Priesthood Not Platform “to seek applause”: Newly Ordained Priests in Zambia Urged to “surrender” to God in Service

Lusaka, 07 August, 2025 / 12:53 AM

Priesthood is not a privilege but a profound calling to surrender, self-sacrifice, and holiness, the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lusaka in Zambia has said.

While presiding over the ordination of 10 Deacons to the Priesthood on Monday, August 4, Archbishop Alick Banda said that the Sacrament of Holy Orders is not meant to be a pursuit of praise or personal comfort but of “surrender” to God in His service.

“A Priest is ordained not to seek applause, but to preach the Gospel in its entirety, even when it is uncomfortable and at times it proves to be costly. That is your mission,” Archbishop Banda said in his August 4, homily at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus, Pope Square in his Metropolitan See.

He added, “As you step forward to receive the gift of the Holy Orders, I wish to be very explicit and categorical of what lies ahead of you. This life you are embracing today is not simply of service, but of surrender.”

“It is a radical choice for Christ, and sometimes a letting go of everything else,” he said, and added, “you cannot please both God and the world at the same time.”

The Zambian-born Catholic Church leader emphasized the significance of putting God first in the priestly ministry, saying, “You will be required to please God even when others misunderstand you. You'll be called to love the flock even when the flock irritates you and you'll be called to rejoice in the ministry even when your own soul is weary and dry.”

“If you do this sincerely, you will find a joy that the world cannot offer, peace that does not come from human ingenuity and contentment that cannot be exchanged for solid money,” Archbishop Banda said, reminding the Priests-elect that Priesthood is not a “cozy middle ground” or “diplomacy between heaven and earth.”

To be ordained a Priest, Archbishop Banda explained, goes beyond “standing at the altar,” to offering oneself completely as “a guide, and to serve others in their needs” even in moments of weariness or grief, “just like Jesus, right before he attended to and fed the crowd.”

He said, “In the Gospel of Mark, we see Jesus embodying what every Priest is ultimately called to do: to heal and to feed. He does this not only in a physical sense, but in the most profound spiritual way. Moved with compassion as He looks upon the crowd, He begins to tend to both their physical and spiritual needs. This compassionate service is the very currency of priestly existence.”

Archbishop Banda encouraged the Priests-elect to become agents of hope for a better world, saying, “You are set apart, not to be above others, but to empathize with others in their pain, in their sorrow, in their loneliness, in their frustrations, even from deception from those in the corridors of authority.”

“A Priest walks with people, through faith and confession, conversion and struggle, in moments of tears and of joy. In this sacred ministry, you are not called to fit in, but to stand out, even if that means standing out awkwardly at times,” he said during the August 4 Ordination Mass on the Feast of St. John Mary Vianney, the patron saint of Priests.

He noted, “St. John Mary Vianney did not win souls by being impressive. He barely got through seminary training, yet his preaching was straightforward. Our people do not require you to be superheroes.”

He continued, “All they require you to do is to be a guide, to be present, to be holy. They need to see in you something that points them to Christ, not a mirror of the world and its fascism, but a window to heaven, a blink into the holiness of God.”

“When the day feels heavy, remember that Moses also cried out, Jesus Christ grew weary, and St. John Mary Vianney was often exhausted and rejected. Yet through it all, God was with them, and He will be with you every step of the way. So, carry your ordination with you, bear it with joy, and never forget: you cannot please both God and the world at the same time,” counseled the 61-year-old Zambian Catholic Church leader.

The ten newly ordained Priests include Frs. Mwamba Pulu Webby, Sakala Samuel, Moyo Peter, and Chanda Evaristo, who were ordained for the Lusaka Archdiocese.

Others are members of the Religious Institute of St. Patrick’s Missionary Society (SPS): Frs. Lwando Gabriel, Mulenga Saviour, and Lungu Wilson.

Archbishop Banda also ordained two members of the Congregation of the Mariannhill Missionaries (CMM): Fr. Banda Stephene and Fr. Mangoma Patrick, as well as one member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MCCJ), Fr. Kennedy Bwalya during the August 4 event.