Catholic Church reacts to 'attacks'

The Catholic Church of Zambia has restated its official position on politics: that it is neutral and will not take sides. 

But the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), the conclave of Catholic bishops, has also accused the government of orchestrating a campaign of attacks against the church and warned that this was not the way to win the Catholic vote. 

ZEC president the Rt Rev George Lungu, who is the bishop of Eastern Zambia, in a statement that will be read in all Catholic Churches on Ascension Sunday, June 5, said: "Our engagement in politics is only motivated by our divine obligation to speak on behalf of the voiceless in our country. In exercising this prophetic ministry, we will be neutral in so far as partisan politics are concerned. When we speak, as bishops, our message has nothing to do with any perceived dislike or preference for any particular sitting president or any political party."

His statement was prompted by mounting attacks on the Catholic Church and its clergy by supporters of the governing party, who see the church as spearheading a campaign of what is termed "regime change".

Its outspoken clergy are seen to speak in favour of the opposition and never in support or in sympathy with the government. 

The ZEC said that "in recent months, we have all witnessed a growing barrage of attacks in the public media against the Catholic Church in Zambia, its leadership, priests and even its doctrine.

"Many of you have made representation to us, your bishops, and spoken of your pain at these unwarranted attacks."

It said it was clear that the attacks on the church were coordinated and planned: "We also note the growing but steady stream of individuals, journalists and questionable organisations that are ready to parade themselves before the public media vilifying innocent citizens and the Catholic Church.

"These individuals and organisations are given such puzzling and unfettered access to the public media. They are allowed to despise, with such venomous passion and impunity, more than three million Catholics in Zambia (a third of the country's entire population). How can this happen in a country where we, the Zambian people, as taxpayers, are supposed to be the owners of these public media?

"Since all public media are owned and controlled by government, we can safely conclude that these attacks on our church are sponsored by government. Whatever the case, this is not the way to win the Catholic vote in an election year."

"When these attacks distort the Catholic Church's moral doctrine on celibacy or homosexuality, we all have cause for alarm. With regard to homosexuality, let me restate categorically that Catholic teaching does not promote homosexuality," Lungu said.

In his reaction President Rupiah Banda said he had never attacked the Catholic Church and that some members of the church were his supporters.

A spokesperson for the protestant Christian Coalition, said what the Catholic Church needed to do was to "discipline its loudmouthed bishops and priests".

It needed to separate the gospel from politics and blamed the ZEC for the situation.

"They have failed to put their house in order by keeping quiet when their priests insult the government."

Source