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.
