DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES: THEIR MANDATE, FUNCTIONS AND MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

JULY 2025

INTRODUCTION

In order to effectively carry out its mandate of evangelization, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) established several operational structures under article six (6) of its Statutes. One of these operational structures is the Catholic Secretariat.

The Catholic Secretariat was established in 1959 to carry out the aims and objectives of the Statutes and By-Laws of the Bishops’ Conference and is regulated by them (cf. The Charter for the Catholic Secretariat Management Team, 2018, art. 5.1). Since its inception, the Catholic Secretariat has been growing in size, in terms of departments and programmes.

Inspired by the reform of the Roman Curia and the re-aligning of the Dicasteries of the Holy See by Pope Francis in 2022 (cf. Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium), the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) embarked on a restructuring process of its operational structures, in particular its Commissions and Secretariat. This restructuring was aimed at enabling these structures offer quality service to the Bishops’ Conference and the people of God in Zambia.

On 12th July 2024, during its second Plenary Meeting, the Conference adopted the restructured ZCCB Commissions and their Guidelines. Thereafter, the Conference mandated the Catholic Secretariat Management Team (CSMT) to study and propose a new structure of the Catholic Secretariat, aligned to the restructured ZCCB Commissions.

On behalf of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), I am pleased to present to you in this document the New Structure of the Catholic Secretariat which was duly approved during the July 2025 Plenary Meeting.

The document outlines the Secretariats’ Offices and Departments as well as their mandate, functions and major responsibilities.

Fr. Francis Katongo Mukosa | Secretary General, Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB).

Download the entire copy of THE NEW STRUCTURE OF THE CATHOLIC SECRETARIAT here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/zccb/New-Structure-of-the-Catholic-Secretariat-July-2025.pdf

FOREWORD

In his letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) on the occasion of the World Summit for Children in 1990, Blessed John Paul II wrote: “The Church has a vivid perception of the immense burden of suffering and injustice borne by children of the world.

They are the most vulnerable because they are least able to make their voices heard.”

Later in 2011, the Holy See called upon all Episcopal Conferences to develop their Child Protection Policies.

In the same year, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) issued a Circular Letter to assist Bishops' Conferences to develop effective guidelines in the fight against abuses in the Church. Emanating from this commitment, in 2017 the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) decided to implement this obligation by coming up with the ZCCB Child Protection Policy.

Download the entire copy of the ZCCB National Safeguarding And Protection Policy here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/zccb/ZCCB-National-Safeguarding-And-Protection-Policy.pdf

A unified and empowered Conference committed to the proclamation of faith for the salvation of all.

Strategic Plan 2017-2026

FOREWORD

The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), formerly the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), is an assembly of Catholic Bishops in Zambia constituted as a permanent institution by the Holy See to promote the common good of the people of God entrusted to its care. Through this, it jointly exercises its pastoral office, particularly deliberating on matters of common interest and by enacting forms and methods of the apostolate adapted to the circumstances of time and place (Cf. Canon 447).

Since its inception, the Catholic Secretariat which is charged with the responsibility of serving the needs of the Conference of Bishops has been growing both in size and the number of departments that it runs. Over the years, concerns were raised that it needed to be restructured. Basing on the recommendations of the 1987 evaluation report and the 1999 CORAT report, measures were taken to re-structure and streamline the Catholic Secretariat. This was done to make the institution more efficient and have increased capacity to sustain itself.

Further attempts to reform the Secretariat were influenced by a process of selfreflection that was conducted by facilitators from the Bishop Dennis Business Management (BDBM) Consultancy Trust. Recommendations from this evaluation fed into discussions that were held in 2015 to re-organise and rebrand ZEC. In doing so, the Conference of Bishops, agreed to develop a 10 year Strategic Plan that will not only help the Church in Zambia to be more effective in its mission of integral evangelisation but also to restructure the Catholic Secretariat in order to make it more responsive to the needs of the Conference and the people of God which it serves.

I have no doubt that by following and implementing this Strategic Plan, the rebranded Conference under the acronym of ZCCB will acquire a new lease of life that will enhance the operations of the Conference and its Secretariat and thus make it a wellcoordinated and managed institution. In this way, the Church in Zambia will be taking the necessary steps towards becoming a self-propagating, self-ministering and selfsustaining Local Church.

Whilst wishing the Conference every success in this mammoth task, I pray for God’s continued guidance and blessings to the esteemed members of the Conference and the Catholic Secretariat staff who will play a key role in implementing this long awaited Strategic Plan.

Most Rev. T-G Mpundu, Archbishop of Lusaka, ZAMBIA EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE

Download the entire copy of the ZCCB Strategic Plan and Edited Version of the ZEC Strategic Plan 2017 - 2026 here: https://caritaszambia.org/phocadownload/zccb/ZCCB-Strategic-Plan-and-Edited-Version-of-the-ZEC-Strategic-Plan-2017-2026.pdf