Mangochi Diocese celebrates holy childhood mass

Children from all walks of life in Mangochi diocese of the Catholic Church on Wednesday ended the year 2014 in style by celebrating their day commonly known as the Holy Childhood or Missionary Children’s Mass at a colourful ceremony held at Mangochi Cathedral.

The day was spiced up by a Holy Mass which was presided over by His Lordship Bishop Montfort Stima followed by Children’s traditional dances and feast. All the proceedings and arrangements during the Mass were championed by the children themselves who are between the age range of 5 to 15 years.

In his homily from the Gospel reading of Mathew 2;1-12,Bishop Stima challenged Catholic Children in the diocese to embrace the spirit of prayful,Love for others and honesty.

“Jesus Christ loved us quite a lot and from today on wards we have to think of what gift to offer him to the free love he showed upon us.The only way we can show our love to Jesus is when we love our friends,the poor and the disadvantaged,” he advised the children.

Bishop Stima also urged the children to respect and love their parents are they are their second God.

“A child who is bonesty and loves his or her parent receives God’s blessings thereby prospers in life.When you respect your parents God will bless you abundantly such that you will become reproductive citizens when you grow up,”he said.

According to Bishop Stima,Holy Childhood gatherings are crucial both to the development of the Church and the Country as a whole.

He said as a Church it is important to build the Church’s future leadership by guiding the children and youths into a spiritual life.

“The Church needs more Priests and Sisters in the near future, so too with this country. We shall need productive leaders hence we need to start building their foundation now so as to enable the Church and country develop. Meanwhile God has started inviting these Children to different callings now and we just need to ensure that they (Children) are able to realize their calls, “said Bishop Stima.

The National Director for Pontifical Mission Society (PMS) of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Fr. Vincent Mwakhwawa said the Society of Holy Childhood or Missionary Children was founded by the Holy Father and owes its name to desire of entrusting the Society to the protection of the Child Jesus.

“Children can be a spiritual and social force for a real transformation of the world,this Society aims at creating a movement of Christian children committed to helping other children,”he said.

Fr. Mwakhwawa said the Society maintains its original missionary character and also includes a commitment to denouncing and condemning the causes of various forms of violence suffered by children throughout the world hence contributes towards practical initiatives of assistance.

Speaking on behalf of fellow children, Getrude Bengo commended the Catholic Church’s leadership leadership for recognizing and acknowledging children.

“We sincerely that you our Bishop,  Priests, Nuns and   parents for dedicating and sparing a day to celebrate with us today. We don’t take this for granted for we are very sure that the church considers us as a crucial arm. We promise you that we will be good children and that we won’t put you to shame, “she said.

According to Fr. Tito Bayani, PMS Director for Mangochi Diocese, over 700 children from all the 19 Parishes in the diocese attended the celebration.

During the day, over 20 children   from various Parishes were awarded with certificates for actively participating in activities through religious groups.

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