"Seminarians advised to stand firm on their calling"

From Nyasa Times

Bishop of Chikwawa Diocese, the right Reverend, Peter Musikuwa has advised seminarians in the country to avoid being swayed by earthly things in order to answer their priestly calling.

“There are so many challenges and temptations which can push you away from the path to the priesthood vocation but can easily be avoided if you remain focused and depend on prayer,” Musikuwa said.

He said like Jeremiah in the Bible who tried to give excuses to God's calling, many more young priests also get trapped in things which were against the calling to priesthood.

Musikuwa who is also Episcopal Conference of Malawi Bishop Chairperson for seminarians was speaking at Kachebere Major Seminary during presentation of Cassocks to first year seminarians in Mchinji.

The Prelate said seminarians were required to follow both God's teaching and the teaching of the church to successfully respond to the vocation.

He said the Catholic Church is faced with an increasing demand for the clergy due to the swelling number of Christians who need their services.

Said Musikuwa, “The church today is looking up to the clergy to save their souls. You should live the life of Jesus Christ to bring salvation to mankind.”

Musikuwa added that to fulfill that mission, there was also need for the seminarians to have a strong will and determination in the process of pursuing the path to priesthood.

“The path to the priestly vocation is not all rosy, there are hardships which you have to overcome to make it,” Musikuwa emphasized.

Rector for Kachebere Major Seminary, Reverend Father Denis Chitete thanked Musikuwa for the word of encouragement which he said was not only for the aspiring priests but also those already ordained.

However, Chitete appealed to parents of the seminarians to provide the institution the necessary support so that the work of molding them (young seminarians) was a joint one.

“The responsibility of shaping these young ones rests on both of us the priests and the parents,” Chitete observed.

He therefore called for cooperation from the seminarians, saying formatters in the seminary were there to provide the necessary spiritual direction to only those who were also willing to take advice.

During the Cassock Day, 36 seminarians from Blantyre, Chikwawa, Dedza, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Zomba Dioceses received their robes at a function that was characterized by various sporting activities and later a social evening.