ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER PAUL VI
TO THE NEW AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI
TO THE HOLY SEE*

Saturday, 7 September 1974

Mr Ambassador,

It is a pleasure for us to welcome you and to receive the Letters accrediting you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Malawi to the Holy See.

We are grateful to your President, His Excellency Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda, for the greetings which you have kindly presented to us on his behalf. Through your good offices we extend to him in return our warm good wishes for his continued wellbeing.

In your address you have spoken in appreciative terms of the Church’s presence in Malawi. It is a source of satisfaction for us to hear your words, for it is only fitting that the Church should be a contributing factor to the progress of a nation. We are glad that the participation of the Church in the life of your country is understood to be a disinterested service. It is one motivated by the desire to liberate man from all that hampers the full expansion of his human powers. In doing this the Church seeks to help man to fulfil his supernatural destiny as a child of God. Like Christ her founder, the Church works for this end: that man may have life and have it more abundantly (Cfr. Io. 10. 10).

It is our prayer that the efforts made to promote the advancement of your nation may be blessed by Almighty God. From him we invoke upon the Authorities and the beloved people of Malawi divine guidance and peace.

To yourself, Mr Ambassador, we warmly extend our good wishes for the happy accomplishment of your duties as the representative of your people.

*AAS 66 (1974), p.494-495.

Insegnamenti di Paolo VI, vol. XII, p.796-797.

L’Attività della Santa Sede 1974, p.259.

L'Osservatore Romano, 8.9.1974, p.1.

ORa n. 38 p.2.