Choirs in the Diocese will this year celebrate their music talent under the Diocesan Choir Festival in the coming few months. In a written communication from the Diocesan pastoral Coordinator Fr Joseph Gift Chikwapa, the festival will be held in different phases leading to the final. The communication states that there will be an official launch of the festival to be held on 31st January 2026 at St Mathews Nchalo parish, The first phase of the competition will begin in all the parishes on 14th February. The successful choirs will proceed to compete at the deanery level on 14th March 2026. No gifts or awards will be handed out on these two initial levels. The culmination of the festival will be held at Diocesan level on Easter Monday, 4th April at St Mathews Nchalo Parish. A registration fee of MK10,000.00 will be required of all participating choirs. The festival named after the sponsor, Hon Francis Folley, is funded at the total cost of MK10,000,000.00. The final gitfs or awards to be presented are in the following categories. Best perfoming choirs: MK 2,000,000 MK 1,500,000 MK 1,000,000 Mk 1,000,000 (Best performing women choir).   Choir conductor MK 70,000 Mk 50,000 MK 30,000   Keyboardist MK 100,000 MK 60,000 MK 40,000 All the choirs that will make it to the final stage will receive Chichewa Catholic hymn books. Each choir is expected to sing two songs: Easter song number 38, and a composition of the song titled: Chifundo cha Mulungu chilibe malire. Hon Francis Folley is a catholic from Our Lady of Fatima Parish. He is member of Parliament for Nsanje North Constituency and Deputy Minister of Education in the current government.

Catholic priests under the Malawi conference of Catholic Bishops (MCCB) who have served for five years and under, are convening in Kachebere, Mchinji. The gathering, which began on 9th September and runs till 12th September 2025, aims at offering sessions for reflection about their early years of priesthood, leading to renewal. Bishop Alfred Chaima of the Diocese of Zomba, who is Bishop Chairperson for the Pastoral Commission, welcomed all and thanked them for their coming. He thanked the under-five priests for the significant sacrifice of leaving their duties to attend this session, emphasizing that this retreat is a vital opportunity for reflection and communal growth. He assured them that the session was a moment to make good use of their time together in a spirit of support. Taking his turn, Bishop Martin Mtumbuka, President of the MCCB expressed deep gratitude to the young priests for their dedicated service in the Lord’s vineyard and thanked the bishops for their national pastoral leadership. He noted the Church’s commitment to forming priests through various initiatives. He also posed a profound question for reflection: in this changing and challenging world, are we holding fast to the inspiring examples we once followed? He later reminded the priests of the Church’s trust and confidence in them. The meeting has drawn participants from all the 8 Dioceses in the country.    

Bishop Peter Martin Musikuwa of the Diocese of Chikwawa, has called on newly professed sisters of Mary Consoler of the Afflicted to follow the example of Mary who braved the hilly escarpments to pay her cousin Elizabeth a visit, by living their life as religious as pilgrims of hope, readying themselves to meet challenges and problems as they seek to serve Him. The remarks were made at St Michaels Cathedral Chikwawa during a celebration where four novices and four sisters made their professions. Qouting from the book or Revelations, the Bishop highlighted how satan tempts and deceives those that commit to follow him. “Every vocation, he says, is a cross that all must carry. It is only with the help of God that those that commit themselves to a calling, remain faithful. Therefore, Mary stands out as an example to be followed.” The novices that are making their first professions are: Matilda Ganizani Marko , Nelia Dzombe, Grace Chilowa and Stella Malanda. Sisters Roseamary Mnembe, Victoria Yohane, Jesse Ndawala and Martha Harah will be making their final or perpetual professions. Mary Consoller of the Afflicted is a local congregation for sisters in the Diocese of Chikwawa. It was founded by late Bishop Felix Mkhori, who was the first indigenous local ordinary for the Diocese.