The faithful of St. Peter’s-Lulanga Parish have been called to promote unity and steadfast commitment to grow in all dimensions of parish life.
“Be united and committed so that you may grow in all aspects of parish life,” His Lordship, the Rt. Rev. Montfort Stima, Bishop and Local Ordinary of the Diocese of Mangochi, told the congregation.
Bishop Stima presided over a triple celebration at the parish: the conferral of the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Solemnity of the parish’s Patron Saint, St. Peter the Apostle, and the parish’s observance of the Day of Unity.
75 young Christians received the Sacrament of Confirmation during the Eucharistic celebration. Confirmation is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, through which the baptized are sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit and strengthened to bear witness to Christ in the world.
The parish also marked the Solemnity of St. Peter the Apostle, the Prince of the Apostles and the first Bishop of Rome, to whom Christ entrusted the keys of the Kingdom. As Patron, St. Peter is invoked as a model of fidelity, leadership, and missionary zeal for the parish community.
In his homily, Bishop Stima addressed the newly confirmed and the wider faithful: “Do not forget to pray, and pray without ceasing. I also encourage all families to pray together and to love one another.”
As a gesture of fraternity and communion, the Bishop shared a luncheon with the faithful, which had been specially prepared for the occasion.
St. Peter’s-Lulanga Parish is one of the relatively new parishes of the Diocese of Mangochi. It is situated on the southeastern shores of Lake Malawi, approximately 100 km northeast of Mangochi Boma. The parish is also noted for its significant presence of Islam within the diocese, making it a key locus for interreligious dialogue and coexistence.
Communications Office
Diocese of Mangochi