We Hope The Pastoral Letter Can Initiate A Process Of Engagement, Dialogue & Transformation - Bishops

While in an interview with the National Catholic Reporter, Father Frederick Chiromba, who is the secretary-general of the bishops’ conference said they hope the pastoral letter they penned to the government might yield better results and prompt the government to initiate a process of engagement and dialogue and transformation.

Father Chiromba said:

The preferred way forward is to see the pastoral letter initiating a process of engagement, dialogue and transformation.

Speaking about the backlash the Bishops got from the government on the Pastoral letter, Father Chiromba said the Bishops were still to sit down and deliberate on a response to the government:

The conference has not met so far to reflect on the aftermath, but the solidarity, both local and international, is overwhelming. ZCBC is prepared to participate and contribute fully to political dialogue and resolution of the Zimbabwe situation.

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Although Mnangagwa has committed to working with the church, he has not shied away from attacking the bishops. Some of his ministers have even labelled the Zimbabwean Catholic bishops as evil. The Zimbabwean leader said Aug. 19 that his administration “remain[s] committed to working well with the church to advance the national development agenda.

But Mnangagwa also threw down a gauntlet. “It is most unfortunate when men of the cloth begin to use the pulpit to advance a nefarious agenda for detractors of our country

Another Bishop who spoke on condition of anonymity echoed Father Chiromba’s sentiment and said they want to participate in finding a solution to the Zimbabwean crisis through dialogue:

Criticism in the aftermath of the pastoral letter was expected because these are uncomfortable truths, but the church also has a duty to intervene and contribute to peace building and to say things as they are,” said the prelate.

This will always guide our interventions and we would be more than willing to participate in finding solutions through dialogue, which we firmly believe in as a tool to resolve the crisis our country finds itself in

The Bishops after they were attacked by the government for the Pastoral letter received support from different organisations and different churches who released statements in solidarity with the underfire clerics.

More: The Zimbabwean