MALAWI: Catholic Women Urge Minor Seminarians to Care for the Environment
Luke Bisani
Members of the Catholic Women Association (CWA) recently engaged minor seminarians at Pius XII Minor Seminary in the Archdiocese of Blantyre to encourage them to take responsibility for environmental stewardship.
During a tree-planting event at the seminary on Friday, Lucy Vokhiwa, a board member of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO), emphasized the importance of seminarians in restoring nature that has been harmed by previous generations.
“It’s not you who has destroyed nature; it is us, your elders, who are responsible for that destruction,” Vokhiwa stated.
“We want you to be champions of nature so that when you grow up, you will not repeat our mistakes. We want you to be more responsible.”
Vokhiwa also urged the community to embrace their responsibilities, highlighting the adverse effects the country has experienced from environmental neglect.
Fr. George Chatsira, the rector of the seminary, praised the women for selecting the seminary as a site for tree planting during this rainy season.
“We are grateful for the gift of trees, and we will ensure that we care for them so they grow well,” said Fr. Chatsira.
Fr. John Chitsulo, the Pastoral Secretary of the Archdiocese of Blantyre, expressed his appreciation for the initiative.
“I am confident that the trees we have planted will be well cared for. As I walked around today, I saw the trees we planted when I was a young seminarian, and now they have grown into large trees,” Fr. Chitsulo noted.
Sylvester Chikavumbwa, manager of the Centre for Environment Affairs (CEA) at the Catholic University of Malawi, emphasized the need for ongoing care of the newly planted trees.
“I am pleased that we have successfully planted these trees today. The critical factor now is to ensure that we take good care of them so they flourish, helping us achieve our environmental goals,” Chikavumbwa said.
In collaboration with the Jesuit Centre for Ecology and Development (JCED) in Malawi, Catholic Women in the Archdiocese of Blantyre and other dioceses are committed to planting trees to restore nature.
JCED also provides training for women on the importance of environmental stewardship, drawing inspiration from Pope Francis’s encyclical, Laudato Si.
