The Secretary General of the office for the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) from the Vatican, Sister Ines Paulo, has applauded teachers for their tireless work in instilling Christian values in children.
Sister Ines expressed her joy at the way the children’s ministry is progressing at Likuni Parish in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, highlighting that the dedication shown by teachers in nurturing the children’s spiritual lives is truly admirable.
During her visit to Mulungu Alinafe Small Christian Community (SCC) under the Kakoma Outstation of Likuni Parish, Sister Ines was pleased with the growing number of children being taught spiritual values through the support of both their mentors and the sisters under the Archdiocese of Lilongwe’s PMS.
“I have to appreciate these mentors for the remarkable job they are doing in mentoring the children. They are doing an excellent job that gives hope for the future of the Church through these children,” she said.
As part of her role in the PMS office, Sister Ines emphasized the importance of implementing various programs that reach children in different areas, including ministry and education, tailored to the challenges they face.
She also met with various commissions and groups at Likuni Parish and expressed satisfaction with how Christians are actively participating in different ministerial roles.
During a meeting with these groups, Sister Ines urged parents, teachers, and organizations to prioritize the spiritual care and education of children, aiming to mold them into reliable future Church leaders.
Meanwhile, Vincent Kamunong’ona, chairperson for Kakoma Zone, noted that the visit by the PMS Secretary General from the Vatican has greatly motivated their spiritual and missionary activities.
As part of her visit to the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, Sister Ines also toured the Tikondane Care for Children , run by the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA).
She praised the MSOLA Sisters for their outstanding efforts in supporting street-connected children and promised to advocate for increased support, emphasizing that helping suffering children is at the heart of the Church’s mission.
Sister Marie Sakina, project coordinator for Tikondane Care for Children, said the center currently houses a higher number of children than intended, over 35 instead of the ideal 25, due to widespread poverty and other societal challenges.
“We have a lot of children because of the difficulties in our society, especially in the streets. Many families lack food, and these hardships are forcing children onto the streets,” explained Sister Sakina.
After the tour, His Lordship Vincent Mwakhwawa, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, expressed joy at the mission visit by the PMS Secretary General from Rome.
He noted that the visit had showcased the strength of the Church’s children’s ministry in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe under the PMS office.
His Lordship also commended the mentors at Mulungu Alinafe for their contributions to nurturing children’s spiritual lives and preparing them for missionary service within the universal church.
“The archdiocese is deeply committed to training animators. We want to continue forming them, especially because many children in grassroots Christian communities lack properly trained teachers,” said Auxiliary Bishop Mwakhwawa.
Throughout her visit, Sister Ines Paulo had an opportunity to interact with children, hear their success stories, and learn about the challenges they face, particularly in accessing education and basic necessities essential for their spiritual journey.
Her visit was also accompanied by Holy Childhood Coordinator from the Pontifical Mission Societies of the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston from the United States of America Daria Braithwaite, who is also in Malawi for the Mission experience.
By Titus Jata Phiri
Photo Credit: Eric Norman Mkwaira