By Odiwuor Opiyo
LILONGWE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2022 (CISA) – The Catholic Church in Malawi has declared October 2022, as a missionary month with a focus on praying for the mission of the Church, teaching the faithful about their missionary obligation, and seeking financial support for the missionary activities of the Church.
“Catholics have been reminded that during the October mission Month, the following activities are to happen: Praying for the evangelization activities and personnel of the Church so that the work of preaching the gospel is successful in all countries and continents, Teaching and reminding the members of the Catholic Church about their mission and baptismal obligations of preaching the gospel in the whole world through prayer, services and financial sacrifices,” said Rt Rev Montfort Stima, Vice Chairman of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), in a press briefing organized by the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) office at the Catholic Secretariat, Lilongwe, on September 27.
Bishop Stima also said the 2022 October missionary month, will be celebrated together with four other missionary anniversaries including 400 years of existence of the Vatican’s Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples.
“During this mission month, the Church is also celebrating four missionary anniversaries: 400 years of the High office in Vatican of Congregation of the Evangelization of peoples (Propaganda Fidei) established by Pope Gregory XV, 200 years of the establishment of the 1st Society (Bungwe) for Propagation of Faith (in the whole world) started by a young lady Blessed Pauline Jaricot;100 years of the established of an office of Pontifical Missionary Societies (PMS) in the Congregation of Evangelization of Peoples, and 150 years of the birth of Blessed Paulo Manna who started the fourth society of PMS, called the Pontifical Missionary Union in 1916.”
According to PMS Malawi, the official opening of the missionary month is scheduled for October 1, 2022, in the Catholic Diocese of Mangochi at Mofolo Woyera-Chinguo parish, and “the climax of the October mission Month and Four missionary anniversaries will be celebrated on the World Mission Sunday that falls on 23 October. This celebration will take place in Catholic Parish Communities in the whole world.”
