MALAWI: Major Seminarians In Malawi Ready To Celebrate Extraordinary Missionary Month October 2019
Seminarian James Nkhoma of Mzuzu Diocese spelling out some of the proposals --Photo by Watipaso Mzungu
Seminarians at Kachebere Philosophical Major Seminary in Mchinji have proposed activities to be done in preparation for and during the month of October 2019 to mark the Extraordinary Missionary Month 2019. The activities are based on the four dimensions the Holy Father proposed in celebrating of the Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019.
The seminarians have emphasized to pursue missionary renewal in their lives and in the life of the universal Church by ensuring personal encounter with Jesus Christ alive in the Church especially through the Eucharist, Word of God and daily prayers. They have also resolved to reach out to the people in the communities that surround the seminary in order to strengthen their faith through the various apostolates and pastoral visits as guided by their formators.
They made these proposals at the end of a week-long training session on sustaining the sense of Missio ad Gentes of the Church, which the Pontifical Mission Society (PMS) organized to equip the future Church leaders with skills required for a priestly and missionary work.
making presentation to Major Seminarians
in Malawi–Photo by Watipaso Mzungu
In a document of recommendations presented to the PMS National Director Father Vincent Mwakhwawa and the Rector of the Seminary, the seminarians propose that during Eucharistic Adoration, they will focus their intercessions on praying for vocations; the youth to respond to the various vocations in the Church; the families that they may be a foundation of the Church by teaching children how to pray.
“We also need to pray for missionary work in Malawi and the whole world; promote vocations; promote special financial contributions on Sundays to help in vocational activities. We are also ready to be involved in pastoral work, mainly in the out-churches which are not visited regularly by the priests regularly; and also doing other apostolates like sick ministry in the hospitals and visiting young people in schools,” the document reads in part.
The Seminarians also resolved to be in the forefront in visiting Catholics who have not been active in church activities, with emphasis on renewing Christian life and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
“We should also take part in encouraging people to take part in and support PMS activities and also praying over its objectives to succeed e.g. Rosary and personal prayers,” the document reads.
Reflecting on the dimension of the witness of saints and martyrs, the major seminarians have also stressed the need for the Church to conduct research on the life of the first to be converted to Christianity in the country and register them among the giants in the history of Mission ad Gentes, noting that early Christians made a lot of sacrifices and gave a powerful witness of faith in their life.
On missionary charity, the seminarians have proposed that they taking a role in raising funds for missionary activities of the Church, they will also help in animating Catholic communities when they go for pastoral experience in their respective dioceses and parishes.
Fr. Vincent Mwakhwawa, the National Director of PMS in Malawi, commended the major seminarians for the bold step they have taken to propose such activities to be done by themselves in the seminary and beyond. He thanked them for responding to the Holy Fathers appeal to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Maximum Illud with an aim of renewing the missionary commitment in the hearts of all the baptized.
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By Watipaso Mzungu, Lilongwe, Malawi
