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ZAMBIA-MILINGO (UPDATED) Jun-9-2008 (590 words) xxxi
Church official: Excommunicated archbishop not drawing large crowds
By Bronwen Dachs
Catholic News Service
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) -- Excommunicated Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo is not drawing the crowds that he used to in his home city of Lusaka, Zambia, a church official said.
"As archbishop (of Lusaka) he could fill a football stadium, but now he is easily able to use the conference room of the motel he is staying in to hold his healing ceremonies. That tells the story," Father Joe Komakoma, general secretary of the Zambia Episcopal Conference, said in a June 3 telephone interview with Catholic News Service from the Zambian capital, Lusaka.
While "the media is still fascinated by him," Archbishop Milingo "is largely ignored by Zambian Catholics now that he is no longer a member of the church," Father Komakoma said.
Archbishop Milingo, 77, who was married in a Unification Church ceremony in 2001, is on his first visit to the southern African country since he was excommunicated by the Vatican in September 2006 for illicitly ordaining married men. The Unification Church is known now as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.
Archbishop Milingo, accompanied by his wife, Maria Sung, held a June 1 service that resembled a Mass in Lusaka.
Bishop George C. Lungu of Chipata, president of the Zambian bishops' conference, warned Catholics "to be aware that if the former archbishop is holding any religious functions then those ceremonies are being done outside the Catholic Church."
He noted in a June 2 statement that Archbishop Milingo "still stands excommunicated from the Catholic Church." People should not be confused by signs, symbols and attire used by Archbishop Milingo that resemble those of the Catholic Church, Bishop Lungu said.
But he noted that Archbishop Milingo is a Zambian who is free to come home and do as he wishes.
Archbishop Milingo has said he is a Catholic and does not consider himself outside the church.
He founded the U.S.-based Married Priests Now! movement, which advocates that the Catholic Church allow married priests in active ministry. Under church law, Latin-rite Catholic priests must remain unmarried and are bound to celibacy.
Father Komakoma said there is no evidence to back Archbishop Milingo's claims that up to 100 former priests in Zambia have joined his movement.
"You would think this visit would bring them out but it hasn't happened," the priest said, noting that he "has spoken to at least 10 ex-priests who want nothing to do with" Archbishop Milingo.
The fact that Archbishop Milingo's visit to Zambia "was arranged and paid for" by the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification deters Christians from supporting him, Father Komakoma said.
"I think they (federation officials) are using him in an attempt to diminish the power and influence of the Catholic Church," he said.
In an e-mail to media outlets June 7, Archbishop Milingo defended his opposition to priestly celibacy.
"I shall never reveal what I know (about) why the Catholic Church holds on to celibacy. ... With respect to my mother church, which does not deserve the name 'mother,' I shall not stand as an accuser of my own church. What I am doing, I am carrying out the will of God; time will prove it," he said.
"As we carry on with celibacy in the Catholic Church, we are approving (the) existence of sinfulness," the archbishop said in the e-mail. "So we, who have opted to marry, stand firm that imposed celibacy has proved to be a secret killer of souls for a long time."
END
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