Dr Lavina Noronha

Tanzania, Aug 4: It was a day of double jubilation for the Discalced Carmelites in Tanzania as the shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel located in Kihonda, Morogoro was consecrated and three local priests Fr Theophil Wabukundi, Fr Edwin Mushi and Fr Elius Malale were ordained by the Bishop of Morogoro Diocese Telesphor Mkude.

Fr Elius joined the Carmelite order in 2006 and after completing his initial studies at Jordan University, completed his theological studies and diaconate in Rome.

Fr Theophil from Dar es Salam and Fr Edwin who hails from Kilimanjaro region joined the Carmelite order in the year 2005 and completed their philosophy and theological studies from Jordan University in Morogoro. With the three newly ordained priests included, local vocations to the Carmelite order have reached seven since the year 2007.

Fr Charles Serrao, OCD, the Provincial of Karnataka-Goa Province inaugurated the shrine by cutting the ribbon. Bishop Telesphor Mkude blessed the shrine with holy water which was followed by consecration of the altar with holy oil and incensing. Fr Marlon Rodrigues, OCD, the regional vicar of Tanzania missions was present. The gathering included all the Carmelite missionaries in Tanzania, guest priests and sisters from other congregations and thousands of faithful.

Tanzania mission which began as a joint venture of four different Carmelite provinces from India in 1983 was handed over to Karnataka-Goa Province in 1992. Today there is Carmelite presence in two Archdioceses - Dar es Salam and Songea, and three dioceses of Morogoro, Bunda and Mbeya.

The contributions of the friars have not been limited to evangelization and pastoral commitments but have spread far and wide into the realms of social work, healthcare and education. Mikumi parish in Morogoro was the first station of the missionaries that saw total transformation as the pioneers Fr Walter Lobo, Fr Felix Moras and the late Fr Richard Castelino shouldered the yoke of the missions in unison. Along with their untiring pastoral ministry, these missionaries built a carpentry school for boys, a tailoring school for girls, and a nursery for children, renovated and established a large dispensary which has now become a full-fledged hospital. Carmel primary school and kindergarten are also being operated in Kihonda, right next to the new shrine.

Malolo is one of the mission stations located in mountainous desert land inhabited by venomous snakes, scorpions, lizards and mountain lions. The Friars have established a kindergarten and a dispensary in Malolo which are being run with the help of Holy Cross Sisters. There is also a secondary school which has been providing quality education to students from all over Tanzania in a residential setting. Basic amenities like electricity and communication systems have not reached this region to this day but solar panels are able to generate the electricity needed for the premises.

In Mbeya, the friars have built houses for the poor, constructed bridges, water reservoirs to collect and store mountain water and have provided clean drinking water to several villages by laying pipelines. A tailoring school has been empowering women for the past several years. In Bunda, the friars have set up a dispensary to cater to the health care needs of the locals and also operate a kindergarten.

When you travel through the districts, the great sacrifices made by the Carmelite pioneers are way too obvious. There are a total of 29 friars of Karnataka-Goa Province in different regions of Tanzania today who toil relentlessly to make a difference in this part of the world, leaving their loved ones behind carrying the torch of their predecessors despite the manifold challenges. In addition to battling health issues like repeated attacks of Malaria, the friars have to cover most of the substations on foot due to their locations in mountain beds or desert lands. In the last 31 years, the Carmelites no doubt have come a long way but still have a long road ahead. To know more about how you can get involved and help strengthen their hands with your financial support, please visit the website: www.carmelitemissionstz.org