TANZANIA: Catholic Bishops issue a pastoral letter on drought
TANZANIAN Catholic Bishops have called upon the citizens to offer special prayers for rain to end the drought currently being experienced all over the country.
Chairman TEC and
Bishop of Iringa
The chairman of Tanzania Episcopal Conference Rt. Rev. Tarsicius Ngalalekumtwa in his letter on behalf of the Bishops said, Tanzania is experiencing negative effect of Climate change, and in order to survive the challenge citizens should offer special prayers and pilgrims so as to ask God to bless the country with rain.
“Dear citizens, this is supposed to be a rainy season yet we have very little rain in some area of the country while the rest have no rain at all. In some parts of the country, people have no food, they are starving. I advise each one of you to pray seriously asking God to give us rain.”
“I want priests to celebrate special Mass requesting rain. Make special pilgrimages, retreats and vigils prayers for this purpose,” Bishop Ngalalekumtwa further said.
Meanwhile, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Moshi Rt. Rev. Isaac Amani has said that the impact of climate change such as drought and epidemics, is the result of human negligence in preserving the environment.
Bishop Amani expressed these sentiments recently when he opened the National Conference of Directors of Departments and Units under the Directorate of Pastoral Care held at Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) secretariat in Dar-es-Salaam. The forum was attended by directors from various Catholic dioceses in the country.
“Caring for the environment and cleanliness are the commandments of God. We have been given the responsibility of preserving life to environment, we neglects our role that is the reason we experience the impact of climate change. These effects are caused by us, are not God’s plan,” explained Bishop Amani.
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By Sarah Pelaji and Pascal Mwanache
