By Stella Zulu Kaferapanjira
Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga Diocese has urged the Pontifical Missionary Society (PMS) Directors in Malawi to take association to the grass-roots and create sustainable structures for missionary animation.
The Bishop said this during the PMS Council meeting that was held in the Diocese of Karonga from 17th to 20thof February, 2020.
Bishop Mtumbuka reminded the Directors that PMS is supposed to continue animating the people of God so that they grow in the missionary spirit and share their faith with others through prayer, services and financial contributions.
“For the Church in Malawi to continue its work of evangelization, the people of God should understand their missionary obligation of faith-sharing and reaching out to others as Pope Francis guides us. For the Church in Malawi to continue carrying out its missionary mandate to the future generations, we need to build a strong missionary spirit in our people; we need to build faith communities that give from their very best for the proclamation of the gospel; we need PMS to animate the people of God and create self-reliant and self-sustaining structures for missionary animation. One way of creating it is by taking PMS to the grass-roots,” Bishop Mtumbuka explained.
The meeting was held under the theme: Missionary Renewal – PMS renewal. The Directors shared diocesan and national reports on their animation activities including how each Diocese celebrated the Day for Missionary Children on Epiphany Sunday on 5 January 2020.
The directors also reflected on their role and the role of PMS in the local Church and preparations and plans for the first ever missionary congress for children in Malawi.
In his remarks, PMS National Director, Rev Fr. Vincent Mwakhwawa, expressed great concern on the gap that exists in PMS animation.
“The Bishop’s guidance gives us insights on how to strategies and start the process of creating self-reliant and self- sustainable structures for missionary animation from the National level to the grass-root at Small Christian communities,” said Fr. Mwakhwawa.
The PMS Council meeting was attended by PMS directors from all the eight dioceses, the National Director and staff from the National Office.