Malawi Catholic Bishops

COMMEMORATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF ‘LIVING OUR FAITH’ Pastoral Letter, Lent 2022

COMMEMORATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF ‘LIVING OUR FAITH’ Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi Lent March 2022

INTRODUCTION
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This year, we commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral Letter,
‘Living Our Faith’ issued on 8th March 1992 which encouraged democracy, the rule of law,
participatory government, transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption among
other matters.

As a community journeying in faith and hope we recognize and accept the Lord’s invitation to
repent and believe the Good News proclaimed again in this time of Lent. On Ash Wednesday,
we received ashes with the words: ‘Repent and believe the Gospel.’ These words of Jesus
introduce the period of Lent when we enter once more into the saving mysteries of the Lord’s
death and resurrection.

Christ began his public ministry by proclaiming: “Repent and believe the Gospel” (Mk 1,15). In
this proclamation he states the programme of his ministry; to call all humankind in and through
His life, death and resurrection to conversion and witness. People in every age and culture are
called to this conversion and to respond in commitment and faith.

In this conviction, our predecessors were courageous enough to stand up and call a spade a spade
by naming what was contrary to the Gospel of Christ in our country. With the same conviction
we, your present leaders in the faith, after prayerful reflection on the current situation in our
country, can ask, is this the Malawi we all aspired to and dreamed of 30 years ago? What should
we be doing to secure a brighter future for all? We wish to offer our honest and sincere
reflection on the current situation guided by the 1992 Pastoral Letter, ‘Living Our Faith’. This
will accord us the opportunity to celebrate and re-live the powerful message of that Pastoral
Letter. We place these reflections under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the patronage of
Mary, Queen of Malawi and of Africa.

PART 1: OUR REFLECTION ON ‘LIVING THE FAITH’
1. The dignity of the human person and the unity of humankind
The Catholic Bishops in 1992 wrote about how man and woman are created in the image and
likeness of God (Gen. 1, 26) and how every person is sacred. They called for the unity of the
human race and for institutions to respect the dignity of every human being.
2
As we reflect today, we observe that this call is as relevant and necessary as it was then. The
present environment, in which the people of Malawi live, can be described as very
dehumanizing. Vast numbers of men, women and children are today, like Lazarus in the Gospel
(Luke 16, 19-31), languishing in abject poverty while wealth and luxury are enjoyed by a few
who are unconcerned about these dehumanizing conditions of the majority.

2. The Church and Society
The Catholic Bishops in 1992 pointed out how the Church as part of its mission is called to
comment on and participate in matters that affect human beings. They thanked the government
of that time for providing an atmosphere where peace and stability prevailed. They strongly
affirmed that it would be a failure on their part if they kept silent on matters which affected the
day to day lives of human beings in the situation prevailing at that time.

We can now echo again the same words spoken by our predecessors. Malawi is a nation that has
generally enjoyed peace. We thank God for that. With the advent of multiparty political
dispensation, we see that an attempt has been made to grant the populace a certain degree of
freedom. However, it must be pointed out that here and there, we seem to be regressing and
going back to where we were. It is even evident today that some groups and cliques of people
are not comfortable granting freedom to the Church to comment on social matters that affect the
lives of Malawians. Unfortunately, we might even say, and sadly so, attempts are continuously
been made to muzzle the voice of the Church.

3. The aspiration to greater equality and unity
The Catholic Bishops of 1992 bemoaned the following: the growing gap between the rich and
the poor, the reality of many workers’ failure to buy basic necessities because their meagre
wages rendered them unable to afford minimal material needs, the prevailing existence of
bribery, nepotism, tribalism, apartheid, regionalism and divisions. They then called on
Malawians to embrace good values which foster justice, equality and unity.

It is sad, that a generation later, we are grappling with the same vices. In actual fact, it is
regrettable that these vices, which the Catholic Bishops condemned three decades ago, have
become even more deeply engrained and are tearing our society and our nation apart, while
keeping the vast majority in grinding poverty. If we are not careful as a nation, we are heading
towards social disaster. Hence there is an urgent need for every Malawian, starting with our
political leaders, to stand up strongly and courageously against these vices and to choose to
amend and correct the situation by implementing the values of equality, justice and unity. This is
the only way that we Malawians can experience true development that benefits all citizens.
Sadly, at present it appears that the distribution of national resources, development projects and
influential political positions are not based on merit and competence but on nepotism,
regionalism, tribalism and cronyism. This will not take this country anywhere near where it can
be.
3
4. The right to an adequate education
The Pastoral Letter of 1992 then addressed the need for government to pay attention to providing
quality education for its youth. It stressed that education should be holistic, should help the
student acquire values such as respect for elders, promote creativity in the pupil, enable the
student to appreciate his or her cultural heritage, help the student develop training and skills that
would allow him or her to earn a decent living in the future. In short such education should seek
excellence while aiming at providing education for everyone.

