VP Ansah tells Catholic women: hold on to hope, like Mary did

Vice President Dr Jane Mayemu Ansah has urged Catholic women to hold on to hope during hard times, pointing to the life of the Virgin Mary as proof that faith can endure even when the future feels uncertain.

Speaking at the annual Umai wa Amai Maria celebration at Chisitu Parish in Mulanje, Dr Ansah said the event should be about more than marking Mary’s birthday.

Held under the theme “Mzimai wa Katolika Mtumiki wa Chiyembekezo pa Banja Pake,” the gathering offers women a chance to reflect on Mary’s perseverance through hardship, she said.

Dr Ansah noted that Mary endured ridicule and adversity yet never wavered in her faith — a model, she said, for women in their roles as mothers, daughters, leaders and role models today. She urged the women present to draw on that same strength whenever they face difficulties of their own.

Sister Njala, the group’s spiritual advisor, welcomed Dr Ansah on behalf of the chairlady and the wider Catholic women’s association, saying gatherings like this help deepen both faith and fellowship among members.

The celebration drew Catholic women from across the Archdiocese of Blantyre.