In Malawi, a whole stadium celebrates 100 years of World Mission Sunday: “United in Christ, united in mission”

Mzuzu (Fides News Agency) – The Catholic Church in Malawi celebrated the centenary of World Mission Sunday on Saturday, October 3, at Mzuzu Stadium. Established in 1926 by Pope Pius XI, World Mission Sunday is an occasion to pray and raise funds in support of missionary work throughout the world.

The celebration, centred on the theme of the 2026 World Mission Sunday message, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” brought together bishops, priests, men and women religious, lay faithful, government representatives and guests from various Christian denominations.

The centenary provided an opportunity to remember the journey of the Church in the country and the contribution of missionaries and the faithful who, through prayer, sacrifice and generosity, have helped spread the Gospel.

Missionary cooperation and the work of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) have contributed to the growth of the local Church by supporting evangelization, catechesis, the formation of priests and men and women religious, education, healthcare and human development initiatives.

The fruits of this generous contribution can be seen in the flourishing life that has grown around churches, schools, hospitals, communities and seminaries throughout the country.
During the event, Bishop Vincent Mwakhwawa, Chairman of the Mission Commission of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, highlighted the role of the PMS in the growth of the local Church and urged parishes to take part in the World Mission Sunday collection. The offerings go to the Universal Solidarity Fund, through which the Church in Malawi contributes to supporting missionary communities and works throughout the world.

A sign of the growing participation of the Church in Malawi in the universal mission of the Church can be seen in the increase in donations. Father Peter Ephraim Madeya, National Director of the PMS in Malawi, reported that contributions to the Universal Solidarity Fund increased by 80 per cent in 2025, expressing hope for an even greater response in this centenary year.
According to Father Madeya, Malawi is gradually moving from being a Church that receives missionary assistance to becoming a Church increasingly committed to prayer and to raising resources for the mission of the universal Church.

The celebration also highlighted the contribution of the laity to missionary work. Through the grace received in baptism, every Catholic is called to be a missionary in his or her family, parish, workplace and local community.

The Catholic faithful were encouraged to pray for the missions, to make a concrete commitment to missionary activity and to contribute to the Universal Solidarity Fund.

The contribution of the PMS to education, healthcare, social services and human development was also acknowledged.
Speaking on missionary formation, Father Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen, Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Union, stressed the responsibility of every baptized person in the mission of the Church. His presence also highlighted the bond between the Church in Malawi and the universal Church, as well as the understanding that mission belongs to the entire People of God.

In his homily, Bishop Peter Adrian Chifukwa, Bishop of Dedza, called on Catholics to strengthen their missionary identity, stressing the need to transform Christian communities, families and parents into authentically missionary realities. A missionary community is called to reach out to those around it and bring Christ to others; a missionary family is called to bear witness to the faith and pass it on to news generations; and parents are called to be the first witnesses and educators in faith within the home.
The centenary is thus presented not merely as a celebration of the past, but as the beginning of a new missionary phase. After a century in which Malawi has received support through missionary cooperation, the local Church is increasingly called to share her own gifts with the universal Church.

For the next hundred years, the document identifies as priorities a deeper missionary formation, families and communities more actively engaged in mission, greater generosity, and a renewed involvement of every baptized person in the mission of proclaiming and witnessing to the Gospel of Jesus.
(EG) (Fides News Agency, 7/10/2026)

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