MALAWI: Number of Parishes is 49 in Lilongwe – Prelate Calls to an end to Discrimination
Archbishop Tambala gives a decree made on July 1, 2023
Sam Kalimba
The Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe has inaugurated its 49th parish at a location called Mtandire in Lilongwe City, which originates from a parish under the Society of St. Patricks (Kiltegan) and has been entrusted to care of the same group of missionaries.
The Prelate of the Archdiocese, His Grace Archbishop George Desmond Tambala, on 25th November 2023, called on the parishioners to desist from any tendencies of dividing themselves into ‘indigenous’ and ‘new comer’ groups of Christians. He told them that there are no such groups in the Catholic Church.
“The name of your Parish, Mary the Help of Christians should be lived. Mind you, it is not Mary the Help of indigenous Christians or Mary the Help of new comer Christians. You live in the city and you expect Christians to be coming and Christians to be staying for a long period of time so, what is important is the brotherhood and sisterhood we share in Christ the son. Therefore, do whatever Jesus tells you to do just as those servants who filled the jars with water at the Cana Wedding did after Mary told them. There were visitors and family members at the wedding but they all enjoyed the good wine. If you do what Jesus wants you to do, you will not discriminate each other,” he said adding, “You must be one and steadfast to develop this Parish.”
During an interview, Archbishop Tambala said that it was only a general concern that he made those sentiments.
“It was my general concern. This is a big issue in this country and we must not ignore it in the Church. This is happening in government, political parties and local authorities. So, in order to safeguard against this, I felt that I must talk about it. I therefore recommend the same to apply in the whole of Archdiocese of Lilongwe to set as a model for our country,” he said.
Concurring with the Archbishop, the traditional leader of the area Senior Group Village Headman Chigoneka told the gathering that he did not expect to hear any squabbles rising from the basis of one’s period of stay in the area.
“Archbishop Tambala said it all. What I know is that we are all on a journey returning to God. So, no one owns the earth. I know Catholics are good citizens in my area and therefore uphold that status quo for the good of our place and your new parish. I am happy that I have seen this moment and I therefore welcome this development,” said Chigoneka.
During declaration of the new Parish Priest, it was discovered that the new parish remained under the administration of the Kiltegan Fathers who are also the administrators of the parent parish, Chigoneka.
Rev. Fr. Dennis Zaki Agi (SPS) is the new Parish Priest of Mary the Help of Christians named in vernacular Maria Mthandizi wa a Khristu Mtandire Parish. He was installed on the same day.
The Parish, Mary the Help of Christians Mtandire, is an offshoot of St. Kizito Chigoneka Parish in the Archdiocese. While the parent parish remains with 17 Small Christian Communities, the new parish has 6 outstations and 52 Small Christian Communities.
Chigoneka Parish started in 1975 while the new parish was established in 2006 and the Church building was completed and consecrated in 2007. The Archdiocese of Lilongwe announced of the establishment of the new Parish on 11 March, 2023 but the official decree was made on 1st July 2023.
The parish was being inaugurated two days before Archbishop Tambala clocked two years as the local ordinary of the Archdiocese. He in 2021 when the Archdiocese had 41 Parishes and 7 deaneries.
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