Diocese of Dedza

History

Seated in the city of Dedza in Malawi, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dedza (Latin: Dedzaën(sis)) belongs to the ecclesiastical province of Lilongwe.

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• MALAWI: Pope Leo XIV Blesses Family Linked to Malawi’s first Catholic Missionaries

  Pope Leo XIV blessed the family of Chief Jacob Njovuyalema during celebrations marking 125 years of the Catholic Church's permanent missionary presence in Malawi. The blessing took place on September 19 at St. Mary’s Parish in Nzama, located in the Diocese of Dedza. Chief Njovuyalema originally welcomed the first Catholic missionaries to Nzama in 1901 and provided the land they used to begin their work. The ceremony honored his descendants to connect the modern Church with the traditional leaders who supported the earliest missionaries. Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Evangelisation, presided over the Mass. The event included bishops from Malawi’s eight dioceses, priests, religious brothers and sisters, and local traditional leaders.

  Sep 25, 2026 · Vatican

• Malawi: Archbishop Nwachukwu Urges New Priests to Be Servants of the Gospel, Builders of Peace

  Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu ordained two new priests for the Diocese of Dedza on Saturday, September 19, 2026, during celebrations marking 125 years of the Catholic Church in Malawi. The ceremony took place at St. Mary’s Parish in Nzama. Archbishop Nwachukwu, who serves as the Secretary of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Evangelisation and is a special delegate of Pope Leo XIV, ordained Timothy Tendai Chimbiya for the diocesan clergy and Peter Bengo for the Salesians of Don Bosco. During his homily, Archbishop Nwachukwu told the new priests to serve God’s people as builders of peace and unity. He advised them to make the Word of God the foundation of their ministry by reading, believing, teaching, and living it. He cautioned the men to live what they preach and to avoid replacing the Gospel with their own ideas.

  Sep 25, 2026 · Vatican

• MALAWI: Catholic Church Helped Drive Malawi’s 1992 Democratic Transition, Says Prelate

  Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka said the Catholic Church helped lead Malawi's transition from one-party rule to multiparty democracy in 1992. Speaking Saturday at St. Mary’s Nzama Parish in the Diocese of Dedza, the president of the Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops noted that while the bishops are proud of their role in the democratic shift, the political changes following that period have not met the Church's expectations. Bishop Mtumbuka, who also serves as the Bishop of Karonga, stated that bishops are not politicians but have a responsibility to speak on national issues and remind leaders of their duties. He criticized the conduct of current political leaders, alleging that they often focus on victimizing and humiliating one another instead of performing the work for which they were elected. The remarks were made during celebrations marking 125 years of the permanent establishment of the Catholic Church in Malawi.

  Sep 25, 2026 · Bishops

• Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu celebrates 125 years of Catholic Church in Malawi

  Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu presided over a Mass on September 19 to mark 125 years of the Catholic Church in Malawi. The jubilee celebration took place at St. Mary’s Dzama Parish in the Diocese of Dedza, which is the country's first Catholic parish. Nwachukwu, who serves as the Secretary of the Holy See's Dicastery for Evangelisation and acted as the special delegate for the event, honored the missionaries who established the faith in the nation. He specifically recognized the Missionaries of Africa and the Missionaries of the Company of Mary as pioneers of evangelization. The Archbishop described the missionaries as heroes of the faith, noting that many died in their 20s and 30s after leaving their homes and families to serve in Malawi. He expressed gratitude to these individuals and others who helped build the Church and share the Gospel.

  Sep 21, 2026 · Dioceses · 4 sources

• Archbishop Nwachukwu ordains two priests in Malawi

  Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu ordained two new priests during a Mass at St. Mary’s Parish in Nzama on September 19. The liturgy took place in the Diocese of Dedza as part of a national celebration marking 125 years of the Catholic Church in Malawi. Archbishop Nwachukwu, who serves as the Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization and the Special Delegate of the Holy See, presided over the celebration. He shared greetings and a blessing from Pope Leo XIV with the local faithful. The Jubilee commemorates the start of missionary work in the country in 1901. During the Mass, the Church honored the work of the Montfortian Missionaries, the Missionaries of Africa, and other early evangelizers. In his homily, Archbishop Nwachukwu connected the sacrifices of these first missionaries to the current missionary responsibilities of Catholic communities in Malawi.

  Sep 20, 2026 · Bishops

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Published on the see's own news feed. A diocese reports on the whole Church, so these are often about somewhere else.

• Malawi to Celebrate World Mission Sunday Centenary

  Malawi will celebrate the national centenary of World Mission Sunday at Mzuzu Stadium on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The event, themed “One in Christ, United in Mission,” is part of a series of missionary and pastoral activities organized by the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) Malawi. Msgr. Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen, Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Union, arrives in Malawi on September 30, 2026, for a pastoral visit on behalf of the Holy Father. He will travel to Katete Parish to participate in a Mass marking the start of World Mission Month in Malawi. This celebration will launch the month of activities leading up to the national centenary event. The centenary year also includes a formation course for instructors of minor and major seminaries, which took place at St. Peter Major Seminary in the Diocese of Zomba.

  Sep 25, 2026 · Dioceses

• Part Four | Honouring The Pioneers of the Catholic Faith in Malawi

  The Catholic Church in Malawi honored the missionary congregations and local communities that helped establish the faith during its 125th anniversary celebration. The Church presented Certificates of Appreciation to the Montfort Missionaries, the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), the Daughters of Wisdom, and the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (White Sisters). The celebration also recognized the family of the late Chief Jacob Njovuyalema, who provided land to the first Catholic missionaries at Nzama in 1901. To honor this historic connection, Pope Leo XIV provided a special blessing for the siblings of the late Chief.

  Sep 20, 2026 · Vatican

• Part Three | Priesthood Joy: Ordination & Jubilee

  Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu ordained Timothy Tendai Chimbiya and Peter Bengo to the priesthood during a celebration of 125 years of the Catholic Church in Malawi at Nzama on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Acting as the special delegate for Pope Leo XIV, the archbishop ordained Chimbiya for the diocesan clergy and Bengo for the Salesians of Don Bosco. The celebration also honored Sylvester Kansimbi, a Spiritan, for 25 years of priestly ministry. In his homily, Archbishop Nwachukwu told the new priests that their ministry involves preaching the Gospel, shepherding the people, and celebrating the liturgy.

  Sep 20, 2026 · Vatican

• Part Two | The Main 125 Years Celebration

  Thousands of Catholics, clergy, and religious members gathered for a main Mass to celebrate 125 years of the Church in Malawi. The Eucharistic celebration served as a thanksgiving for the history and faith of the Church in the country. The Diocese of Dedza shared pictorial highlights of the event, which captured the prayer and unity of the participants during the historic milestone.

  Sep 20, 2026 · Catholic Life

• 125 years of the Catholic Church in Malawi

  Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu presided over a Mass on September 19, 2026, to mark 125 years of the permanent establishment of the Catholic Church in Malawi. Thousands of people gathered at the Nzama Primary School grounds in the Diocese of Dedza for the celebration. Archbishop Nwachukwu, who serves as the Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization and the Special Delegate of Pope Leo XIV, was joined by the Apostolic Nuncio to Malawi and Zambia, all Catholic bishops in Malawi, and representatives from Mozambique and Zambia. During the event, the Archbishop inaugurated a new four-classroom block at St. Mary’s (Nzama) Catholic Primary School. The Catholic University of Malawi built the facility at a cost of MK180 million to improve the learning environment for students.

  Sep 20, 2026 · Vatican

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