SW News: After two years of preparation and catechetical studies, 210 adults in the southwestern African country of Malawi entered the Catholic Church on Saturday, September 24.

St. Cecelia parish in Mzuzu, belonging to the Diocese of Malawi, witnessed the mass baptism even as hundreds and thousands of Christians are currently being persecuted in neighboring countries.

Fr. Petros Mwale, the parish priest, celebrated Holy Mass and administered baptism to the catechumens. The new Catholics went on to receive the sacrament of confirmation the following day along with 121 children.

St. Cecelia parish has 8,530 families with 15,931 baptized Catholics. Mzuzu diocese, led by Bishop John Alphonsus Ryan, S.P.S, has 19 parishes.