3 Catholic parishes close because of Covid-19
Three Catholic parishes in Malawi have been closed in a period of two days because of Covid-19.
The parishes have been closed for fumigation for at least a period of 14 days.
St. Pius Catholic parish of Blantyre archdiocese was closed after the parish executive reported on Wednesday that it’s two priests Fr. George Kaliati and Fr Gervanzio Namba and a nun were hit by Covid-19.
On Thursday, Dedza diocese administrator the Very Reverend John Chithonje closed Nsipe parish in Ntcheu because a nun caught Covid-19.
On Friday evening, another parish in the archdiocese of Blantyre St. Montfort parish also known as Catholic Institute (C.I) reported that its parish priest Fr. Mark Makolo was hit by the pandemic.
The Secretariat said in its communication to its members that Fr. Makolo would be taken for quarantine to Nantipwiri pastoral centre at Bvumbwe.
The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) issued a statement on Friday urging the Catholic community to seriously adhere to Covid-19 preventive measures.
The ECM has also allowed old priests and those with underlying conditions to stay away from public Eucharistic masses.
The pandemic has also not spared President Lazarus Chakwera’s cabinet. By Friday, four cabinet ministers were reported to have Covid-19.
These included Minister of Local Government Lingson Berekanyama, Minister of Transport Sidik Mia, Minister of Mining Rashy Gaffar and Minister of Labour Ken Kandodo.
Deputy speaker of Parliament Madalitso Kazombo is also hit by Covid-19.
Meanwhile, Malawi government has asked the police to enforce all Covid-19 regulation’s.
As of Friday, Malawi had registered 314 new Covid-19 cases.
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Better late than never. My Catholic brethren were too slow in taking active steps to minimise spread in churches. Because of this laxity I have avoided attending services.
ndie munjoyatu. no chopereka?
Just close all churches and restrict/limit all gatherings to the very minimum. Can’t you see that cases are now going up? Wake up Malawians.
What about the congregants of these parishes. They have been in contacts with these priests. I fear for primary schools in these areas. The Learners are not wearing masks.
If the pandemic accelerates, Malawians will know who to blame – Kalekeni Kaphale
Kaphale wapanga chani?
Meanwhile Britain has banned entry to the UK by nationals of the SADC Member States including effective 4:00AM today, 9 January. Chilima and Joyce Banda must apologise to Malawi for saying there is no coronavirus during the political rallies in the run-up to the June 2020 Presidential election. They both made the situation worse by encouraging the people to hug one another. Cheap politics.
Still anyone with long term visa or permanent residence can enter only need to self isolate for 10 days. This is a ban more like on visitors. They know people from our country flock to SA and back with no medical checks.
Elderly people…… and not old people sounds like better and polite language humanly speaking.
When the task team put measures in place in 2020, politicians in the opposition together with the clergy from various churches resisted. They mocked the government that COVID was not an issue and numbers of the infected people were being added for the government to benefit from donors. The Police then were assigned to check minibuses, churches but it was not taken serious, in fact they were rediculed. Are people going to take your enforcement seriously this time around on account that cabinet ministers and the clergy are infected? Will the Clergy now listen? Are the minibus operators not going… Read more »
These are the same people who kept saying churches are safe and up to now there are still some pastors not listening. The problem is putting a lot of people at risk.
Another adamant church is Adventist.