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“Evangelization ought to be a top priority”: Bishop in Malawi Urges Priests to Prioritize Catechesis to Administration

Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka with Pastoral Coordinators in malawi. Credit: Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM)

By Silas Isenjia

Blantyre, 20 April, 2024 / 8:45 pm (ACI Africa).

The Chairman of the Pastoral Commission of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) is urging the members of the Clergy to focus more on catechesis to ensure the faithful understand the Catholic faith rather than focusing on “administrative issues.”

In his remarks at the start of a three-day meeting of Pastoral Coordinators from across the southeastern African nation, Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka said priests must focus on evangelization as their main mission.

“As pastoral agents, you have a duty. I challenge you to ask yourselves; Do our people know our faith? Do they live their faith? Do they proclaim and defend the faith?” Bishop Mtumbuka said.

He added, “We must regret that we haven’t attached sufficient importance to catechesis. We have drained much energy on administrative issues. These we must do, but evangelization ought to be a top priority.”

“We must not only be satisfied and happy to merely see churches full of Christians. Rather, they must be full of changed people,” said the Local Ordinary of Malawi’s Karonga Diocese that is hosting the meeting.

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The Bishop underlined the need for the Church in Malawi to focus more on forming and preparing authentic young Christians, especially in the face of “the storms of anti-Christian or Anti-Catholic waves” in the country.

“There is so much syncretism and lukewarmness among Catholic youth. Who is to blame? We must not only be concerned with the maintenance of the Church, but self-propagation and youth formation as well,” he said.

Bishop Mtumbuka further urged priests to work in a coordinated manner towards fostering the Church’s presence on social media to promote the work of evangelization.

“Social media influences Christian formation,” the 66-year-old Local Ordinary of Karonga Diocese who has been at the helm of the Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in November 2010 said, and added, “We need a platform where we can speak with one voice and articulate our issues. The world is moving so fast in the information world”.

Silas Isenjia

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.

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