MALAWI: Poor Clare’s Monastery Welcomes One Member to Final Professions
Pilirani Tambala
Joyful mood filled the Poor Clare’s monastery in Lilongwe on Saturday June 20 as Sister Mary Munkonde Madeya made her final vows to serve God through monastic life.
Sr Madeya brings the count of Sisters that have made their final vows to 27 out of 31 currently in the Monastery.
Archbishop Tarcisio Ziyaye of Lilongwe Archdiocese who presided the eucharist celebration for Sr. Madeya’s final professions, appealed to the youth to be courageous enough in responding to God’s calling though various vocations.
“You see, the beauty about the church is that in the family of God we have different ways of following our Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot say I am very happy we don’t need more vocations no. The needs are plenty,” he said.
He urged Christians in the Church to pray more for the youth to realize God’s calling for prayer life as the needs are increasing that demand prayer in the country and beyond.
His appeal was echoed by Sr. Madeya who conceded that it was not easy for her to make the decision 10 years ago to join contemplative life in the monastery.
“I was moved by the way the Poor Clare’s conducted their prayers but somehow was skeptical after learning that if I join, I will stay in there for life, I will not go back home,” she recalled.
Walking through the formation period, she agrees, has not been easy but she knew God was walking with her to reach this far by His graces.
The Mother Abbess for the Poor Clares Monastery in Malawi, Sr Monica Phiri could not hide the joy that filled the monastery with Sr. Madeya making her final vows.
“It’s a great day and a blessing for us in the Congregation. This is a rare gift which doesn’t happen frequently as our life of prayer, of enclosed life, of contemplative life is deemed as a challenge to most girls,” she noted.
But although it is a challenge, the Mother Abbeys said the response from young girls is still positive judging from the number of those who are interested to join contemplative life.
She advised girls not to be afraid saying, “no calling is without challenges; if you start pursuing your vocation, God gives you the graces.”
Sr. Madeya was born in 1991 in a family of seven, and she hails from Phalombe Parish.
