MALAWI: Pallottines Urged to Bring Joy to People
Archbishop Tambala helped by Fr. Markus cuts a ribon as he commissions Palotines House
Sam Kalimba
Prelate for the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, Most Rev. George Tambala has asked members the Societas Apostolatus Catholici (SAC) commonly known as Pallottine Missionaries to be a good messenger coming to people with good news. He said this on Saturday, 14 January at the occasion of commissioning a Mission House in the Archdiocese.
“I urge you to proclaim the gospel message of Jesus as it was prophesied by Isaiah who said, ‘How wonderful it is to see a messenger coming across the mountains bringing good news, the news of peace!’ Messengers such as these cause the recipients of the message to dance with joy as they come. Good news excites people. Good news must bring hope. Good news must tackle the concerns of the people. A good messenger has a heart for the people he works for. Be like that messenger to God’s people and you will enjoy your missionary work,” he preached.
He further called upon the Pallottine Missionaries to use the house as a point of departure and not a lodge. He said that the moment the Church will stop having a heart for the people there will be great catastrophe on earth.
“This beautiful house is attractive and may lead you to be sleeping and taking naps. I urge you to avoid that. Take this place as where you will start your daily service to people and not otherwise. As long as you are missionaries, you have no time and reason to relax, be on your guard to ensure that the people you are working for receive the original message of Christ. This house should always give you energy to grow. If you want to be sad here, be selfish but if you want to be ever happy, give services to the people,” he said.
According to the Provincial Rector of the Heart of Jesus Province head quartered at Friedberg in Germany, which Malawi belongs Rev. Fr. Markus Hau, SAC the house will serve as the central office to consolidate Pallottine presence in Malawi.
“In the charism of our founder, St Vincent Pallotti, it will be a place of personal re-awakening of the sense of apostolic commitment in the church for all who visit this place. Because for Pallotti, all the baptized are called directly by Jesus to be apostles,” he said.
He further urged the faithful to come to the house with their challenges which Mother Mary is ready to intercede for.
“We have brought with us a picture of Mother Mary surrounded by angels similar to that we have at our Germany House for any one with knots of any sort to come and pray through Mary in this Chapel and the knots will be untied,” he added.
He further thanked God for another gift given to them in Malawi, a formation house of philosophy students constructed at the Inter Congregation Institute (ICI) in the Catholic Diocese of Mangochi under the ecclesiastical province of Blantyre on 12th January, 2023. The local ordinary of the diocese Rt. Rev. Montfort Stima presided over that ceremony.
According to the custodian of the Lilongwe House Rev. Fr. John Mangwere, Pallottines opened their first Mission named St Vincent Pallotti Parish in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, on 8th December 2016. He also said that there are 11 Pallottine Priests, 4 Brothers in Perpetual Consecration and 20 Students from Malawi.
