Bishop Mtumbuka Dedicates St Pius Catholic Church
By Ignatius Mvula
After waiting for almost a year, Christians of Wiliro Zone under St Joseph the Worker Cathedral, were all smiles at Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka consecrated St Pius XI Prayer House on 10th November, 2019. The official opening of the Church drew hundreds of Christians from other with the jurisdiction of the Cathedral parish.
In his homily, Bishop Mtumbuka reminded the faithful of the significance of this church building as house of prayer. He was quick to warn the faithful that the church is the presence of God among them. He stressed that the church house is not like any other house because it is a house where people meet God and God meets His people.
“My dear brothers and sisters gathered here and all of you who are following us on our radio, get it very clearly here, this house of prayer has unique role in our Christian life, it is the presence of God among us,”
“We must always bear in mind that our hearts, too, are supposed to be the dwelling place of God. We must strive to live a life of holiness,” said the Bishop.
Commenting on the role of the faithful in the construction of the church, Bishop Mtumbuka expressed gratitude for this real sign of cultivating a self reliant church.
Speaking on behalf of the faithful of the St Joseph the Worker, Mons Denis Chitete thanked the Bishop for dedicating the prayer house. He also appreciated the contributions of all people towards the construction of the church.
The Catholic faith reached Wiliro in 1945, through the missionary work of Missionaries of Africa, also known as White Fathers. The Missionaries of Africa are this year celebrating 150 years of missionary work in Africa.