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Cardinal Fernando Filoni  was speaking in Lusaka on Wednesday (9th Nov.) at the opening of the National Catholic Forum. The meeting attended by bishops, priests, religious and the lay faithful was called to discuss important issues involving the life and mission of the Church in Zambia.

Taking his cue from the theme of the encounter which is: 125th Anniversary of Evangelization in Zambia, Cardinal Filoni traced the history of the arrival of the first missionaries in the country, beginning with the Missionaries of Africa and the Jesuits and how the seeds they sowed have borne fruits.

He said, “Following the lead of the first missionary fathers, many dedicated men and women have continued the work of evangelization here in Zambia up to the present day.” Therefore,  he continued “we thank God today since “despite the sometimes painful meeting of ancient ways with the new hope that Christ the Lord brings to all cultures, the word of faith took deep root, multiplied a hundredfold, and a new Zambian society transformed by Christian values emerged.” 

He urged the Church to remain vigilant and not to allow “forms of syncretism to dilute the authentic truth of Jesus Christ as taught by the Catholic Church.”

Below is the full text of the address made available to Vatican Radio:

Visit of His Eminence Card. Filoni to Zambia

7-10 November 2016

Opening of the National Catholic Forum, Lusaka, Zambia

Brief Introductory Address

Wednesday, 9 November 2016

Your Excellency, the Nuncio to Zambia,

Your Excellencies, the Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Zambia,

Esteemed members of the Association of Clergy and the Association of Religious,

Dedicated priests, Religious and lay faithful,

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

1. Greeting: I am delighted to be here at the Official Opening of the National Catholic Forum to give you my support and encouragement as you discuss important issues involving the life and mission of the Church here in Zambia. Being sent by Our Holy Father Pope Francis as His Special Envoy to Malawi on the occasion of the Consecration of the Cathedral in Karonga afforded me the opportunity and privilege to draw near to your Church as well. I have the unique honor of conveying to all of you the greeting and Apostolic Blessing of Pope Francis, who is near to you today through me. As Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, I would like to thank each of you individually for the cordial welcome and for your dedicated service to the Church’s mission of evangelization.

2. Theme: 125th Anniversary of Evangelization in Zambia: As Pope Francis pointed out during the Ad Limina Visit of the Bishops of Zambia to Rome in 2014, “It is at once evident how plentiful the spiritual harvest in your vast land is – blessed with Catholic-run clinics, hospitals and schools, many parishes alive and growing across Zambia, a wide diversity of lay ministries, and substantial number of vocations to the priesthood.”[1] Through the missionary impulse of the Holy Spirit, the seeds of the faith were first brought here to Zambia by the White Fathers and Jesuit Fathers. Indeed, small seeds were already present in the culture and customs, such that today the faith has entered into the life of many here. What a joy it is to be here with you in the midst of your Jubilee Celebration of 125 years of Catholicism in Zambia! Today, we remember the tireless efforts of Fr. Van Oosten, M.Afr., and his confreres who, while battling malaria and poor living conditions, found a suitable place to establish the first mission, which they successfully did in 1891 at Mambwe-Mwela. Following the lead of the first missionary fathers, many dedicated men and women have continued the work of evangelization here in Zambia up to the present day. Therefore, we thank God today since “despite the sometimes painful meeting of ancient ways with the new hope that Christ the Lord brings to all cultures, the word of faith took deep root, multiplied a hundredfold, and a new Zambian society transformed by Christian values emerged.”[2] You are indeed blessed with a Christian society here. However, I urge you to remain vigilant in not allowing forms of syncretism to dilute the authentic truth of Jesus Christ as taught by the Catholic Church.

As you gather to discuss the state of pastoral life here in Zambia, remember to entrust yourselves and the work of evangelization in this land to the care of our Blessed Lord. This trust in the Lord is especially needed in light of the challenges facing your beloved Country at this time: stressed agricultural production because of drought, unemployment, the resulting poverty felt by many, the terrible affliction of HIV/AIDS and malaria and the struggle to overcome tribal divisions. Do not be discouraged for the Lord is with you every step of the way and will continue to use you to make known the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

Finally, I encourage you to remain rooted in your life of prayer. The joy of the Gospel grows from and is renewed by a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, which results in a change of life and renewed desire to share the love of Christ with others. In fact, joy, by its nature, always wants and needs to be shared. “For if we have received the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to share that love with others?” (EG, n. 8).

