The Coppel Family Visits Karonga Diocese
Mr and Mrs Coppel, family and friends, franked by officials from Catholic Relief Services began their visit to Karonga Diocese to day 12th July, 2017. The family arrived at Karonga Airport around 9:30 am in the morning. The vi
sitors were welcomed in the Diocese of Karonga by the Bishop of the Diocese;
Right Reverend Martin Mtumbuka. Soon after arrival, the visitors toured St Mary’s Karonga Girls Secondary School before meeting with Bishop
Martin Mtumbuka together with Curia staff at Bambo Zutu House where the visitors appreciated the presentation of reports for projects that the Coppel Family financed in the Diocese. These are the Sunday School and Food Emergency Relief projects.
In the afternoon of the day, the visitors attended a colourful mass with children at St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral. The Coppel Family were one first people who generously c
ontributed funds for the construction of the Cathedral and this marked their first mass in this beautiful house of the Lord.
In the days to come, the Coppel Family are visiting projects and activities that they have been funding through the Diocese and Lusubilo Orphan Care project. In their visit, the Coppel Family will travel to Chitipa District where among others, they will commission the newly constructed Lusubilo warehouse at St. Michael Parish Centre in the District. Before their visit to Karonga Diocese the Coppel Family also toured Mzuzu Diocese
Development Desk of Karonga Diocese to facilitate construction of multi million kwacha irrigation scheme.
By Elijah Banda
In the wake of dwindling agricultural production, due to dry spells and flooding, the Development Desk of Karonga Diocese through the Climate Change project is facilitating the development of a 6 ha irrigation sch
eme at Kapoka in Chitipa District. The scheme will cost 25 Million Kwacha and when finished it is expected to benefit 150 surrounding households.
The benefici
ary communities will be able to plant twice a year using rain fed agriculture and irrigation farming through the scheme which is expected to boast yield by 30%. The communities will be able to grow vegetables for sell to generate income as well as for consumption to boast their nutritional needs.
The schem
e will use solar power to pump water underground into raised irrigation tanks and surrounding communities apart from boasting agricultural production from the scheme are also geared to have
potable water supply courtesy of the project.
Speaking d
uring the commencement of the construction work the chief for the area Maxison Mlenga thanked Karonga Diocese for the development and promised to support the work started to ensure the benefits trickle down to all community members.
The development of the scheme and the entire climate change project is being made possible by the generous funding of MISEREOR-GERMANY
Karonga Diocese Trains 214 Instructors of Children
In order to improve the teaching skills of Sunday School instructors and the quality of their catechetical lessons in the Diocese of Karonga, St Mi
chaels Parish and St John Paul II Sub-Parish conducted short training sessions for Sunday School Instructors. The training sessions were organised through the Sunday School Project and were conducted in two different venues.
In St John Paul II Sub-Parish, the training took place at Kapoka prayer centre from 26-28 June 2017. A total of 87 instructors were trained. 46 (53%) of the trained instructors were male while 41 (47%) were female. St John Paul II Sub-
Parish has 28 sub-stations, and initial plans were to train 4 instructors per prayer centre; 2 inst
ructors for the Junior Sunday School Children (aged 5-13 years) and 2 instructors for the Senior Sunday School children (between 13 and 16 years of age). This means that the Sub-Parish has managed to train 78% of its target instructors this time.
The training in St Michaels Parish took place at the parish centre from 28-30 June 2017. St Michaels which has 50 Sunday school centres also planned to train 4 instructors per centre for both junior and senior Sunday School Children. A total of 127 (64%) instructors of Sunday School children were trained. A majority of the train
ed i
nstructors were female, 71 (56%) while male instructors were 56 (44%).
The Pastoral Commission, through the Sunday School Project and Pastoral Teams of the respective parishes fulfilled this training programme in conjunction with the Education Department of the Diocese.
Many instructors were very grateful to have undergone the training. They pledged to be more committed in their roles of teaching the children, leading their liturgy and record keeping for accurate data. The Sunday School Project is funded by the Coppel Family of Mexico. The fifth phase of the Project came to an end on 30 June 2017.
