Fenza Centre Lusaka

FAITH & ENCOUNTER – ZAMBIA (FENZA) CENTRE

Theological concept

FENZA (Faith and Encounter Centre Zambia) was established in March 2007 and is managed by the Missionaries of Africa in collaboration with the local Church of Zambia.

It is a faith-based organisation located at Bauleni in the city of Lusaka, working to fulfil the mission of dialogue and encounter. It was created in view of supporting the full-grown local church toward an in-depth evangelisation.

The Zambian Church is well-established (with numerous adherents, priests, religious, and other pastoral leaders) and devoted to the administration of the sacraments, catechesis, social commitments, administration and fund-raising. We stand a risk not to spend enough time and energy to face new challenges brought by some rapid changes experi-enced in Zambia (cultural, religious, spiritual, economic, political, technological, etc.). This can lead to limiting our pastoral care to a minimum without paying attention to deepening the faith. The risk is to be more geared towards administration than towards evangelisation. The load-work is such that the church may become inward looking and be led to neglect her mission. The temptation is to keep following the pastoral strategies that were designed for another cultural context. There is a growing need to facilitate the on-going formation of Christian leaders and of pastoral agents in that line of missionary reflection. This need is strongly expressed in Ecclesia in Africa, especially in paragraphs 46-48 and 53-54.

Thus, FENZA was created by the Missionaries of Africa in this context with the support of the Local Church as a contribution and response toward the New Evangelisation to give a missionary dimension to the Church in Zambia. The ecclesia, the people of God, are called to be the salt of the earth and the light to the nations (Cf. Mt. 5:13-16)

Through FENZA Centre, the Missionaries of Africa in Zambia want to “commit them-selves, in communion with the Local Church, to proclaim the Good News and to be signs of the Reign of God beyond the frontiers of the Church”.

Vision of FENZA

A respectful Church, open to and equipped for dialogue and encounter.

FENZA is committed to:

• Fostering the missionary dimension of Christian faith and life in the context of the “New Evangelisation”. It tries to identify and to analyse the new challenges of evange-lisation in Zambia. It is especially interested in Zambia’s traditional religions, new reli-gious movements, Islam, and cultural questions of concern to the church. It aims spe-cifically at trying to understand better those cultural and religious realms, in which the faith could not take roots yet. It aims at helping pastoral workers to define new apos-tolic approaches and methods.
• The service of the Catholic Church in Zambia, in collaboration with already existing related institutions within the Church.
• Promoting friendly encounters and collaboration with members of other Christian churches, of other religions or with people without religious affiliation. FENZA is de-voted to respectful dialogue with other cultures and religions.
• Openness to those somehow on the margins, who are ostracized by community and often their church because they are accused of witchcraft and/or Satanism.

Mission of FENZA

We share our faith by encountering others:

• We go beyond the boundaries of our faith denominations, we empower Christians, we promote effective dialogue about faith, cultures and act on current issues affecting human welfare and entire creation.
• We respect traditions of other religions and churches. We affirm that spiritual values are shared by many believers and that humanity thrives on interface.

Values of FENZA

The following are statements of what FENZA values and the standard we will apply in our dealing and endeavours among ourselves and with everyone else we work with.

1. Respect to entire humanity and openness to encounter other people.
2. Reaching out to other religions and to dialogue with other cultures.
3. Collaboration and partnership with those who share FENZA Vision.
4. Care for environment and promotion of human dignity.
5. Belief in goodness and that we belong to a human family.
6. We are inspired by the life and message of Jesus Christ, son of God.

Common programmes at FENZA CENTRE

1. Ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.
2. Welcome to Zambia (introduction of foreigners to Zambia as a nation, and her cultural and present situation.
3. Local languages (Nyanja).
4. Pastoral awareness about witchcraft and satanism.
5. Civic education (justice, peace and development).
6. Illegal migration and human trafficking in Zambia.
7. Gender-related issues.
8. Traditional initiation into some cultures.
9. Climate change and conservation.
10. Pentecostals and evangelical churches (neighbours of other religious orientation).
11. Bible spirituality and sacraments.
12. Ongoing formation for both laity and religious in Zambia.

By: Venerato Deus Babaine, M.Afr, (Director – FENZA Centre 2026)