Catholic Church celebrates 150 years of evangelism in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam.  As the Roman Catholic Church in Tanzania prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary, Archbishop of Dar es Salaam, Polycarp Cardinal Pengo has reiterated its commitment to preach peace and build solidarity among Tanzanians and also continue serving their physical and spiritual needs.

The celebrations running from November 2nd through November 5th, will be held in Bagamoyo where the church built its first school that ushered its presence in mainland Tanzania.

"On behalf of the Church, I am proud and thankful to God because the Church’s presence has added value to the Tanzanian society,” Cardinal Pengo told journalists in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, October 17, ahead of the celebrations.

The Church will also celebrate the presence of its learning institutions that are under the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), which includes over 1000 kindergarten schools.

He said that almost every Catholic parish in the 34 Dioceses across the country has a kindergarten school; some have a primary school; and secondary schools, including seminaries.

Cardinal Pengo said the Church runs over 230 secondary schools countrywide.

He said TEC also runs 75 registered vocational training centres that impart technical skills to young people; and 4 full-fledged Catholic universities, namely Saint Augustine University of Tanzania (Saut), Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences (Cuhas), Ruaha Catholic University (Rucu) and Mwenge Catholic University (Mwecau).

He said the Church also runs a number of dispensaries, health centres and hospitals offering health services to all Tanzanians across the country.

Cardinal Pengo said the Church seeks to serve a human being in all his needs-both physical and spiritual, with emphasis on growth in the wholeness of man/woman.

The contribution of the Church in the past 150 years towards development of the country can be witnessed in many ways, he said.