By: Stella Zulu
The Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Blantyre, Most Reverend Thomas Luke Msusa, has encouraged children to join various Church groups and become evangelizers of fellow children and parents.
He made this call on Saturday 20th October 2018, during the celebration of Missionary Day for Children at Holy Family Parish, Phalombe Deanery in the Archdiocese. In his remarks, Archbishop Msusa also thanked children for their selflessness and willingness to serve the Church, urging each of them to identify a vocation of their choice and grow into it with the guidance of parents and the Church.
Archbishop Msusa said that children are already doing a lot in different parishes of the Archdiocese and they should continue so that they may grow into responsible and unshaken members of the Church.
“Thank you for the various roles you play in parishes. Some of you are altar boys, liturgical dancers, choir members: you also do various charity works like visiting fellow children in hospitals. Just like Prophet Jeremiah, you too were called before you were born. We are proud of you because you are already answering your call,” said Archbishop Msusa.
He further advised the children to be grateful to God for having a Church that has their welfare at heart. The Church takes good care of children to ensure that they are properly nurtured to discern their vocation and respond to God’s call. He also told them to always respect parents for they wish them well; and to work hard in their education until they pass examinations.
“I am sending you to go and pray the Holy Rosary; to be evangelizers of your fellow children and your parents. Pray that you may do well in your education. Some of your friends do not have the opportunity to pray as they are displaced from their homes due to social problems like war. Pray for them and all the children who are suffering in different ways,” he said.
According to the Diocesan PMS Director for the Archdiocese of Blantyre Fr. Francis Tambala, the day was organized so that children may come together and celebrate their calling as evangelizers of fellow children. Further to that, he said that children are encouraged as they learnt from each other. The one million children praying the Rosary for Peace and Unity’, he said, is an initiative that asks children to gather and pray for peace and unity in the whole world.
“This day is aimed at letting children interact and learn from each other; also to let them hear for themselves what the bishops are encouraging them to do in the Church. I encourage all parents to realize that children are a gift from God given to the world and to the Church. We are supposed to raise them up according to God’s will. Parents have the obligation to be first evangelizers of their children. We too are teaching them to pray for fellow children, parents and the Church,” said Fr Tambala.
The children had Eucharistic celebration with the Archbishop, PMS directors and other priests whereby all liturgical roles were taken by the children themselves.