59 Liturgical Leaders Drilled
By Ignatius Mvula
From 6th to 8th July 2017, the Pastoral Commission of the Diocese of Karonga organized a workshop for the Liturgical leaders of St Ignatius Parish in Nthalire. Some of the topics which were tackled during the workshop were: Liturgical Sea
sons in the Holy Catholic Church, Celebration of the Mass, Order of the Liturgical Celebration when there is no Mass, Christian leadership skills, Introduction to Bible and Sacraments.
The workshop was organised as part of the ongoing formation for lay faithful that the Diocese tries to arrange every year since its inception so as to cover the apparent gaps that exist during liturgical celebrations. When asked to assess the session, Fr Matthews Simwela, the curate of the St Ignatius Parish had this to say:
“We are grateful to the Diocese for organising these lessons in our parish, we really need well trained liturgical leaders who can help in conducting the liturgy when we as priests are not there, we have a vast parish so we cannot be at every place every time, we need the help of the lay faithful in proclamation of the gospel so that all the people of God can have life in fullness”
“I am extremely happy to be part of these lessons; I have now grown in some areas of the responsibility that the church has assigned to me. I have now known the right gestures when leading the liturgy when there is no priest” Said Charity Mtambo one of the participants of the lessons.
“How I wished we were to spend the entire week learning new things, I will now endeavour to recognise the presence of Jesus at Mass in all the four essential aspects, in the presiding clergy, in the bread and wine, in the assembly and in the word” added Benedict Sichali.
The workshop was attended by 59 participants of which 23 were females and 36 were males. The Liturgical workshops will take place in all 9 parishes of the Diocese of Karonga.
10 Successfully Complete VLCFF Images of Jesus Course
By Ignatius Mvula
Since 2016 the Diocese of Karonga partnered with the University of Dayton in Ohio to take on line faith formation courses as a way of building capacity for catechists and some of employees in the Pastoral Commission and all relevant stake holders that help in faith formation in the Diocese. Since the agreement was signed, ten people; that included Pastoral Commission employees and Catholic teachers have benefited from the partnership. The beneficiaries included the Catechetical Methodology Advisors that work in Parish, The Catechetical Material production Coordinator and Catholic teachers from St Joseph The worker and St Marys Parishes.
The first course entitled “Images of Jesus” analyses the Human and Divine natures of Jesus, the Christological controversies and biblical foundations of this hypostatic union to mention just a few.
“ I am indebted to Karonga Diocese for this partnership with University of Dayton” said Thokozire Nkhoma “ I have learnt a lot of things in this course that will help be teach better the faith to the youth and Sunday School Children” She concluded. Another set of participants have just enrolled for the August cycle.
First Eucharistic Celebration at Vunguvungu, Livingstonia Parish
Fr Cosmas Mwanjabala, the Moderator of the newly opened Livingstonia Parish, celebrated the first Mass at Vunguvungu on 9th July 2017. As the first Mass, it was a historic event for the Christian community of Vunguvungu because this is the place that has been identified to be the parish centre for Livingstonia Parish. Existing at Vunguvungu at the moment is just a small Christian community which is still part of Livingstonia Outstation Church.
About 150 people, both Catholics and non-Catholics attended the Mass that was celebrated in the open because there is no Church building. About 30 were children between 5 and 12 years while the rest were of teenage and adults. In his homily, Fr Mwanjabala stressed the need not to be too anxious on how the people will build the new parish of Livingstonia, now still a sub-parish. Rather, they should trust that God will see them through this noble project. He urged the people of Livingstonia Outstation, in general, and the people of Vunguvungu, in particular, to be more united now than before. “Continue be instruments of peace. Just be humble and docile to the Holy Spirit who will guide our efforts to work for peace and build our parish very well” said Fr Mwanjabala.
Fr Mwanjabala also baptized one infant, Costas Odilo, during the Eucharistic Celebration. Vunguvugnu as an area has very few baptized Catholics. Many are still catechumens, attending their catechetical lessons so that they are later baptized
Also present at this Eucharistic Celebration were traditional leaders led by Principle Group Village Headman (P.G.V.H) Mwembe. It is PGVH Mwembe who gave the land for the parish centre in Vunguvungu to the Church. In his speech after Mass, PGVH Mwembe said that though he is not Catholic, as a traditional leader, he is open to all churches that come into the area to work towards saving people. He said: “We, chiefs and churches work with the same people. Our work is complimentary.”
