Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, His Grace George Desmond Tambala has urged the 27 newly ordained deacons to be active solutions to Malawi’s current financial challenges and widespread suffering.

His Grace made the sentiments on 24 May 2025, after presiding over the historic diaconal ordination, the largest in a decade, which took place at St. Peter’s Major Seminary in the Diocese of Zomba.

Archbishop Tambala has emphasized that the deacons’ role extends beyond preaching salvation; they are called to be tangible answers to the problems faced by the people, particularly by listening to those in distress.

“Go and assist those suffering from several problems like hunger and financial problems,” His Grace implored the new deacons.

Archbishop Tambala also expressed his profound gratitude for the unprecedented number of deacons ordained, hailing it as a historic moment for the Catholic Church in Malawi.

In his remarks, Fr. Dennis Kamanga, a lecturer at St. Peter’s Major Seminary, expressed his thankfulness to God for the “gift of 27 deacons,” noting it significantly increases the number of workers in the Lord’s vineyard.

Fr. Kamanga further challenged the deacons, reminding them that their ordination to the diaconate is not an end but rather the beginning of a new chapter of devoted service to the Lord.

“You have not finished your work, but you have started the journey to serve the Lord,” he stated.

The 27 deacons, who hail from various dioceses and archdioceses across Malawi, including seven from the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, will continue their studies at St. Peter’s Major Seminary in Zomba and are expected to be ordained priests in one year.

The ordained deacons from the Archdiocese of Lilongwe include Denis Mawango of Kasungu Parish, Fabiano Chikuse of Lumbadzi Parish, Denis Rumashana and Sylvester Kanyambo both from Namitete Parish, Julius Chalunda of Mlare Parish, Lyford Kaponya of Chitedze Parish, and Dominic Kaweyele of Benga Parish.

The ceremony was also attended by Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa of the Archdiocese of Blantyre and Bishop Alfred Chaima of the Archdiocese of Zomba.

By Peter Dumayo

Catholic Men Association (CMA) chaplain for the Maula Deanery, Reverend Father Daniel Kanzimbe has urged members to increase their involvement in Small Christian Community (SCC) gatherings at the closing of the St. Joseph the Worker feast day celebration.

Fr. Kanzimbe noted his positive feelings about the CMA dinner, seeing it as “an opportunity so that the men of this dinner can have time to interact and also to know more about our patron saint who is Saint Joseph.”

He encouraged them to emulate St. Joseph by being “hard workers in whatever we do… so that we save the community, and also, the world in which we are, and at the same time, the church.”

Rev. Fr. Daniel Kanzimbe, CMA chaplain for Maula Deanery

While acknowledging the attendance, Fr. Kanzimbe called for better participation from all parishes, stating, “for those parishes that were not available, I urged the members of CMA in those particular parishes that next time they have to do better.”

The chaplain’s primary concern was the low male attendance in SCCs, emphasizing, “it is true that men do not patronize the meetings and the gatherings in the small Christian communities… they need to improve because the life of the church depends on the small Christian community… if we neglect the Christian community, we don’t have good foundation.”

He pointed out the disparity, saying, “many men do not attend the gatherings in the small Christian communities. You see that only women patronize these gatherings, and the men are not available. So, we need to improve in that area.”

In his remarks, Chairperson of the Maula Deanery CMA, Edward Chikhwana, expressed encouragement with the turnout, saying, “I think this is very encouraging. I think the patronage; the attendance is good.”

Chikhwana highlighted the planned activities, including a networking event for professional development, describing it as “a good start for Maula Diner CMA.”

He reiterated Archbishop George Tambala’s encouragement for men to collaborate for growth, noting that strong men’s associations at the SCC level are crucial for the overall strength of the church.

“When men are participating actively in the activities of the small Christian community, it means the church is becoming stronger and stronger. Because one of the weaknesses that we have seen is that men participation in the activities of the small Christian community is not that good, and that also weakens the system in terms of men participation at the other activities of the church at the higher level,” he concluded.

In addition to the main proceedings, the event incorporated a practical training module where members shared insights and learned crucial steps for effective retirement planning, ensuring a more secure and fulfilling life after concluding their active working years.