“You’re true reference point for civilization of truth, love”: Catholic Bishop in Malawi to Parish Priests

Blantyre, 27 February, 2025 / 8:35 PM

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Chikwawa in Malawi has called upon Parish Priests in his Episcopal See to live up to their identity as bearers of “truth and love in this world”, guarding the people of God under their pastoral care against falsehood.

In his opening remarks during a training session that the Commission of Evangelization and Catechesis (Pastoral Commission) of the Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops (MCCB) organized, Bishop Peter Musikuwa emphasized the role of Parish Priests to take care of the pastoral needs of their respective parishioners.

“As a Parish Priest, you are a true reference point for the civilization of truth and love in this world, achievable when justice and faith are integrated,” Bishop Msikuwa is quoted as saying in a report published on Tuesday, February 25.

The Malawian Catholic Bishop encouraged collaboration between the Clergy and the Laity and emphasized the importance of respecting the structures of the Church.

He cautioned Parish Priests against the tendency to be authoritarian and underscored the value of fostering active participation of the Laity, "without which the apostolate of the Parish Priest may often fail to achieve its full potential."

In his remarks, the National Pastoral Coordinator, Fr. Joseph Sikwese, is said to have urged Parish Priests to align their efforts with the Church's primary mission of evangelization.

"As the chief executives of your parishes, ensure that all your programs, initiatives, and activities contribute to the work of evangelization. This must be guided by the understanding that the primary mission of the Church, the Parish, and small Christian communities is evangelization," Fr. Sikwese is quoted as saying.

The February 25 report indicates that the training aimrf to strengthen evangelization efforts in Malawi by revitalizing Parish Priests' commitment as key agents of the mission while enhancing their leadership and administrative skills in pastoral ministry.

Topics covered during the training sessions include the role of Parish Priests in evangelization, best practices in parish administration, pastoral collaboration, children's and youth ministry, devotions within parish life, and social issues affecting Catholic Parish.

The Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year provided context for the training, which also saw participants engage in reflections about the care for the environment and Malawi’s general elections scheduled for September 2025.