Honestly speaking, if we examine where we find ourselves today, it is sad to find and admit that
we are far from the aspirations of our fore-fathers. The education system and facilities have been
deteriorating over the years since the ushering in of multiparty dispensation. The standards and
facilities of education are deplorable especially for the poor people in rural areas. It is one of the
most neglected sectors of development. If nothing is done, the future of this nation is doomed.

Unfortunately governments and the majority of political leaders seem unwilling to take seriously
this project of overhauling the education system and injecting resources into it. This trend is very
worrisome and must not be allowed to continue. To continue providing good quality education
for the sons and daughters of the rich minority while neglecting the vast numbers from poor
families is a very dangerous path for this country. This is a concrete example of inequality and
injustice that our national education system is perpetuating. This must be addressed forthwith.

We look forward to a day when children from both rich and poor families receive quality
education under one roof and can be provided with equal opportunities to excel in life. To this
end the Church is always willing to partner with Government to improve the education standards
of the nation.

5. Adequate health services for all
In the quest to move towards equality for citizens, the Catholic Bishops in 1992 addressed the
state of the health services in the country. Under this discussion, they acknowledged the success
of the Primary Health Care that the Government had initiated. They also recognized the part that
the Church was playing in supporting government efforts. At the same time, they drew the
attention of the nation to the severe difficulties faced in areas such as overcrowding, shortage of
medical personnel, inadequate care given to the sick, inequality in medical treatment and the
unfortunate situation of drug theft in health facilities and at central stores.
We find ourselves in a similar defective situation today. Our health care system is almost on its
knees. Most of our health facilities are in a dilapidated condition. The doctor-patient ratio is well
below the expected standards. Our health centres, clinics and hospitals are running without
adequate personnel and without sufficient medicines. Stealing of drugs and medicines has
become more rather than less widespread. Institutions which are meant to restore hope and
health frequently let people down leaving them helpless, sad and in despair. We cannot make any
meaningful progress as a nation if we continue to neglect this very important and vital sector.
Instead of continued overdependence on referral hospitals abroad where only a few rich and
4
politically connected people can access specialist services, deliberate efforts should be made to
develop a health care system in this country which will address the needs of all Malawians
regardless of their status in society. There is also need to motivate health service providers to
instil in them passion for their vocation and professionalism in their work. Mishandling and
abuse of patients by health care providers must also be urgently addressed.
The Catholic Bishops in 1992 drew attention to the reality of the various diseases in our country
and in particular to the reality of HIV/AIDS. While great strides have been made in the care and
treatment of people with HIV/AIDS, this disease needs continued attention and resources.
Today we are faced with the further challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. We join with
Government in the call to take seriously the preventative measures as prescribed by the Ministry
of Health. We renew our call to everyone to go and get vaccinated to protect themselves and
their loved ones from the spread of COVID-19. Let us take seriously the words of Pope Francis:
“getting vaccinated is a sign of charity” (18th August 2021).

6. Participation of all in public life
Quoting the Scriptures, the Catholic Bishops in 1992 reminded Malawians how every person is
endowed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit which are meant to benefit everyone in the community
(Eph. 4, 7-16; 1 Pet. 4, 10-11).

We, your Bishops, want to restate the implications of this principle. The people in authority and
government need to create an environment where it is possible for all to participate in decision
making and the building up of society. Apart from citizens casting their vote and the three arms
of government doing their part, we feel that more deliberate policies and initiatives must be
created. This is to allow the citizenry to participate fully in decision making in matters that
concern them and matters that generally affect their lives. Decentralization should not just be
about resources but also about decision-making processes. People must be fully involved in
choosing development projects needed in their areas. There should be transparency at all levels
including villages/communities on how funds meant for development are used.

Following the Catholic Bishops of 1992 we call on all citizens to take part in public life.
Malawians should not delegate their responsibility to build this nation. They must not hand over
their responsibility to build this nation to a few powerful and influential people. Citizens should
wake up and hold accountable anyone they entrust with public office and authority. They have
the right and responsibility to demand what is due to them so that they receive better services
from those who hold public office on their behalf.

7. Freedom of expression and association
While applauding the government for protecting freedom of worship, the Catholic Bishops in
1992 drew attention to the situation that restricted freedom of expression and association. They
named academic freedom restrictions, restrictions on exposing the ills of society, the monopoly
5
of media by the state, censorship preventing the expression of dissenting views and indeed many
other related restrictions.
We may ask where are we now with regard to these freedoms three decades down the line?
While we recognize the opening of airwaves and more media channel outlets including social
media, we still have a long way to go. The Access to Information Law is yet to be
operationalized fully and enjoyed by all Malawians. We also note with concern that dissenting
voices in our society are muted through the application of archaic and draconian laws. This is
not in tandem with the current multiparty democracy which guarantees freedom of expression
even when it is critical of government policies and actions. Government ministries, agencies and
departments mandated to oversee this must ensure that legal freedom of expression and
association for every citizen is guaranteed.

