The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) through its Fundraising Committee for Kachebere Major Seminary’s Seminary Platinum Jubilee will on Friday, April 24, 2015 hold a fundraising dinner and dance at Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, where Kalimba Band will perform.
The fundraising dinner and dance event follows the inauguration of the 75th anniversary of Kachebere Seminary by His Lordship Bishop Martin Mtumbuka, Chairman for Seminaries and Vice President of ECM on Saturday, 10 January this year.
Kachebere Major Seminary, also known as St. Anthony Major Seminary, is a philosophical college under the Episcopal Conference of Malawi. It opened its doors on 10th October 1939 and has thus clocked 75 years of its existence.
“The Seminary is an academic institute where young people who aspire to become diocesan priests are formed and prepared for priestly ministry. Although not many people who pass through the corridors of the seminary become priests, the institution forms and prepares numerous people to become future leaders and servants of the people of God in various sectors of life in our country, Malawi, “said Mr. Peter Kulemeka, Chairperson for the organizing committee
According to history, Kachebere first served as a regional seminary for the vicariates of the then Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi). Today the seminarians at Kachebere come from the eight dioceses of the Catholic Church in Malawi, namely Karonga, Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Dedza, Mangochi, Zomba, Blantyre and Chikwawa.
“Several activities are expected to be carried out within this Jubilee year such as pilgrims to the seminary by the lay faithful, workshops and seminars on the Catholic Church teachings, fundraising events, Eucharist celebration and kick starting of development projects that will aid the seminary in income generating for self sustainability”, said Kulemeka.
“We expect all those people who have gone through this seminary to actively support these planned activities. Similarly, many Catholic have in one way or another been beneficiaries of Kachebere. We expect them to be part of this jubilee year,” he continued.
The Jubilee committee through its fundraising programme already held a fundraising braai in November, 2014.
Why celebrate Kachebere Seminary Platinum Jubilee
According to Bishop chair for seminarians, Rt. Rev. Martin Mtumbuka, the Catholic Considering that the institute is now 75 years, the ECM has seen it necessary to take advantage of the occasion to upgrade the infrastructure and academic standards of the seminary so as to provide a more conducive environment that is up-to-date according to the current requirements. As a result, funds that will be raised during the dinner dance shall be committed to maintenance and renovation of some dilapidated infrastructure, face lifting of the campus, replacement of obsolete equipment, and establishment of self-sustaining income generating activities among others.
How to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee
The bishop chair for seminaries, Rt. Rev. Martin Mtumbuka has urged the Catholic Faithful and people of good will to support the event because Kachebere is an important arm of the church where all Diocesan Catholic Priests from the eight dioceses in Malawi are trained.
The organizing committee of the dinner dance also submits a request to ex-seminarians, Church partners and people of good will to participate in the event and to help in covering the expenses of the activity.
Meanwhile all is set for the event on 24th April 2015 and tickets are selling out K50, 000. 00 for Double and K30, 000 for Single. Tickets are currently at available at the Catholic Secretariat.
Interested parties are invited to deposit their financial support in the following account:
KACHEBERE JUBILEE 2015
NATIONAL BANK OF MALAWI
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 1001582298
SAVINGS ACCOUNT
LILONGWE BRANCH
For purposes of accountability, all people that deposit to the account are asked to scan and forward the bank deposit slip to ecm@ecmmw.org; chimombo01@yahoo.com; peter.kulemeka@undp.org; or to ecmcommunication@ecmmw.org
Compiled By: Prince Henderson