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Fransalian International

"Be what you are, Be at its best!"      - St. Francis de Sales

Editorial  Introducing the MSFS St. Francis de Sales  Fr. Peter Memier MSFS in St. Lucia  Fr. Louis Favre General Assembly 1997  Wellspring Fransalian Media Centre  Suvidya College     VISAKHAPATNAM PROVINCE Congress of the FRANCE-SWISS PROVINCE NAGPUR PROVINCE PUNE PROVINCE SOUTH-WEST PROVINCE NORTH-EAST INDIA TANZANIA Vol. 1  January 1999

Fransalian International

On 1st June 1988, four Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales landed in Dar-es-Salaam, the working capital of Tanzania, to take up their new mission in the dark continent of Africa. They hardly knew anything of the language, culture, people, history or geography of East Africa. However, this beginning of a new mis­sion from a state of nothingness, simplicity, and poverty was heading for a great success. It was a major mission 'offshoot' of the Congregation from its Indian mission which was established in 1845. After ten years of committed service in the field of evangelization, education and promotion of religious life, we are thankful to God who has always been blessing us through the intercession of St. Francis de Sales and Fr. Mermier. The number of confreres has grown to 40, besides 3 novices and around 130 minor seminarians and aspirants (in India and Tanzania). The growth was phenomenal.  We are well represented in the three regions (States) in Tanzania and in one State in Kenya and we have already been invited by many local ordinaries from Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, but due to the paucity of confreres, we find it hard to respond to them positively, immediately and actively.

The well-to-do, educated and modern urban citizens; and poverty-stricken, illiterate and old-fashioned rural folks are the two striking extremes of the East African society. The urban Africans are to be brought back to religious awareness which they often leave to ob­livion or take for granted as an aftermath of over-involvement in empty modernity that results in the deterioration of values, destructive guilt feeling and leads to suicide. The poor villagers need food and water, at least a hut to live in and minimum literacy. The Fransalians offer to work for the Kingdom of God amid these two categories of people. We have partially succeeded in our task of proclaiming the Good News to all kinds of people.

East Africa comprises of three nations, viz, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. It touches the Indian Ocean through a number of international ports. The three countries lay in a well-knit community until the split in 1977 due to lack of cooperation, understanding and external pressure. In recent years they have tried to enter into negotiations to restore unity and harmony. East Africa is widely known for its great lakes like Victoria, Tanganika, Manyara and mountains like Kilimanjaro and Uluguru.

Tanzania has always been a country of exceptional peace and serenity among the three. She also experienced colonialism at the hands of the Germans and the British, and sufferings during the slave trade of the Arabs (early 19th century). There often were conflicts between local chieftains and the colonizers. But most of the time the latter won the battles. The Germans who lost during World War I gave way to the British hegemony in Tanzania from 1917. Political movements aiming at independence began in 1954, under the leadership of Mwalimu (teacher) Julius K Nyerere with his political party Tanganica African National Union (TANU). Tanzania was freed on 6th December 1961, and Nyerere became its first President. In 1964, the island of Zanzibar signed with Tanzania a treaty and became a part of the United Republic of Tanzania.

President Nyerere followed a policy of "self-reliance and socialism", although the nation was still too young to digest its implications. The great achievement of his was the unification of 120 tribes into one single State and language. Thus Swahili became the national language which is widely spoken in the whole of East Africa. He resigned on his own in 1985. His successor from the same party, Mr. Ali Hassan Mwinyi, followed a policy of 'free market economy'.

In 1992, the Parliament introduced the multi-party system. There were 12 registered parties to contest the 1995 elections. Mr. Benjamin Mkapa of the Revolutionary Party (CCM originated from the union of TANU and ASP) became President in 1995. He opened a new era of hope that may wipe away corruption and social evils and work for social development.

The signs of Christianity were visible in the coastal areas of East Africa at the beginning of 1600. But they were suppressed by the Islamic invaders from Oman. The coming of Western businessmen, geographers, historians and navigators again boosted Christianity in East African soil at the beginning of the 19th century.

1844: John Krapf translates the New Testament into Swahili.

1862:  Holy Ghost Fathers take up the Zanzibar Mission, later they move to Bagamoyo, near Dar-es-Salaam.

1878:  Arrival of White Fathers (Missionaries of Africa); out of 51, some 23 died within three years.

1887:  Arrival of the Benedictines of St. Ottilian at the southern part of Tanganica.

1917:  The first four Tanzanian priests ordained in Bukoba.

1920:  Opening of great missionary movements: Capuchins (1920), Passionists.

1933:  Pallotines (1940), Roseminians (1945), Maryknoll (1946), Salvatorians (1955).

1952:  The first Tanganican Bishop - Rt. Rev. Lauren Rugambwa consecrated;

later in 1960, he becomes the first Cardinal of Africa.

1987:  Two more Ecclesiastical Provinces created: Songea and Mwanza, raising the total to four;

the others are Dar-es-Salaam and Tabora.

1988:  Arrival of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales.

We are entrusted with three major parishes and one quasi parish in Tanzania and one in Kenya. Each parish has more than 40 out-stations which lie far and wide. Some are even 100 km away from the headquarters.

Kizito Primary School, Lububu

In early 1999 we would like to open an English medium pre-primary school on public demand.

Our confreres have opened a new pre-primary English medium school at Chera. "Salesian-Chera School" (SCS). Among other schools in the neighbourhood, our new institution stands tall with a new standard and image. It is committed to promote human and divine knowledge to the young.

Mlima Was Wakovu—Salvation Hill, Lububu

Hill of Kategile, Itaga

This helpful medical centre at the premises of the Lububu Fransalian community meets the demands of the locals in their physical ailments. It serves everyone, irrespective of culture and creed. It is also active in health education programmes.

The Chera dispensary is run by the MSFS fathers. It provides the people, especially the poor and the destitute with medicines and other health services. We also plan to provide medical services to the people of interior villages.

Mermier Healing Centre, Morogoro

It is a unique project in every way unique in its dynamism and orientation. Fr. Sebastian Kuzhuppil, who has a rare gift of healing, serves the sick who approach him. At present he is engaged in planting herbs of different sorts which are highly used in his healing ministry.