Our Diocese

A Newsletter from Mpika Diocese

February 2001

Important Dates

Vocations

This year 5 of our students were accepted to Grade VIII and 6 to Grade X at Lubushi Minor Seminary and altogether the number of Mpika students at the Minor Seminary is 25.
The Vocation Team in the Diocese convened a one day workshop on 23 February 2001 at which they discussed and reflected on many issues concerning the Vocation to Priesthood and Consecrated Life. The Bishop, who gave an input, stressed the necessity and urgency of prayer in the promotion of vocations: “Pray to the owner of the harvest that He will send out workers to gather in his Harvest” (Mt. 9: 38). He called upon the whole Diocesan Christian Community to work together to promote and support vocations. The Team will hold another workshop later in the year.

Fund raising for seminarians

The efforts towards self-sustainability have started to bear some fruits. On 24 February 2001 St Anne and St Joachim lay apostolic movements of St. Andrew’s and Ichengelo Parishes hosted a fundraising dinner dance at which the Bishop was the guest of honour. The funds realized will be used in the formation of seminarians. This initiative is commendable and should be emulated.

Mpika Diocesan ZAS

The first bi-annual meeting of Diocesan ZAS this year took place on 4 March at Ilondola and was attended by 19 participants from 7
Communities. Mr. Clement Mumbo from Behavior Change Program was the facilitator. His in-put emphasised that Behavioral Change
is an on going process since life is dynamic. To bring about behavior change, it is not enough to have information; it is necessary
to have the conviction that change is possible and the readiness to change even though change is often very difficult and painful.
The Diocesan ZAS was forced to hold elections before the end of term of office of its executive members. This was due to the fact that
most positions had become vacant as a result of transfers of sisters to other dioceses. The following are the new officer bearers:
Chairperson, Sr. Juliet Musonda LSMI; Vice Chair, Sr. Grace Chileshe SCJ; Secretary, Sr. Grace Kaela SCJ; Vice Secretary, Sr. Clare Machisa
LSMI; Treasurer, Sr. Maureen Gavin SHJM; Vice Treasurer, Sr. Catherine Bwalya SOLQA.

Yusufu Scouts

The Yusufu Scout Leaders will have a one-day workshop at ICL to plan this year’s Scouting activities. All leaders are invited to attend this workshop so that they can share their ideas for the good of the group as well as the youth who are the future of the Church. Dates are as follows:
Arrival: Friday 23 March at or after 16:00 hrs; Departure: Sunday 25 March after Mass
Saturday 24 March: Workshop day

Visitors

The Arch-Abbot Jeremiah Schröder, President of the Benedictine Missionary Congregation of St. Ottilien, Germany and Fr. Prior Anthony Ochieng, the Prior of Tigoni, Kenya accompanied by Brother Pachomy Lwila of Hanga Abbey, Tanzania were in the diocese from 13 to 16 February. The Arch-Abbot and the Prior were on CANONICAL VISITATION of Katibunga Priory; they also paid a courtesy call on the Bishop at the diocesan HQ.
Sr. Prisca Matenga DOR and Ms. Diana Nzara visited the Diocese. Sr. Prisca was introducing Diana to, we hope will be, her future work as Diocesan AIDS Program Co-ordinator.
Margherita Gallo, the ALM Co-ordinator from Rome, came on a routine visit to the ALM in Isoka and Chinsali and saw for herself their programmes of AIDS Prevention and Home Based Care. On 5 March she called on the Bishop.

Tragedy

Msgr. Marian Kolacki (Fidei Donum Priest), the Parish Priest of Chilonga was killed in a tragic road traffic accident on the night of
17 February. He was hit by a Tanzanian bus around about 21:30 on the Great North Road just in front of Chilonga Hospital. The Police apprehended
the hit-and-run driver at Isoka-Great North Road junction about midnight. Yes indeed the Lord gave, the Lord has taken away Fr. Marian.
May his name be praised. In the sad days that followed, Chilonga played host to the many clergy, religious and laity came together in
solidarity and prayer for Fr. Marian. The concelebrated Funeral Mass on Wednesday 21 February was presided over by Archbishop James Spaita
of Kasama, assisted by Bishop Mpundu with 67 priests from Kasama, Mansa, Lusaka and Mpika dioceses and attended by many Women/Men Religious
from in and outside the diocese. There was a large number of lay faithful from Chilonga, St. Andrew’s and TAZARA parishes. Fr. Zenon,
Fr. Marian’s predecessor as parish priest of Chilonga, came all the way from Poland together with Fr. Andrew Halemba who had worked
in Mambwe but is now Director of the Polish Episcopal Conference’s Missionary Institute in Warsaw. Fr. Wlodzimierz Tobola who also worked in
he Diocese at Kayambi (4 years) and Chilonga (2 years) represented the Bishop and the Diocese of Wloclawek, late Fr. Marian’s diocese of
origin. We believe Fr. Marian’s life was a life fully lived in the service of God’s people particularly in Mpika Diocese where he spent
17 out of the 24 years of his priestly life. The people for and with whom he worked gave him a fitting farewell by turning in large numbers
to pay their last respects. May God grant Fr. Marian rest in the eternal happiness and peace.

Condolences to:

Sr. Angela N. Mushitu LSMI whose mother passed away in Lusaka on 15 February and her maternal uncle a week later. They were put to rest on 20 and 24 February respectively.
Fr. J. Matepa on the death of his uncle on 5 February at Chilonga Hospital. He was buried on 6 February.
Bishop Mpundu whose young brother in his home village died suddenly on 18 February; he was buried on 20 February.
We pray that God will comfort and strengthen the families in their sorrow and grant eternal rest to their departed loved ones.

Please note:

All those with E-mail addresses are requested to forward them to the headquarters so that “OurDiocese” can be mailed electronically.

Parish Priests should bring their Holy Oils vessels in time for the Mass of the Holy Oils that will take place on Maundy Thursday, 12 April 2001 at St. Joseph’s HQ Church at 0930. Priests from neighbouring communities who wish to attend are welcome but should bring their own alb and stole for the occasion.