By Prince Henderson
The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), an umbrella body of Catholic Bishops in all the eight dioceses in Malawi on Friday this week launched a five-year strategic framework that will guide the operations of the Catholic Church in Malawi from this year to 2022.
Launching the framework at Catholic Secretariat in Lilongwe were all the Bishops including the donor partners, laity and ECM staff from the dioceses and at national level.
Speaking when he launched the strategic framework, Chairman for ECM, Archbishop Luke Msusa of Blantyre Archdiocese said following the expiry of the framework which has run from 2013 to 2017 and considering the changing operating context, the Bishops commissioned the review of the framework.
“It has been a long journey full of brainstorming, consultations and discussions leading to the approval of the new strategic framework by the Bishops in November 2017. Today, our hearts are full of joy because we now have a new strategic framework,” said Archbishop Msusa.
He said the strategic framework launched has affirmed the Church’s desire to reorganize itself into three directorates of Pastoral; Social Development and Finance, Investment and Administration.
“If you don’t plan, you plan to fail hence the reason ECM embarked on the planning process by developing this strategic framework which is aimed at evaluation where the Church through its activities is coming from, where it is now and where it is going,” he said.
Archbishop Msusa then said the Catholic Church in Malawi is committed to working together with government in uplifting the welfare of Malawians through its Commissions like the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi, health and education commissions.
Earlier, the Director of Social Development for ECM and also Chairman for the technical working committee of the strategic framework, Carstens Mulume said the Church in Malawi is committed to providing well-coordinated holistic evangelisation through teaching the word of God, Sacraments and facilitating integral human development as its mission.
“Among our strategic goals is that Catholic members are transformed into missionary disciples of Jesus Christ and stewards of God’s creation hence all commissions in the Catholic Church work for integral development of all people in Malawi in a coordinated manner,” said Mulume.
He said the Catholic Church in Malawi has effective, efficient and coordinated governance and management policies, structures and systems, therefore they will be able to achieve what has been highlighted in the strategic frame work.
The framework has been developed with financial and technical support from Caritas Australia, Catholic Relief Services, Trocaire and Caritas Norway.
The eight dioceses that will implement the new strategic framework are Karonga, Mzuzu, Dedza, Mangochi, Zomba, Chikwawa and Lilongwe and Blantyre Archdioceses.