Thousands of Catholic Lay Faithful and people of goodwill from all walks of life including the Vice President, Right Honourable Dr. Saulosi Chilima, Leader of Opposition in Malawi National Assembly, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, Speaker of Malawi National Assembly, Richard Msowoya, Members of Parliament and Traditional Leaders on Saturday (10th October) last week gathered at St Anthony’s Kachebere Major Seminary in Mchinji for a Eucharistic Mass celebration making the climax of the seminary’s 75 years of existence.
His Excellency, Archbishop Julio Murat, the Apostolic Nuncio for Malawi and Zambia lead the celebration as a main celebrant assisted by the Bishop Chairman for Seminaries and Vice Chairman for the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), His Lordship Dr. Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga Diocese, His Grace, Tarcisius Ziyaye of Lilongwe Archdiocese, their Lordships Emmanuel Kanyama, Peter Musikuwa and Montfort Sitima of Dedza, Chikwawa and Mangochi dioceses respectively.
In his homily during the Mass, His Excellency, Archbishop Murat challenged Christians and Seminarians to always strive for faith in God as the only tool towards realizing the fruits hence the importance of adopting the spirit of perseverance.
Speaking during speeches, National Laity Council Chairman, Wilfred Dodoli said Kachebere Major Seminary has been a source of inspiration not to the Catholic Church alone but to the country at large as it has produced many fruits including Bishops, Priests and people who matter in the country’s Public and Private sectors.
Dodoli further challenged Christians and people of goodwill to own the seminary especially now that for the past 75 years it has been overly dependent on benefactors from European countries whose financial support is steadily diminishing.
“The Seminary is now old enough, as we all know that even a person who is 75 years old is old enough, hence the need for the lay faithful to support the institution. The Seminary needs a lot of things and we can easily make sure that it is financially independent so that it runs its activities well,” said Dodoli.
He also said that there is a need for a strategic assessment aimed at making sure that the Seminary runs on its own.
He said; “Every Seminarian here needs about K500, 000. 00 per year and so far no any outsider benefactors are helping them. Time has now come that families, small Christian communities and parishes should think of being local benefactors”.
In his speech, Fr. Raphael Mbendera, Rector of the Seminary, challenged the Seminarians to be more committed so that they may respond accordingly to their vocation.
Taking his turn, Bishop Mtumbuka said the Church needs more responsible priests and as such it is important for Seminarians to understand their vocation.
“You are here to be formed into priests. Grow in the spirit of Christ. Be obedient to Christ and to the Church. The Church needs priests and the Church suffers when there are no priests hence the Church suffers when you are bad priests,” he said.
For his part, Dr. Chilima, a Catholic himself said Government is committed to promoting the freedom of worship for the Catholic Church and other Churches in the country and called upon the Catholic Church in Malawi to foster development as a way of complementing government’s efforts.
“Government appreciates the role that the Catholic Church in Malawi plays. As government we appeal for co-existence between Government and the Church,” said Chilima.
Chilima also took time to caution religious leaders, politicians, traditional leaders and the citizenry to fight overpopulation and deforestation which he said is a threat to the country’s socio-economic development.
Kachebere Major Seminary, a Philosophical training college opened its doors on October 10, 1939.
