Pastoral Department Trains CWA Leaders in Mchinji Deanery
From Friday, 21st August 2026 to Saturday, 22nd August 2026, the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe, through its Pastoral Department, conducted a leadership training for Catholic Women Association (CWA) leaders in Mchinji Deanery aimed at strengthening their faith, leadership capacity and understanding of the Catholic Church.
The training, held at St. Paul’s Parish (Mchinji), brought together CWA leaders from various parishes across the deanery and covered a wide range of topics including Liturgy, Mission, History of the Church, Ecclesiology, Child and Vulnerable Adults Protection and Safeguarding, Moral Principles, CWA Spirituality, Leadership and Financial Management.
Facilitating on Liturgy, Mission, History of the Church and Ecclesiology, the Pastoral Coordinator of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe, Rev. Fr. Frank Lazaro Phiri, DP, said that the programme was organized following last year’s elections in the church to ensure that newly elected leaders are well formed as they assume their responsibilities.
Fr. Phiri said that the Catholic Women Association represents a significant constituency within the Church and that the training seeks to empower women to become agents of faith formation in their families, parishes and communities.
He explained that the various sessions were designed to strengthen faith, deepen understanding of Catholic teachings and prepare the women to become effective leaders and educators within the Church.
One of the facilitators, Mrs. Chrissy Mithi, led a session on Child and Vulnerable Adults Protection and Safeguarding.
She emphasized the important role women play in protecting children and vulnerable adults within their parishes and Small Christian Communities
Mrs. Mithi encouraged participants to promote safeguarding practices and share the knowledge acquired during the training with other women in their respective parishes so that more people become familiar with the Church’s safeguarding policy.
In an evening session, Rev. Fr. Maxwell Kubalasa, DP, facilitated on Moral Principles and CWA Spirituality.
Fr. Kubalasa guided participants on the moral values expected of Catholic women and highlighted the importance of spirituality in their mission and service within the Church.
The Pastoral Projects Officer for the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe, Mr. Lloyd Chishambula, also facilitated a session on Leadership.
Chishambula encouraged the participants to embrace servant leadership and use their positions to inspire and support fellow members in their communities.
The training was concluded on Saturday with a final session on Financial Management to be facilitated by Rev. Sr. Mary Lupenga from the Finance Department of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe. The session was aimed at equipping participants with knowledge and skills in the prudent management of resources within the Catholic Women Association and their parishes.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Mchinji Deanery CWA Chairlady, Mrs. Anastazia Gilbert, commended the Archdiocese for organizing the training, saying it had strengthened their faith, deepened their understanding of the Catholic Church and enhanced love and unity within their families.
She described the orientation sessions as beneficial and said the participants were committed to sharing the knowledge gained with fellow CWA members in their respective parishes.
Mkanda Parish CWA Chairlady, Mrs. Filipina Godfrey, also praised the initiative, saying the training had helped participants gain a better understanding of the Church’s history, teachings and mission.
She further appealed for similar formation programmes to be extended to more members of the Church, describing them as valuable opportunities for spiritual growth and learning.
Mchinji deanery comprises of 9 parishes including; Our Lady of Help – Kachebere Parish, St. Anne – Guilleme Parish, St. Mark – Mkanda Parish, St. Joseph – Ludzi Parish, Our Lady of Carmel – Kapiri Parish, St. Augustine – Kamangilira Parish, St. Paul – Mchinji Parish, St. Matthew the Apostle – Nkhwazi Parish and Mary, Queen of the Apostles – Kamwendo Parish. [Source]
The training forms part of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe’s ongoing efforts to strengthen lay leadership and promote active participation of women in the life and mission of the Church. The trainings are being conducted in every deanery of th Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe (9).