By Fr. Steve Likhucha, Communications Secretary-Zomba Diocese
Diocesan Catholic leaders together with Catholic Secretariat elite in Malawi are undergoing a four day capacity building training organized by Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) through Catholic Universities within the region.
Speaking at Catholic University of Malawi (CUNIMA) the AMECEA representative, Sr (Dr.) Elizabeth Nduku, called upon all the participants to take the training seriously as it is a fruit of the 17th AMECEA Plenary which took place in Kenya where it was realized that a lot of things in the region would improve if the Bishops and those surrounding them were to go for the capacity building training.
“We were asked by AMECEA Bishops to address needs in Leadership and Management, Youth Ministry, Communication,Planning and Project Proposals, strategies in Pastoral services and Fundraising strategies in the AMECEA region… We are therefore here to make sure that we fulfill the AMECEA resolution to our best abilities.” Nduku said.
He then asked the participants to take the training seriously as it will help them make a difference in handling various issues with special skills that will lead to a positive growth of the dioceses and eventually the Church in the AMECEA region.
Delivering his remarks the Deputy Secretary General, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo, called upon the members to realize that they are very important in the Church of Malawi and the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) regards them highly that is why they had to involve them in the training.
Prof. Anaclet Phiri, the University’s Vice Chancellor, thanked AMECEA and ECM for recommending CUNIMA to be the centre for the training and the pastoral arm of the Church in Malawi.
He also furnished the delegates with updated information of CUNIMA of which there is a lot of positive development in many sectors including a new campus of CUNIMA in Lilongwe at Nanjiri which is in the offing.
Malawi is the fourth country to go under training after Sudan, Tanzania and Ethiopia early this year. Kenya, Zambia and Uganda will have similar trainings in 2015.