Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe Catholic bishops resolve to establish inter-regional conference
Catholic bishops from Malawi, Zambia and Zimbwe have announced intent to establish an inter-regional conference in their efforts to enhance their pastoral unity, proclamation of the gospel and solidarity in the sub-region.
Archbishop George Desmond Tambala, who is president of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, read out the announcement in Salima, Malawi, on Thursday after a three days of the Second Sub-Region Consultative Meeting.
The main purpose of the consultative meeting was to continue enhancing pastoral unity, proclamation of the Gospel and solidarity in the Sub-Region amidst shared challenges and building on the 2020 Lusaka Conference.
During the meeting, according to Tambala, several voices inspired the proceedings in support of the Sub-Region Conference.
“The three Conferences recommitted themselves to establish the Inter regional Conference of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Given this bold step taken, the three conferences ne the formation of an independent Region. To this end the Sub-region will adopt the principle of gradualism. There will be short term goals that will from the bedrock upon which at the opportune time long term goals will be achieved. There are no defined timeframes when the new region will be fully-fledged. The three Conferences commit themselves to presenting this project to their respective regional bodies namely IMBISA and AMACKA,” said Tambala.
During the plenary, amongst other issues, the Bishops resolved that the name of the Association shall be Association of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe (ACBC-MAZAZI) whose secretariat will be based in Lusaka, Zambia.
And during the pastoral reflection, the bishops highlighted the significance of strengthening the formation of priests that is robust and thorough so that they become witnesses of Christ credible Sabbatical Centres and training of Chaplains/Directors in such centres.
They also emphasized the need for the Sub-Region Catholic Churches to be self-reliant, with pastoral strategies that promote sanctity of life and traditional family values and lives of the youth.
