MALAWI: Pope Francis Appoints Rev Fr. Chaima as Bishop for Diocese of Zomba
Msgr. Alfred Mateyu Chaima- Bishop-elect of Zomba, Malawi
Stella Zulu
The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed Very Rev. Father Alfred Mateyu Chaima as the new Bishop for the diocese of Zomba. The announcement of the appointment was made on 5th, June, 2023 at noontime at Vatican City, in Italy.
The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) confirmed the appointment in a statement released on the same day signed by the Conference’s President Most Rev. George Desmond Tambala.
“I ask everyone to join me, the Diocese of Zomba and the entire Conference of Bishops of Malawi in congratulating the Bishop-elect. Let us remember him in our prayers for a humble and successful ministry of his episcopacy. The Lord’s goodness continues to unfold before us,” reads part of the statement.
Zomba Diocese has been without a bishop from October 2021, following the then-Bishop George Desmond Tambala’s appointment as Archbishop of Lilongwe Archdiocese.
Following this development, the Diocese of Zomba has therefore, announced that the Episcopal Consecration ceremony will take place on 12th of August, 2023.
Reacting to news of his appointment, Fr. Chaima said he has received the appointment and realizes that it is not an easy task. He asked people of good will to always remember him in prayers.
“I have welcomed the development as a servant in the ministry of God; you have to be ready to go wherever you are asked to go. I will rely on my prayers as well as the prayers of all the people in the Church for success,” said the Bishop-elect.
Fr. Chaima is currently serving as the Secretary General of the ECM at the Catholic Secretariat. In addition to that, he has served in various capacities including as teacher, formator and rector at Pius XII Minor Seminary; Pastoral Secretary of Archdiocese of Blantyre; Director of Nantipwiri Pastoral Centre; Chairman of Board of Christian Health Association (CHAM); lecturer at the University of Malawi and Part time Lecturer at Catholic University of Malawi Departments of Theology and Religious/ Biblical Studies; and part time lecturer at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Tangaza College and Gaba Pastoral Institute just to mention a few.
His priestly journey started at St. Pius XII Seminary where he did his secondary education and later he joined Kachebere Major Seminary for Philosophical studies and he then continued to Theology studies at St. Peters Major Seminary in Zomba. He was ordained Deacon in 1998 at Zomba Cathedral in the diocese of Zomba, and later as a priest at Limbe Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Blantyre in 1998
Further to that, he holds a licentiate and a doctoral degree in Pastoral Theology from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA).
