Malawian MP Urges Catholic Bishops to "Hammer Hard" in Upcoming Pastoral Letter Addressing Country's Challenges

Malawi-Member of Parliament for Phalombe South, Mary Livuza Mpanga, has called on the Catholic Bishops in Malawi to "hammer hard" during their seasonal pastoral letter, which is mostly released during the Lenten season, writes Brenard Mwanza.

Mpanga told the President of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), the Most Reverend George Desmond Tambala, that Malawians are passing through the most challenging times that need the clergy's attention to influence the leadership to act genuinely.

"We are experiencing hunger, poverty, and unemployment, and we need the Church to be more vocal in speaking out against these issues. When the church speaks, it goes a long way, and the impact is always there, and the government listens," said Mpanga.

"As legislators and the executive are doing their part, the Church should also do its part in guiding them."

In response to the call, Archbishop George Desmond Tambala said, "We welcome the contribution by the legislators, bearing in mind that they are the ones that live close to the poor people and experience their sufferings. We will look at these issues, and if we feel that they need to be reflected in our pastoral letter, then well and good."

He added, "When we talk of a pastoral letter, it is an exhortation to the faithful, but it brings in concerns from many quarters of society. I look at the contribution in a very positive way."

The Catholic Church is well known for its courage in speaking to the executive on issues that concern the majority of citizens.

On the occasion of celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1992 pastoral letter, which was titled "Living our Faith" in 2022, the Bishops called on the government to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Affordable Input Programme (AIP) to achieve food security for Malawians.

The occasion was marked with various activities, including prayer sessions and dialogues with government officials.

The Catholic Church in Malawi has been at the forefront of championing the rights of the poor and marginalized in society, and their pastoral letters have had a significant impact on the country's governance.

The call by Mpanga comes at a time when Malawi is facing multiple challenges, including a food crisis and high unemployment rates.

The Catholic Church, through the CCJP, has been advocating for social justice and calling on the government to address these issues.

During this Lenten season, Malawians will be looking forward to the release of the pastoral letter, which will give them guidance and hope for a better future.