June 29, 2019, was the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the great apostles of faith and missionary life in the Church. On that day, seventeen deacons were ordained to the priesthood.
The ordinations took place at the Don Bosco Youth Center in the jurisdiction of St. Mary’s Parish, Diocese of Kabwe, Zambia.
Six of the new deacons were from the Diocese of Kabwe. The rest were from various religious congregations. There were six Conventual Franciscans; one Missionary of Africa; one Passionist (C.P.), one Divine Word Missionary (SVD) one Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate, (OMI) and one member of the Society of African Missions (SMA).
The six newly ordained confreres from the Province of the Franciscan Protomartyrs in Zambia are Friars Luke Katongo CHILAMBWE, Peter Mbola MWILA, Isaac Yumbe CHANDA, Pythias KADYATA, Nathan Mumbi KAKUBO and Francis KATUTA.
Those present at the ordination included the Most Reverend Patrick CHISANGA, OFM Conv., Bishop of Mansa, various Major Superiors, clergy, men and women religious, civic leaders and faithful from all over Zambia, Africa and Europe. The ordaining bishop was the Most Reverend Clement MULENGA, SDB, Bishop of Kabwe.
Bishop MULENGA encouraged the assembly and the priests-to-be, to remain faithful in their ministry, as Saints Peter and Paul were. He urged them to be the kind of people and priests who create unity wherever they may preach the good news of the Gospel of Christ. He urged them to be courageous in following the life and way of Saints Peter and Paul because these great saints have already shown us the path we should follow.
At the end of his homily, he challenged and encouraged the faithful and the priests-to-be, to be forgiving, loving and reconciled—as sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ.
He told the priests-to-be that they were called to do the work of love in their new ministry through humility. God does not call us because we are perfect, he chooses us because he has seen something important in us.
The bishop called upon all the faithful present to pray for the priests, asking that the Lord in his goodness may shower them with abundant blessings and give them the strength they will need to carry out their new ministry. He commended them to the protection of our Mother Mary, the mother of priests.
Friar Mathews KASONGO, OFM Conv., Provincial Secretary