TANZANIA: Catholic Church Celebrates 150 Years of Evangelization
They came from far and wide across the whole country. In their thousands, bus after bus delivered a mammoth crowd whose destination was one – Bagamoyo, the entry point of Catholic evangelization in Tanzania Mainland; and the intention of the pilgrimage being to celebrate 150 years of Evangelization in Tanzania.
To say that it was an exceptionally beautiful celebration would be an understatement; otherwise where would you find 140 different Catholic choirs singing at one Holy Mass! And so led by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, his predecessor, the third president of Tanzania H.E. Benjamin William Mkapa, retired speaker of Tanzanian National Assembly Mama Anna Makinda, government officials, members of various political parties, the diplomats and invited guests from around the world, Catholic faithful jubilantly celebrated the auspicious day on Sunday, November 4, 2018.
H.E. John Cardinal Njue, the Archbishop of Nairobi who represented the Holy Father Pope Francis presided the Eucharistic celebration that was concelebrated by 60 Bishops, among them Rt. Rev. Stanislas Kaburungu of Ngozi Diocese, Burundi who was celebrating 50 years of Episcopate; Most Rev. Josaphat Louis Lebulu, Archbishop Emeritus of Arusha, together with Rt. Rev. Damian Kyaruzi Bishop Emeritus of Sumbawanga who were both celebrating 50 years of priesthood.
Two symbolic instruments, a trumpet and a drum, were sounded to signify the importance of the occasion.
“In the Bible, a trumpet was used to announce an important occurrence among the Jews for instance when the Israelite received the Ten Commandments, a trumpet was sounded,” explained the Master of Ceremony, adding that a trumpet was also sounded to announce the Jubilee Year. He further indicated that in the New Testament, particularly in the Book of Revelations, a trumpet is used to indicate that an important event is about to happen, for instance Judgment.
“In the Bible, the drum is used to show happiness and appreciation, for instance when the Israelites safely crossed the Red Sea. Many tribes in Africa use the drum to summon people to important events in society as well as to announce a joyous occasion. As a result we are going to sound the trumpet and beat the drum to show that today’s event is of enormous importance to us Catholics in Tanzania,” he explained.
The Apostolic Nuncio to Tanzania, H.E. Most Rev. Marek Solczyński read the message from Pope Francis, in which the Holy Father expressed solidarity with the Church in Tanzania, as well as evoking the protection of the Holy Spirit upon the Church in the country. The Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) Secretary General, Rev. Dr. Charles Kitima, read the Kiswahili version of the Papal Message to the Congregation.
The Holy Ghost Missionaries, also known as Spiritans, brought Catholicism in Tanzania Mainland on 4th March 1868, arriving in Bagamoyo from Zanzibar. Since their arrival, the Catholic Church has grown tremendously on the Mainland. Currently, the Conference has six Metropolitan Sees and 34 Dioceses. On 15th August 2017, the Catholic Church in Tanzania celebrated 100 years of the local priesthood in the country. The first four Tanzanian priests, Frs. Celestine Kipanda of Bunda Diocese; Angelo Mwirabure, Geita Diocese; Oscar Kyakaraba, Bukoba Diocese and Willlbard Mupapi from Kashozi-Bukoba Diocese were ordained priests on 15 August 1917.
In addition, the first African Cardinal in the whole of AMECEA Region and indeed the whole of African Continent was Tanzanian in the personality of His Eminence Laurean Cardinal Rugambwa, who was elevated to cardinal on 28 March 1960 by Pope John XXIII.
Most Rev. Luke Thomas Msusa, Vice Chairman of AMECEA who is also Chair of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) and Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Blantyre represented AMECEA in the celebrations which started on Friday, 2nd November, a day of Commemoration of the Faithful Departed. On this occasion, a special Eucharistic Celebrations was held in honour of the Pioneer Missionary Evangelizers of the country – the Holy Ghost Fathers, the Missionaries of Africa and the Benedictine Monks. On Saturday, the Bishops were in a retreat to reflect on the life of the Catholic Church in Tanzania; and Sunday, November 4th was the climax of the celebrations, attended by representatives from all the 34 dioceses in Tanzania.
Rt. Rev. George Lungu President of Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) and Bishop of Chipata Diocese, represented the Catholic Church in Zambia while Rev. Fr. Valentine Bayo and Rev. Fr. Francis Kagua represented Holy Ghost Father (The Spiritans) and Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) respectively.
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By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News
