The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) haS underscored the need for the local Church to utilize available natural resources by investing in agriculture-related activities.
Chairman of ECM His Grace Rt Rev. Thomas Msusa was speaking in Lilongwe when Fr. Andrew Small of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) presented the initiative called Agriculture Initiative Survey (IPS) to Catholic Bishops in Malawi.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops USCCB will fund ECM’s project through the Pontifical Mission Society, members of staff of ECM’s relief and development arm drawn from all the eight dioceses and heads of Catholic institutions like formation houses and the Catholic University of Malawi.
Archbishop Msusa said ECM has for several times through pastoral letters challenged government to invest in agriculture initiatives like the green belt initiative and yet the initiative was not taken seriously by the local Church. He therefore said it’s against this background that the Catholic Church in Malawi want to demonstrate and act by practicing serious agriculture initiative, in appreciation for this noble course thanks to USCBC which also funds the project in Kenya.
This came at a time when Catholic bishops in the country were holding their second annual plenary meeting from Monday 26 June to 30the June on Friday at Catholic Secretariat in Lilongwe which was attended by all Catholic bishops in Malawi.
Among other things, the meeting saw things like agricultural initiative for Africa, preparation for the 15th general assembly of bishop, the first ever national conference of families to be held in Lilongwe in August this year, discussions on matters concerning the formation of priests in seminaries and receiving progress and status reports from national bodies and organizations such as National Laity Council, Association of Diocesan Catholic Clergy in Malawi (ADCCOM,) and Catholic Women Organization (CWO) among others.
Photo: Seminarians at Kachebere
