Dear Editor,
TO Father Able Kalaswamilomo Mwelwa.
Do allow me to engage your attention at whatever time you are reading me. Today and what happened days back is known and has captured you making a statement that to me is uncalled for, malicious and a sign of stubbornness.
As I communicate to you, it is my belief that Archbishop Banda is very much clear on the notice in Catholic faith and never stated reasons for your suspension and you needed to have a self-introspection.
I am a Catholic and l don’t believe in response to cover yourself with warm cloth and start finger pointing on people who never sent and never stated reasons is one thing we must not follow.
Archbishop Banda is content with his communication to you and cannot make a mistake in taking action against you and that must be respected.
And you should be remorseful to the Catholic faith and the people of Zambia for the loss of life.
If you go to Europe, our church has lost following because it took time to act on all those who were involved or accused of abusing children and women.
Every organisation has rules and regulations and discipline is necessary and don’t take the action by Archbishop Banda personal.
The action taken by the Archbishop will save the reputation of the church from ridicule.
Don’t forget that person you are talking about has a family and friends. How are they feeling with your defence and blame game?
Under normal circumstance investigations within the church must have followed after your suspension if it has not been constituted and you could have waited for the final result instead of you commenting on the postmortem results which does not take away the fact that you were with her at your home and what happened only God, you and the late knows.
The Catholic Church is right on the decision and now understand you as priest who gradually exposing himself in front of the flock like you in arena of politics where you always wash dirty linen in public like partisanship to gain mileage and your actions are very unholy even though each church has its own church politics.
As a Catholic priest you understand the importance and communication the Catholic Church and stop dragging Archbishop Banda in your actions and tell the people where is it written that your suspension is based on these actions?
You are expected to abstain from activities and this is the time you need to devote yourself to God and sympathise.
As I conclude Ba Father the best you can do in this difficult time is to remain focused, prayerful, quiet, remorseful and serve the name of God and the Church from further embarrassment and if I were you I would have gone on Sabbatical leave or applied for indefinite leave of absence from the priesthood to allow the dust to settle.
Transferring a priest from one parish to another when something is wrong is not the solution because we serve a Living and True God. It’s better to hold the bull by its horns.
“Once the priest decides religious life and/or the priesthood is no longer for him, he has one of two options: If he is honest and he wants to leave the priesthood on good terms he will start the paperwork seeking a dispensation from vows and laicisation. Depending on the major superior this can take up to a year or two.”
Tondolo musuma let God speak and fight for you. We love you and our Archbishop.
KELVIN BOTHA,
Railways Parish Holy Trinity,
Kabwe.
OPEN RESPONSE TO THE SUSPENDED CATHOLIC PARISH PRIEST MWELWA
