TANZANIA: Bishops of Eastern metropolitan encourage families to have devotion to the Holy Eucharist
Bishops of the Eastern metropolitan of Tanzania have encouraged all families in Tanzania to have special devotion to the Holy Eucharist and initiate their children for the family stability and ongoing evangelization.
The Bishops said this during the two days Eucharist Symposium held at Msimbazi Centre in the Arch Diocese of Dar es Salaam lead by the theme “The Holy Eucharist source of Family Life”
held at Msimbazi Center in Dar es Salaam for the Eastern Metropolitan
In his Homily, The Arch Bishop of Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam His Eminence Polycarp Cardinal Pengo emphasized that families should focus on the Eucharistic significance of evangelization in order to build more solidarity in the family.
Cardinal Pengo said that, the power of the Holy Eucharist on the basis of Scripture begins from the arrest of Jesus Christ, his torture, hi death and resurrection after which his disciples began to preach the gospel to people in the world urging families to imitate that scenario for continuous spread of the gospel.
“Evangelization in the family is a continuation of missionary work, so in preparation for the 150th anniversary of the evangelization in Tanzania next year, each one of you should participate fully to make sure that the celebration of the success of our first missionaries who give us assignment of being missionaries in our today’s world succeeds,” said Cardinal Pengo.
On behalf of other bishops of the metropolitan, he said there is no family without Holy Eucharist adding that if the family ignores the Holy Eucharist then there is no life.
“In order to initiate devotion to the Holy Eucharist in families, we bishops of Eastern Metropolitan have decided to come up with some resolutions which will help you pray for family stability, blessings and evangelization,” Cardinal Pengo said.
He announced that the bishops have agreed to have the Eucharistic Symposium in the Eastern Metropolitan after every three years. He revealed that, the being of the first symposium and the second symposium of the Holy Eucharist in the Eastern metropolitan will be conducted in Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar in June 2019 adding that the bishops have planned 2019 instead of 2020 because in 2020 Tanzania will hold General election.
He also said that in order to promote and maintain the worship and honor of the Holy Eucharist, bishops have directed each Diocese in the metropolitan to build Perpetual Adoration Chapels, where the Sacred Sacrament will be exposed and worshiped 24 hours a day adding that, the churches should be built in all parts of the Eastern Region and believers are supposed to participate in the worship of the Holy Eucharist for the grace of redemption. He also said that, in order to enable the believers to have the regular worship of the Holy Eucharist, all parishes within the metropolitan are expected to have adoration one day per week and all families are encouraged to participate.
“The church should commit to promote children and train them to be good Christians who know the meaning of the Holy Eucharist and who are able to recognize the role of the Holy Eucharist in their lives. Families and parishes must become catechism centres and continuous doctrinal of the Holy Eucharist for their children”, Cardinal Pengo emphasized.
He appeal to the priests, monks, catechists, parents and guardians to uphold the mission of the Holy Childhood and to support all children in becoming members of the Holy Childhood Organization which is an essential tool for promoting faith to the children.
He emphasized that, Couples who are ready to receive sacrament of matrimony and those who have already received the Sacrament should be given catechism and extensive teaching about the Eucharist to realize that happiness and love of their marriage depends directly on their union with the Eucharist.
“Without the Holy Eucharist there is no divine life within the family,” Cardinal Pengo said.
The two days symposium was attended by Bishop of Tanga Rt. Rev. Anthony Banzi, Bishop of Zanzibar Rt. Rev. Augustine Shao, Bishop of Mahenge Rt. Rev. Agapit Ndorobo the Auxiliary Bishop of Arch Diocese of Dar es Salaam Rt. Rev. Euzebius Nzigilwa and thousands of faithful.
The metropolitan includes Catholic Diocese of Tanga, Mahenge, Ifakara, Morogoro, Zanzibar and Arch Diocese of D es Salaam.
∽End∽
Sarah Pelaji, TEC
