MALAWI: Bishop of Zomba Persuades Catholic Men Association to Lead in Tree Planting
Bishop Chaima Planting trees
Luke Bisani
Amid concerns about deforestation in the country, the Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Zomba Rt. Rev. Alfred Chaima has urged Catholic men under the tag Catholic Men Association (CMA) to take a leading role in ensuring reafforestation through tree planting.
Speaking at the tree planting event organized for Catholic men at St. Vincent de Paul Katamba Parish in the diocese last Saturday, Bishop Chaima urged the male faithful to plant more trees in their various communities where they stay.
“I am urging you to turn this into an annual event and to make it rotational in parishes. It is also important for us to plant trees both at the parish and in our homes, where we are coming from,” he said.
Bishop Chaima added that his call responds to the teaching of Pope Francis in the encyclical Laudato Si, in which he reminded people that the earth is a common home in which people have a divine call and are responsible for taking care of nature and all creation.
He added further that planting trees responds to the strategic vision that the diocese has for the next five years since earlier this year as a way of mitigating the effects of climate change and the natural disasters that come with it.
Group Village Headman Mkumbura applauded the Catholic men for planting trees in her area, and she urged the subjects to emulate the example and take care of the trees planted.
She urged them to resist acts that destroy humanity’s common home by cutting trees for charcoal.
The tradition leader further shared the effects of climate change on humankind that have been experienced recently in the country.
During the exercise, Catholic men, together with community members around St. Vincent de Paul Katamba Parish, planted 100 trees in the parish compound.
