Telesphore George Mpundu

Telesphore George Mpundu
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
(Excommunicated)
ArchdioceseLusaka
Appointed1 October 2004 (Coadjutor Archbishop)
Installed28 October 2006 (Succeeded)
Term ended30 January 2018 (Resigned)
PredecessorMedardo Joseph Mazombwe † (30 November - 28 October 2006)
SuccessorAlick Banda (30 January - present)
Orders
Ordination17 December 1972
Consecration21 June 1987
by Bishop Adolf Fürstenberg, M. Afr. †, Bishop Emeritus of Mbala
Personal details
BornTelesphore George Mpundu
(1947-05-21) 21 May 1947 (age 78)

Telesphore George Mpundu (born 21 May 1947) is an excommunicated[1] Zambian Catholic prelate who served as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Lusaka, from 2004 until 28 October 2006. He then succeeded as Archbishop of Lusaka. He resigned on 30 January 2018.[1]

Early life and education

He was born on 21 May 1947 at Kopeka, Mpulungu District, in the Diocese of Mbala, in the Northern Province of Zambia.[1]

Priesthood

He was ordained a priest on 17 December 1972. He served as priest of Mbala until1 7 March 1987.[1]

Episcopal service

Diocese of Mbala

Pope John Paul II appointed him as Bishop of Mbala, on 7 March 1987 and he was installed there on 21 June 1987. He was consecrated as bishop by Bishop Adolf Fürstenberg, Bishop Emeritus of Mbala, assisted by Elias White Mutale, Archbishop of Kasama and Adrian Mung'andu, Archbishop of Lusaka.[1]

Archdiocese of Lusaka

On 1 October 2004 Pope John Paul II again appointed him as Coadjutor Archbishop of Lusaka, Zambia.[2]

On the order of Pope Benedict XVI, Mpundu succeeded as the Archbishop of Lusaka, Zambia, on 28 October 2006, upon the retirement of his predecessor, Archbishop Medardo Joseph Mazombwe. On 30 January 2018 Archbishop Telesphore George Mpundu of Lusaka Archdiocese resigned.[1][3]

Archbishop Telesphore George Mpundu served for at last two consecutive terms as the president of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB).[4]

Excommunication in 2025

In 2024, he consecrated Fr. Anthony Ward, the founder of the Servants of the Holy Family, as a bishop. This action took place without approval of the Holy See, so Archbishop Mpundu incurred the canonical penalty of excommunication latae sententiae.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f David M. Cheney (18 April 2024). "MicroData Summary for Archbishop Telesphore George Mpundu (born 21 May 1947), Archbishop Emeritus of Lusaka". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Kansas City. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  2. ^ CISA (23 September 2004). "Zambia: New Coadjutor Bishop of Lusaka Named". Catholic Information Service for Africa (CISA). Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  3. ^ CISA (31 October 2018). "Zambia: Archbishop Mpundu is Named Head of Lusaka" (via AllAfrica.com). Catholic Information Service for Africa (CISA). Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  4. ^ Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (8 December 2017). "Zambia: Archbishop Mpundu Re-elected President of ZCCB". Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA). Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Bishop Ward's Announcement After Mass - Servants of the Holy Family". 16 November 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025.