MALAWI: Bishop Chaima Urges Zomba, Blantyre Choirs to Unite in Proclaiming Christ
Fr. Steven Likhucha
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Zomba, Alfred Mateyo Chaima, has called upon choirs from the Diocese of Zomba and the Archdiocese of Blantyre to remain strongly united in continuing to proclaim Jesus Christ in their mission to the nation. The Bishop spoke during the Eucharist Celebration at Sacred Heart Parish, Zomba Cathedral, where, for the first time, the two choirs interacted in a Christmas Carol duet.
During the Eucharist Celebration, the Ordinary for Zomba Diocese called upon the Choristers to be prayerful, restrained, and perseverant just as Anna the Prophetess was in her time. After her seven-year matrimonial life lapsed, Anna spent the rest of her life in the temple, praying and fasting, until she was 84, when she was privileged to see the child Jesus Christ, presented by the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph in the temple.
The Prelate called upon the Choir Members to learn more from the life of Anna the Prophetess in order for them also to serve the Lord God faithfully and devotedly. Just as Anna, who was able, after intensive prayer and fasting, to receive the special gift of the Child Jesus and recognize Him as the Son of God, Choir members should also be prayerful, restrained, and perseverant to receive the graces from the Lord God.
The Ordinary of the Catholic Diocese of Zomba also called for the continued unity of the two choirs, so that there is bench-benching not only between the two choirs but also among all the Choirs in all the Dioceses in Malawi.
In his remarks, the Chaplain for the Choirs of the Zomba Diocese, Fr. James Chaweza, expressed gratitude to the local Ordinary for his interest and passion for the choirs in the Diocese, and for guiding efforts to promote the unity of the Inter-diocesan choir relationship. The Chaplain called upon the Bishop, as Chairperson for Pastoral Commission in the Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops (MCCB), to revive classes of music in the minor and major seminaries so that priests should have a special interest in music and guide the choirs properly once ordained as priests and as they serve in the parishes.
His counterpart, Fr. Blessings Maele, representing the Choir Chaplain for the Blantyre Archdiocese, Fr. Katundu, called on the choirs to be exemplary to the rest of the diocesan choirs so they can learn much from the two Diocesan Choirs.
Simon Pinto, the Chairperson for the Archdiocesan Choirs, called for the continued unity of the two choirs and projected that the two choirs could do a lot in the country by teaming up together for choral projects. He called upon the choirs to be upright in receiving the sacraments, including that of the Eucharist, the summit of the liturgical celebrations, and faithful to the ecclesial obligations, particularly by paying the church tax, famously known as mtulo, or one tenth of one’s earnings.
The Zomba Catholic Diocese established the choir two years ago in preparation for the consecration of its incumbent bishop. Despite being new on the ground, they made an impact on several occasions, including the Eucharist Congress in Lilongwe in August this year.
