Training future priests in Malawi

Every year, the global Missio network supports the training of over 24,000 future priests and 8,000 novices by providing young churches in developing countries with funding to train their own church leaders of tomorrow.

In 2025, the Catholic Church grew across the continent of Africa where the number of diocesan priests increased by 1,221 – many of whom have been supported through Missio’s sponsorship programme.

Fr Daniel, the Rector of St Peter’s Major Seminary in Zomba, explained to us: ‘Last year was another very challenging year. The cost of goods on our market has become very unpredictable. This has brought uncertainty and made it difficult to plan properly. The local currency is not stable and the impact of the continuous devaluation is being felt, while the cost of goods on the market keeps on skyrocketing.

‘Despite such a sad economic front, and the sacrifices being made by the seminary, the students and their families, we are joyful for the continued growth of vocations, as testified by the huge numbers of young men wanting to study for priesthood. In this last academic year, we have had the highest number of seminarians ordained deacons in the seminary’s history.’

Brother Valentino, one of the students training for the priesthood and currently being sponsored through Missio, wanted to share this message with you:

‘I am grateful for the financial and spiritual support that Missio offers to my seminary formation. Proverbs 11:25 says that “a generous soul will prosper and he or she who refreshes others, will himself or herself be refreshed”. May these words always strengthen you in all the efforts to support our seminary in the work of formation.’

Watch messages from seminarians supported by you, including Brother Valentino in Malawi:

The future of the priesthood

Today, local priests and sisters are building up the Church, the body of Christ; ensuring that the gift of faith is passed on to future generations worldwide.

We know the global priesthood is facing real and serious challenges. There’s no avoiding the facts: priest numbers continue to fall across Europe and America, and the cumulative effect of years of decline is being felt in parishes and communities across the Western world. These are not abstract statistics – they represent a genuine pastoral challenge that the Church must face honestly.

Yet amid those challenges, something significant is happening elsewhere… The Catholic Church continues to grow across the continent of Africa, including the number of diocesan priests. Many of these priests have been supported through Missio’s sponsorship programme. These increases represent a genuine flourishing of faith in parts of the world where the Church is young, dynamic and deeply rooted in its communities. It is here that the future of the global priesthood is, in no small part, being written.

The need behind the numbers

But growth brings its own demands. Many of those answering the call to priesthood in Africa and Asia do so in places where the resources to support their formation simply do not exist. Without funding, genuine vocations go unfulfilled – not for lack of willingness, but lack of means.

But your support helps ensure that every young person called to serve in mission dioceses can receive the formation they need – wherever that call is heard.

Through your prayers and donations, you are answering God’s call to mission and training tomorrow’s leaders of our Church. To find out more or make a donation, please click here>>