Mutharika’s sins be forgiven – Bishop Zuza
First requiem mass for the late president Bingu wa Mutharika conducted by Catholic clergy was held on Saturday evening at the New State House in Lilongwe.
Earlier when the remains of the late president arrived at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA), Bishop Joseph Zuza, head of the Malawi Catholic Church by virtue of being chair of Episcopal Conference of Malawi, offered prayers invoking God to “forgive the sins” of Mutharika, and Malawians to “pray for his soul to rest in eternal peace.”
Zuza, an outspoken cleric who once criticised Mutharika for his “bad economic policies”, said the mourners had gathered to welcome the body with “sorrow and love because death is not the end of everything, but the beginning of a new life.”
Before the requiem mass started, Bishop Zuza of the “Chindere Chakufikapo’ fame offered a prayer. Then Archbishop of Lilongwe Archdiocese Remi Ste-Marie started the mass.
The New State House where Mutharika’s body is lying in state is within Lilongwe Archdiocese and Mutharika used to congregate at St. Patrick Parish.
Mutharika was a Catholic although he often rebuked the church for openly criticising him on socio-economic issues and bad governance.
In his introductory rite, Archbishop Ste-Marie reminded the congregation that “death comes like a thief” when one is not prepared.
He also said only God knows who dies when.
Archbishop Ste-Marie, then told the people gathered in the New State House that the Bible says God expects much from those that received much while on earth.
He also said God gives judgment to a person according to what that person was entrusted with while on earth.
Vice president Khumbo Kachali attended the requiem mass.
