By Temwa Teresa Mhango
5TH to 9THAUGUST 2025 was indeed a time of profound grace and an opportunity to rekindle missionary thirst for the Catholic Christians in Malawi as the they celebrated the first ever National Eucharist Congress in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe.
The congress started with a solemn declaration message from His Holiness Pope Leo XIV which was led by the Pope`s envoy to Malawi and Zambia, His Excellency Archbishop Gian Luca Perici soon before he presided over the congress opening Mass.
“Standing here today, in the heart of the Church in Malawi, I bring you the paternal greetings and apostolic blessings of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. The Holy Father is spiritually united with us at this sacred hour and prays that this Congress may be a moment of profound grace for the entire Church in this land,” part of the message from Pope read by the Nucio.
The Nucio continued saying that the Pope`s wish was for the congress to be a true moment of renewal, evangelization, and unity expressing pope`s spiritual solidarity to the Malawi Catholic Church.
“May it be a moment to deepen the love for the Most Holy Eucharist, strengthen the bonds of communion among the people of God and inspire a renewed missionary zeal in every diocese, parish and family,” the Holy Father pleaded in his message.
After the opening Mass the first day ended with the Eucharist adoration and benediction which was led the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Mzuzu His Lordship Yohane Suzgo Nyirenda.
Subsequently, each day had sessions on various topics including Christ’s presence in the Church, especially in liturgical celebrations; Renewing and deepening our Eucharistic faith; Centrality of the Eucharist in families and Small Christian Communities; Centrality of the Eucharist in Consecrated Life; Sacrament of penance and reconciliation in preparation for the Eucharist; Eucharist Testimonies; Mass and the Eucharistic procession which concluded the fourth day.
The Eucharist Procession brought the congress to the climax of adoring the blessed sacrament as all groups of people (the bishops, priest, nuns the elderly, the sick, the physically challenged, men, women and children) from all the 8 dioceses in Malawi journeyed with Jesus in the blessed sacrament a 5.2 Kilometers distance from Maula parish to St Patrick’s parish.
All these Eucharistic activities were aimed at having a renewed faith, ecclesial communion, and a deeper understanding of the Eucharist’s significance in the Church’s life and mission among all the Bishops, Clergy, religious, and the lay faithful in the country.
His Lordship Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Mzuzu, Bishop Yohane Suzgo Nyirenda applauded the congress as it has reminded the catholic Christians the importance of the Eucharist. The bishop also said the Eucharist is the pillar for the catholic faith therefore Christians should always have hunger for the eucharist and encouraged those outside the sacraments to be re-administered.
The congress concluded with Catholic Bishops of Malawi committed to spreading the reflections and fruits of the Congress to all the faithful at every level of the Church, to promote deeper devotion and reverence to the Blessed Sacrament, to encourage ongoing reflections and catechesis on the mystery of the Blessed Sacrament all these aiming ensuring the successful implementation of the Eucharist Resolutions made.
The 2025 Eucharist Congress, themed “Eucharist: Source and Summit of Pilgrims of Hope,” aligns with the 2025 Jubilee Year theme and aims to deepen the faithful’s understanding of the Eucharist.