MALAWI: Archbishop Tambala Makes Phenomenal Appointments in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe
Archbishop George Desmond Tambala made his initial complete appointments - Pictured during Sacrament of Confirmation Mass at Kaggwa Parish, Lilongwe(Source Picture File).
Sam Kalimba
Archbishop George Desmond Tambala of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe on Monday 2 January, 2023 announced new appointments marking his first exceptional move in his See since he was installed Primate on 27 November 2021.
Among the prominent changes, the Prelate has appointed Rev. Fr. Vincent Fredrick Mwakhwawa, who is National Director of Pontifical Mission Society (PMS) and National Chaplain of the Laity at the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe replacing Very Rev. Fr. Patrick Thawale who has since been appointed Director of Social Development and Industries.
The Local Ordinary has also erected some new commissions and councils including Finance and Investment, Projects, Agribusiness, Office of Vicars for Religious, and Archdiocesan Theological Commission.
This reporter sought some clarification on the theological commission’s objects and reasoning from the appointing authority who guided to seek the same from the chairperson of the commission of 6 scholars, Very Rev. Fr. Vincent Mwakhwawa.
“The Theological Commission of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe is made up of scholars in theological sciences of different schools; they are eminent in their science, prudent, and faithful toward the Magisterium of the Church,” stated the new Vicar General.
He said that he leads a team comprising Frs. Dr. Patrick Thawale, Archangel Banda, Henry Kamganga Zulu, Deusdedit Kanyambo, Frank Phiri, and himself, all of them diocesan priests.
“The Archbishop of Lilongwe in appointing the Theological Commission, wants the Commission to have a duty of studying Doctrinal and Pastoral issues of great importance in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, especially those which present new points of view, and in this way to offer its help to the Local Ordinary of Archdiocese of Lilongwe. In simple terms, the Commission is the supporting arm of the Archbishop in theological reflection of some emerging pastoral or doctrinal challenges in the local Church of Lilongwe,” said Fr. Mwakhwawa.
He also said that as Theological Commission, the team sees that the Archbishop has a very good vision to promote Catholic doctrines and that the people of God in Lilongwe remain true to the Catholic teachings by learning and practicing the true teachings.
He said, “The Archbishop of Lilongwe wants that when a specific doctrinal or pastoral issue arises, the Theological Commission be consulted. Procedurally, the Archbishop as the Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe is and will establish the questions and subjects for study by the Theological Commission. Surely, the Archbishop observes and listens to what is happening in the Archdiocese. Thus, he is able to know through different means the new pastoral and doctrinal challenging issues that need to be looked into by theologians for in depth study and provide guidance to the Archbishop.”
He further said that after the received questions and subjects are studied, conclusions will be submitted to the Archbishop.
The circular addressed to priests, religious and laity in the See includes a ten member college of consultors many of whom are retained from his initial list he made in January 2022. The new team has the Vicar General, the Director of Social Development and Industries, the Bible Coordinator, the Vicar for Religious, the Catholic Women Organisation Chaplain, the Catholic Men Organisation Chaplain, and the Pastoral Coordinator among others. Those making it for the first time during the reign of Archbishop Tambala include Rev. Fr. Henderson Kumbasa (Order of Friars Minor Capuchin), Rev. Fr. Sebastian Malambo (Society of Jesus) with Rev. Fr. Constantine Mgunda (Diocesan) being retained.
The appointments come 6 days after the Local Ordinary co-signed a press release signaling to the approval by the Reserve Bank of Malawi of the Centenary Rural Development Group Limited of Uganda and the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe as new shareholders of MyBucks Banking Corporation Limited. The approval was granted on 23rd December 2022. According to the statement, the partnership apparently awaits the approval the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Competition Commission to complete the transaction.
In January 2022, the Prelate released a circular indicating that he had appointed most of the clergy in the same positions he found for a period of one year giving time for more understanding of his new See.
Archbishop George Desmond Tambala was installed Archbishop of Lilongwe from the Catholic Diocese of Zomba in the Ecclesiastical Province of Blantyre after the demise of Archbishop Tarcisius Gervazio Ziyaye who died in Namibia on 14th December 2020 where he had gone for treatment.
