MALAWI: Nurses Encouraged to view Their Service as a Vocation
Nurses from Catholic institutions have been urged to take their ministry as a vocation so that the Church continues the healing ministry of Jesus Christ because proclaiming and promoting the Kingdom of God includes health care for the people of God.
This, the Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, Rev. Fr. Henry Saindi said, during the 55 years Golden Jubilee celebrations of St. John’s college of Nursing and Midwifery in Mzuzu diocese
The Secretary General congratulated Sisters Congregation of Medical Missionary of Mary (MMM) who established the college as a mission to train hospital warders. He said what the sisters began as a small enterprise has now become, and is now, the Health Training arm in the Diocese. Further to that, it is not only serving the Diocese of Mzuzu but the Nation as it is supplying Nurses and Midwives to health centres throughout Malawi.
Speaking to the alumni of Catholic nursing colleges, Fr. Saindi emphasized that it is the desire of the Bishops that those who come out of these colleges should view their ministry as a vocation and not just a job that gives them a salary and other benefits at the end of a month.
“This College, plus other Catholic Nursing Colleges, exist to provide training opportunities for the young ones to learn and acquire necessary knowledge, skills and Christian attitude as health workers, to provide care and health services to all. It is by doing so that we continue the healing ministry of Jesus Christ,” said Fr. Henry Saindi
Fr. Saindi also congratulated the Diocese of Mzuzu through His Lordship, John Ryan for successfully nursing and nurturing the institution up to this time of celebrating its 55th year. He said ECM appreciates the spirit of family-hood that exists between the sister nursing schools in the Church namely St. Joseph’s college of nursing and midwifery, Holy family college of Nursing and Midwifery and Trinity college of Nursing and Midwifery.
“As ECM and as the Catholic Church, we enjoy pride from these institutions as their works and services are a clear testimony of our commitment to complementing Government’s efforts of improving Health Care Delivery Systems through the development of human resource for health” Said Fr. Saindi
The Secretary General also took the opportunity to remind the gathering about the Bishops’ November 2018 pastoral statement which calls upon all Catholics in Malawi and all people of goodwill to hold a tree planting week in the second week of January 2019. He said this is to adhere to Pope Francis’ message of being good stewards on the care of the environment which is our common home.
By: ECM’s Stella Zulu
