St Thomas the Apostle Parish
Historical Background:
St. Thomas the Apostle Parish was created on the 28th October 2013 by his Grace late Bishop Joseph Mkasa Zuza the Bishop of Mzuzu Diocese. This new parish was officially opened on 5th July 2014 with a great celebration led by the same Local Ordinary. St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, entrusted to the Missionaries of Africa, combined 7 outstations taken from the two neighbouring parishes (St Peter Parish and St Augustine Parish). The current Parish has 9 outstations and 8 substations. The geography of the place is mountainous. Some of the Churches are out of reach during the rainy season because of the state of the roads. Most of the outstations are small and far away (30 to 70 kms from town). The main church and the nearest outstation cover the settlement of Zolozolo. The current parish church served as chapel to the Mzuzu Technical College chaplaincy. Later on it served as church to Holy Family Christian community (outstation of St Peters). The church was then extended to accommodate the big number of Christians.
Financial Situation:
St Thomas the Apostle is not yet a self-reliant parish. It still relies on support from the Missionaries of Africa to cover its basic expenses. The main income is from Sunday Collections, harvest donations and the adapted form of tithe (mthulo). Given the small number of the Christians and their weak financial muscles, we don’t get enough funds for the running of the parish.
Since its opening in 2014, St Thomas the Apostle Parish has been able to build 1 block of meeting rooms, toilets, bathrooms, parish offices and a fence for the Fathers’ House. The offices are yet to be furnished. 8 of our Churches do not have proper structures. Some pray in school blocks while others pray in temporary shelters.
| Moto | ‘’Fumu Yane na Chiuta wane’’ (My Lord and My God) |
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Contact/Address |
Physical Address: Near Mzuzu Technical College, Zolozolo, Mzuzu, Malawi Postal Address: P.O. Box: 32 Mzuzu, Malawi Tel: 01310160 Cel (PP): (+265) 997543852 Email: st.thomas.zolozolo@gmail.com
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Time For Masses |
Sunday: English Mass : 7:00 am
Children Mass : 8:30 am Chitumbuka Mass :10:00 am Weekdays: 1. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday& Saturdays: 6:30 am (Chitumbuka 2. Thursdays: 6:30 am (English) 3. Friday: 4:30 pm (Chitumbuka) NB: During Lent Friday Mass is in the morning at 6:30 because of the way of the Cross.
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| Adoration | Thursdays: 5:00 pm |
| Official Office Days | Tuesdays & Thursdays: 8:00 am to 12:00 pm |
| Pastoral Team Meeting | Tuesdays: 1 pm |
| Pastoral Workers
PRIESTS:
SEMINARIANS ON PASTORAL EXPERIENCE:
PASTORAL SISTERS:
CATECHISTS:
RESIDING PRIEST:
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Parish Priest: Fr Delwende Thomas Pouya, Missionaries of Africa Curate: Fr Sosthene Palm, Missionaries of Africa Curate: Fr Richard Deschenes, Missionaries of Africa (Will leave Malawi definitively on 25th March 2019 for retirement in Canada)
Br. Br Kashmir Xess 2. Br Jonas Wabis
Sr Margret Saka, Sisters of the Holy Rosary
2 Full Time Catechists: Dominic Banda, Robert Nkhonjela 2 Volunteer Catechists: Lenato Katuya, Lenard Banda Fr Michel Cote, M.Afr.: In charge of Ongoing Formation
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| Number of Outstations | 9 |
| Number of Substations | 8 |
| Number of Zones | 2 |
| Number of Christians | 4,000 |
| Number of Catechumens | 60 |
| Number of Small Christian Communities | 48 |