As a way of nurturing this small Christian community, church leaders of Livingstonia Outstation have decided to continue holding Sunday liturgy at Vunguvungu, once every month until the community grows stronger and can stand on their own. This is the nucleus of the would-be parish centre for Livingstonia Parish which now operates as a Sub-Parish of St. Anne’s Parish.
Lusubilo Vocation Training Excelling in Various Skills
‘That they may have life and live in full John 10:10’
Lusubilo Vocation Training is one of the projects run by the Lusubilo Community Based Orphan Care Organization. It’s not just about Vocational Training; it’s about preparing our youth for a competitive world.. Founded with an aim of empowering the youth to come of out of poverty and live self- sustaining lives, the program trains young men and women in tailoring, carpentry and joinery as well as catering. At the end of training some youth secure jobs with private companies, while others engage in entrepreneurial adventures in line with their certifications. The youth not only graduate from their training as carpenters and tailors, but as agents of social transformation, with human and spiritual values which make unique in the society.
Recently, the Carpentry class has been making good chairs as part of their learning. The quality sofas are skillfully made to satisfy beauty, comfort and quality seekers on the market. It is quality products that make our
students unique. The young men are determined and ready to face the world with their skills. They are ready to turn their stories and inspire other youth who are living in difficult situations. For them vocation training is
a bridge to social- economic empowerment. It is through their training that they will be able to support themselves and their family.
The 2017 tailoring class too is not left behind in this success story. Apart from making quality clothes, the class is venturing into duvet making. This too is a sign of tremendous progress for these youth who are preparing
themselves for the world. As Lusubilo family we are hopeful that our youth are being to transform others
Development Desk of Karonga Diocese Supports Flood Victims with Construction Materials
Karonga Diocese through its Development Desk has assisted communities in Karonga District with construction materials to people who were affected
by floods in the rain season of 2016/2017. Karonga District received fairly normal to above normal rainfall amounts.
The district received persistent heavy rains in most areas which eventually led to increased flash floods and water
logging leading to loss of lives, injuries, massive damage to houses, household property and infrastructure. Due to
this, some households were displaced and they needed to be assisted with construction material for them to have a permanent shelter.
The Development Desk with funding from Catholic Relief Services assisted the affected household with Iron sheets, Cement,
Door frames, Window frames, Solignum gallons and Nails. In total 316households have been assisted.
One of the targeted houses that was affected by both heavy rains and cyclones is Mr Kalambo in Village Head Shemu Mwakasungula under
Group Village Head Mweniyumba of Kyungu.
Karonga Diocese Empowers PDRR Committee Members at St Mathias Parish
Karonga Diocese through its Development Desk organized a refresher training in June, 2017 at St Mathias Parish in traditional authority Mwenemisiku in Chitipa District. The training aimed at building the capacity of Parish Disaster Risk Reduction (PDRR) Committee members at Parish level. The role of PDRR teams is to respond to disasters through provision of guidance and direction when disasters occur. The team was taken through several session such as; what is a disaster?, how to communicate when a disaster happen?, how to collect and document data after a disaster has occurred?. The training was graced by the Parish Priest Fr Bernard Silungwe who thanked the Diocese for organizing the refresher training.
Development Desk of Karonga Diocese Supports Flood Victims with Construction Materials
Karonga Diocese through its Development Desk has assisted communities in Karonga District with construction materials to people who were affected by floods in the rain season of 2016/2017. Karonga District received fairly normal to above normal rainfall amounts. The district received persistent heavy rains in most areas which eventually led to increased flash floods and water logging leading to loss of lives, injuries, massive damage to houses, household property and infrastructure. Due to this, some households were displaced and they needed to be assisted with construction material for them to have a permanent shelter.
The Development Desk with funding from Catholic Relief Services assisted the affected household with Iron sheets, Cement, Door frames, Window frames, Solignum gallons and Nails. In total 316 households have been assisted.
One of the targeted houses that was affected by both heavy rains and cyclones is Mr Kalambo in Village Head Shemu Mwakasungula under Group Village Head Mweniyumba of Kyungu.
