Mzuzu, Malawi — The growth of the Catholic Church in Malawi over the past 100 years has been driven in part by the prayers and financial support generated through World Mission Sunday, Right Reverend Vincent Frederick Mwakhwawa, Bishop President of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Malawi, has said.
Speaking during the National Centenary Celebration of World Mission Sunday at Mzuzu Stadium on Saturday, 3rd October 2026, Bishop Mwakhwawa said the centenary was not simply a celebration of history but an opportunity to recognise the blessings that World Mission Sunday has brought to the Church.
“This celebration is not just a celebration of history, but it is a celebration of blessings that God has endowed us through World Mission Sunday,” he said.
World Mission Sunday was established by Pope Pius XI in 1926 as a day of prayer and financial solidarity for missionary work across the world.
Bishop Mwakhwawa said the funds collected through the initiative have supported the construction of parish churches, outstations, priests’ houses, sisters’ convents, catechists’ houses, schools and hospitals.
He said the support has also contributed to the formation of priests, religious men and women and catechists, helping strengthen the Church’s capacity for evangelisation.
Bishop Mwakhwawa pointed to the growth in the number of Catholic parishes in Malawi as one measure of the Church’s expansion over the past century.
When World Mission Sunday was established in 1926, Malawi had 17 Catholic parishes. The number has since increased to 217 in 2026, representing an addition of 200 parishes.
The bishop said the growth reflected the combined efforts of missionaries and local communities, supported by the prayers and generosity of Catholics around the world.
He also said missionary solidarity has contributed to the growth of the Church in other parts of the world, including Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.
Bishop Mwakhwawa urged bishops and priests to strengthen missionary prayer and formation in parishes while ensuring that collections made for the missions are faithfully remitted.
He said World Mission Sunday offerings form part of the Universal Solidarity Fund, which supports younger and poorer Churches around the world.
“I humbly appeal to every parish and every diocese: let every missionary contribution collected from God’s people be remitted in full and without delay,” he said.
He urged parishes to submit the collections to their dioceses and dioceses to transmit the funds through the National Office of the Pontifical Mission Societies to Rome.
Bishop Mwakhwawa said faithful remittance of the funds is essential to supporting seminarians, catechists and mission communities that depend on assistance for churches, schools, health facilities and other pastoral needs.
He also called on Catholics to make prayer and missionary formation central to parish life.
“May every parish become a missionary parish. May every diocese become a missionary diocese. May every Catholic become a missionary disciple,” he said.
The national centenary celebration was held under the theme “One in Christ, United in Mission”, marking 100 years of World Mission Sunday.