Chiyendausiku, Balaka — St. Paul Chiyendausiku Sub-Parish hosted the Annual Spiritual Retreat of the Catholic Women Association (CWA) of Balaka Deanery from Thursday, 27 August, to Sunday, 30 August 2026.
The four-day retreat was preached and animated by Fr. Hermes Chaponda, SAC, and gave the women dedicated time for prayer, reflection, catechesis, and fraternal sharing.
Delegates attended from St. Paul Chiyendausiku, Utale 1, Utale 2, Balaka, Kankao, and Mbera Parishes. Phalula Parish could not send representatives due to unforeseen circumstances.
The retreat highlighted the important role of women in the life and mission of the Church. The Second Vatican Council, in Lumen Gentium, teaches that the laity, by their vocation, are called to seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and ordering them according to God’s plan.
The Church has also consistently affirmed the dignity and active participation of women in its life and mission. In Mulieris Dignitatem, Pope St. John Paul II reflected on the dignity and vocation of women and recognised their participation in the apostolic mission of the Church. In Christifideles Laici, he further emphasised that, through Baptism and Confirmation, women, like men, participate in Christ’s mission and are called to contribute to the Church’s apostolate, particularly through evangelisation and the witness of their lives.
Through gatherings such as this annual retreat, the CWA provides its members with opportunities for spiritual formation and fellowship while strengthening their commitment to Christian witness and service in their families, parishes and communities.
The Diocese of Mangochi commends the CWA of Balaka Deanery for its commitment to spiritual formation and apostolic service, and expresses its gratitude to St. Paul Chiyendausiku Sub-Parish for its generous hospitality in hosting the retreat.
Communications Office
Diocese of Mangochi