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Zimbabwe: Easter message of the Catholic bishops Print E-mail
Written by CISA   
Monday, 02 April 2007
The deep crisis afflicting Zimbabwe can be turned into a moment of grace and of a new beginning, if the government repents, heeds the cry of the people and fosters a change of heart and mind.

That is the Easter message of the Catholic bishops of Zimbabwe, where an economic meltdown has reduced many people to hopelessness as President Robert Mugabe continues his iron rule that has shocked the world in recent weeks.

Inflation has surpassed 1,600 per cent, the highest in the world, and eight in every ten Zimbabweans have no meaningful source of income.

“The people of Zimbabwe are suffering. More and more people are getting angry, even from among those who had seemed to be doing reasonably well under the circumstances. The reasons for the anger are many, among them, bad governance and corruption,” the bishops say.

But not everyone is mourning, as “a tiny minority of the people have become very rich overnight, while the majority are languishing in poverty.”

There crisis is even worse on the spiritual dimension: Christians “sit and pray and sing together in the same church, take part in the same celebration of the Eucharist and partake of the same Body and Blood of Christ; while the next day, outside the church, a few steps away, Christian state agents, policemen and soldiers assault and beat peaceful, unarmed demonstrators and torture detainees.”

The problem with Zimbabwe, say the bishops, is “a crisis of governance and a crisis of leadership apart from being a spiritual and moral crisis.”

For the last 27 years, national wealth and power have been in the hands of a corrupt clique headed by President Mugabe.

The conflict is “between those who are determined to maintain their privileges of power and wealth at any cost, even at the cost of bloodshed, and those who demand their democratic rights and a share in the fruits of independence; between those who continue to benefit from the present system of inequality and injustice, because it favours them and enables them to maintain an exceptionally high standard of living, and those who go to bed hungry at night and wake up in the morning to another day without work and without income.”

It is a confrontation “between those who only know the language of violence and intimidation, and those who feel they have nothing more to lose because their Constitutional rights have been abrogated and their votes rigged.”

The situation is extremely volatile, as the state continues to respond to the cry of the people with ever harsher oppression through arrests, detentions, banning orders, beatings and torture.

“In order to avoid further bloodshed and avert a mass uprising the nation needs a new people-driven Constitution that will guide a democratic leadership chosen in free and fair elections that will offer a chance for economic recovery under genuinely new policies.”

Following a worldwide outcry over the horrendous suffering in Zimbabwe, Africa’s Catholic bishops have said the country is in the grip of “a crisis of moral leadership and bad governance.”

They appealed “to the Government of Zimbabwe, in the name of Jesus, to immediately stop the violence” against its people.

A statement by the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) said “the situation in Zimbabwe is not the result of a natural catastrophe or only of adverse international conditions. It is largely self-inflicted. It is a crisis of moral leadership and of bad governance.”

President Robert Mugabe, a Catholic, has led the southern African nation since Independence in 1980.

The bishops of Africa “are saddened and concerned about the suffering of our sisters and brothers in Zimbabwe.”

Their statement came as Southern African leaders gathered in Tanzania to find a solution to the political and economic crisis.

A fact-finding mission sent to Zimbabwe recently by SECAM reported that the situation there had reached a state where an uncontrolled outbreak of violence, chaos and anarchy was more and more becoming a danger.

The bishops said freedom of assembly, expression and movement no longer exists in Zimbabwe. Members of the civil society, political opponents and even ordinary citizens are often victims of violent acts, meted out on them by the state for no legitimate reason.

“Basic needs are hardly met; food has become unaffordable for the vast majority of the population. Drugs and medical services are far beyond the reach of the ordinary Zimbabwean. The education system is almost collapsing,” the statement said.

The crisis had forced almost four million Zimbabweans into exile. “At the same time, the wave of refugees to Zimbabwe’s neighbouring countries is also becoming a burden for that region.”

The bishops appealed to African leaders to prevail upon the Government of Zimbabwe to immediately take measures to stop the violence and carnage that is engulfing the country.

They also urged all churches and people of faith and good will in Africa to join the people of Zimbabwe in their national day of prayer scheduled for the 14th of April 2007 by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe’s Catholic bishops have set aside Saturday, April 14 as a day of prayer and fasting for the country.

This will be followed by a prayer service for Zimbabwe on Friday every week in all parishes.

We publish here the full text of a special prayer for the country, authored by the bishops:

God Our Father

You have given all peoples one common origin

And your will is to gather them as one family in yourself

Give compassion to our leaders, integrity to our citizens, and repentance to us all

Fill the hearts of all women and men with your love

And the desire to ensure justice for all their brothers and sisters

By sharing the good things you give us

May we ensure justice and equality for every human being

An end to all division, and a human society built on love,

Lasting prosperity and peace for all

We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be to the Father …
Last Updated ( Sunday, 01 April 2007 )