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Written by: Accounts Assistant

Category: News

Published: 31 July 2024

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BLANTYRE ARCHDIOCES CATHOLIC WOMEM ASSOCIATION VISIT COUNTERPARTS IN ARCH DIOCESE OF  TETE

A group of 34 members of the Catholic Women Association from Saint Montfort Parish visited their counterparts in Tete, reciprocating a visit that the Catholic Women Association of Tete undertook in the year 2023.The Women were accompanied by their Parish Priest Rev. Padre Nkolombidzo.

The highlights of the main Mass were Speeches by various dignitaries including the Governor of Tete Province, His Excellency Domingos Viola and the Consul General, Mr. Happy Jonathan Saka.

His Excellency Viola praised the Catholic Womens Organization of Tete and other believers in the province for their Evangelism work which when combined with Government work contributes to the transformation of communities. He also thanked the Catholic Womens Association of Malawi for their visit which took them to Songo District where they were able to see for themselves the progress of the expansion works at Matambo Hydroelectric Substation which will sustain the power line that will transport electricity to Malawi. Mozambique aims to start the work on the deployment of the power transfer to Malawi by the end of this year.

In his response the Consul General hailed the Excellent Bilateral Relations between Malawi and Mozambique which started a long time ago. He appreciated the fact that Malawians and Mozambicans are the same people the only point of contrast may be the language which will soon be history as the Government of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwere was instituted a Policy where Primary and Secondary Schools in Malawi will be teaching Portuguese. Good thing was that the Mozambicans already speak Chichewa. Mr. Saka quoted the former late President Kamuzu Banda who believed that travel is part of a critical learning process and as such appreciated that the Malawi Women travelled to Mozambique, where one of the things seen and appreciated was the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Power Generation in Songo District where overall impact will be the erasure of power shortage problem in Malawi. He concluded by encouraging continuation of these exchange visits as their value is appreciated by all concerned.

Coming to the crux of the exchange visits, the coordinators for the two women groups agreed that the lessons learnt were profound and far reaching. The Malawians Women were amazed that the Mozambican women were doing well even in some aspects doing better than their trainers. Note worthy was the fact that the women were taking on more responabilities in assisting the church than they were taught especially when it comes to supporting the clergy as well as its membership during bereavement. A beautiful exchange of gifts ceremony was yet another positive highlight of the visit.

The purpose of the visit was two fold: to condole their counterpart for the loss of Rev. Padre Vital Adriano Conala who passed away on 7^th April, 2024 after a short illness. And secondly to reciprocate the exchange visit of Tete Diocese Catholic Women Association undertaken in 2023.

The visit took the women to the Santuary for Our Lady of Holy Conception in Zobwe.  Many activities took place at the St Pauls Cathedral in Tete including prayers, various displays to showcase some traditional foods and drinks that define Mozambique people Tete in particular including some clinical services. The women Visited Songo district where besides prayers a memorial mass for Rev. Padre Vital Adriano Conala was held, a visit to the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Power where electricity is generated. A visit to Boroma to see the Mission of St. Joseph of Boroma where the first Seminary for Brothers is situated. An Official Dinner was at Hotel Wilkebro (Sabor Brazil where they ate, danced and fellowshipped together.

The love and friendship reflected by the women was a true reflection of the brotherly love displayed by the leadership of Malawi and Zambia.