By communications office
In view of a diocesan golden jubilee which will take place in September 2023, the diocese of Mangochi held the golden jubilee year recollection for pastoral agents yesterday, on 25th February 2023 at St. Augustine’s (Mangochi) cathedral. These were priests, sisters and catechists who serve in this diocese. This recollection was facilitated by Fr. Joseph Kimu and subsequently, there was a sacrament of reconciliation and finally the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Bishop Montfort Stima.
In his presentation, Fr. Kimu said that one’s real vocation is not just to be a pastoral agent, but to be holy. As such, the jubilee year is a time to take a stock of one’s life, to assess one’s relationship with God and to make the necessary adjustments in order to be closer to God. For the previous mistakes, the pastoral agents have to forgive themselves and start anew. He also advised the pastoral agents to avoid unnecessary competition in pastoral work, but to complete one another for the good of the ministry and the Church.
Bishop Stima agreed with Fr. Kimu, to say that the consecrated life is a call to holiness. He further said that the jubilee year is a time of liberation and paying back the religious debts. On this point, the bishop said such debts are failures to fulfill priestly duties and obligations like praying, visiting the sick, giving bad examples to the vulnerable people, neglecting the needy and many more. He finally said that the pastoral agents have to free the Christians who are in bondage of Satan.
Every year, the Catholic Church celebrates the World Day for Consecrated Life on 2nd February. It is also a day for the Pontifical Missionary Union (PMU) hence coming together of pastoral agents as one way of showing unity among them. The diocese of Mangochi will this year celebrate the golden jubilee of its existence. It was arranged that the pastoral agents in the diocese should meet on 25th February at one place instead of 2nd February, so as to reflect on their dedication to the ministry in the parishes and institutions in relation to the fifty years of the existence of the diocese of Mangochi.
After Mass, there was a ceremony of planting trees outside the cathedral church. Three representatives planted such trees: Bishop Montfort Stima, Fr. Isaac Mpokwe who is the Vicar for religious priests in the diocese of Mangochi and finally, Fr. Paul Rappozo, diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS).
