MALAWI: Archbishop of Lilongwe Institutes Research for Catholic Men’s Low Turn Up in Church Activities
Archbishop George Desmond Tambala made his initial complete appointments - Pictured during Sacrament of Confirmation Mass at Kaggwa Parish, Lilongwe(Source Picture File).
Sam Kalimba
Most Rev. George Desmond Tambala, the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe has instituted special research in order to establish the reasons for low turn up of Catholic men in Church activities. The research committee that comprises of men and women of different expertise was commissioned on 3rd February, 2023 during an all men meeting with the Archbishop.
The Archbishop of the Lilongwe expressed concern over poor participation on Church activities among men which he cautioned that it needs to be improved. He also called on the Catholic Men Organisation (CMO) members to be active with the aim of developing the archdiocese.
“This committee should lead in the next two months research aimed at finding out the factors leading to men’s low turn up in church activities from the Small Christian Communities (SCC), parish and diocese levels. The results of this study will specifically help my office in making informed decisions about men in general and members of the CMO in particular. It is clear that most leadership positions in our Archdiocese are taken by men but it is also clear that most men do not participate at low to medium levels of our hierarchical structure,” he told the gathered men.
Archbishop Tambala also guided the CMO members to grow in their spiritual life.
“I understand that CMO exists in the Archdiocese but the question I always ask myself is whether it is built on any spirituality. If I may ask you, do you have any spirituality principles that guide the group? What about the street children? What about the poor? What plans do you have for them? Let’s hear the results of the research and later we should see how best you can do this. You need to grow in your spiritual life just as you are growing in your economic life,” he guided.
Nonetheless, the local ordinary hinted that he was aware that among the Catholic men there are many skills and expertise such in financial knowledge that the church can tap from.
On his part Archdiocesan CMO Chairperson Mr. Gibson Mkanda has assured the prelate that the research will be done within the stipulated period of time.
Participants to the meeting that was convened by the local ordinary came from all the seven deaneries in the Archdiocese.
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