| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Rev. Fr. Dr. Henry Saindi, Secretary General ECM |
The Catholic Secretariat of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) on 4thSeptember officially welcomes the new Secretary General, Rev. Fr. Dr. Henry Saindi at an event to be held at Bishop Nervi’s garden within the secretariat.
A number of dignitaries including the donor partners, government officials and the media have been invited and Archbishop Tarcisius Ziyaye of Lilongwe Archdiocese and also Bishop Chairman for Catholic Secretariat will be the guest of honor and will give a key note address.
According to the Deputy Secretary General, Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo, Catholic Secretariat values the cordial relationship that exists between different organizations and partners hence an invitation extended to them to this dinner.
Other activities lined up include speeches by the deputy secretary general, the new secretary general and presentation of gifts.
Chairman for the organizing committee, Carstens Mulume said during the event, the Catholic Secretariat will bid farewell to the members of staff who have left in the recent time.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Saindi was appointed by the Episcopal Conference of Malawi Secretary General on June 17, 2015 replacing Fr. George Buleya who is now the Vice Chancellor for Catholic University in Malawi.
The 42-year-old Mangochi diocese priest was ordained in 2000 and worked as the director of Radio Maria Malawi between 2001 and 2009, before going to study a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy from 2009 to 2011.
He further pursued a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences with specialization in Social Communications. He has just finished his Doctorate in Social Communications.
Meanwhile Fr. Saindi has announced the appointment of Mr. Carsterns Mulume, the National Secretary for Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM) as the Director of Social Development which falls under the new strategic framework that ECM is undertaking.
Other announcements made include the confirmation of Mrs Bertha Magomero who has been acting as National Health Secretary, now National Health Secretary and accounts officer, Anthony Chekani, renewal of contracts for Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo as Pastoral Director and Deputy Secretary General respectively, Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace Elita Yobe, Education Commission’s Steve Ndlovu and Communications Commission’s Prince Henderson.
“As part of the process of integration of Communications, the Strategic Framework proposes the position of Director of Social Development. In this case, we shall only have three Directorates: Pastoral headed by the National Pastoral Director, Administration, Finance and Investment headed by the DOFIA and Social Development headed by the Director of Social Development,” said Fr. Saindi when he announced the development on Friday during morning assembly at Catholic Secretariat’s board room.
He said following this development, Commissions like CADECOM/Caritas, CCJP, Health, Education and Social Communications will now be under the Social Development directorate.
“I take this occasion to thank him (Mr. Mulume) for his acceptance of the offer of appointment as well as congratulate him for his new position. I ask all the commissions under his directorate to rally behind him and support the integration plan he will soon present as a proposal,” he said.
By Prince Henderson, ECM Communications Officer