NEWLY BUILT ST. MARTIN DE PORES PARISH CHURCH DEDICATED AND CONSECRATED
By Noel Chatepa
There is joy in Ngerenge Karonga as the newly constructed St. Martin De Pores Parish Church has been officially consecrated and dedicated on June 29, 2025, on the Feast of Peter and Paul. The dedication and consecration mass was presided over by His Lordship Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka of the Diocese of Karonga, who delivered a powerful homily emphasizing the importance of dedicating one’s life fully to the Catholic faith.
In his homily, Bishop Mtumbuka highlighted that while having a well-constructed church is important, what truly matters is the condition of our hearts. “Yes, we may say we need to have a good church with good iron sheets and built with bricks, but mostly God wants our hearts,” he stated. The Bishop urged parishioners to reflect on their own faith and commitment, “It would be very hypocritical if we have this beautiful church, but our hearts are not clean.” He called upon the congregation to follow in the footsteps of Saints Peter and Paul whose solemnity was being celebrated on the day, who unshakingly shared their faith with others.
Going further during his homily, Bishop Mtumbuka posed thought-provoking questions about personal evangelism: “How many people can we say are believers or Catholics because of us? How many have been attracted to Christ because of what we do?” He encouraged the faithful to take on evangelism and to remain steadfast in their faith during both good and hard times.
Father Nelson Arockiasamy, Parish Priest of St. Martin De Porres and member of St. Francis De Sales Missionaries, also spoke about the spiritual significance of this new church. He noted that its completion has inspired many Christians in Ngerenge to return to their faith as they now have a beautiful space for prayer and community gathering.
The construction of St. Martin De Porres Parish Church began in October 2024 following a directive from Bishop Mtumbuka and diocesan clergy who recognized the need for a larger church due to the growing Catholic population in Ngerenge. Currently serving 4,228 faithful across seven out-stations, 13 sub-stations, and three zones, this new parish church symbolizes both spiritual and structural growth of the Diocese of Karonga.
The church has been built with assistance from the Archdiocese of Cologne, St. Francis De Sales Missionaries and the parishioners themselves.