8. The truth will set you free
The Catholic Bishops in 1992 invited Malawians to embrace truth and abide by Christ’s
proclamation on the same. They clearly warned how evading truth and feeding Malawians with
lies, empty slogans and political propaganda creates a dangerous atmosphere of cynicism and
mistrust.

Let us look around. Are we any different and any better today as regards this caution? No. We
are not. We are even worse. What is claimed to be a developmental agenda in party manifestos
and campaign rhetoric slogans is all but empty speeches. Malawians are now realizing that
campaign promises are only a way to deceive the masses. It is now becoming a culture to
manipulate the masses by telling them what pleases their ears and placates them in the shortterm. In this way politicians obtain the ticket to rule and ascend to positions of authority. We
cannot continue in this way. Malawians must look for leaders who are honest and truthful and
who mean what they say. Such leaders can steer this nation to prosperity for all through systems
of effective service delivery and authentic development. Empty promises couched in beautiful
speeches must stop.

9. A workable system of justice for all
The Catholic Bishops in 1992 drew attention to one important arm of Government namely, the
Judiciary, which is responsible for the administration of justice. They bemoaned how justice
seemed to be aborted by administering selectively to the advantaged and powerful in society.
In this area, we must applaud the Judiciary which has, on several occasions recently,
demonstrated that it is acting with the independence required and expected of it. However, as has
always been the case, there are unfortunately some whose actions, decisions and judgements
threaten to tarnish the image of the judicial system. The Judiciary must always remember that it
has a key role to play in the administration of justice and especially in the fight against
corruption. In this regard, we appeal to the Judiciary to ensure that corruption cases are
expedited and that everyone is seen to be treated fairly and similarly before the law. This builds
6
public confidence that the Judiciary too is playing its role in a constructive way. The Judiciary
must avoid making suspicious and questionable judgements and pronouncements which are seen
neither to be promoting justice nor fighting corruption. Loss of public trust in law enforcement
agencies and the Judiciary fuels mob justice, public anger and is a recipe for civil disorder. Our
plea is that the Judiciary should always act with integrity guided by the principles that govern
this noble profession.

PART 2: NEW ILLS IN OUR COUNTRY
Having reflected on the 1992 Pastoral Letter, ‘Living Our Faith’, we now turn to the
consideration of some new ills in our country.

10. Governance in the Tonse Alliance
We have noted with concern that since the 2020 Fresh Presidential Election which ushered in
new leadership, the country is engulfed in endless political bickering especially among the
political groups that comprise the Tonse Alliance. This bickering projects to the public a lack of
cohesion within the Alliance and a sense of no direction. These feed into the popular discourse
and fuel an atmosphere of uncertainty and instability which has disastrous economic effects. In
this regard there is urgent need for the alliance partners to draw up joint programmes of action
for the remainder of the government term. The lack of such programmes is fuelling public
dissatisfaction. Such programmes can facilitate accountability and actions that are based on
electoral manifestos and pledges of the individual parties. This can help to fulfil the need for an
inclusive socio-economic development strategy for this country.

Furthermore, there is need to create a management framework for the Alliance to bring cohesion
and direction in the political space. In view of the 50% +1 electoral formula for the election of
the President adopted in 2020, we envisage that in future, it is unlikely to have a Government
that will comprise one political party only. Electoral alliances are likely to become the order of
the day and so too are coalition governments. We note, however, that the country lacks a legal
framework for coalition governments. We therefore call upon parliament to put in place a legal
framework for coalition governments. From time immemorial, it is a well-known fact that how
political power is configured and exercised can either bring about good developmental outcomes,
effective service delivery and people-centred systems or it can bring about state predation, big
man politics that prevent servant and people-centered leadership, corruption and kleptocracy.

11. Weak and indecisive leadership
We have also noted with sadness that decision making at the highest level of government is slow
despite having the necessary legal powers, authority and information. This is particularly true
with respect to the fight against corruption. We believe that a President who campaigned on a
platform of anti-corruption, and promised to deal with the vice, will not keep any of his ministers
and aides when there is sufficient information about their involvement in corruption. Reports in
7
the formal print media note that a significant number of statutory corporations, ministries,
departments and agencies have some of their work stalled because they are waiting for guidance
or approval from the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), sometimes for as long as five
months. That office, instead of being the centre of effective administration radiating the essence
of servant leadership, has become a source of inefficiency and underperformance in the public
service. The performance of the office and the competence and suitability of key persons
manning the office should be urgently reviewed and decisive actions taken.

