Fr Francis Damaseke
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| Bishop Tambala, Apostolic Nuncio of Malawi and Zambia, Malawi President |
The spiritually enriching ceremony through harmonious singing and well-coordinated liturgical dancing team, which saw the Papal Envoy to Zambia and Malawi, His Excellency Gianfranco Gallone, President of the Republic of Malawi His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and his deputy Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima gracing the occasion, remains historical in the Church of Malawi .
Formerly Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Zomba, Most Rev. Tambala comes in as the third archbishop of Lilongwe after it the diocese was elevated to Metropolitan status, with Archbishop Remi-Ste Marie Archbishop emeritus as the first and the late Archbishop Tarcisius Ziyaye who passed on 13th December, 2020, as the second.
Speaking during the function, the Apostolic Nuncio asked the newly installed Archbishop to take care of all the Clergy, Religious and Laity just as Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd did during his ministry when he was sent by God the Father to redeem the world.
“Be like the bread that has been broken for all the people under your care for you are now a Good Shepherd for all the Clergy, Religious and Laity of Lilongwe Archdiocese and the Church of Malawi,’ said Archbishop Gallone.
While he asked the new Archbishop to be courageous in carrying out his duties, the Papal Envoy also reminded him to be a conscience for all people particularly the voiceless in the country.
Archbishop Gallone also urged all the Catholics and people of goodwill in Malawi to receive the vaccination for Covid-19. He said that the only way to deal out with this pandemic, of which another deadly wave, the Omicron, is around us, is to get vaccinated.
During the Homily, Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Dedza reminded the congregants that we are all called by God to do His work and not our work ;and fulfil His plan and not our plans. He said that during such a mission work we shall encounter good and bad situations, challenging and encouraging situations but the Lord God shall always be with us. He called for humility in all the efforts we do since any success from the effort we do comes from the Lord God Himself.
In his remarks, new Archbishop of Lilongwe Archdiocese said he has come to Lilongwe as a servant for all the Clergy, Religious and Laity including the Youth themselves.
“I accepted the responsibility just as the apostles did in witnessing Jesus Christ to different people… I come as a servant and helper. We all need to work together for the growth and progress of the Archdiocese whose strong foundations were already well laid down by my predecessors.”
Citing Exodus 17:11, Archbishop Tambala called upon the Religious to continue praying so that the Archdiocese makes tangible progress in self-reliance, self-propagating and self-ministering as they continue to be open to mission work in the new evangelization process. He called for good relationship between the Clergy and himself so that all parties bear lasting fruits in the Archdiocese.
He thanked the Holy Father for the support to the Archdiocese and encouragement to him. He was very grateful to the Diocesan Administrator Msgr. Patrick Thawale for the work well done in the absence of a in Lilongwe Archdiocese. He expressed gratitude to the State President and his Vice for continued support and pledged to support the government’s development efforts.
He also extended sincere thanks to the Clergy, Religious and Laity of Zomba Diocese for the unlimited support and best wishes during his five-year tenure of service in the diocese.
Representing the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Bishop Martin Anwell Mtumbuka, Bishop of Karonga Diocese and Vice President of ECM welcomed the new Metropolitan for Lilongwe and pledged total support to him while asking him to embrace all people and different projects in Lilongwe Archdiocese.
Speaking earlier, Msgr Patrick Thawale welcomed the new Archbishop on behalf of all the flock of Lilongwe Archdiocese. He concurred with Dr. John Paul, the Laity Chairperson for Lilongwe Archdiocese, that the Archdiocese was very much eager and ready to collaborate with him.
Among others present during the ceremony were Bishop Peter Musikuwa of Chikwawa Diocese, Bishop Montfort Stima of Mangochi Diocese, Bishop John Ryan of Mzuzu Diocese, Bishop-emeritus Alexander Pagani, Archbishop emeritus Remi Ste-Marie, Bishop George Zumaili Lungu of Catholic Diocese of Chipata in Zambia, Superiors of various Religious congregations, the Clergy, Religious, politicians and government officials.