You are not perfect – Bishop Kalumba
Rt. Rev. Valentine Kalumba, OMI, reminded the recently ordained Priests: Fr. Oswald Lifunga and Fr. Albert Phiri, Cssp, that they were not perfect, for them to reach the Altar of the Lord, through the reception of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, Priesthood to be specific.
“God did not call you because you were perfect or because you are handsome and tall like Deacon Albert” said the Bishop to the transitory Deacons.
As a matter of fact, the Deacons were reminded by the Ordaining Bishop that they were called by God to be ordained Priests in Catholic Church “because he saw enough goodness and generosity in the depths of [their] heart, to make [them] his servants so that [they could] shepherd his people”.
Priesthood is about simplicity and humility
The Bishop equally took time to address what is at the core of Catholic Priesthood.
‘Priesthood is about simple and humble service rather than about domination or control. Priesthood is about gentleness and compassion rather than stubbornness and arrogance. Priesthood is about being a proclaimer of the truth of God, not your own’.
A bad priest chases people from the Catholic Church
Operating in a diocese where there is a multiplicity of Christian churches, the Local Ordinary took time to speak to the Deacons about the need to lead an exemplary life in their ministry lest the flock of God would run away from the Church.
The Bishop stated: “Nothing chases a person out of the Catholic Church and away from Christ faster than a bad priest…..In your ministry, Pumulo and Albert, be inspired by Pastoral charity, and not the desire for fame or power”.
Priests called to heal and build communities
Aware that the two deacons were being ordained within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic era, the Bishop of Livingstone had a word for the deacons and invariably to all the Clergy in the Diocese:
‘My dear sons, you will be priests of the pandemic generation. You will be required to play a critical role in the Church’s healing and rebuilding of our communities which are negatively affected by the pandemic’.
The Bishop continued:
‘Do not enclose yourselves in community houses or parish houses, in the name of the pandemic, but find ways and means of bringing Christ’s healing to many people’s broken lives’.
Pray and collaborate with others
Bishop Kalumba took time to remind the Deacons that priesthood makes sense only when anchored on prayer.
‘By your ordination make it a habit, if you haven’t yet made it a habit, to pray. The priest’s daily prayer foces on both his personal needs as well as on his service to others’
‘Without a life of prayer, you will be offering to the people, smoke instead of fire’.
Addressing the deacons on the need to collaborate with other members of the Clergy, the Bishop emphasized: “Once you get ordained you will join a presbyterate of brother priests. Your days of learning and your days of formation are not finished with ordination. Ordination to the priesthood does not mean that you know everything….Learn to call upon brother priests, they will mentor you and pray for you and with you. Do not be a lone ranger, we are together in this ministry…share and work together with your brother priests in the ministry.”
The Ordination to the Priesthood held on Saturday, 30th October 2021, in Maramba, Livingstone, was the second to be witnessed in the diocese of Livingstone in the Covid-19 Pandemic Era, after the July 2020 Ordination.
This year the Ordination was witnessed by a number of Diocesan Priests, Spiritans, other Religious Priests and Sisters, the lay faithful drawn from Livingstone Diocese and beyond.