MALAWI: Forty-five Small Christian Communities Epitomise Jubilee in Synodality

Sam Kalimba

As the AMECEA Region is still in the year of Golden Jubilee, celebrating 50 years of the life of Small Christian Communities (SCCs) while journeying together in Synodality 45 SCCs, which form St. Andrew Kaggwa Parish in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe epitomised the jubilee celebrations as they all came at one place on Sunday, July 7, 2024, to honour the parish’s patron saint.

Atusaye Mwambokera is the laity council leader at the parish and told this reporter that the bringing together of the 45 SCCs was not the only ingredient in the celebrations as all acolytes during the Mass that marked the pinnacle of the celebrations came from each of the parish’s outstations.

“We really thank God that for the first time in over a decade now we manged to bring together all our 45 Small Christian Communities to pray at the Parish Centre. They came in numbers and by counting of prepared seats we can confirm that over 3,000 people attended the Mass. In addition to that, we also had representatives from all our four outstations participating in all the departments starting from the organising committee to Mass acolytes,” he said.

“For instance, we had three representatives in the organising committee, three Altar boys, seven liturgy dancing girls, and two liturgy dancing women from each Church Council and 10 choir members from each of the 13 choirs forming a Parish joint choir. We also that each of these laity groups for their dedication during preparations and indeed for an outstanding display of faith during these celebrations. Unity of purpose was manifested through the celebration of the feast of St. Andrew Kaggwa the Ugandan Martyr,” said Mwambokera.

Monsignor Patrick Thawale, Parish Priest for the parish led the faithful in the Mass. He told the congregation to take an example of their patron saint.

“When the Church, say take an example of a saint, you tend to feel threatened but that should not be the case. If we are to dig deep on the other side of every saint, we can still get dark spots. They were full human beings like us. They were also sinful at one point but demonstrated to a larger extent that they had put God first in everything. Late Pope John Paul II encourages us as lay faithful as he was the first to name saints from the laity. This should energise you to do good. Our patron saint was also not a priest or a religious of any sort. So, do your part and live everything in the hands of God, it shall be well with you,” he said.

He also thanked the laity council Executive for organising such an event inclusive of all churches and Small Christian Communities.

“I must admit that I am extremely happy to see that it is possible as a parish to pray at one place like this. I have seen lectors from St. Mark Church chanting the word of God in front of this multitude as nobody’s business. I have noted the director of ceremonies is from another outstation as well and he has done well. This is what is called capacity building and many thanks to the laity council leadership for thinking and executing the same with passion,” he continued.

“I also want to thank the Leadership of Rev. Fr. Mathews Potani who steered the preparations when I was away for some weeks. Together, you all have challenged me that it is possible to do things together and keep it up. Of course, it would not have looked like this if you all did not respond to the call. You have responded positively and you came in your numbers and there is no better word than to say thank you,” said Msgr Thawale.

St. Andrew Kaggwa Parish was opened on 1^st January 1993 by late Bishop Mathias Chimole who was the prelate of Lilongwe. It started with 600 Christians and 200 catechumens. The 2013 Diocesan census indicated that St. Andrew Kaggwa had over 17,000 Christians from 10 outstations. In 2023, The Archdiocese of Lilongwe made two of the outstations into stand-alone parish leaving the parish with only four church centres of St. Kizito, St. John Maria Vianney, St. Mark and St. Andrew Kaggwa.

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