MALAWI: Keep and live your Charisms, Religious Congregations urged
Most Rev. Thomas Msusa, Archbishop of Blantyre
Religious congregations in Malawi have been urged to keep and live according to the Charisms of their religious congregations as their founders and foundresses had particular Charisms to which they were attached and lived devotedly.
In his Homily during the celebration of the Holy Mass to mark the feast of the Presentation of the Lord at Limbe Cathedral on Thursday 2nd, February, 2017, The Chairman of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa observed that there was danger in attempting to change the charisms by factoring in new charisms into the traditional religious congregations.
“Every particular charism in the church is important hence no need to change the traditional charisms of any congregation, remember that you are called to consecrated life not concentrated life.” He said.
Archbishop of Blantyre
Most Rev. Msusa emphasised that, various charisms make the church beautiful, urging the religious congregations to only find better ways of living these charisms in the face of the present pastoral challenges and opportunities. “I encourage you brothers and sisters to keep these charisms and live them.” He added.
Archbishop Msusa who also asked for unity among all pastoral workers in the Archdiocese, thanked all the fifteen religious groups working in the Archdiocese of Blantyre for their dedication to service for humanity.
On behalf of the religious community, Fr James Kasitomu of the Comboni Missionaries, promised collaboration with the Archbishop and all Pastoral agents in the Archdiocese.
There are fifteen religious congregations in the Archdiocese of Blantyre which is the largest of the eight dioceses in Malawi. They include, the Montfort Missionaries which leads in pastoral work, Comboni Missionaries, Holy Ghost, Carmelites, FIC brothers, SBVM sisters, Sisters of Our Lady, Divine Providence sisters, Little Servants of Mary among others.
The feast that marks the presentation of the child Jesus to the Temple forty days after his birth and the Universal Day for the Consecrated people in keeping with the traditional understanding that Jesus was presented to serve in the temple of the Lord coincided with Archbishop Thomas Msusa’s birthday.
Archbishop Msusa who belongs to the religious community of the Montfort Missionaries was born on 2nd February, 1962 in Iba Village, Mangochi District. He was ordained priest on 3rd August 1996. He was appointed Bishop of Zomba Diocese on 19th December 2003 and later on 21 November 2013, Bishop Msusa was was installed on 8th February 2014. His motto is ‘That they may be one’ (ut unum sint).
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Source: Archdiocese of Blantyre Communications Department
