MALAWI: Prelate Calls for Support Towards Missionary Formation
Right Rev. Vincent Frederick Mwakhwawa
Bernard Mwanza
Right Rev. Vincent Frederick Mwakhwawa, the Auxiliary Bishop of Malawi’s Archdiocese of Lilongwe says fulfilling the missionary formation among boys in seminaries requires unity among the faithful in the Church.
Bishop Mwakhwawa says the Church cannot afford to carter for all the resources that are needed to run the seminaries but with the help from people of good will, the Church can achieve its goal of mentoring the future priests.
He made the remarks on Saturday, 8th June 2024, at St. Kizito Minor Seminary in the Catholic Diocese of Dedza during the celebration of the feast of the patron saint of the seminary, St. Kizito.
He said, “Christians need to embrace the spirit of giving just like God gives to His people good things.”
“The spiritual formation of future leaders and priests in the seminaries and all Catholic education institutions needs a similar generosity as there are a lot of challenges that hinder the provision of necessary training,” hinted Bishop Mwakhwawa who presided over the Eucharistic celebration on behalf of the Rt. Rev. Peter Chifukwa, Bishop of Dedza.
In a special way, Bishop Mwakhwawa expressed gratitude to the support for the support the St. Kizito Minor Seminary alumni are giving to the institution which is giving a good formation of character and preparing for the good citizens as it prepares good priests.
“The good thing about giving is that God blesses you because you become a wiser person when God has given you and you give back to him through a place like a seminary and the Church.” He said.
Peter Chando, chairperson of St. Kizito Alumni central region chapter stressed that as alumni, they realize that without the seminary they could not have achieved many things in life as the seminary helped them in setting a better foundation adding that it is very important to support such seminaries.
“If you look in our small Christian communities you will see that most of the leadership positions are taken up by the people who were in the seminaries and it’s because of that formation that they got by the time they were at the seminary.” Chando emphasized.
The commemoration of the patron saint – dubbed St. Kizito Day – was decorated with a number of activities that came after the Holy Eucharistic celebration.
Among others, twenty-four form four students bid farewell to the institution as they are sitting for the national examinations soon.
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