PASTORAL COMMISSION HOLDS INTERDEPARTMENTAL REVIEW AND PLANNING MEETING
By Chikumbutso Mwale
The Pastoral Secretary of the Diocese of Karonga, Father Robert Songa has hailed the Interdepartmental meeting of the Pastoral Commission as a step in the right direction towards fostering collaboration and unity of purpose among various establishments under the Pastoral Commission.
Father Songa made these remarks when he presided over the Interdepartmental Meeting of desks, chaplaincies and apostolates under the Pastoral Commission which took place at St Kizito Conference Centre in Chitipa on 3rd September 2024. The Vicar General of Karonga Diocese, Monsignor Lorent Dziko was in attendance as the guest of honor.
The meeting focused on reviewing the past activities of the diocese and setting a path for future success. The meeting aimed to foster collaboration among various departments, allowing them to learn from one another and address common challenges together.
The gathering featured a series of insightful presentations from different desks (departments), chaplaincies and apostolates, under the Pastoral Commission, each outlining their roles, achievements, challenges, and areas of focus from the strategic plan of the Diocese of Karonga. The presentations highlighted the diocese’s commitment to improving its pastoral activities and strengthening its community.
The meeting began with a detailed presentation on the Curia Pastoral Structures Organogram. This outlined the organizational hierarchy and the roles within the diocese, providing clarity on how different pastoral functions are interconnected and how they can work together more effectively.
A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the diocese’s strategic plan aimed at increasing the number of faithful Christians by the year 2026. The plan included initiatives to enhance community outreach, strengthen evangelization efforts, and encourage active participation in church activities.
All desks, chaplaincies, and apostolates of the Pastoral Commission made presentations in the following order as follows: Social Communications Desk, Young Christian Students (YCS), Youth, Lay Movements, Kolping Societies of Malawi, Catholic Scouts Association, Sunday School Programme, Pontifical Missionary Society (PMS), School of the Faith and Tuntufye FM Radio.
The meeting resolved to intensify resource mobilization through the writing of proposals. To this effect, the members present agreed to establish a resource mobilization committee for the Commission to be chaired by the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mr. Deodatus Muriya. The members also agreed to update content on the website to reflect the current development and activities. All members present will produce content to be uploaded on the website.
In his closing remarks, Monsignor Lorent Dziko the Vicar General for Karonga Diocese stressed that the meeting was a vital step in ensuring that the Diocese remains on track with its pastoral mission, leveraging the strength of each department to overcome challenges and build a stronger, more faithful community and such meetings should be conducted twice annually.