            3. Conclusion: Brothers and sisters, the Church here is still young but certainly growing. May your efforts today and always produce fruit in vocations and in the effective proclamation of the Gospel. As I stated earlier, the Holy Father is near to you and assures you that you are an essential part of the Church of God. You are at the heart of the Church. Therefore, continue to intensify your efforts to promote pastoral work and evangelization, exhorting the young to seek Gospel ideals, forming them to create authentic Christian families founded on the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony as an indissoluble and permanent institution. I now entrust each of you and the work you are about to undertake to the maternal protection of Our Lady of Africa. May the Holy Spirit, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the African Martyrs, strengthen in you the desire to serve God and one another. We remain always united in prayer. God bless you!

[1] Pope Francis, Address to the Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Zambia, Monday, 17 November 2014.

[2] Ibid.

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(Vatican Radio) Following national elections in the United States, the President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, said elections “assist a country, a nation, in seeking, within their own area, the common good, the good of the human person, a good that respects the dignity of every human person.”

In an interview with Vatican Radio Archbishop Kurtz recalled the message of Pope Francis during the Holy Father’s Apostolic Voyage to America in 2015. The Pope, he said, re-iterated the importance of “engagement and involvement in the political process.” Although the Church does not endorse particular candidates, Archbishop Kurtz said, “we seek the common good, and we bring to bear our Catholic social teaching, and the principles that mark a direction that promotes the common good.”

And so, Archbishop Kurtz said, “this morning, now that the election is completed, we are, of course, eager to be able to welcome our new President, and all the new elected officials.” He continued, “We’ll be eager to work closely with President Trump, as well as both houses of Congress, as we seek to really promote the good of all.”

Listen to the full interview of Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, President of the USCCB, with Christopher Wells:

Archbishop Kurtz has also issued a formal statement via the USCCB website:

Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville
President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

WASHINGTON, November 9, 2016 – The American people have made their decision on the next President of the United States, members of Congress as well as state and local officials. I congratulate Mr. Trump and everyone elected yesterday. Now is the moment to move toward the responsibility of governing for the common good of all citizens. Let us not see each other in the divisive light of Democrat or Republican or any other political party, but rather, let us see the face of Christ in our neighbors, especially the suffering or those with whom we may disagree.

We, as citizens and our elected representatives, would do well to remember the words of Pope Francis when he addressed the United States Congress last year, "all political activity must serve and promote the good of the human person and be based on respect for his or her dignity." Yesterday, millions of Americans who are struggling to find economic opportunity for their families voted to be heard. Our response should be simple: we hear you. The responsibility to help strengthen families belongs to each of us.

The Bishops Conference looks forward to working with President-elect Trump to protect human life from its most vulnerable beginning to its natural end. We will advocate for policies that offer opportunity to all people, of all faiths, in all walks of life. We are firm in our resolve that our brothers and sisters who are migrants and refugees can be humanely welcomed without sacrificing our security. We will call attention to the violent persecution threatening our fellow Christians and people of other faiths around the world, especially in the Middle East. And we will look for the new administration's commitment to domestic religious liberty, ensuring people of faith remain free to proclaim and shape our lives around the truth about man and woman, and the unique bond of marriage that they can form.  

Every election brings a new beginning. Some may wonder whether the country can reconcile, work together and fulfill the promise of a more perfect union. Through the hope Christ offers, I believe God will give us the strength to heal and unite.

Let us pray for leaders in public life that they may rise to the responsibilities entrusted to them with grace and courage. And may all of us as Catholics help each other be faithful and joyful witnesses to the healing love of Jesus.

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Washington D.C., Nov 9, 2016 / 10:22 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Bishops in the United States called on Catholics to pray for elected officials on the morning following the 2016 presidential election, and exhorted them to work for unity and to promote the common good.

“Now is the moment to move toward the responsibility of governing for the common good of all citizens,” Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, stated Wednesday following Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s electoral victory.

“Let us not see each other in the divisive light of Democrat or Republican or any other political party, but rather, let us see the face of Christ in our neighbors, especially the suffering or those with whom we may disagree,” he added Nov. 9.

Trump scored a surprising victory in the Electoral College Tuesday night, ascending to the presidency despite being projected to lose the popular vote to his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Trump picked up traditionally-Democratic states like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and swept through swing states like Ohio and Florida. In states not yet called for one candidate by late Wednesday morning, he held narrow leads in New Hampshire, Michigan, and Arizona, and trailed Clinton slightly in Minnesota.

Republicans kept the Senate as well as their lead in the House, winning key Senate races in Wisconsin, Missouri, and Pennsylvania to hold their majority.

According to New York Times exit polls, Catholics overall voted 52 percent for Trump and 45 percent for Clinton. NBC News exit polls showed the results fell sharply along racial lines: Trump won white Catholics by 23 percentage points, 60 to 37, while Clinton won Hispanic Catholics 67 percent to 26 percent.

