BACKGROUND OF OUR PARISH

WESTERN PROVINCE OF ZAMBIA

Western Province is one of the nine provinces of Zambia. It covers an area of 126,386 square kilometers (17% of the total area of Zambia). The Provincial Minister appointed by the President of Zambia, is the political head of the province. However, because of the province's rich cultural heritage and tradition, the Province is the home of the famous Kuomboka ceremony of its people the Lozi and their paramount chief, the Litunga.

The geographic features of the Province are distinct from other parts of Zambia in that it is dominated by Kalahari Sand and the Zambezi flood plain, which is characterised by seasonal flooding which forces people to move to higher ground (upland) on the edge of the Barotse flood plain.

THE DIOCESE OF MONGU

The Diocese of Mongu was established on 14th June 1997 as part of the Roman Catholic Church. The Church's history in the Province dates back to 10th September 1881, when Jesuit Fathers. Depelchin, Berghegge and Brother De Vyider arrived in Lealui, the capital of Barotseland (Land of the Lozi people) from their base in Zimbabwe at Pendamatenga. The then Litunga, King Lewanika permitted them to open a Mission in his Kingdom. This however was not to be as the King changed his mind when the missionaries returned in May 1883.

In 1931 the Livingstone Diocese was created under the Irish Capuchins from Cape Town, South Africa. They took responsibility for Barotseland from the Livingstone Diocese and as such Barotseland was part of the Livingstone Diocese until later.

The first Zambian Bishop of the Livingstone Diocese; Bishop Adrian Mung'andu was appointed in 1974 upon the retirement of his predecessor, Bishop O'Shea. Bishop Mung'andu brought into Livingstone other Religious Congregations to conduct missionary work in the Diocese alongside the Capuchins and the Holy Cross Sisters who came to the Diocese from South Africa in 1936. In 1984, the first group of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) of the United States of America arrived in Livingstone and amongst them was Fr. Paul Duffy OMI, who was appointed the first Bishop of Mongu Diocese in 1997. Bishop Paul Duffy OMI received his Episcopal Consecration as Bishop of Mongu Diocese on 31^st August 1997.

Mongu Diocese consists of 13 parishes: Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes (Mongu Township); St. John the Evangelist (Katongo); St. Francis of Assisi (Malengwa); St. Agatha (Kapulanga); St. Martin De Porres (Kaoma); St. Lawrence of Brindisi (Limulunga); St. Mary Immaculate (Lukulu); St. Joseph (Mangango); St. Michael (Nalionwa), St. Jude (Senanga), St. Peter the Rock (Nalwei), Holy Spirit (Sitaka) and St Gabriel (Namushakende).

ST. LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI PARISH, LIMULUNGA

 THE PRIESTS AND THE BISHOP

                                       FR LEO  BISHOP DUFFY    FR PETER

Structure of the Parish

St. Lawrence of Brindisi Parish in Limulunga was established in 1959 and has approximately 2,800 Christian faithful inclusive of youths and children. The Parish hosts the Limulunga Multipurpose Centre which is managed by the Holy Spirit Sisters.

With a Parish Priest and his assistant (vicar), the Parish consists of 14 Mass Centres (Out Stations): Salondo, Mutungi, Ushaa East, Kapota, Lealui, Libonda, Mombo, Nalinanga, Nangili, Likapai, Mushituwambumu, Limulunga, Ikwichi and Ushaa West.  All these Mass Centres are rural; of which 7 are in the Barotse flood plain, which floods from November to May. During this flood period, these 7 Mass Centres can only be accessed by water transport.

The Parish is subdivided into four Zones: Salondo, Nangili, Mombo and Limulunga as shown below

Zone and Mass Centres

Zone	Mass Centre
Limulunga	Kapota
	Nalinanga
	Limulunga
	Ikwichi
Mombo	Mombo (St Benedict)
	Ushaa East
	Ushaa West
Nangili	Mutungi
	Nangili
	Likapai
	Mushituwambumu
Salondo	Lealui
	Libonda
	Salondo