Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe Holds Chrism Mass at Maula Cathedral
- Communications
- Mar 31
- 3 min read
On Tuesday, 31 March 2026, the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe held a Chrism Mass at Maula Cathedral, bringing together priests, religious, and lay faithful from across the archdiocese.
The Mass was presided over by the Auxiliary Bishop of Lilongwe Archdiocese, His Lordship Bishop Vincent Fredrick Mwakhwawa, DP, marking his first-ever Chrism Mass celebration since his episcopal ordination in January 2024. During the liturgy, Bishop Mwakhwawa blessed the Holy Oils and led the priests in the renewal of their priestly vows, a key highlight of the annual celebration.
In his homily, Bishop Mwakhwawa emphasized the importance of unity, prayer, and collaboration among all Catholics, stressing that all are called to serve one God within one Church.
“On this day when we are celebrating the priesthood and the sacrament of the Eucharist, and when we bless the Holy Oils, I have encouraged the faithful to love Jesus Christ in the Eucharist because He is the centre of our faith and our life,” the Bishop said.
He reminded the faithful that priests serve in the person of Christ and that the Eucharist itself is Christ:
“The priests serve the people as representatives of Christ, but they also give them the Eucharist, who is Christ Himself. Therefore, we must love the Eucharist through Mass and receive Holy Communion with dignity and reverence.”
The Bishop cautioned against taking the Holy Eucharist lightly, noting that reverence for Christ should surpass respect given to all earthly authorities.
“Jesus Christ is our Lord; we need to give enough reverence to Him and develop a deep relationship with Him through Holy Communion,” he explained.
Bishop Mwakhwawa also encouraged the lay faithful to pray for and support their priests, recognizing the diverse challenges faced in different parishes across the archdiocese. He further called upon families to foster a deep love for the Eucharist within their homes.
“I have encouraged parents to bring their children to Eucharistic adoration and teach them to love and be with Jesus Christ. This is how children grow and mature in faith,” he said.
He added that a strong Eucharistic life is essential for personal and communal transformation.
“Many of us fail to live a worthy life because our relationship with Jesus Christ is not deep enough. Teaching our children to love Christ is also the way to transform our communities here in Malawi.”
Speaking on behalf of the laity, Mr Patrick Liphava, Chairperson of the Archdiocesan Laity Council, reaffirmed the laity’s commitment to supporting the Archdiocese and its clergy.
“As the laity, we have welcomed the guidance from His Lordship. The priests serve us in our parishes and communities, and the message that has come reflects careful observation,” he said.
Mr Liphava pledged that the laity will work on areas requiring growth and improvement as Christians, while continuing to support priestly vocations.
“We encourage families to support their children in answering God’s call by guiding them and helping them meet the requirements of their vocations,” he added.
During the event, the Pastoral Coordinator of the Archdiocese, Reverend Father Frank Phiri, DP, announced that the Synod of Lilongwe General Assembly will take place at St Kizito Chigoneka Parish from 20 April to 1 May 2026.
He urged all parishes to resume praying the synodal prayers during Masses and parish activities as the process moves into its final phase.
As Chairperson of the Archdiocesan Synod, Bishop Mwakhwawa emphasized that the Synod is a Church-wide journey of prayerful listening and discernment.
“This is the last phase of discussions, discernment, and praying together with the Holy Spirit. The Synod is a process of listening to one another and listening to what God wants us to do in the future,” he explained.
He noted that the Synod will produce concrete pastoral recommendations and guidelines for the Archdiocese.
“This process will help us draw pastoral recommendations on how best we are to live and carry out our pastoral life in the future,” the Bishop said.
Bishop Mwakhwawa further clarified that official communication and the list of delegates will be issued by the Archbishop of Lilongwe, Most Reverend George Desmond Tambala.
Attendance at the General Assembly will be limited strictly to appointed delegates and authorized participants.
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