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Sam Kalimba, 2 August, 2022

LLILONGWE, 30 JULY, 2022: Archbishop of Lilongwe His Grace George Desmond Tambala has called on all the collaborators in his local ordinary to embrace the Holy Spirit as they journey together in a 16-month Synod that was launched on Saturday 30 July, 2022 at the Archdiocese’s events grounds. The Synod is themed, ‘discerning with the Holy Spirit’. 

The Archbishop consistently emphasized throughout his homily that the Synod is like what happened on the Pentecost.

“We read that there was a big disturbing sound on that day when the apostles were closed in the house while other disciples were outside. Acts 2:1 says that suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. This is the kind of shaking the Synod will form in the Archdiocese. Be ready, for the Holy Spirit will get us out our enclosed institutions and help us reach out to many,” preached Tambala.

He said that the power of the Holy Spirit causes people to leave old ways and embrace the most desired ways of the Lord. He said that the clergy, religious, and the laity must accept the Synod, which is guided by the power of the Holy Spirit to open doors of their closed houses.

He asked his sheep to search for better languages for specific vulnerable groups of people in the Archdiocese including widows, orphans, refugees, asylum seekers, and all other foreigners just as the apostles spoke languages for different peoples who heard them speak in their respective mother tongues.

“Let’s see the end to racism, the end to tribalism, the end to regionalism and the end to classification of people among ourselves. I ask myself whether among all the Chinese that are here, there are no Catholics. And then I say why are they not showing up? This synod must open the doors of our Church for all to enter,” he preached.

He further advised the Church to find means and ways of staying together with people of other faiths. He said that the Synod must encourage ecumenism as the Church leaves among all kind of religions.

He also asked the church to move out of offices, church buildings and residences and reach out to the faithful as opposed to old tradition of waiting for them to come to the church all the time.

Chairperson of the Synod Path Commission Rev. Fr. Vincent Mwakhwawa speaking on the same event called for support from all corners of the Archdiocese and beyond. He said that the journey requires everyone to be alert and responsive to demands that may rise at every level. He said that the next activity after the launch is to train trainers from the 43 parishes for effectiveness of the synod.

According to Fr. Mwakhwawa the synod will center on pastoral, liturgy, finance and administration, and social development main themes that will be handled in three phases soon after the trainings. He has since called on all Small Christian Communities to be meeting every week so that the conversation should be moving at the same level across the Archdiocese.

Archbishop Tambala was installed the local ordinary of Lilongwe on 27^th November, 2021 by His Excellence Archbishop Gianfranco Gallone, the Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi.