MALAWI: Pope Appoints Vicar General Fr Vincent Auxiliary bishop of Lilongwe

By Paschal Norbert

LILONGWE, NOVEMBER 15, 2023 (CISA) – Pope Francis has appointed Fr Vincent Frederick Mwakhwawa, the vicar general of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe as the auxiliary bishop of the same diocese, assigning him the titular see of Aquae Thibilitanae.

In an announcement made by the Holy See Press Office on November 15, the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Malawi, will assist Most Rev George Desmond Tambala, OCD, the archbishop of the metropolitan of Lilongwe in the pastoral care of the see.

Born on November 20, 1975, in Salima, Bishop-elect Vincent studied philosophy at St. Anthony’s Seminary in Kachebere and theology at St. Peter’s Major Seminary in Zomba.

He was ordained a priest for the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe on July 12, 2003.

Following ordination, he first served as the curate at St. Peter’s Parish in Namitete and Likuni Holy Rosary from 2003 to 2005. He was appointed parish priest in Likuni from 2005 to 2006 and secretary to the bishop from 2006 to 2007. He was parish priest of St. Patrick from 2008 to 2010.

“After studying for a master’s degree in pastoral theology at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya (2010-2012), he served as teacher and formator in the Kachebere Major Seminary (2012-2013), national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, chaplain of the National Catholic Laity, member of the College of Consultors (since 2014) and, since 2023, vicar general of the archdiocese of Lilongwe,” the Holy See Press Office noted of his curriculum vitae.