Catholic Secretariat

WHO WE ARE

The Catholic Secretariat is the implementing organ the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) and anchors the work of various commissions under the Conference.

Catholic Secretariat carries out the aims the aims and objectives of the Statutes and By-laws of the Conference.

OUR STRUCTURE

The Secretary General

The Secretary General is the Chief Executive Officer of the Secretariat, and he also serves as the Secretary to Episcopal Conference.

Pastoral Department

The Pastoral Department coordinates pastoral activities in the Catholic Church in Zambia.  The department supports on-going formation of both priests, the religious and the laity as pastoral agents of evangelisation. The department also coordinates the liturgical and spiritual life of the Catholic Secretariat; provides spiritual and administrative oversight to the National Council for the Laity (NCL), the National Council for Catholic Women (NCCW) and the National Council for Catholic Youth (NCCY). Further, department in conjunction with diocesan pastoral coordinators assist in catechetical, biblical and liturgical formation programmes.

Under the responsibility of the National Pastoral Coordinator the National Pastoral Department comprises of:

  • the Catechetical desk,
  • the Liturgical desk,
  • the Biblical desk.
  • Youth desk

Communications Department

The Communications Department is the information and communications hub of the Catholic Secretariat, and of the Church in Zambia.

The department is charged with the responsibility of establishing strong and effective mechanisms of communications both at national and diocesan level.

The department is responsible for ensuring that the Catholic Secretariat, acting on behalf of the Conference, communicates the activities and statements of the Bishops’ Conference to all the faithful and the people of God within and outside Zambia.

The department also runs on behalf of the Conference (CMSTV studios) and Lumen Tv station.

The department is animated by the Executive Director is assisted by:

  • The Communications Officer – Communications Desk
  • Studio Manager – CMSTV Studios Desk
  • Studio Manager – Lumen TV Station

Education Department

The Education Department acts as liaison between the Ministries of General Education and Higher educational facilities on all matters related to policy.  The department represents the Conference on all educational fora. The department also assist catholic learning institutions in promoting catholic ethos and providing quality education that is based on gospel values.

 

The department is headed by the Education Secretary who is assisted and supported by the Assistant Education Secretary, Accounts Assistant and a Secretary.

Health Department

The Department is responsible for linking up Catholic Dioceses, parishes and communities in regard to coordination, policy issues, and development of health and community based related programmes. The department coordinates activities in all Catholic Hospitals, Rural Health Centres and sites for Community Based HIV/AIDs related Programmes, spread all over the 11 Dioceses and in all the provinces in Zambia.

The department is a link between Catholic health facilities and the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) and also the Ministry of Health.

The department is run by a National Health Coordinator who is supported by the Assistant Health Coordinator and Accounts Assistant.

Finance and Administration Department

The Financial and Administration Department provides financial management services to the Catholic Secretariat. Its responsibilities include administering financial and material resources of the Secretariat in accordance with laid down procedures, ensuring budgetary controls, financial reporting and maintenance of books of accounts in accordance with statutory regulations.

The department is headed by the Finance Manager and animates the following units:

  • Human Resource
  • Immigration Desk
  • Kapingila Guest House

Human Development Department (Caritas Zambia)

The core mandate of the department is to support ZCCB in its social ministry of fostering and upholding human dignity through the promotion of integral human development; and to animate the work of the work of two Commissions, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) and that of Development.

 

The department has both an implementing and capacity building role. It implements programmes through the two Commissions and also provides capacity building to diocesan actors. The department implements is programmes through the following programme areas:

  • The Church and Society
  • Economic and Social Accountability
  • Democracy and Governance
  • Livelihoods and Climate Change Adaptation
  • Organisational Development

The department is headed by the Executive Director who is supported by various unit heads.