World Meeting of Family Inspires Malawi Delegation
A delegation from Malawi to the World Meeting of Family in Philadelphia, United States of America has described this year’s gathering as crucial to the Malawi Church and families based on the theme for this year which is “Love is our mission: the Family fully alive.”
The twelve Malawi delegation is comprised of five couples, one priest, Fr. Vincent Mwakhwawa of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi’s Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) and His Lordship Bishop Peter Musikuwa of Chikwawa diocese and Bishop Chair for Pastoral Commission.
Fr. Mwakhwawa in an e-mail message from Philadelphia said the theme for this year’s meeting will help to explore critical role families’ play in society and to give families an opportunity to talk about challenges and blessings that families have.
“I write to inform you that we arrived safely in Philadelphia on Sunday 20 September, around 4pm. Thanks for your prayers. We were warmly welcomed and are being accommodated at Sheraton Hotel,” reads part of Fr. Mwakhwawa’s e-mail sent on Tuesday, September 22.
The e-mail continued that “It is exciting to meet and interact with many families, priests and bishops – we had good time and company of Mexican families staying with us in the same hotel…they are able to put aside espanol and can struggle to speak English.
“Our Bishop (His Lordship Musikuwa) stole the show yesterday, for he was the only visible bishop with his cassock around the Conference Centre and in the Streets of Philadelphia. Everyone wanted to take a picture with him……,”
A couple president for Marriage in Counter Godfrey and Selina Mwenelupembe who are also part of the Malawi delegation said the keynote and breakout session speakers are internationally known and will engage the delegates in thought-provoking dialogue on the many issues confronting families around the world.
“Issues such as abortion, same sex marriages, divorces, etc will be under discussion during the meeting. Some of the topics to be covered as well will be to answer if a society can exist without the family, Concerns of the urban family: ( Finance, Health care and Education challenges) and Living vocation according to God’s will: The family is called to be a place where society learn and imitate Christ’s radical surrender opening and accepting God’s will,” he said.
According to Godfrey Mwenelupembe the meeting is essential to Malawi, as we also have similar challenges as of other countries.
“Virtues are taught in the family, as a family we need to pray, worship and celebrate together. Worship leads to peace and love within and around the world,” he said.
Congregation of the Laity and Council of Families in Rome, together with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are the organizers of this World Meeting of Families from 21 -27 September 2015 and Pope Francis will attend the meeting from 26 to 27 September.
World Meeting of Families takes place after every three years. The meetings started in 1994 in Rome by St. John Paul II and the last meeting was in 2012 in Milan, Italy.
Since its inception by Saint John Paul II in 1994, the World Meeting of Families has strengthened the sacred bonds of families across the globe.
Held every three years and sponsored by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family, the World Meeting of Families is the world’s largest Catholic gathering of families. Each World Meeting of Families has a theme that energizes and enlivens the event while adding great depth of meaning to our understanding of families.
The theme of the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 is “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive,” emphasizing the impact of the love and life of families on our society.