be intimidated by anyone for doing what is right, what is correct. Let the truth of Christ that bears with and sustains us leads all the way. My dear young people especially the protection of one another, the vulnerable, the neglected, the distressed,” he preached.
“Be faithful, the faith that was preached to you, be faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ even when the situation becomes difficult be it in sickness, be it in death or even in delusion. My dear young people, be ready to lend a helping hand to those in need, be resolved to do good that does not lay itself be discount even the love of gratitude to those that receive your goodness. It is my prayer for each one of you that God may let each one of you be instruments of peace in the right step of hatred and vengeance. That God makes you instruments of tolerance in a culture of hypocrisy,” Archbishop Banda said.
A priest who criticizes government is a darling hero to those in opposition, but once they form government , they don’t want that same criticism which enabled them to win that election.
Iwe Congolese………
Do you sleep on LT ??
Posting rubbish 24/7………
Zimbabwean… I was going to ask you the same question…. what else do you do in your life apart from having unnatural carnal action and defending s.hi.t?
A priest is a Zambian just like any person and he is entitled to talk about kitchen-tables-issues. There is no law in Zambia that says, once you become a priest then you MUST NOT address everyday issues that affect your life. A priest is a father, husband, wife that has to look after his/her family. When the economy is biting, he/she’s also affected. To those who get aroused when you see a priest critic the government – best you re-exam your faculties.
We are aware A priest is just like any other zambian……..
But we are also aware conflicts directly attributed to religion has caused millions of deaths worldwide……….
In many countries, religion is banned from dipping into current affairs that can be construed as politics……
In many countries, religion is banned from dipping into current affairs that can be construed as politics. In which MANY countries? stop dreaming
Bishop Tantameni, he nolonger has free money for hooking slay queens!! Bitterness. Ukose.
Some Priests in zambia are treading a dangerous line because of PF brown envelopes……….
What we have now is the PFs only platform to speard their devisive politics remains the church……….
Ordinary citizens have no time for them…….
#Spaka… they weren’t divisive when Archbishop Mpundu was verbally attacking Edgar Lungu? The Catholic Church doesn’t stop its priests from engaging in sociopolitical issues. If you think you can bring them down, you will just end up being bruised like a dog that has pinched a piece of meat from a boiling pot.
@spaka iwe S W I N E..when Mpundu and Imakando spoke agaist PF U were happy and dancing in ur dirty red occultic boxers..Now that tables have turned u start yapping like a fool…mwapya ba katolika biasa.
The wise say listen to your elders and preachers for a longer life and success in your dealings. Disrespecting elders shortens your life. Hh is cursing himself. Tuza sheeka
Musa shika bandani na mwe
These church people now feel much empowered to be champions of everything. They are making it difficult for some people to belong to these churches where you never know if the priest will upset you while in church. I have been catholic since my school days (taught by Jesuits) since 1968. I never experienced divisive preaching till nowadays. I wonder why!
Keep up the good work anyway Zambian politicans especially in Ruling parties exhibite so much ingorance when it comes to Political history. They never learn at all. Why on earth would you want to exchange words with a Priest…we had Priest who survived KK’s one party brutal regime and were very critical of KK. They were there during FTJ’s time, RB’s time, Mwanawasa’s time and Sata’s time even Lazy Lungu’s. Today we have these new politicans Hakiande and his not so bright media team…the best they would have done is thank the Archbishop for constructive criticism and move on.
Who attacked who here? The president had a press briefing not a press conference with the Press. He was trying to explain the history of Zambia’s past and present economic performance using graphs. Out of the arrogance, obtuseness, and brainlessness of the men in white, they started engaging in divisive politics instead of fulfilling the great commission. Is that what the bible teaches
The problem is not the so called priest’s criticisms…….
The problem is these priest’s only seem to find their voices when they have a PF audience………….
Now, if you only chriticise GRZ when PF are at your church ………..
What message does that send ?
That you are PF hired gun in a robe……..
You are Right. This priest saw Lungu in church and changed his message to start criticizing HH.
He is a hired gun
Just two years ago you identified them as UPND hired gun in a robe
Look. HH wanted to deceive people with graph and it failed. If HH wants his graphs to work he should plot the price of fuel, mealie meal, sugar, fertilizer, bus fares, electricity etc from the time he took over office to today then people will not criticize his graphs. While he is at at plot Mopani and KCM on it. Then plot lower Zambezi mining activities. Also show us one CDF project that make sense other than three class block buildings and some maternity wards that explains the large CDF expenditure. Animal husbandry is not the same as running a country.
Plot for us the graphs of fuel prices, food prices, and energy prices in Zambia, the SADC region, and Europe.Then answer the following?
Who acquired the huge debt? pf
Who sold Mopani mine? pf
Who gave the license to mine in the lower Zambezi?pf
Now you want the graphs to show a downward trend when there are billions of dollars in debt to settle? You have no shame whatsoever. This is totally preposterous, impudence, and imbecility
He is a pf cadre yalishibikwa ukubelesha tatameni
Catholic priests usually speak for the people and therefore must be listened to but not in your case alick banda as you are already a well known PF cadre.
Allow the voters to make decisions and we are best placed to make a choice. The church should be cautious with issuing explosive remarks
Please specify which church because Church is a general term.
Our Church right now is engaged in prayers for the country, and the leadership and is busy fulfilling the Great Commission Matthew 28:16 – 20
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Priests can say all they like that guides and adds value to human welfare with tact and separate from politicking or giving such an impression of a know it all because of being privileged to speak or intercede on behalf of their flock. These are humans who have taken a profession and not any exclusive anointing but appointment to help understand God’s will and life’s purpose. Once priests choose to meddle in political gimmickry then they invite dirt and being stung by bees who care less about the priestly frock! Priests should lay off political debate as its not in their lane! Jesus Christ never taunted politicians but had issues with how the clergymen interpreted God’s Word to both public and government leadership!)
NOT ALL SPIRITS ARE HELPFUL TO MAN. NOT ALL PERSONS CALLED PRIESTS ARE GENUINE . SO DON’T TELL PEOPLE FOLLOW EVERY ONE WITH A TITLE OF A PRIEST
katana you don’t understand issues. HH WAS JUST WORKING FOR THE STATE. IT IS THE STATE THAT SOLD THE MINES WITH THE APPROVAL OF PARLIAMENT. HH DID NOT JUST WAKE UP AND STARTED SELLING THE MINES AND OTHER COMPANIES. IT WAS THE ACT OF THE GOVERNMENT. WHEN YOU SEE CDF BEING GIVEN , DONT SINGLE OUT OUT THE ONE IMPLEMENTING AS THE SOLE OWNEROF THE PROGRAM, FOR THAT ONE IS JUST INSTRUCTED AND HAS TO FOLLOW THE GUIDE LINES. IN CASE THE IMINES , THERE WERE SEVERAL COMMITEES THAT WERE SET BY THE STATE TO MONITOR EVERY STEP. SO HH DID NOT DO IT BUT THE STATE
So strange how scammers can be pretending to be priests. Shame on them.
Some so called bishops have no clue of the bible. These are bishops for Lungu not for the church.
This government is falling very quickly , please be wise and know where your fall is coming from , this catholic
bishop and priest has more people behind him that can cripple the government in power , they are about seven million of them in Zambia but the UPND party has less than a million followers maybe only 300,000 only Every one knows how powerful religion can be UPND please be advised to do the correct thing.
If i were the president who value his position i wouldn’t pick an altercation with these men of the cloth.