Thousands of Catholic Lay Faithful and people of goodwill from all walks of life including the Vice President, Right Honourable Dr. Saulosi Chilima and Madam Mary Chilima, Leader of Opposition in Malawi National Assembly, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and his wife, Speaker of Malawi National Assembly, Richard Msowoya, Members of Parliament and Traditional Leaders on Saturday (10th October) last week gathered at St Anthony’s Kachebere Major Seminary in Mchinji for a Eucharistic Mass celebration marking the climax of the Seminary’s 75 years of existence.
His Excellency, Archbishop Julio Murat, the Apostolic Nuncio to Malawi and Zambia, presided over the Eucharistic celebration. Those also present at the event were: the Bishop Chairman for Seminaries and Vice Chairman for the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Rt. Rev. Dr. Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga Diocese, Most Rev. Tarcisius Ziyaye of Lilongwe Archdiocese, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Kanyama of Dedza Diocese, Rt. Rev. Peter Musikuwa of Chikwawa Diocese and Rt. Rev. Montfort Sitima of Mangochi Diocese.
In his homily during the Mass, His Excellency, Archbishop Murat challenged Christians and Seminarians to always strive for faith in God as the only tool towards realizing the fruits hence adopt the spirit of perseverance.
Speaking at the same ceremony, National Laity Council Chairman, Wilfred Dodoli said
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His Excellency, Archbishop Julio Murat, the ApostolicNuncio to Malawi and Zambia shares the sign of peacewith the Vice President, Right HonourableDr. Saulosi Chilima |
He however, challenged Christians and people of goodwill to bear ownership of the seminary now looking at the fact that for the past 75 years it has been relying of benefactors from abroad who have since stopped supporting Malawi.
“The Seminary is now too old as we all know that even a person who is 75 years old must be very old enough hence need to be supported by us the lay faithful. The Seminary needs a lot of things and we can easily make sure that it is financially independent so that it runs its activities well,” said Dodoli.
He also said that there is a need for a strategic assessment aimed at making sure that the Seminary runs on its own.
He said; “Every Seminarian here needs about K500, 000. 00 per year and so far no any outsider benefactors are helping them. Time has now come that families, Small Christian Communities and Parishes should think of being local benefactors”.
Fr. Raphael Mbendera, Rector of the Seminary in his speech challenged the Seminarians to strive to be good so that they realize their vocation.
Bishop Mtumbuka said the Church needs more responsible priests and as such it is important for Seminarians to understand their vocation.
“You are here to be formed into priests. Grow in the spirit of Christ. Be obedient to Christ and to the Church. The Church needs priests and the Church suffers when there are no priests hence the Church suffers when you are bad priests,” he said.
Vice President of Malawi Dr. Chilima, a Catholic himself said government is committed to promoting the freedom of worship for the Catholic Church and other Churches in the country and called on the Catholic Church in Malawi to foster development as a way of complementing government’s efforts.
“Government appreciates the role that the Catholic Church in Malawi plays and as government we appeal for co-existence between government and the Church,” said Dr. Chilima.
Dr. Chilima also took time to caution religious leaders, politicians, traditional leaders and the citizenry to fight over deforestation which he said is a threat to the country’s socio-economic development.
Kachebere Major Seminary, a Philosophical training college opened its doors on October 10, 1939.
By Prince Henderson, ECM Communications Officer