I feel bad that some of your foot soldiers do not tell you the truth, New Bishop Tells HH

New Chipata Diocese Auxiliary Bishop Gabriel Msipu Phiri has told President Hakainde Hichilema that sometimes he is cheated that things are good on the ground.

During his Episcopal Ordination in Chipata at the weekend, Bishop Phiri said foot soldiers do not tell President Hichilema the truth

The Catholic Bishop said President Hichilema and him have a big responsibility to help improve people’s standards of living.

Bishop Phiri added that when Church leaders speak it should not be mistaken with de-campaigning the government of the day.

“The President, President HH as we call him. Thank you for coming. Thank you for your presence. Thank you for your gift. I know you and I have a big responsibility, there is a lot that we need to do if people have to be at least better in terms of their standard of living. I won’t go into each and every challenge that we are going through but I hope to find time to sit down with you. Sometimes I feel bad that some of your foot soldiers do not tell you the truth. They cheat you and sometimes when we talk of simple things. We do not need one plus one. If I say the road to Vubwi is bad, the road to Chadiza is bad, is one plus one equal to zero? But people being people, serving the same people I do not want to go into because this is a moment of joy, a moment of celebration. I am citing these to say sometimes engage us the church de-campaigning the government in power. Not really. There is a lot of good will,” Bishop Phiri said.

In his remarks, President Hichilema extolled the Catholic Church and particularly in Chipata Diocese for the determination in steering matters of social justice, peace and unity.

“We were honoured to have been among hundreds of Catholic faithful in the Episcopal consecration of the new Bishop of Chipata, His Grace msgr. Gabriel Msipu Phiri, as auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Chipata. We congratulated the Bishop for his dedication to his priestly duties in encouraging, refreshing restoring and shepherding the weak, and leading by example to move in pursuit of holiness, without abandoning his pastoral walk, from the time he was ordained as a young priest, to the time of being consecrated as a Bishop today. We extolled the Catholic Church and particularly, the Catholic Diocese of Chipata for their determination in steering matters of social justice, peace and unity and their solidarity and assistance for the poor in areas of healthcare education and food security. We reaffirmed our position that the Government should not be viewed as a competitor to the Church but rather as a partner and collaborator in matters of common interest to our communities. We were further pleased to note that our two traditional leaders, Their Majesties Paramount Chiefs Kalonga Gawa Undi and Mpezeni 4 respectively, shared the same platform in witnessing the consecration of the Bishop and in the same vein welcomed our colleagues from the opposition parties that were free to attend the ceremony without any form of harassment from anyone. This is as it should be in a democracy,” President Hichilema stated.

Meanwhile, Chipata Diocese Bishop George Lungu said he raised the motion to seek an Auxiliary Bishop for the Diocese because he needed a helper owing to the growing needs of Chipata Diocese.

“Firstly, we thank God for our Auxiliary Bishop Rt Rev. Gabriel Msipu Phiri. We receive him in the Diocese as a special blessing to the local Church of Chipata. I moved the motion to seek an Auxiliary Bishop for Chipata Diocese for obvious reasons some of which have been well articulated in the hymns composed for this occasion. Let me just add one or two reasons. Wisdom of the east and I think Abena Ngumbo will agree with me, tells us that kuyenda babili si manta yai, to seek company on a journey is not a sign of cowardice. It is a gesture that one appreciates the need for company in managing situations and not going it alone,” Bishops Lungu said.God gave Aaron to Moses for a similar reason. Jesus knew what he was doing by sending out 12 apostles and 72 additional disciples two by two. St Paul enjoyed the company of Barnabas, Siras and Timothy. Looking at the geography size of the Diocese and the amount of pastoral demands in response to the growing needs of the Diocese I had to request the company of an auxiliary Bishop,” he said.

“I needed an additional pair of eyes to see the needs of our people, an additional pair of ears to hear the cries of our people, an additional pair of legs to walk the paths around the Diocese so as to reach out to the sheep in the periphery of our Diocese. Kanyelele in the north of Chama, Kachindu in the South-West and Kapirikasweta in the west. Doubling with Episcopal presence also means more time with our people. For we cannot smell the sheep as Pope Francis admonishes us without spending sufficient time with the Sheep. More time with them helps us to identify ourselves with their joys, their anxieties, their hopes and their aspirations. This enduring presence among our people also validates and authenticates our prophetic mission of our Episcopal ministry. Therefore, allow me to thank most profoundly our Holy Father Pope Francis for responding positively to my cry,” Bishop Lungu said.