St. Mary's parish was established 5 years ago and now and serves approximately 3,500 parishioners at 10 station Churches.
Stations can be as many as 23 kilometers apart.
The parish has 6 primary schools and 1 secondary school. These schools face many challenges: poorly built buildings not designed as school buildings, insufficient teacher housing, inadequate school supplies, and the list goes on.
Despite the many challenges the people are full of hope and joy. The people of Malawi are known throughout Africa for their peace and happiness. Malawi is recognized as "the warm heart of Africa."
SISTER PARISH COVENANT
BETWEEN HOLY ROSARY PARISH EDMONDS, WA, USA AND ST. MARY’S, NTAJA, MALAWI
The above-mentioned parishes intend by this document to enter a relationship for mutual support and growth as members of the same body of Christ. The covenant is intended for the next five years (renewable indefinitely). Either parish may at any time end the relationship by written notification to the other parish.
Each Parish shall:
Want to visit our Sister parish?
We hope to send a team of 11 parishioners and Fr. Dominic to visit our Sister parish this summer 2022!
It will be a time for sharing faith and culture and for sharing the blessings that we have with our brothers and sisters.
Along with time to form relationships and to learn about life in Ntaja; we will be participating in service projects at the parish and visiting the sick and elderly.
If you are interested in joining our team or have questions, please contact Hannah Graves.
Since the beginning of our Sister Parish relationship with St. Mary's we have:
Above video: The blessing of the well at Sacred Heart Church, a station Church of St. Mary's Ntaja.
As a parish, we have made St. Mary’s Ntaja the recipient of our Lenten almsgiving project. In Malawi, homes do not have running water. The women carry five-gallon buckets to a community pump and carry it home. There are two outlying communities of the parish that do not have wells and access to clean water. To dig a well in Malawi costs approximately $5,000.
We are selling Nalgene water bottles with a special design for the sister parish relationship between St. Mary's and Holy Rosary. These bottles will be available for purchase to help fund drilling two wells (each cost about $5000) at outlying communities of our Sister Parish. Bottles are $15, cash or check.
Want to make this a Lenten challenge? Use your bottle to collect spare change or money saved from your lenten fasting and abstinence and bring in the funds on Palm Sunday!
UPDATE 2/28: In one weekend, we raised enough money to have two wells dug in rural communities surrounding our Sister Parish!
If you weren't able to get a Malawi water bottle this past weekend, they will be available this weekend. All the money raised will go to support projects identified by the St. Mary's community: a new rectory, repairs to old churches, scholarships, etc. Or consider designating your donation towards a scholarship for youth from Holy Rosary participating in the Malawi trip this year and years to come.
The image below is of the bore hole that was dug for the well at Sacred Heart Station Church. Soon the communities at Mary Mother of God and St. John the Baptist stations churches will get to experience the blessing of clean water!