‘I forgive those who insulted me,’ Bishop Kalesha says after begging Catholic church for forgiveness over Bill 7 remarks

Bishop Victor Kalesha has formally apologized to the Catholic Church for remarks he made during a recent meeting with President Hakainde Hichilema, which were widely interpreted as targeting Catholic clergy and other groups during discussions on constitutional reforms. The comments, captured in a video clip, showed Kalesha advising the President to ignore “childless” people calling for the withdrawal of Bill 7. He reportedly said those with no “seed” should not speak on constitutional issues, a statement perceived as a swipe at Catholic bishops associated with the Oasis Forum.

Kalesha was pictured with some Catholic priests on Thursday in Lusaka at the Catholic Church Secretariat. He confirmed this on his Facebook page saying: “Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,I am overwhelmed with gratitude and joy as I reflect on the recent events that transpired. After a period of intense scrutiny and criticism, I humbly apologized to the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) for my statement, and I am grateful for their gracious acceptance of my apology.” He repeated that the ZCCB’s response was a testament to the love of Christ, who welcomed sinners with open arms (Matthew 9:10-13).

Kalesha surrenderingly noted that: “Their (ZCCB) unconditional love, good reception, and lack of condemnation are a powerful reminder of what the Church is meant to be – a sanctuary of love, forgiveness, and restoration.” He continued quoting the Bible saying:“Love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).” “I am grateful for the opportunity to put this principle into practice, and I pray that we can all learn from this experience.” Kalesha said to those who insulted him he had forgiven them just as Jesus Christ forgave those who wronged Him while quoting Luke 23:34. “I urge my brothers and sisters who may have wronged others to repent and seek forgiveness,” he said. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR