Eucharistic Congress closes with a call to Christians to live with Christ

Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Zomba, Rt. Rev. Alfred Mateyu Chaima, has urged the Clergy, Religious and lay faithful to live with Jesus Christ wherever they go so that they may become witnesses to the power of the Eucharist they receive during Eucharistic celebrations.

Bishop Chaima made the remarks during the Eucharistic Celebration that marked the closing of the three-day Eucharistic Congress, held from 3rd to 5th September 2026 at Sacred Heart Parish in Zomba.

During the Congress, presentations on the renewal and deepening of faith in the Eucharist, as well as the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a preparation for the Eucharist, were delivered by Rev. Fr. Wilfred Sumani SJ of the Catholic University of Malawi and the Vicar General, Fr. Bernard Chipole, respectively.

In his homily, the Bishop urged the Eucharistic Congress Assembly to value the Eucharist and deepen their faith in it so that they may better understand that the Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian faith.

The Diocesan Leader reiterated that there can be no religion without God, just as there can be no Christianity without Christ. He therefore urged all Christians to be proud of their faith, particularly their belief in the Eucharist. He stressed that, having received the Eucharist, all Christians have an obligation to help others encounter Jesus Christ.

In his final remarks, the Prelate thanked all the faithful, especially those from Sacred Heart Parish, for the newly erected podium, which was the centre of focus during the Eucharistic Congress. He also appealed to people of goodwill to continue supporting efforts towards the completion of the podium.

Apart from expressing gratitude to the presenters and all those who supported the Congress financially and materially, the Bishop also thanked everyone who attended the event. He urged them to live out the faith they had shared and to relay the message to others. He emphasised that this reflects the teaching that receiving the Eucharist gives Christians an obligation to serve others.

The Deputy Pastoral Coordinator, Rev. Fr. Innocent Chiwanda, assured the Assembly that, apart from providing a summary of all the lessons, the Pastoral Department would send the Eucharistic Congress resolutions to all the faithful in due course.

During the Congress, the Assembly participated in a Eucharistic procession to St. Charles Lwanga Parish, which lasted almost two hours and attracted the attention of many people along the way.

The faithful also had an opportunity to ask questions on issues affecting their lives and to participate in Eucharistic adoration and benediction during the day and at night.

The Diocese of Zomba organised the Eucharistic Congress for the first time following a recommendation by the Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops after the first-ever National Eucharistic Congress, which was held at Maula Cathedral in 2025.