Achinyamata mu Arkidayosizi ya Lilongwe, apemphedwa kuti akuyenera kugwiritsa ntchito mwayi komanso kupanga ziganizo zoyenera pa momwe angatumikire Mulungu kudzera mmayitanidwe awo.

Ambuye George Desmond Tambala a Arkidayosizi ya Lilongwe, ndiomwe apeleka pempholi lero pa 09 March 2025 ku Parish ya St. Mathias (Lumbadzi) pa mwambo wa nsembe ya Misa yotsekulira zochitikachitika za tsiku la Mulungu la mayitanidwe Mpingo (Vocation Sunday).

Ambuye Tambala ati uwu ndimwayi oti achinyamata asinkhesinkhe ndikumva komanso kusankha mayitanidwe omwe Mulungu akuwayitanira, kuti atumikile mpingo waKatolika.

“Pempho langa kwa achinyamata ndiloti asinkhesinkhe za kuyitanidwa kwawo , komanso asankhe osakhala mawa, koma lero, chifukwa achinyamata ambiri amazinamiza kuti ndizasankha mawa pankhani yamayitanidwe awo,” anatero ambuye Tambala.

Mkulu owona za mabungwe a utumiki wa Papa (PMS) mu Arkidayosizi ya Lilongwe, bambo Geoffrey Chikapa, ati ofesi yawo ikhala ikupereka maphunzitso osiyanasiyana kwa achinyamata, ndi cholinga choti athe kumvetsa bwino pankhani ya mayitanidwe pa moyo wawo wachikhristu.

“Ngati ofesi yowona za mabungwe a utumiki wa Papa, tigwira ntchito molumikizana ndi bungwe lomwe limaona za achinyamata, komanso gulu lomwe limayang’anira zamayitanidwe mu Arkidayosizi yathu, tikhala tikuyendera achinyamata kuwalimbikitsa komanso kupereka mauthenga osiyanasiyana okhudzana ndi mayitanidwe.”

Ndipo m’mawu awo, Sister Agness Mwamba achipani cha Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Asis, omweso ndi mlembi ku gulu loyang’anira zamayitanidwe mu Arkidayosizi ya Lilongwe, ati athandizira kupereka maphunzitso osiyanasiyana kwa achinyamata m’maparishi, kuti athe kumvetsa bwino zamayitanidwe pa moyo wawo.

Mutu wa chaka chino wa la Mulungu la mayitanidwe mu Mpingo ndi “Achinyamata Ndi Atumiki Achiyembekezo,” ndipo chakachi chidzachitika pa 10 May 2025.

Wolemba ndi Titus Jata Phiri

The St. Vincent Pallotti House in Lilongwe has today 08th March 2025, witnessed a joyous occasion as Brothers Barnett Chokani Phiri and Yohane Lucas of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate were ordained as deacons.

The ceremony, led by Archbishop George Desmond Tambala of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe, highlighted the importance of service and the remarkable growth of the Pallottine Congregation.

Archbishop Tambala expressed his heartfelt gratitude and encouragement to the newly ordained deacons, emphasizing the essence of their ministry.

“A message of encouragement, a message of gratitude and a message of prayers for them,” Archbishop Tambala stated. “We are going to pray, we promised to pray for them and also encourage them in their new ministry to stick by what they have promised here.”

His Grace Tambala underscored the biblical roots of the diaconate, tracing it back to the apostles’ selection of individuals to serve the poor.

“Today deacons they do service in many ways and in the church that’s what we expect them to do,” he explained. “So, another example that I use to illustrate this is Jesus himself who said that if one of us has to be considered great amongst us he is the one who serves. But also, Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. So, this is why I kept insisting and we have to insist that being a deacon is actually about service.”

The archbishop also praised the Pallottine congregation for their significant contribution to the archdiocese through their chaplaincy.

“For the Palatines congregation the same thing, a message of gratitude because they are helping us a lot in that process through the chaplaincy. So many, many thanks,” he said.

The Archbishop also expressed his hope that these young seminarians would serve as role models and mentors for the youth. “And also, for the youth, I would like also that these young people, we can engage them at some stage, to interact with the youth, to encourage the youth in their own struggles, you know,” he said.

Deacon Barnett Chokani Phiri, one of the newly ordained, shared his profound joy and gratitude.

“I am very pleased and very grateful to God first of all for the gift of Diaconate that I have received today,” he said. “This is something that I’ve been longing for so many years ever since I decided to respond positively to the calling in the Catholic Church.”

Deacon Barnett also offered words of encouragement to young people, urging them to pursue their goals with prayer and dedication.

“Life is a project and so just like in any other project you aim at something and once you aim at something put it into prayer and then God will help you from what you already want to do with your life.”

 The Pallottine priests will serve not only in Malawi but also in countries like Rwanda, South Africa, West Africa, and Germany. The celebration was a testament to the dedication of the newly ordained deacons and the vibrant growth of the Pallottine congregation in Lilongwe.

By Eric Mkwaira

Archbishop George Desmond Tambala ordains Barnett Chokani Phiri and Yohane Lucas as deacons in Lilongwe

Utatu Woyera (Kawale) Joint choir singing as the Archbishop blesses the newly ordained deacons

Joyful celebrations at the Diaconate Ordination in Lilongwe

The community comes together to celebrate the new deacons

The facade of St. Vincent Pallotti House, where the Pallottine community celebrated the ordination

Malawian minerals continue to attract investors, as Chilwa Minerals Limited, an Australian exploration minerals company has expressed its interest in rolling out its mineral exploration project in the country.

