BY PRINCE HENDERSON
The Episcopal Conference of Malawi’s (ECM) agencies operating under Pastoral, Social Development and Investments Directorates in all the eight dioceses including Catholic Secretariat have been challenged to draw up program aspirations that are centered on development and evangelization for the nation and the Church in Malawi.
Vice Chairman for ECM, His Lordship Martin Mtumbuka said this, Monday when he opened a two-day national consultative meeting on the review of the ECM Strategic Framework held at Linde Motel in Dowa.
He said as a Church in Malawi, there is a need for a well-defined direction in terms of how it conducts itself in different realms of its evangelization hence the Strategic Framework being put in place to guide its operations for the next five years.
“This is why from time to time we come together to come up with a Strategic Framework, a road map of our desired intervention as a Church in Malawi. The Strategic Framework, in my view is an overarching document, encompassing higher level development and evangelization aspirations of the Church in Malawi,” he said.
Bishop Mtumbuka challenged all agents of ECM to align the new strategic framework to the Canon Law, Sustainable Development Goals and the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy.
“You are the key stakeholders in our Church, dedicate your thinking to this cause. Strive to address challenges the country is facing hence advance the evangelization drive of the Church,” said Bishop Mtumbuka who is also the Bishop for the Diocese of Karonga.
Director of Social Development for ECM, Carsterns Mulume said the current strategic framework which expires in December this year has achieved a lot of progress and at the same time, faced challenges.
He said the current Strategic framework has so far achieved 50 percent of what was planned including enhancing integration among all Church agencies.
On the challenges, Mulume said some dioceses are yet to adopt and start implementing the strategic framework that was put in place.
“What I can say is that there is integration of our work much more than before, such that we are able to develop joint project proposals which are being funded. We now look forward to a more focused and highly owned strategic framework,” said Mulume.
Key agencies highlighted the strategic framework include; Pastoral Commission, Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM), Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP),Catholic Heath Commission (CHC),Catholic Education Commission (CEC),Social Communications and Research Commission, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E),Finance, Investment and Administration, Catholic University of Malawi (CUNIMA) and Catholic Formations Houses.
The meeting was held with financial support from Caritas Australia