MALAWI: Sustain Mission Work After World Mission Sunday, Fr Thawale Urges Catholics
Demetria Banda
Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe Rev. Fr. Patrick Thawale has called upon the Catholic faithful to continue with their missionary work although the church closed the official mission month on 31st October 2020.
Fr Thawale made the call during Eucharistic celebration of the World Mission Sunday which took place at St. Vincent Palotti-Kaphatika Parish in the remote area of Ntchisi.
“Today we are closing this mission month of October but this does not mean that we should stop implementing what we have leant during this mission month but rather we should continue spreading the Gospel to everyone so that we all see the kingdom of God.” said the monsignor.
And speaking after the Eucharistic celebration, the Vicar General urged Catholics to love one another as they work to spread the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“We need to love our friends as we love our selves by sharing what we have, more especially God’s word. For all for us to be able to love our friends, we need to start loving ourselves because we can’t give what we don’t have for they say charity begins at home. However, it is important to love ourselves by doing what God wants us to do and in so doing, we will be able to share that love to our friends,” he emphasized.
On her part, representative of the Laity Council of Malawi Dr. Mary Shaba commended all devotional groups in the Catholic Church and further urged them to persuade others to join them in order to strengthen their faith and proclaim the Good News to the whole world.
Dr Shaba said leaders of different devotional groups, need to invite more Catholics to join them.
“Priests should encourage boys to join priesthood; the same should apply to Sisters and all devotional groups in Catholic Church,” she said.
Kaphatika Parish priest Father John Wells Adams thanked the Archdiocese, PMS and the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) for choosing his parish as the venue for this year’s World Mission Month activities.
“I thank the Archdioceses of Lilongwe and the pastoral team for choosing to celebrate this year’s World Mission Month here at Kaphatika parish as this has helped our Christians to know their role in the church. With the lessons that were given to all devotional groups here, everyone now knows that it is important to participate when it comes to missionary activities,” said Wells.
This year’s Mission month was celebrated under the theme “here I am, send me”.
