FRIENDS OF CHIKWAWA DIOCESE INSPIRE MAJOR SEMINARIANS
Seminarians from the diocese of Chikwawa at St Anthony (Kachebere) Major Seminary were on June 8 over the moon when Friends of Chikwawa Diocese, Lilongwe Chapter, paid them a visit as part of inspiring them in their priestly formation and training.
The group which was led by Very Reverend Fr Valerian Mtseka the Patron of the group who is also Episcopal Conference of Malawi ECM Secretary General besides verbal encouragement, provided assorted items to the six Seminarians including a laptop for each, writing materials and cash.
“It was a promise we made few years ago when we visited them and this was fulfilment of that promise. They requested for computers (laptops) as one of their needs”, highlighted Fr. Mtseka when asked the purpose of their visit.
Loyd Luciano, a second year Seminarian from Nkhate (Holy Spirit) parish in the diocese of Chikwawa expressed joy with the visit by friends from his diocese saying the presents they had brought with them, particularly the laptops, will ease some challenges affecting their academic work. “We are very glad to have the parents around and their presence meant a lot to us. In addition, we very much appreciate the gifts they have given us, this is a big boost to our priesthood journey”, he said.
Seminarians to the diocesan priesthood in Malawi undergo nine years of formation as they discern their vocation to priesthood.
They spend a year at either Kasina Spiritual formation in Dedza or St. Patrick’s in Rumphi before proceeding to St. Anthony’s (Kachebere) Major Seminary for rigorous Philosophy and other social disciplines for three years before proceeding to St. Peter’s Major Seminary in Zomba for theological studies which covers four years. In between the time at the St. Peter’s Major Seminary, they spend a year in parishes and institutions for pastoral experience in their respective dioceses.
Kachebere Major Seminary has currently 92 seminarians from all the dioceses in the country out of which six are from the diocese of Chikwawa.
