Tanzania: Lay Apostolate To Celebrate Golden Jubilee.
Rt. Rev. Desiderius Rwoma, TEC Chairman of Laity Commission
Tanzania Lay Apostolate is to celebrate 50th anniversary at Msimbazi Centre in Dar es Salaam Archdiocese, from June 14-16 this year.
The Lay Apostolate celebrates golden jubilee since its establishment in 1969 by the late Bishop James Sangu, who at that time was Chairman of the Lay Commission at Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC).
Speaking with AMECEA Online correspondent, the coordinator of the jubilee, Mrs Donesta Simon Byarugaba, said the celebration is expected to have one thousand participants from all 34 Catholic dioceses in Tanzania.
“The establishment of Tanzania Lay Apostolate is a fruit of the Second Vatican Council. From that time, it was recognized as Laity Council which later in 1983 was amended to be Tanzania Lay Apostolate. So we are celebrating 50 years of Lay mission in the Church and we are proud to serve the Church for all this time,” she said.
Mrs. Byarugaba who is also the Secretary of the National Lay Apostolate in Tanzania said that the Jubilee is led by the slogan “Sanctify the Worlds.”
She said that participants should arrive on June 14; on 15th there will be seminars which will be offered by some bishops; and on June 16, it will be the climax of the celebration by Holy Mass and other celebrations.
This jubilee was officially launched by Bishop Desiderius Rwoma, Chairman of the Laity Commission TEC on June 16, 2018.
The Chairman of Lay Apostolate in Tanzania, Rt. Rev. Desderius Rwoma, urges the Laity to reflect on their mission and be in the forefront of supporting the local church.
He said there is need for the laity to recognize that the welfare and existence of the Church depends on Laity’s mission at to their local Churches, so he wants families to be at the forefront to ensure that their children are nurtured and given better education that enables them to be true Christians and good citizens.
“Parents should teach and educate their children fear of God, Sapientia est timor Domini. If these obligations of Lay people in families are being fulfilled, the laity will have fulfilled their obligations to purify the world,” said Bishop Rwoma.
In addition, Bishop Rwoma has warned lay people especially parents and the youth on abuse of alcohol, saying that drinking too much alcohol causes humiliation in society.
He says that alcohol has been a source of many disasters in the families and society as a whole! Alcohol has been a source of strife, even disunity and family breakdowns and is a major source of poverty and income.
He also urged the Laity to be in forefront protecting, advocating and maintaining the Gospel of life against the culture of death; and to promoting peace and justice in the world of globalization, science and technological advancement.
Bishop Rwoma wants the Laity to use social media in peaceful dialogues and to become bridges of the separated world in culture, politics, religion, and race; and to use power and prosperity to create a better place of human beings who live in brotherhood, love and solidarity.
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Sarah Pelaji, Dar es Salaam
