Bishop Musikuwa resumes celebration of sacrament of Confirmation

His Lordship Peter Martin Musikuwa, bishop of Chikwawa diocese has announced that the conferring of the sacrament of Confirmation in the diocese, which was put on hold, will now resume. He made this communication through the office of the diocesan Pastoral Coordinator.

Through a communique dated 20^th August, the bishop announces that those parishes that were affected by the halting of the bishop’s program will now have an opportunity to have their Christians confirmed as per dates that were set; and where, those, whose appointed dates have long gone, will have to reschedule.

“The bishop will resume celebrating the sacrament of confirmation in the remaining parishes. To those parishes that were affected by the suspension, we are encouraged to suggest possible dates as soon as possible” reads part of the communique.

The bishop has also taken advantage of this communication to remind all parish priests to remit funds that are meant for the formation of seminarians in the country’s major seminaries, as stipulated in targets assigned to them.

The celebration of confirmation was suspended after the third wave of the Covid 19 pandemic which saw the number of infections rise, leading to more hospitalizations and deaths.

Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments of the Church. Its minster is the diocesan bishop or any delegated priest. In Chikwawa diocese, parishes propose dates when the sacrament can be celebrated in their respective parishes. Mostly, the bishop celebrates the sacrament in centers which congregate two or more Out Churches.