TANZANIA: Episcopal Conference Launches School of Faith
Sarah Pelaji
The Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) has on January 24th, 2023 launched the School of Faith through a seminar organized by the Pastoral Department.
Participants at the launching seminar came from various Catholic Dioceses within and outside Tanzania while dioceses from outside Tanzania included the Catholic Diocese of Wau from South Sudan, Diocese of Ngong- Kenya, and the Catholic Diocese of Soroti – Uganda.
Within Tanzania were Dar es Salaam Archdiocese, Mbeya Archdiocese, Dodoma Archdiocese, the Catholic Archdiocese of Ifakara, Kigoma, Kondoa, Mbulu, Mtwara, Singida, Sumbawanga and Zanzibar.
The main facilitators at the launching were Father Robert Havens who is Africa Regional Director and Cat. Althea Sidaway from Mexico. Other facilitators were Father Atupele Kuyokwa, Ignatius Mvula from Koronga Catholic Diocese in Malawi and Fr. Andrew Ovienloba from School of Faith in the Benin City, Nigeria.
Explaining about the School of Faith, the Director of Pastoral Directorate TEC Father Florence Rutaihwa explained that it is an international Vatican-accredited institution aimed at furthering leadership at the service of the community.
Its goal is to help Christ’s message reach the four corners of the globe via training and apostolic motivation of educators in the faith, principally through classes and diploma courses.
“Tanzania came to know about School of Faith after their team presenting about this Institute to Bishops during the AMECEA Plenary here in Tanzania 2022. They requested all bishops who would wish or have interest to have School of Law in their dioceses. The dioceses who registered to them are the ones who have participated in this launching,” he explained.
Fr Rutaihwa further explained that after the School of Faith launch at Conference level, they will go down to dioceses level.
“However, the diocese will be responsible to look for the right people mostly theologians, e.g., priests, catechists, lay people and religious.
Those who would like to teach at the School of Faith should realize that it is a voluntary work which aim of promoting the school of Faith and protecting the Faith among believers,” he stated.
Explaining further on the School of Faith, Africa Regional Director Father Robert Havens said that, The School of Faith was Founded in 1975.
It was founded in an effort to help the Mexican Episcopate as well as other Church institutions.
The Vatican has allowed the School to grant the academic title “Educator in the Faith” since the 16th of February 1979.
“We are fully accredited by the Congregation for the Clergy of the Holy See (now under the Dicastery for Evangelization).
We faithfully follow the guidelines set down in the Vatican’s General Directory for Catechesis,” he said.
Moreover, The School of the Faith is a member of the Fidei Pastoral Centre, which in turn certifies its teachers. This ensures complete loyalty to the Magisterium of the Church
Currently, 72 dioceses have opened their doors to the School of the Faith
There are more than 78 local chapters in different countries: Mexico, Argentina, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Brazil, Spain, the United States, Venezuela, Peru, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia and Malawi.
“We participate in the Church’s mission of evangelization by training Catholic Lay Leaders and Educators in the Faith, to promote greater knowledge and real-life application of the Catholic Faith.
However, the School of the Faith is for teachers of catechism teachers, catechism teachers and all persons of good will who want to know, love and communicate their Faith,”
He said that there is a need to impact faith to our people so that they know, understand, live and protect it.
“Our people invest much in materialism and secular information instead of faith. Thus, why most are in depression because everything without God is sadness. Everything with God is happiness and peace. However Nothing + God = Happiness and peace,” he explained.
He also insisted the Church to provide to Catholic believers right instructions about their faith.
“Our people are without instruction to understand and know the reality of our faith. They have faith but they are without instruction.
An ignorant catholic will soon become a protestant. We need to give them knowledge and that is the mission of School of Faith to each country and Dioceses,” he stated.
