THREE Former Patriotic Front (PF) secretaries-general have accused the Roman Catholic Church Lusaka Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu of selectively applying the Catholic Church doctrine to suit PF leader Michael Sata.

And acting St Ignatius Parish Priest Fr Setako yesterday refused to explain why Mr Sata has continued to receive Eucharist but said it was wrong for anyone who had divorced to receive the Eucharist.

The secretaries-general also criticised Archbishop Mpundu for failing to reconcile second Republican president Frederick Chiluba and Mr Sata but instead fueling the apparent differences.

The trio, Edward Mumbi, Charles Chimumbwa and Edwin Lifwekelo at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday challenged Mr Sata to defend himself on issues of morality being raised.

Mr Mumbi said the Catholic doctrine through the Vatican Council was clear on who should receive the Holy Communion and it was surprising that Archbishop Mpundu could refer such a matter to the parish priest.

He said anyone in society was prone to moral mistakes but Archbishop Mpundu should not have treated Mr Sata's case with exception because the woman involved was his relation.

Mr Mumbi said it was wrong for Archbishop Mpundu to drag the Catholic Church in matters that were personal.

"Archbishop Mpundu should have chosen to either protect the sister against the allegations or protect the teachings of the Church," he said.

Mr Mumbi said the decision by Archbishop Mpundu to refer to second Republican president Frederick Chiluba as harbouring hatred for the Catholic Church was unfortunate.

He said Dr Chiluba did not attack the Catholic Church in any way but discussed Archbishop Mpundu and his conduct as a prelate related to Mr Sata.

The Catholic Church was key to most of Zambia's activities and no one had attacked it as claimed by the Archbishop.

Mr Mumbi said the issue concerning Mr Sata's alleged extra-marital affairs and the protection by the Archbishop were serious issues that Zambians should take interest in.

"We need leaders that will live and preach high moral values," he said.

Mr Mumbi said the alleged diversion of K1.2 billion and the confiscated US$27,000 in South Africa still remained unanswered by Mr Sata.

And Mr Chimumbwa said the Catholic Church did not accept divorce of any kind unless death and it was clear that Mr Sata remarried before his first wife even died.

He said the other exceptional situation where divorce could be allowed was when a Bishop administered it.

"We want to know which Bishop allowed this if it so happened because Mr Sata was married in the Catholic Church even in his first marriage.

"How did he have another marriage blessed in church?" he asked.

And Mr Lifwekelo who was first PF secretary general said although he was a Catholic, he still did not agree with the manner the archbishop handled Mr Sata's issues.

Mr Lifwekelo has since advised his archbishop to go on sabbatical leave or retreat so that he reflects on issues that have transpired in the last one-month.

And Fr Setako said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that it was wrong for a person who divorced his wife and remarried to take the Eucharist because they had broken the sacrament of marriage which the Catholic Church did not allow.

He said the Catholic Church attached great importance to marriage and did not allow divorce among its members because strong marriages are the foundation of any strong nation.

"The Church will always take strong action against people who break the sacrament of marriage because it is among the fundamental laws that govern the well-being of the family and the country at large," he said.

He, however, declined to be drawn into discussing why Mr Sata was still taking the Eucharist.