ACWECA: “Consider Family Apostolate”, Says Bishop Chaima to Members of ACWECA Region
Sr. Henriette Anne, FSSA
In one-day virtual conference organized by Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA) Secretariate under the theme “Jubilee Year of Hope in Families Among the Religious in AWECA Region”, Bishop Alfred Mateyu Chaima who was the guest speaker urged the religious within ACWECA region to consider family apostolate.
“This is the invitation that I’m making to each participant who is Religious today. I’m saying: consider taking up the family apostolate”, Bishop Chaima said.
Bishop Chaima of Malawi Zomba Diocese explained to the virtual participants that they are called to participate in the family apostolate by supporting and promoting the well-being and faith development of and in families, and to be involved in activities like marriage preparation, counseling, providing resources for families to strengthen their faith and relationship.
On his virtual address on 14th Aprill 2025 to participants from 10 members countries of ACWECA, the prelate acknowledged the services many religious renders and appealed to them not to “shut the family apostolate out”.
“Where there is an opportunity, or where we can create an opportunity, let us do it because that is our work; that’s what I want to communicate here”.
He also cautioned the members of ACWECA against allowing their celibate status to discourage or deter them from teaching on marriage
“The Church has teachings; we have resources from which we can draw enough material – enough resources to impart to the people who are preparing to get married,” and stressed, “This is where also our interest should be”.
The Local Ordinary of Zomba Diocese added, “These resources are first of all, printed material. It could sometimes be electronic material, where we give people appropriate websites where they can get information,” he said, and added, “We can take the information, digest it, and give it to them, whether printed or in the form of a session”.
He further asked the participants to nurture hope in themselves before they can share it. “We can’t give hope if we don’t have it. So, how do we resuscitate? How do we sustain? How do we make sure that we are people who are full of hope?”, “If we are not full, at least we are people who can share a bit of hope with others”.
Bishop Chaima said that religious are active agents of evangelism who need time to listen, mediate, read and reflect on the word of God.
In his presentation he also noted that “Every Jubilee offers new opportunities, and the possibility of a new person. And each person will have those opportunities. Efforts made by each person shape the family and the wider community”.
