MALAWI: Lilongwe Vicar General Applauds International Community of Catholics for First Harvest Offering

Brenard Mwanza

Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe Very Rev. Fr. Vincent Makhwawa has called on all Catholics to exercise the attitude of gratitude to God for the many things He does for everyone.

He made the call on Sunday, 6th August 2023, at Maula Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe after a thanks giving mass by the international community of Catholic faithful living in Malawi.

He cited the community’s contribution to the church as a great generosity and understanding of the importance of giving back to God which every Catholic Christian should also embrace.

Fr Mwakhwawa said he was impressed with the gesture demonstrated by the community which serves as a wake-up call to everyone to remember thanking God in everything.

He said, “The church teaches us through this thanksgiving moments or first harvests to learn to be grateful, to say thanks to God.”

Father Mwakhwawa added that parents should give thanks as a way of teaching their children to be grateful always to grow as responsible citizens.

Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Catholics who dominate the western African community, Ijeoma Okwuowulu said it is indeed important to thank God in everything adding that Maula parish has been a source of blessings to them for the past years.

“It is said that when you bless the land the land will, in turn, bless you. Psalms 95:2 speaks about the practice of thanksgiving and as Christians we have to embrace that.” Okwuowulu emphasized.

The international community that offered their first harvests locally known as masika, is comprising of the countries like Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon.

This is said to be the first of its kind for the Catholics from outside Malawi to offer a special thanks giving to the local church while acknowledging what God has done for them.

Other communities will also continue offering their first harvests in their respective groups, up to first Sunday of September 2023.