Série « Documents » n° 4A The social teaching of the catholic bishops and other christians leaders in Zambia. Major pastoral letters and statements. 1953-2001 JOE KOMAKOMA (éd.) Publié sur le site : www.pastoralis.org en décembre 2011 THE SOCIAL TEACHING OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS AND OTHER CHRISTIAN LEADERS IN ZAMBIA MAJOR PASTORAL LETTERS AND STATEMENTS 1953-2001 THE SOCIAL TEACHING OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS AND OTHER CHRISTIAN LEADERS IN ZAMBIA MAJOR PASTORAL LETTERS AND STATEMENTS Edited by Fr. Joe Komakoma Printed by Mission Press, Ndola - Zambia First Printed in 2003 ISBN 9982 - 07 - 146 - 7 Pastoral Letters and Statements i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This book is the fruit of painstaking work which took several years to accomplish. Some of the Statements unearthed and included to the list were found in the most unlikely places, like old dusty IMPACT magazines. Thanks to the cooperation of various people, this task was done. I am greatly indebted to the close cooperation of Rev. Fr. Damian K. Musonda, Rector of St. Dominic’s Seminary and Rev. Fr. Peter Henriot S.J., Director of the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR). The three of us cooperated to arrange the documents and contribute to the main introduction and the short introductions to each particular document. Special thanks goes to Mr. Samuel Mulafulafu of the CCJP National Office for seeing to it that the project went ahead during the long months of my absence on my sabbatical year. I also acknow- ledge the contribution of Sr. Diana Hess, who suggested the format for the guiding questions at the end of the main introduction. Many thanks to the selected people who took the trouble to read the first manuscript and offered priceless critical reviews on the best way to present the material. Among them are: Bishop Paul Duffy of Mongu Diocese, Fr. Ignatius P. Mwebe, the Secretary General of the Zambia Episcopal Conference, Fr. Hugo Hinflaar M.Afr, Sr. Teresita Abraham, Fr. Umberto Davoli OFM, and Fr. John Mujdrica S.J. Thanks to the SMA Frs. Owen Maginn & Sexton Doran for proof-reading the final text. Thanks to Ms Mercy Mbololwa Simutowe for typing the voluminous documents onto a computer disk in record time. I also wish to thank Br. Camillo and all the staff at Mission Press for their patience during the times the project moved at a snail’s pace! I wish to thank all those who in one way or another gave me encouragement to soldier on despite the various problems on the way. My final thanks go to CAFOD, MISEREOR, and the JCTR for generously supporting this project financially. May good Lord bless you all with justice and peace! Joe Komakoma (Fr.) – Editor ii List of the Pastoral Letters and Statements "The Second Vatican Council teaches that Bishops are both heralds of the faith, who draw new disciples to Christ, and authentic teachers, that is, teachers endowed with the Authority of Christ, who preach to the people entrusted to their care." (Pope John-Paul II) A LIST OF THE COMPILED PASTORAL LETTERS AND STATEMENTS Page No. 1953 Northern Rhodesia Ordinaries Conference: Pastoral Letter Addressed to all Catholic Missionaries and Members of the African Clergy in Northern Rhodesia........................................ 32 1958 Joint Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of Northern Rhodesia Addressed to the Catholics of All Races.................................... 64 1964 Statement from the Catholic Bishops of Zambia to mark Zambia’s Independence Day – 24th October 1964............................................. 76 1972 Declaration of the Zambia Episcopal Conference on abortion ............................................ 81 1974 Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of Zambia. On the Occasion of the 10th Anni- versary of Independence, 24th October 1974. ........... 88 1976 Letter to All Catholics Signed by the Bishop Chairman - ZEC ............................................ 96 1978 Statement of the Catholic Bishops of Zambia on the Elections ......................................... 102 1979 Marxism, Humanism and Christianity, A Letter from the Leaders of the Christian Pastoral Letters and Statements iii Churches in Zambia to All their Members about Scientific Socialism (EFZ, CCZ & ZEC) ..... 107 1986 Reflections of the Catholic Bishops For the Season of Lent ........................................................... 134 1987 Christian Liberation, Justice and Develop- ment: The Churches’ Concern for Human Development in Zambia (EFZ, CCZ & ZEC) ....... 140 1988 Choose to Live: Reflections on the AIDS Crisis by the Christian Churches in Zambia (EFZ, CCZ & ZEC) ................................................... 