MALAWI: Archbishop Tambala Cautions Catholics on Using Social Media as Gossip Zones
Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe in Malawi, Most Rev. George Desmond Tambala
Fr. Francis Damaseke
The Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe in Malawi, Most Rev. George Desmond Tambala, has urged all the Catholic faithful to use social media prudently and for the glory of God and His Church.
The Archbishop said this on Saturday 30th July 2022 at Maula Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe where there was a double launch of the 2022-2023 Archdiocesan Mini Synod under the theme Discerning with the Holy Spirit, and the day of the Laity at Archdiocesan level.
“We have noted the mushrooming of so many WhatsApp and Facebook pages and groups bearing the name Catholic. Much as we appreciate the desire to share the Good News and other beneficial teachings of the Church, we have noted that some have turned these initiatives into gossip zones whose main agenda is to destroy each other’s character and reputation,” observed the Archbishop.
Archbishop Tambala who is also the president of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), further challenged all Catholics to seek proper guidance from relevant authorities in establishing social media forums that will bear the name ‘Catholic’.
“We have noted that others are soliciting funds in the name of these Social Media Church Groups but lack accountability thereafter. Let anybody soliciting funds be accountable and seek permission, especially here in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, otherwise, stop tarnishing the name of the Church,” he said, urging the Catholic faithful to defend their faith against unjustified aggression.
Lilongwe Archdiocese had its first mini Synod in 1973-1975, sanctioned by Bishop Patrick Kalilombe, under the theme Mpingo Ndife Tonse which reminded the faithful of the need for every Catholic’s active participation in the Church. In the years 2004-2006, Bishop Mathias Chimole sanctioned the second Synod under the theme Tiyende Limodzi which addressed the importance of collaborative ministry and unity.
Through this Mini Synod, the Archdiocese is calling on all the people of God to walk together saying, “All Catholics are invited to listen with open hearts and minds, to share from their own lived experiences, and to make space for the voices of those often marginalized or excluded. Just as the first assembly in Jerusalem healed the tensions among members of the early Christian community, a synod like this one should fundamentally be a process of healing, both from wounds suffered inside the Church, and those experienced in other areas of our lives and relationships.”
“It (the Synod) should be a platform where the People of God see new ways of experiencing and practicing those supreme virtues of unwavering faith, hope and love in their own situation. By this Synod, we should find ways of binding ourselves to Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6); and to one another,” continues the message from the Mini Synod.
Fr. Vincent Mwakhwawa, the Synod Path Commission chairperson outlined four major pillars of focus: “In the spirit of preparatory consultation, pastoral issues have been drawn from various agents of evangelization in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe from those issues, the themes have been classified into four pillars. First Consultations shall focus on Pastoral themes in general; Second Consultations shall focus on the Liturgy; and the Third and final Consultations shall focus on Finance, Investments, Administration and Social Development services”.
On his part Archdiocesan Laity Chairperson Mr. Gabriel Kamlomo, called on the faithful in the Archdiocese to work together toward the implementation of the Synodal process. He challenged the laity to be more active in developing the Archdiocese to match with the demands of modern time. He then thanked the Church in Malawi for establishing the laity day which will enable the faithful to deeply reflect on their role and contributions towards a self-propagating, self-evangelizing and self-sustaining Church.
As of 2010 Census, the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe has 1, 051, 874 Catholics and 55, 871 catechumens, of the 4, 392, 781 total population of the catchment area. Currently the archdiocese has 7 deaneries of Maula, Mtima Woyera, Salima, Madisi, Mchinji, Likuni and Dowa, 46 parishes and 3 suffragan Dioceses of Mzuzu, Dedza and Karonga.
