TANZANIA: Under 10 Priests in Dar es Salaam Archdiocese Trained on Synodality
Sarah Pelaji
Dar es Salaam Archdiocese has conducted an ongoing formation program for diocesan clergy who have been in service as priest for up to ten years, and among others topics they were introduced on is Synodality.
On Synodality, Rev. Benno Kikudo a member of the Synod committee of the Dar es Salaam Archdiocese who is also the head of Lay Apostolate at Tanzania Episcopal Conference TEC reminded the young priests on the meaning saying, “The word Synod, or in Greek σύνοδος means ‘walking together or gathering together’. The Synod of Bishops wants all of us as members of the Church to walk together – Lay people, Religious both men and women, together with their pastors the priests, bishops and the Holy Father.”
“We are invited to walk together in the Life and Mission of the Church, each of us to be involved and participate in the daily life of the Church and in evangelization,” he continued.
Why Synod of Bishops?
Fr Kikudo explained that the Synod of Bishops is a system of periodic meetings of the Bishops which was established by Saint Pope Paul VI in 1965, as a way to develop the way of living according to the decisions of the Second Vatican Council.
The unique idea in this current Synod of Bishops is that it is inclusive of all believers.
On 17 October 2015 during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Synod of Bishops, the Holy Father Francisco expressed his desire to have a common path between the Laity, Pastors (Bishops and Priests) and the Bishop of Rome.
Pope Francisco wants the Synod of Bishops to include the voice of every member of the Church, and that is why Rome had sent the questionnaires in 2022-2023 which have helped the Church universal to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking through each and every baptized person who is participating in the discussion.
According to Fr Kikudo, the Holy Father invites the Church to understand that the contribution of each Church member is important in this process of listening to the Holy Spirit. Thus, he the whole Church is asked to reflect together on Communion, Mission and Participation because walking together is what clearly shows the nature of the Church as a pilgrim.
“The big question here is, since we launched the Synod here in our Diocese, how have these questionnaires begun to change our attitudes? How have these questionnaires begun to promote our participation in the life of the Church, and the participation of those who have traditionally been left aside or ignored?” he asked.
Fr Kikudo added, “We saw for example on the day of the inauguration of the Synod for those who arrived here at Msimbazi, the first reading was read by a blind person because we have different people with different kinds of challenges. Now how do we involve them in the daily life of the Church in our Communities and our Parishes? We are invited to include everyone in our journey of Church life and appreciate their charism.”
According to him, “If until now we have not started to see changes happening in our system or in the life of the church beginning from families, Small Christian Communities, Parishes and Dioceses, we still have a long way to go.
“I wish you a good process of the Synod, and let us be proud that “It is exactly this way of the Synod that God expects for the Church of the Third Millennium,” he concluded.
On the occasion, facilitators of the program included Archbishop Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa’ichi OFM Cap of the Dar es Salaam Archdiocese, his Auxiliaries Rt. Rev. Henry Mchamungu, Rt. Rev Stephan Musomba OSA and members of the Synod committee of the Dar es Salaam Archdiocese.
Archbishop Ruwa’ichi’s presentation was about pastoral registers, while Bishop Musomba made a presentation on Spirituality, and Bishop Mchamungu came in on Canon Law, the Sacraments and Liturgy.