In his victory speech at a hotel in Manhattan, Trump called for unity. “Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American Dream,” he told his audience.

Clinton, in her concession speech later Wednesday morning, said Trump is owed “an open mind and a chance to lead,” adding that “We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought.”

Other bishops called for prayers for the newly-elected and re-elected officials.

“We are now called to commend our new president and all other newly elected officials to God, that they may be guided by Our Lord as they prepare to take office and serve the common good of those entrusted to their care,” Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington staed.

“Congratulations to President-elect Donald Trump. May God grant you good health, wisdom and courage during your presidency,” Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston tweeted.

“Jesus Christ is sovereign King; yesterday, today, and tomorrow,” Bishop James Conley of Lincoln tweeted on Wednesday.

Archbishop Kurtz cited Pope Francis’ 2015 address to Congress, in which he urged members to promote the common good and human dignity.

“Yesterday, millions of Americans who are struggling to find economic opportunity for their families voted to be heard. Our response should be simple: we hear you,” the archbishop said. “The responsibility to help strengthen families belongs to each of us.”

He reaffirmed the bishops’ commitment to upholding the sanctity of all human life, welcoming “migrants and refugees,” and defending religious freedom at home and abroad.

Pro-life groups applauded the victory of pro-life Senate candidates and expressed their desire to work with Trump’s administration to pass pro-life legislation.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List, called it “an historic moment for the pro-life movement” and said that “four critical pro-life goals now within our reach: end painful late-term abortions, codify the Hyde Amendment, defund Planned Parenthood, and appoint pro-life Supreme Court Justices.”

“Acknowledging the divisiveness in our country we also commit to working for the day when all Americans know that abortion is unthinkable, and to building a lasting culture of life,” Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life, stated Wednesday morning. “We applaud candidates that took a stand on the most critical human rights issue of today, abortion,” she said.

In Defense of Christians, an advocacy group for persecuted Christian minorities in the Middle East and North Africa, congratulated Trump on his victory and asked that he “make the plight of religious minorities in the Middle East a foreign policy priority for the United States.”

“The Christian values of tolerance and coexistence, and the innovations that these communities have contributed to their societies for so many centuries are essential for a stable and secure Middle East, which is in the national security interests of the United States and the world,” the group’s executive director Philippe Nassif stated.

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Washington D.C., Nov 9, 2016 / 11:52 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The death penalty was up for a vote in California, Nebraska and Oklahoma on Tuesday, but stands against capital punishment proved unpopular with voters in all three states.

In California, Proposition 62 promised to end the death penalty and reduce death sentences to life in prison without parole.

California’s Catholic bishops had strongly backed the measure.

“In a culture of death, I believe mercy alone can be the only credible witness to the sanctity of life and the dignity of the human person,” Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles said in September.

A contrary proposal, California ballot measure Prop. 66 limited the appeal process for death row inmates and shortened the time from sentencing to execution.

In voting results, Prop. 62 went down to defeat, taking only 46 percent of the vote. Prop. 66 won 50.9 percent of the vote.

Another death penalty fight took place in Nebraska, whose unicameral legislature had repealed the death penalty earlier this year.

The Nebraska vote on the death penalty required anti-death penalty voters to vote “retain” to secure the legislature’s anti-death penalty veto. A “repeal” vote would have overridden the legislature.

Nebraska’s three bishops backed a “retain” vote.

But the ballot measure to repeal the Senate’s anti-death penalty stand succeeded by a vote of about 61 percent, with nearly 800,000 people voting.

“We express our disappointment that the death penalty will be reinstated in Nebraska,” Nebraska’s three bishops, led by Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha, said in a joint statement Nov. 9.  “We will continue to call for the repeal of the death penalty when it is not absolutely necessary to protect the public safety.”

In May, the Nebraska Senate had overridden Gov. Peter Ricketts’ veto of a death penalty repeal by a vote of 32-15.

Gov. Ricketts, a Catholic, personally donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the pro-death penalty group Nebraskans for the Death Penalty, according to media reports. At one point in the campaign, Bishop James Conley of Lincoln asked the group to retract advertisements he said distorted his words.

In Oklahoma, a state with the highest execution rate per capita, voters decided on State Question 776. The measure affirmed the death penalty’s use and declared it not to constitute “the infliction of cruel or unusual punishment.”

The state had faced controversy given the botched execution of Clayton Lockett, who took 45 minutes to die. The Oklahoma death penalty protocol had survived a Supreme Court challenge from inmates who charged it constituted was cruel and unusual punishment.

The Oklahoma measure passed by a vote of 66 percent.

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