After having presided at the consecration of the Cathedral of Karonga, in the afternoon of Saturday, November 5,
Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples, met the Bishops of Malawi.
"I am well aware
of the challenges facing your beloved Country at this time - said the
Cardinal in his speech -: the food crisis caused by drought in the North
and flooding in the South, the economic challenges caused by these same
occurrences as well as by other factors, the resulting poverty felt by
many, and the lack of social services for people, many who suffer from
all sorts of ailments, not the least of which is HIV/AIDS. Nevertheless,
I am also aware of the good work carried out by the Church in these
times of need".
The Prefect of the Missionary Congregation indicated the Apostolic
Exhortation "Evangelii Gaiudim" as "a valuable document, because it
represents the vision of Pope Francis for the Church in the coming
years", and recalled what the Pope himself said to the Bishops of Malawi
on the occasion of their Ad limina visit in 2014. He then mentioned two
recent anniversaries: the 50th anniversary of the conciliar Decree Ad
Gentes, on the missionary activity of the Church, "a document which
remains valid still today" and the Centenary of the evangelization of
Malawi, in 2001: "today we remember with grateful hearts so many blessed
years since the first evangelization took place here".
Focusing on the current missionary commitment, Cardinal Filoni stressed
that "the Bishop, as head and center of the diocesan apostolate, must
promote, direct and coordinate missionary activity, as well as encourage
all the members of the People of God to participate in the work of
evangelization". Without doubt "the path of evangelization is not easy",
he said, urging the Bishops to draw from the example of the African
Martyrs "who witnessed to hope and the Mercy of God through the exercise
of kindness, patience and fortitude, even when faced with the pain of
torture and death".
The Prefect of the Missionary Congregation offered a few additional
words of encouragement to the Bishops of Malawi, urging them to seek
"creative ways to integrate local, civil and social realities and draw
together the strengths of the persons and groups that make up the
Church, so as to effectively coordinate the work of evangelization,
which is the primarily role of your Episcopal Conference". He then
highlighted the promotion of vocations to the priesthood, assisting with
the good discernment of candidates through the generous support of
Seminaries. Finally, he invited the Bishops to "always strive to love
with a fatherly and brotherly love all those whom God entrusts them",
with special attention to priests. "Support the religious so generously
serving in your Diocese with prayers, remuneration and respect for their
proper autonomy – he continued -. Also, I encourage you to remain
always present and available to the lay faithful, who are an integral
part in the work of evangelization in Malawi".
Finally the Cardinal Prefect expressed his appreciation to the Bishops,
on behalf of Pope Francis and the Congregation for the Evangelization of
Peoples, "for your hard work and dedicated service in our shared
mission of evangelization, for your generosity in pastoral work and for
your praiseworthy communion with the Holy Father".