12. Plunder of public resources, patronage and impunity
As Catholic Bishops we, together with all concerned Malawians, are deeply shocked and
dismayed by the recent revelations concerning the plunder of public resources by foreign
nationals in partnership with corrupt politicians and civil servants. We are now more than
convinced that this country has enough resources which, if put to good use, could propel it to
meaningful development for all. These revelations should serve as an opportunity for us as a
country to demonstrate concretely that our battle against corruption is not just mere lip service
but a genuine and relentless fight to eliminate this cancer in our country.

The politics of appeasement and patronage have continued, pretty much like in previous regimes.
This is particularly true in the appointments of Chief Executive Officers to various parastatals. It
is our view that resolving these issues immediately require forthright executive political
leadership that would intervene in ways that would promote integrity, uprightness and the rule of
law. We note that these institutions accumulate and manage huge amounts of revenues that do
not go through the national budget. This enables spending without sufficient accountability and
creates an environment for siphoning public resources for narrow political ends and personal
benefits. These parastatals must operate with total independence and be accountable to
Malawians. Sadly, continued pressure and interference by the Office of the President and
Cabinet in the operations of parastatals is a clear demonstration of impunity. We call upon the
leadership to intervene and provide the necessary executive political leadership.

13. Siding with those who loot instead of siding with the poor
We are equally dismayed that some greedy Malawians are siding with those responsible for the
plunder of resources instead of siding with the poor who are victims of corruption. These
resources belong to Malawians and if put to good use, this country would not be where it is
today. True patriotism demands that we should feel angry at such unpatriotic behaviour and
religiously defend the resources of our country. This can go a long way in improving service
delivery, infrastructure development, etc.

14. Affordable Input Programme (AIP) and National Disasters
As Catholic Bishops we have noted that this year’s implementation of the Affordable Input
Programme (AIP) has been blatantly inadequate. This programme designed to enhance food
8
security among the poor lacks transparent and accountable implementation. Similarly, we find
the response to national disasters very wanting especially in areas badly affected by Cyclone
Anna, such as the lower Shire. There is need to review these programmes and make them robust
and effective.

15. New threat to human life
Today we also experience a new threat to human life and dignity in the form of propaganda for
the enactment of abortion laws. As Catholic Bishops, our stand on abortion will never change.
All instances of direct abortion are murder. We shall always defend and protect the life of the
unborn child. Human life is sacred and must be safeguarded regardless of how it has come
about. For God commands: “You shall not kill” (Ex. 20, 13).

CONCLUSION
16. “Love tenderly, act justly, walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6, 8)
The issues we have raised in this Pastoral Letter as we commemorate the 30th Anniversary of
‘Living Our Faith’ require ongoing reflection and action. It is the Church’s mission to preach
the Gospel which effects the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every
oppressive situation, be it hunger, ill-health, corruption, ignorance, blind loyalty, despair,
paralyzing fear, etc. Following Jesus, the believing community is invited, and at times obliged in
justice, to show in action a preferential love for the poor, the oppressed and the voiceless.

To ‘love tenderly, act justly and walk humbly with God’ in our present day in particular means
denouncing, uncovering and uprooting corruption – the cancer that is largely responsible for
keeping this country very poor and under-developed. Corruption causes untold suffering for the
vast majority of ordinary Malawians who face crushing poverty on a daily basis. In the interest
of building a more just and transparent Malawi that benefits all its citizens, let no agent of
corruption, however powerful, wealthy or who their connections are, be shielded or protected,
provided that he or she is given proper recourse to the legal processes of the courts.
We stand with and applaud those who risk everything by standing up to corruption. They are
shining examples of St. Paul’s exhortation: “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but
instead expose them” (Eph. 5,11). Let us all say “NO” to corruption.

The Catholic Bishops, thirty years ago, pointed out that by living our faith through what we do,
we are going to build a better Malawi for all. Why have we not lived well our faith in the
activities and programmes that we have been carrying out all these years? As we forge ahead,
what can we do to accomplish the aspirations of the Bishops in 1992 and have a better Malawi
for all ?

May the Lenten call to conversion and our celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ at
Easter mark the beginning of a new dawn for all Malawians.
9
May St. Joseph, the foster father of our Lord Jesus Christ, watch over our country and obtain
from God a spirit of integrity, patriotism, love and peace for all Malawians and for the whole of
humanity.

We place these reflections under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the patronage of Mary,
Queen of Malawi and of Africa.

Most Reverend George Tambala President, Archbishop of
Lilongwe
and Apostolic Administrator of
Zomba
Right Reverend Montfort Stima Vice President and Bishop of
Mangochi
Most Reverend Thomas Msusa Archbishop of
Blantyre
Right Reverend Martin Mtumbuka Bishop of
Karonga
Right Reverend Peter Musikuwa Bishop of Chikwawa
Right Reverend John Ryan Bishop of Mzuzu
Right Reverend Peter Chifukwa B

Scroll to Top
× How can we help you?