MALAWI: Prelates Reaffirm Commitment to Young People During Pastoral Visit
Archbishop George Tambala
Sam Kalimba
The Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe showed commitment to investing in the lives of young people, fostering good citizenship, and promoting spiritual growth. This commitment was reaffirmed during a recent pastoral visit one of the rural parishes found in the border district of Malawi and Zambia, Mchinji, where Archbishop George Tambala and his Auxiliary Bishop Vincent Mwakhwawa led a powerful celebration of faith and community.
Archbishop Tambala highlighted the Archdiocese’s comprehensive youth pastoral plan, developed over the past two years.
“We have been working on a master pastoral plan that clearly indicates the Archdiocese puts the youth at heart. This plan aims to empower young people spiritually, socially, and academically,” he said.
During this same visit, the Auxiliary Bishop Mwakhwawa, together with the Archbishop, administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 1,198 adolescents, the Sacrament of the Eucharist to 553 children, and the Sacrament of Baptism to 102 people. He emphasized the importance of youth participation in the Church and called on them to become active missionaries and committed members. Bishop Mwakhwawa also highlighted the need for deeper formation and strategic plans to empower children and youths.
One of the significant challenges noted during the visit was the lack of a secondary school in the area, which forces youths to walk long distances to access secondary education. Bishop Mwakhwawa expressed concern over the high rate of child marriages in the District and urged parents parents and traditional leaders to work together to establish a secondary school.
“There is no secondary school in this community, which leads to school dropouts and early marriages,” he said.
The call for a secondary school was well-received by the community. One Traditional leader of the area pledged to engage fellow chiefs and politicians to explore ways of making the school a reality. One of the recipients of the sacraments Mary Mandala expressed gratitude for the gift of the sacraments and plans the Archdiocese has for the youth.
The Pastoral Visit to the area was a significant event as three sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation were conferred. The Visit demonstrated the Archdiocese’s commitment to fostering good citizenship, promoting spiritual growth and empowering young people.
The District of Mchinji forms a Catholic deanery with seven parishes and the majority of the residents there are Catholic.
