Archdiocese of Lilongwe Outlines Youth Ministry Focus on Faith, Service, and Environmental Stewardship

The Catholic Church in Malawi has called on young people to focus on deepening their faith, serving others, and taking care of creation.

The Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, His Lordship Vincent Mwakhwawa, made the call during a Thanksgiving Mass celebration on Saturday, 21st December 2024, at St. Paul’s Parish in Mchinji.

Bishop Mwakhwawa encouraged young people to prioritize loving and listening to Christ, and to cultivate a habit of prayer and reading the Word of God.

“I encourage them on this one because today, in the world, there are so many voices, there are so many teachings, there are so many things that people get through various means of communication,” Bishop Mwakhwawa said. “Some of the things that we get today, some of it is not good, it’s not important, it cannot help us to grow.”

The bishop also emphasized the importance of peer-to-peer ministry, encouraging young people to evangelize and support one another.

“Young people should evangelize, should help fellow young people. Why? Because they know one another, and they have space to do all that,” Bishop Mwakhwawa said. “They can use the social media. They should share to others something that is good about Jesus Christ, love of God, but also, maybe skills that can help them to grow and be empowered economically.”

Additionally, Bishop Mwakhwawa urged young people to take care of creation, citing the degradation of the environment and the need for sustainable practices.

His Lordship says the archdiocese “wanted these young people to know that creation now is crying and is hitting back at us.”

Meanwhile, one of the Youth Ministry Executive in the archdiocese, Sister Veronica Ng’omba acknowledged that many young people in Malawi are hesitant to ask questions about their faith due to cultural norms that discourage questioning authority.

She emphasized the importance of creating a safe space for young people to ask questions and seek guidance.

“We want our youths to come up with the questions that are unanswered,” Sister Ng’omba said. “So, the youth also are being advised to open up. Don’t just keep their questions like that.”

On the other, Chairperson of the Youth Ministry, Chisomo Nkhoma emphasizes the importance of faith for young people, urging them to embrace their Catholic identity and deeply understand Church teachings.

“What I can say to the young people is that be happy and be proud of your Catholic faith.” Nkhoma stated. “And also understand what the church is teaching you so that as we go in this journey.”

He encourages young people to be role models, inspiring others to live out their faith and serve their communities.

The church’s youth ministry is working to reach out to young people in outstations, parishes, and small Christian communities, providing guidance and support to help them deepen their faith and serve others.