Catholic Archdiocese of Tabora - About Us

Tabora, Tanzania, is a largely rural region located in the Central plateau of west-central Tanzania. This area is renowned for its beautiful miombo dry woodlands, which begin here and extend across the continent to Angola. Additionally, Tabora is celebrated for its plentiful forest honey and beekeeping, as well as the giant green mango trees that produce irresistibly sweet fruit. Important economic activities in the region include farming, timber production, and gold mining. Many farmers in Tabora are gradually transitioning from cultivating the traditional cash crop of tobacco, which has negative health and environmental impacts, to producing sunflower oil, which is in high demand both domestically and abroad. Rice, maize, and other food crops are also widely grown. The Catholic community in Tabora, under the guidance of the Catholic Diocese and the Missionaries of Africa, plays a vital role in supporting local farmers and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

In pre-independence days, Tabora, Tanzania developed as an important crossroads for trade and slave caravans. Goods and people coming from Lake Tanganyika and Congo to the West, and from the shores of Lake Victoria to the north, met at Tabora before joining forces and marching East to the Coast. The Old Boma in Tabora was constructed by the Germans, who were later replaced by the British after WWI. Notably, David Livingston spent some months living in Tabora before proceeding further inland. The Catholic community, including the Missionaries of Africa, played a significant role in the region's development during colonial times. A colonial rail line was constructed following these same trade routes, with the intersection at Tabora. Today, the Government of Tanzania is constructing a modern standard gauge high-speed electric train, which positions Tabora at the center of a new infrastructure backbone, enhancing travel and trade opportunities for much of western Tanzania, including the Catholic Diocese led by Archbishop Protase Rugambwa.

In 1878, the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) arrived in Tabora, Tanzania, to support the evangelization efforts in the interior regions. For decades, this city, originally known by the Vicariate of Unyanyembe, served as the seat of the only Catholic Diocese between the island of Zanzibar to the East and Burundi and Rwanda to the West. As the Catholic community has flourished, Tabora has given rise to numerous daughter dioceses throughout the western half of the country. Notably, in 1960, Marko Mihayo became the first African Archbishop of all of Eastern and Southern Africa, appointed in this historic diocese.

Today, the Archdiocese of Tabora is aligned with the political and administrative Region of Tabora. It remains one of the largest dioceses in Tanzania by land area, with around 300,000 baptized Catholics. The Ecclesiastical Province of Tabora includes the suffragan dioceses of Kigoma, Mpanda, and Kahama, continuing the legacy of its early missionaries and leaders like Archbishop Protase Rugambwa.

The Father of the Tanzanian nation, Julius Kambarage Nyerere, was teaching at St. Mary’s Secondary School, adjacent to the Catholic Cathedral in Tabora, Tanzania, when he formed the Tanganyika National Union (TANU) that would enter negotiations with the British. It was during this time, in the heart of the Catholic community, that the earliest discussions and strategy sessions, supported by figures like Archbishop Protase Rugambwa and the Missionaries of Africa, began to take shape, ultimately leading to Tanzania’s independence in 1961.

François Gerboin, M. Afr., served as the first Vicar Apostolic of Unianyembé (now Tabora, Tanzania) from its founding in 1897, and the jurisdiction was elevated to a Metropolitan Archdiocese in March 1953. The Catholic community has seen successive leaders, including Henri Léonard, Joseph Trudel, Cornelius Bronsveld, Marko Mihayo, Mario Abdallah Mgulunde, and Archbishop Protase Rugambwa. His Eminence Cardinal Protase Rugambwa, born May 31, 1960, in Bunena, was ordained in September 1990 by Pope John Paul II. He later served as Bishop of Kigoma and held key roles within the Vatican before being appointed Coadjutor Archbishop in April 2023 and elevated to Cardinal in September 2023. Assisting him is Auxiliary Bishop Josaphat Jackson Bududu, born March 26, 1977, in Kaliua, appointed on February 26, 2025, and consecrated on May 25, 2025. The Catholic Diocese continues to thrive, supported by the efforts of the Missionaries of Africa and its dedicated leaders.

The primary collaborators of Archbishop Protase Rugambwa in bringing the gospel and the sacraments to the Catholic community in Tabora Tanzania are the priests. Currently, the Catholic Diocese of Tabora has 84 active diocesan priests. Most serve in parishes, while others take on roles as hospital chaplains, administrators, or educators in Catholic institutions. Each year, several of our priests from Tabora are called for further studies in Rome or at other leading international Catholic universities. We are also blessed and grateful to have the ministry of the Missionaries of Africa serving in some of our parishes.

We are pleased to note that for every active priest now serving the Archdiocese, we have a younger man in seminary or at some stage of priestly formation! For more information, see the vocations section under needs and priorities.

Tabora, Tanzania, is home to a large and growing congregation of religious Sisters of Diocesan right, the Daughters of Mary (Mabinti wa Maria), with their Mother House located at Kipalapala. Founded in 1930, the Sisters are now serving in eight dioceses throughout Tanzania, as well as in Italy and the United States of America. The Catholic community in Tabora has been enriched since 1968, when St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta chose this location for her first community of sisters in Africa. The Missionaries of Charity, recognizable by their distinctive sari habits, have since established a visible presence in Tabora. Additionally, we are blessed by the ministry of other missionary religious women and men from various Orders and Congregations, including the Missionaries of Africa. Most importantly, following the guidance of Archbishop Protase Rugambwa, young people from many of our parishes are answering the call to Consecrated Life as religious sisters, brothers, monks, and priests, engaging in different stages of formation and ongoing ministry.

The People of God are the Church! The vibrant Catholic community in Tabora, Tanzania, exemplifies active and organized participation among the Christian laity. Each parish is composed of neighborhood small Christian Communities of 10-15 families, named after patron saints. These communities regularly meet in homes for prayer throughout the week, offering support and mutual assistance for weddings, funerals, and other everyday needs.

Under the guidance of Archbishop Protase Rugambwa, various groups such as the Pontifical Missionary Childhood (for girls and boys), Catholic Youth (VIWAWA), The Catholic Women’s Group (WAWATA), and the Catholic Men of St. Joseph (UWAKA) have established active branches within the parish, focusing on faith deepening and service projects. Additionally, many parishes host branches of the Society of the Sacred Heart, Our Lady of Fatima Society, and other pious associations, all part of the Catholic Diocese.

Arguably, the most dynamic of all lay ministries in the Archdiocese are the choirs! Tanzanians delight in 'praying twice' by expressing their love of God through song. Every Sunday and Holy Day Mass, as well as many weekday masses, are likely to feature uplifting and moving prayer leadership from the local choir, a testament to the spirit of the Missionaries of Africa in fostering a rich liturgical life.