This has come out during a meeting which the founder and Managing Director for the company Cadell Buss hailed in Mzuzu with the Minister of mining Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma.

According to Buss, the company is centered around Chilwa Basin.

Buss also revealed that his company has a laboratory where some tests of the minerals will be happening.

He said: ” the discussions with the government of Malawi, through the ministry of mining are at an advanced stage, adding that there are prospects that the exploration of the minerals can start by August this year”.

On his part, Mining minister Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma expressed optimism that the country will benefit a lot with the coming of Chilwa Mineral Limited.

“Chilwa Mineral Limited has an established mineral lab in Zalewa which will help to reduce cost as for a long time the country has been doing its mineral test and analysis outside the country,” He said.

Chilwa Minerals Limited is advancing the Chilwa project in the southern Malawi , focusing on heavy minerals sand and rare earth elements and it is covering over 800 square kilometers.

Plan International Malawi has reiterated its commitment to humanitarian works, citing it as a central part of its operations in the country.

Plan International Malawi Technical Lead and Communications Specialist Winnie Botha, says the organization supports the vulnerable populations including the internally displaced persons, refugees and asylum seekers when it comes to humanitarian works.

“It is our commitment, because humanitarian work is one of the core works that we do, apart from inclusive quality education, sexual reproductive rights, and campaigns that we implement. Humanitarian work is a cross-cutting issue that we do,” she explained.

Botha mentioned that the organization has a specific project at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp, where it provides assistance to those affected by displacement.

She also mentioned that the organization responds to emergencies, such as natural disasters, in 14 districts across the country.

“We also work in emergencies, like disasters, and any other emergencies that you may think of in 14 districts where we work in, so we remain committed in humanitarian,” she added.

Botha emphasized that the organization remains committed to its humanitarian work, with a particular focus on supporting female-headed households, child-headed households, and young people.

“At the moment we still have budgets targeting female-headed households, and young people in general, to address crises and maybe for them to remain resilient,” she emphasized.

According to Botha, the organization is currently investing in disaster resilience and preparedness interventions with the aim of helping communities to recover from crises and remain resilient in the face of adversity.

Plan International Malawi in partnership with Misa Malawi were drilling journalists from some selected community radio stations across the country, on humanitarian, emergency and gender inclusion in Salima district.

Lilongwe City Mayor Esther Sagawa has emerged as the winner of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) primary elections for the Chipala-Nafisi Constituency.

Sagawa defeated the national director of political affairs in MCP Maxwell Thyolera, Gersom Stephano Banda and Nolia Kachali.

Sagawa secured 519 votes, Maxwell Thyolera came second with 297 followed by Nolia Kachali who got 63 votes while Gersom Stephano Banda got 27 votes.

Full of joy after being declared the winner at Civo Stadium on Tuesday 04 March 2025, Sagawa refused to speak to our reporter Jonathan Mzumazi while rushing to her supporters.

“I cannot manage to talk as of now,” she said.

Reacting to the outcome, MCP national director of political affairs Maxwell Thyolera accepted the defeat and congratulated Sagawa for her victory.

“Yes, it was a good fight, and I wish her well,” he said. “As a strong member of the MCP, I will continue to support the party, the delegate has decided,” he added.

During the poll, Elifala Kasumbu has been elected to represent MCP as wars councillor for Mgona Ward while Partrick Makumba will represent Saint Chimoka Ward.

By Jonathan Mzumazi

The Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops (MCCB) has called upon well-wishers and Catholic faithful to contribute towards the upcoming first National Eucharistic Congress, scheduled for August 2025.

Bishop President for Evangelization and Catechists (Pastoral Commission) at the MCCB, Right Reverend Alfred Chaima, made the appeal during a press conference at the Catholic Secretariat in Lilongwe on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

Bishop Chaima emphasized the scale of the event, stating that, “it’s going to be a very big gathering and therefore we also need resources for the same. And for that reason, we are estimating that our budget may be about 112 million Malawi Kwacha.”

To finance the upcoming National Eucharistic Congress, His Lordship Chaima added that the Catholic Church in Malawi is implementing a comprehensive fundraising strategy that includes the sale of commemorative merchandise like cloths, mugs, and dishes, the collection of special offerings within Catholic parishes and dioceses, and direct appeals for donations from individuals, families, and corporate entities, all aimed at reaching the required budget.

Bishop Chaima also extended an appeal to individuals and corporations. “But besides that, too, we will continue to make appeals for people of goodwill who can make personal donations or family donations, or maybe even people in the corporate world who can come up with any amount and say, we want to assist in this noble cause. We will gladly receive those donations.”

Bishop Chaima emphasized the profound significance and rarity of the upcoming National Eucharistic Congress, stating, “This, indeed, is a very rare moment in the Catholic Church.”

His Lordship explained that the congress serves as a dedicated period for in-depth study, worship of the Eucharist, and catechesis, aimed at strengthening the faith of attendees.

Drawing from Romans 5:5, he highlighted the congress’s focus on encountering the living Christ in the Eucharist, reinforcing hope and sustaining faith, especially for those facing daily challenges.

In his remarks, National Pastoral Coordinator, Father Joseph Sikwese, confirmed that preparations are progressing smoothly.

Father Sikwese stated that the church is distributing educational materials to prepare members for the Congress, anticipating a large attendance and hoping for spiritual healing during the five-day event.

“There will be some lessons, catechetical lessons that we’ve got to prepare the people for the Christ Congress. So, the resources have been prepared by the National Theological Commission and will be sent to all parishes now.”

The Congress will focus on the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, with catechetical lessons and worship.

By Peter Dumayo