‘Malawian men running away from priesthood’

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Bishop Montfort Sitima

The Roman Catholic Church in the country has expressed concern over the shortage of priests saying the church is failing to serve the growing population in the country.

Leader of Catholic Church for Mangochi Diocese Bishop Montfort Sitima said the situation has come about because parents are not encouraging youths to become priests.

Speaking during Silver Jubilee celebrations of one the priests Medrick Chimbwanya, Sitima said parents have a role in contributing to evangelization by sending more boys for priestly formation.

Bishop Montfort Sitima
Bishop Montfort Sitima says the trend is worrisome.

“Today we are celebrating this Jubilee but in future we will not be celebrating because we haven’t been able to have new priests in our diocese,” said Sitima.

In his remarks, Chimbwanya urged Christians in the diocese to consider different vocations that are in the church adding that youths in the church should consider becoming nuns and priests.

“My friends whom I were ordained with when they were celebrating their jubilees they had some new priests being ordained but that is not the case here,” said Chimbwanya.

Mangochi diocese serves people in the districts of Mangochi, Balaka and parts of Machinga in the Ecclesiastical province of Blantyre in Malawi.

It was established as the Apostolic Prefecture of Fort Johnston from the Diocese of Zomba in 1969.