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Bishops hold special assembly on social transformation
Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference
April 25, 2007

http://www.cisanewsafrica.org/story.asp?ID=2175

Members of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference, bishop representatives from the South African, Zambian and Malawian bishops' conferences and over 30 invited delegates from and outside the Catholic Church have yesterday (24 April 2007), at Rockhood Centre in Harare, started a two-day Plenary Session whose is theme: Christian Social Teaching: Perspectives of the Church for Engagement and Dialogue in National Visioning for Social Transformation.

Archbishop Robert C. Ndlovu of Harare and president of ZCBC gave the opening speech in which he emphasised the importance of engagement of key stakeholders in the process of national transformation, mentioning that the Zimbabwe government is a key stakeholder that cannot be ignored. However, he stated that engaging a stakeholder does not mean that you endorse the policies of the concerned stakeholder. As way of example he said that engaging the President of Zimbabwe in the process of national transformation does not imply endorsing his policies.

Discussion following the welcome speech of the archbishop centred on the recent Pastoral Letter by the conference (‘God Hears the Cry of the Oppressed’). Participants showed great appreciation of the Letter, while others wanted to know the way forward in terms of action. Necessary, said the archbishop, was that people pray, reflect and try to understand the Pastoral Letter before they can spring into action.

Is it a correct interpretation to say that by the publication of this Pastoral Letter, the bishops have clearly distanced themselves from the National Visioning Process initiated in the document of the Zimbabwe We Want, was one of the questions put forward to the bishops. "We are definitely behind the National Visioning Process but that does not stop us from addressing current issues according to the way we perceive them as pastors," said Archbishop Robert Ndlovu.

Dr. David Kaulem, a regional coordinator of Africa Forum for the Catholic Social Teaching of the Church (AFCAST) whose secretariat is in Harare, made a discussion-sparkling presentation on the Christian Social Teaching and Social Transformation. His analysis was that after Zimbabwe attained Independence in 1980, the Church relaxed and let the Government, as it were, take over the formation of moral values instead of intensifying her effort to teach morals using its very important and all-time tool: The Social Teaching of the Church. The result was a decadence of moral and spiritual values in the society. Dr. Kaulem, a practising Catholic, challenged the participants to take sake seriously the Social Teaching of the Church if they were to promote any meaningful social transformation in the Church and society of Zimbabwe.

The programme for today (Wednesday) is fully packed as it includes an address by the Apostolic Nuncio to Zimbabwe, Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, a presentation by Prof. Walter Kamba on Constitutionalism and Social Transformation in Zimbabwe, Dr. Ranga Zinyemba on "What we are doing and what it will take to transform Zimbabwean Society" and many other speakers. The plenary session shall end with Holy Mass at the Cathedral of the Archdiocese at 17.30 Hrs.

Visit the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference (ZCBC) fact sheet

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