AFRICA/ZAMBIA - Pontifical Mission Societies of Zambia remember Archbishop Sheen, 30 years after his passing

Friday, 11 December 2009

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Lusaka (Agenzia Fides) - “We offered special mass remembering his great contribution to the Church in Zambia, and many other mission territories,” Fr. Bernard Makadani Zulu, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Zambia, tells Agenzia Fides. Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Emeritus Bishop of Rochester (New York) died in New York City on December 9, 1979. He was an extremely important figure in the Catholic Church in the United States, who for years hosted radio and television programs on religious themes (see Fides 5/12/2009). His television success even won him an Emmy Award in 1952.
Fr. Bernard recalls that Sheen “had a real missionary conscience as PMS National Director for the USA. He supported the many priests in Africa through mass stipends, which are a sole source of livelihood for many priests.”
“We are glad to participate in the celebration of 30th Anniversary of his death and for the cause of his beatification,” the National Director of the PMS in Zambia said, as he also thanked the Catholics of the United States who continue to generously support the Church in the missions, especially in Zambia, through their economic and spiritual gifts. “Your prayers and donations show your desire to share the cares of those who bring the word of God to others. Your commitment embodies a deep sense of ecclesial communion and you respond to the needs of the missionary territories,” Fr. Bernard said.
“This memorial has helped us to keep in mind the missionary mandate, which the church received, from Christ: to bear witness to him in the whole world. The church in Africa shares with the universal Church, the sublime vocation of realizing, first of all within herself, the unity of humankind over and above any ethnic, cultural, national, social or other divisions. The Catholic community in Africa is called upon to bear witness before all humanity the Christian vocation. The church in Africa is called to reach out in love to every human being. The Lord is our help and our shield. In him do our hearts find joy. We trust in his holy name. (Ps. 28.7),” concludes the PMS National Director in Zambia. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 11/12/2009)