197 1988 Growing Together in Christ Our Hope: Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of Zambia Announcing the Papal Visit and Centenary Celebration............................................. 219 1990 Economics, Politics and Justice: Pastoral Statement from the Catholic Bishops of Zambia........................................................................ 224 1991 You Shall Be My Witnesses: Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of Zambia to mark 100 years of Catholic Faith in Zambia. ................. 237 1991 Letter to All Christians Before the 31st October (1991) Elections (EFZ, CCZ & ZEC). ....... 259 1992 Press Statement on the Declaration of Zambia as a Christian Nation (EFZ, CCZ & ZEC) ...................................................................... 263 1992 The Future is Ours: Pastoral Letter by the Catholic Bishops of Zambia. .................................. 266 1992 Pastoral Statement on Drought and Famine (Bishop Chairman - ZEC) ........................................ 285 iv List of the Pastoral Letters and Statements 1993 Hear the Cry of the Poor: A Pastoral Letter on the Current Suffering of the People of Zambia (ZEC) ........................................................... 291 1994 Open Letter to President Chiluba: On the 1994 International Conference on Popu- lation and Development - Cairo (ZEC) .............. 304 1994 Statement on Agriculture and Food Secur- ity from the Zambia Episcopal Conference, 10th August................................................................ 312 1995 Year of Political Responsibility: Joint Pastoral Letter by the CCZ, EFZ & ZEC ............ 323 1995 Press Release: Call For Legitimising the New Zambian Constitution (EFZ, CCZ & ZEC) .......... 329 1995 Church Leaders’ Statement on the Consti- tutional Debate (CCZ & ZEC) .............................. 332 1996 Open Letter to the President and Members of Parliament (Catholic Bishops of Zambia) ........... 336 1996 Called to be the Family of God: Pastoral Letter to Launch the Synod Implement- ation of the theme of the Church as the Family of God (ZEC) .............................................. 341 1996 Building for Peace: A Pastoral Letter from the Catholic Bishops of Zambia in View of the 1996 General Elections .................................... 347 1997 The Church as a Caring Family: A Pastoral Letter by the Catholic Bishops of Zambia on the 1997 Theme for the Synod Imple- mentation .................................................................. 353 1997 Press Statement on Violence and Civil Disobedience, by the CCZ, EFZ, and the ZEC ..... 368 Pastoral Letters and Statements v 1997 Choose Life: The Sacred Value of Human Life and the Evil of Promoting Abortion - A pas- toral Letter from the Catholic Bishops - ZEC ....... 370 1998 Joint Communiqué, by the CCZ, EFZ, and the ZEC - 14 January 1998 ..................................... 390 1998 Jubilee 2000: Cancel Zambia's Debt! (EFZ, CCZ, & ZEC) ............................................................. 394 1999 The Missionary Family, A Pastoral Letter to all Catholics from the Bishops of Zambia on the 1999 Theme for the Implementation of the African Synod - (ZEC) ................................ 400 2000 Reconcile and Celebrate: A Pastoral Letter from the Catholic Bishops of Zambia for the Jubilee Year 2000 ............................................... 409 2000 Communiqué of the Catholic Bishops on Particular Social Concerns, February 2000 ...... 421 2000 Pastoral Statement of the Zambia Episcopal Conference on Solidarity in the Face of the Country’s Social Crisis, 10th June 2000 ................ 426 2001 Press Release On The Third Term Bid by President Chiluba (CCZ, EFZ, & ZEC), 25th January 2001 .................................................... 432 2001 I was A Stranger and You Welcomed Me: A Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of Zambia to mark the World Refugee Day, 20th June 2001 ............................................................ 435 2001 Discipleship and Citizenship: A Pastoral Letter on the Current Political Climate and the 2001m General Elections, 20th July 2001 ...... 445 vi Foreword FOREWORD "As Church leaders, we have always to speak out for human rights, for the rights of the people." Cardinal Adam Kozlowiecki "As a Church, we have the duty to say the truth. When something is unjust we should not hesitate to speak against it". This has been our guidance whenever the Church has spoken out. I came to this Country 57 years ago, just after the Second World War. From that time, I saw that the people were not treated well. The British South African Company (BSA) had constructed the railway to the Copperbelt. The prospec- tors (BSA) did not have an idea about the people of the land in which they had come. All they were interested in was the copper. Later, when the country became a British Protector- ate before it became Northern Rhodesia, the people were still