“Let Not Greed, Selfishness Destroy Us,” Catholic Archbishop Warns

MONROVIA – The Most Rev. Lewis Zeigler, Catholic Coadjutor Archbishop of Monrovia, has warned Liberians living at home and abroad to unite as one people and not allow greed and selfishness to destroy the country.

Zeigler was speaking on Sunday, November 15, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Monrovia at a ceremony marking his formal acceptance of office as Coadjutor Archbishop of Monrovia, in conformity with the provision of the Code of Canon Law No. 404.3 and with respect to the Papal mandate.

“Liberians, let not greed and selfishness destroy us; let us build our country and not tear it apart,” he admonished the nation.

The Coadjutor Archbishop called on Liberian politicians not to perceive other politicians as enemies because, as they are all striving towards one goal.

“Such goal is to make Liberia a better place to live. Being a member of a political party does not mean you are an enemy to the other,” Zeigler pointed out.

He described Liberia as a gift given by God and said Liberians must work together for a prosperous future. Many persons are coming to Liberia because of the hospitality of the Liberian people, the Archbishop said.

During the Holy Mass marking his appointment, Zeigler said the task given him is a heavy one, but that the Lord, who has mandated him, will guide him along the way in the carrying out of his functions.

He asked the Christian community and his fellow priests to support his efforts while taking charge to assist Archbishop Michael K. Francis, the ailing Archbishop of Monrovia.

The newly appointed Coadjutor Archbishop recounted the tireless work of Archbishop Francis, who, he said, had stood as a voice of the voiceless and an inspiration to the Liberian people.

He lauded Rev. Andrew Karnley as having been instrumental in steering the activities of the church during when Archbishop Francis, for medical reasons, was unable to.

Zeigler also thanked the Government of Liberia for maintaining the cordial relations between the church and the state.

The new Coadjutor has officially taken seat to assist Francis, who has been incapacitated since 2004, to run the affairs of the Catholic Church in Liberia.

His appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of Monrovia was formally announced on July 11, 2009 by Pope Benedict XVl and delivered by George Antonysamy, Apostolic Nuncio to Liberia, The Gambia and Sierra Leone.

An Apostolic Nuncio is officially known as Papal Nuncio. He is a permanent diplomatic representative from the Holy See to a state.

Zeigler was born on January 3, 1944, in Harrisburg, Montserrado County. He was ordained priest at the Sacred Heart Cathedral on December 22, 1974 and was appointed Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Gbarnga on December 13, 2000, following the death of that Diocese’s first Bishop, Rev. Benedict Dotu Sekey.

The late Pope John Paul ll appointed him Bishop of Gbarnga on April 30, 2002. He was ordained Bishop at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Gbarnga on November 9, 2002 by Archbishop Francis.