Posted on 04/27/2005 11:07:09 AM PDT by nickcarraway
. . . for receiving Holy Communion
ROMAN Catholic Church members have protested over the decision by former president Frederick Chiluba to receive Holy Communion at the Requiem Mass for the late Zambia Democratic Conference (ZADECO) president Dean Mung'omba on Friday.
And Chiluba yesterday apologised for receiving the Holy Communion, saying that his participation in the Holy Communion was not to slight the Catholic Church.
Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) spokesperson Father Paul Samasumo confirmed yesterday that various members of the Church protested over Chiluba's resolution to partake the Holy Communion even when he knew that he was not Catholic.
"This issue has raised some dust and we have been receiving phone calls over the same from our members because Holy Communion is reserved for Catholics only but even those Catholics have to be in good books with the Church," Fr Samasumo said.
"And there are issues of the former president leaving his former wife and the like... so people have expressed concern that he is not supposed to receive the Holy Communion."
He further said it was a discrepancy for Chiluba to have received the Holy Communion and that the Church has acknowledged that.
"It was an anomaly and the issue has been referred to Diocesan Lusaka Archbishop's Authority and the archbishop will deal with the matter administratively," Fr Samasumo said.
Fr Samasumo appealed to members of the Church to be calm because the Church was handling the matter managerially.
"I have spoken to Archbishop Mpundu and he has said that the former president said that his decision to take the Holy Communion was not meant to disregard the rules of the church. It's just that he (Chiluba) didn't know," he said.
And Chiluba yesterday said his partaking in the Holy Communion was not to slight the Catholic Church.
"I am very grateful to my spiritual father for correcting me on the taking of the Holy Communion in the Catholic Church. I accept their intimation that the Holy Communion is restricted to Catholic members alone. My participation in the Holy Communion was not meant to slight the Catholic Church for which I have a lot of reverence, but pursue to the Biblical commandment which I have done over the years in many churches including the Catholic, Anglican and other churches especially when I was abroad," Chiluba said.
However, Chiluba said armed with this new lesson, he would now restrict his eagerness to take the Holy Communion to his own church.
Chiluba stated that he took the Holy Communion on Friday as a body of Christ in commemoration of Christ's death and resurrection.
"I did this especially whenever I was abroad...in Geneva and New York where sometimes the only churches available were the Catholics and Anglicans. I commemorated the death and resurrection of Christ in these churches and I took Holy Communion with these principles," he said.
Relevant Links
Southern Africa Religion Zambia
On Friday during the Requiem Mass at St Ignatius Catholic Church for the late ZADECO president Dean Mung'omba, Chiluba who was among hundreds of mourners who attended the mass received the Holy Communion from Father Claus.
Former president Chiluba who was seated next to Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata joined the queue when the time to partake the Holy Communion came.
y'all remember Clinton did the same thing? Wasn't he also in Africa when he did that?
Yes, he was.
The first principle of authentic ecumenism is being polite and respecting the right of others to have different beliefs and practices. Apparently when it comes to the Catholic Church, some Protestants think that there is no need to be polite and respectful.
It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.
If only those in America were half as contrite as this fellow.
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