Catholic Church Needs and Priorities

The good news: Tabora, and other dioceses in Tanzania, are currently blessed with an amazing abundance of good and holy young men who feel called to the priesthood. These young men represent great hope for the future of the Church, not only in Tabora but also for the Universal Church and places like the United States, Canada, and Europe. Their commitment is vital for ongoing church building projects and vocations support, especially for vulnerable populations in need of spiritual guidance.

The challenge: It is a significant burden for the Archdiocese to cover the costs of seminary tuition and upkeep. While training a priest in Tanzania is far less expensive than overseas, as the saying goes, it is a nice problem to have—but it remains a problem nonetheless! 

We particularly welcome those who can help us invest in the future through grants or sponsorship for seminarians, which will also support initiatives like the TAA BORA radio to reach wider audiences.

Again, while parishes are consolidating in parts of the United States and Europe, we face the opposite challenge. We have far too few church buildings, and the ones we do have are too small to accommodate the growing Catholic population. Numerous parishes and sub parishes are involved in church building projects to build, expand, or replace their churches. In these efforts, local Catholic Christians are contributing the largest share of the costs themselves, often tithing a percentage of the annual harvest. However, due to the high costs of building materials like cement and metal roofing sheets, it may take many years for an urgently needed church building to be completed. The Archdiocese welcomes foundations, parishes, and individuals who may partner with a parish to support the construction of a new church. This effort aligns with the Tabora Mission Appeal, which aims to provide vocations support for vulnerable populations. ‘The House of God I will build will be very great, for great is our God above all gods’ (2 Chronicles 2:5).

A recent initiative of the Archdiocese of Tabora, part of the new evangelization efforts, is the local TAA BORA radio station. ‘TAA BORA’ is a clever and meaningful play on words. By breaking ‘Tabora’ into two parts and adding an extra ‘a’, it conveys the dual meanings of ‘taa’ (light) and ‘bora’ (great or best). Isaiah 9:2 states, ‘among the people who walked in darkness, a great light has shone.’ Jesus also tells us in John 8:12, ‘I am the light of the world.’ Thus, TAA BORA exists to illuminate the great light of the gospel for the people of Tabora, supporting local church building projects and the Tabora Mission Appeal. 

The current number of priests and the educational levels among catechists present challenges in reaching all populations, particularly those in remote and rural areas. Radio has a remarkable ‘multiplier effect’; a well-prepared program, such as a reflection on the Sunday Mass readings, can reach thousands of Christians as they work in the fields or engage in daily activities. Most individuals can access radio even on the simplest telephone handsets. This method proves to be significantly more efficient than sending someone physically to a location, where they might only reach 20-30 people in one settlement. 

Operating TAA BORA radio does present challenges, including the need for quality content preparation and, most critically, the high electricity costs to maintain the radio towers and broadcast over the expansive listening area. We continue to seek and welcome support and partnership to enable TAA BORA to keep sending its signal and light around the Archdiocese, particularly for vocations support and outreach to vulnerable populations.

As mentioned above, beginning with the Missionaries of Africa, the Archdiocese of Tabora has had a special interest and has acquired experience in working with special need students, particularly the hearing impaired. The Tabora Deaf-Mute Institute, founded in 1963, was Tanzania’s first school for hearing impaired students of school age. This important institution continues to operate under the Archdiocese, with the support of parents, families, and the Government of Tanzania, as part of our broader church building projects aimed at uplifting vulnerable populations.

In February 2023, we launched our latest initiative, the Archbishop Ruzoka Secondary School at Igange, Tabora. This boarding and day school for both girls and boys will integrate graduates from our primary school for the hearing impaired with hearing students. This inclusive approach aligns with current international best practices and is fully supported by the Tabora Mission Appeal, empowering hearing impaired students to lead more normal and productive lives in society. Moreover, it provides hearing students with essential exposure to living and working alongside those who face special challenges, reinforcing the value of vocations support within our community.

The Missionaries of Charity, founded by St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta, are renowned for their dedication to serving vulnerable populations on the very margins of society. In Tabora, the sisters focus particularly on the destitute urban elderly who, for various reasons, lack children or extended families to support them. These compassionate Sisters provide essential services, including home meals, health care, bathing facilities, and other basic support for these often overlooked elders. They also run an orphanage for abandoned and orphaned children. The Archdiocese of Tabora is eager to engage in church building projects and welcomes partnership, support, and assistance through initiatives like the Tabora Mission Appeal and vocations support to better serve these communities. Additionally, the local TAA BORA radio plays a vital role in raising awareness and support for these efforts.