Friar Michael Lasky, General Delegate for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), visited in Zambia from January 18 to 30, 2026. A series of three JPIC formation workshops focused on JPIC as essential and constitutive elements of Franciscan life took place at St. Bonaventure College in Lusaka, the Franciscan Centre in Ndola, and at the St. Maximilian M. Kolbe Friary in Solwezi. The workshops invited the participants to rediscover JPIC not as an additional ministry, but as the very DNA of the Franciscan charism, rooted in the Gospel and in the lived witness of St. Francis and St. Clare.
Each of the three workshops brought together members of the wider Franciscan Family. Friars from the three branches of the First Order—Friars Minor, Conventual Franciscans and Capuchin Franciscans—were present along with Franciscan sisters from various congregations, Secular Franciscans, and other collaborators inspired by the Franciscan spirit who are engaged in ministry and formation. Their shared participation was a visible sign of a common Franciscan vocation experienced in different states of life.
The first workshop took place at the St. Bonaventure College in Lusaka; the reflection was centered on JPIC as flowing from encounter—particularly Francis’ encounter with the leper—and on how justice begins with solidarity. The participants were invited to reflect on how these foundational experiences continue to shape Franciscan life and ministry today.
From Lusaka, the journey continued north with a stop at the St. Maximilian Kolbe Friary in Kapiri Mposhi, before arriving at the Franciscan Centre in Ndola for the second workshop. This workshop focused on peace as a long-term and relational process, cultivated through fraternity, patience, and shared discernment. The participation of the Conventual Franciscan postulants and novices added the important dimension of initial formation, emphasizing that JPIC must be transmitted from the beginning as a way of seeing and living the Gospel.
The journey through the Copperbelt and the Northwestern Province provided an ever-present context for these reflections. The communities encountered along the way live against the constant backdrop of mining, an industry that has marked the region economically, socially, and environmentally—not always for the better. While mining has brought development and employment, it has also left deep scars on communities, land, and family life. These realities gave concrete weight to workshop discussions on Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation, grounding them in the lived experience of the people whom the Franciscans guide each day.
Along the way, we stopped to visit what seemed like countless parishes and local communities, meeting people, listening to their stories, and witnessing the resilience of faith in places often marked by economic uncertainty and environmental pressure. These encounters highlighted how JPIC is lived, not primarily through programs, but through presence, listening, and guiding.
The trip included a visit to the St. Theresa Mission in Ibenga, Mpongwe, where prayer was offered in the cemetery for deceased Franciscan friars. It was a moment of remembrance and gratitude for those whose lives helped shape the Church in this region. Time spent near the Kafulafuta Dam further highlighted the intimate connection between people, natural resources, and creation.
The visit continued in Kitwe, a diocese that itself arose from a strong Conventual Franciscan presence. Several days were spent at the St. Anthony Friary, serving the Sacred Heart Parish. The celebration of the Mass—which featured extraordinary communal singing—was a powerful expression of hope and faith amid the challenges faced by many local communities.
The third and final workshop took place in Solwezi, at the St. Maximilian M. Kolbe Friary (Kolbe House), where the reflection focused more explicitly on the importance of storytelling. Here, the participants considered how Franciscan life calls for attentive listening to the stories of people and the land, especially in regions deeply affected by extractive industries. The workshop emphasized that standing in solidarity with the marginalized, promoting peacebuilding, and sharing the story of how the integrity of a part of God’s creation, once compromised, has been restored, are inseparable dimensions of Franciscan life today.
Throughout the journey, the JPIC team from Zambia, Friars Patrick Mupula and Gabriel Chilekwa, accompanied the participants, as did numerous other friars, whose collaboration and local leadership were essential to the success of the workshops.
This time spent in Zambia offered an eloquent testimony to the vitality of the Franciscan charism and JPIC as shared Franciscan DNA—lived in fraternity, formation, and faithful presence among the People of God, especially in places marked by both promise and struggle.
-friar Michael Lasky, OFM Conv.
General Delegate for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
[See more at https://www.ofmconv.net/en/workshop-gpic-in-zambia/]
