Newly Ordained Catholic Priests in Mozambique Urged to Inspire “people who thirst for God”

He added, “We are not here to be served, but to serve. And to serve means to be present, to be close, to be a sign of God’s tenderness.”

The Catholic Church leader warned against Priests becoming mere “functionaries of the altar” and cautioned against a bureaucratic or distant view of Priestly ministry. 

“We attend so many workshops, meetings, and gatherings, but forget the essence. We are shepherds, not administrators. We must recover the pastoral spirit. A Priest who does not pray, who does not celebrate with the people, who does not listen, loses his mission,” Bishop Mwita said.

The Local Ordinary of Gurué Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in March 2021, reflected on the lack of missionary zeal and the decline in vocations, saying, “Even though there are those willing to hear the Good News, preachers are lacking. We must all pray for vocations. The mission is great, the field vast, but the laborers are few. Let us ask God to continue raising missionaries who proclaim the Gospel with their lives.”

He reminded the Priests-elect that the Priesthood “is not a personal honor but a demanding service to the Church and the people,” adding, “We have received the Priestly ministry, but many times we fail to meet its demands.”

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“There are many who wish to hear the Word, but few true proclaimers. Our people hunger for the Word of God, but there are too few committed preachers. The silence of a pastor is always harmful to the people—and sometimes even to the preacher himself,” Bishop Mwita said.

Bishop Mwita warned against the temptation for Priests to be distracted by worldly matters, neglecting their essential mission of preaching and pastoral care. 

“We live immersed in sin and fail to extend a hand to correct and save. But how can we correct others if we neglect our own lives?” he posed.

The Mozambican Catholic Bishop noted that infidelity to the ministry begins when a Priest abandons prayer, reflection on the word, and participation in liturgy. 

“Not tending the vineyard is abandoning the mission. We who are chosen to guard the vineyards often fail even to guard our own, neglecting our ministerial duties through distractions,” he said.

Bishop Mwita continued, “We cannot leave Christians without Mass on Sundays. To celebrate with them, to pray with and for them—this is our mission.”

“Let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Anthony to intercede for us all. May we be holy, faithful, and servants of the people. May our Priesthood be for the glory of God and the salvation of souls,” he implored during the October 18 Eucharistic celebration.

João Vissesse is an Angolan Journalist with a passion and rich experience in Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate.