MALAWI: Catholic Women Organization in Mzuzu Diocese Set to Evangelize in Hard-to-reach Areas
Catholic Women Organization (CWO) of the Diocese of Mzuzu in Malawi are set to evangelize three communities along Lake Malawi as part of activities to celebrate the Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019 and World Mission Sunday.
The Diocesan CWO Chairlady Mrs. Jane Mkandawire Lungu disclosed that the Catholic Women, together with their Central Deanery Chaplain of CWO Fr. Mark Mkandawire, are set to travel on a mission to the hard-to-reach places rarely ministered to in Usisya, Ruarwe, Khondowe and New Salawe which are part of the Diocese of Mzuzu, bordering with the Diocese of Karonga.
“We have made this missionary plan as one way of celebrating the Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019 and the World Mission Sunday 2019. We are responding to the message from Pope Francis on the World Mission Sunday 2019 and the encouragement from our Bishop, Rt. Rev John Ryan,” Mrs Lungu explained.
In his message, Pope Francis says, “For the month of October 2019, I have asked that the whole Church revive her missionary awareness and commitment as we commemorate the Centenary of the Apostolic Letter Maximum Illud of Pope Benedict XV (30 November 1919).”
Mrs. Jane Mkandawire Lungu stated for the Catholic women, celebrating this month in this way will help them to rediscover the missionary dimension of their faith in Jesus Christ as bestowed on them through baptism.
“On Friday 11th October we shall travel by boat from Nkhata Bay to Usisya, a journey of not less than 7 hours. On Saturday the 12th, we shall reach out to three communities along the lake to celebrate the Word and the Eucharist and distribute rosaries among the people. On Sunday the 13th, we will celebrate the Word and Eucharist at Usisya and distribute rosaries in the community of Usisya,” she explained.
And following a missionary trip which Father Mark made to the same places in 2017, this will be a second missionary activity which is unique in a sense that it involves women and falls in this year of renewing our missionary awareness and commitment.
“Our hope and prayer is that this year’s Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019 and the World Mission Day will raise an awareness to all Catholics to reach out to those in the periphery of the society. With God’s help, we can contribute towards building prayer centres in such disadvantaged areas,” Lungu emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Pontifical Mission Society (PMS) National Director Father Vincent Mwakhwawa has commended the organization for undertaking the trip to these hard-to-reach areas to spread the Gospel of salvation.
“I’m impressed by the Catholic women who, moved by the spirit of the Maximum illud and the 2019 World Mission Sunday message from Pope Francis, would like to share their Catholic faith and strengthen those living the periphery of the society,” Mwakhwawa said.
∽End∽
By Watipaso Mzungu
