THE BUFFALOES A STORY OF MARYKNOLL SOCIETY'S FIFTY YEARS IN TANZANIA 1946 TO 1996 INTRODUCTION While in Tanzania, we have been blessed by a variety of experiences. We have taught in the classrooms of the University and in the mud brick rooms of village schools. We have seen Africans laughing at someone accidentally falling from a bicycle and crying at the loss of a loved one. We have witnessed Tanzanians at their very best helping someone in desperate need and at their very worst bickering over the inheritance of a son or daughter. We have experienced the tremendous hope of a young Tanzania striving to develop itself and the desperation of an older Tanzania faced with economic, political and social upheaval. We have worked and lived with the youth of Tanzania and have had elders gently grasp our hands in theirs and bless them with their spittle and breath, all of these memories and experiences we have had as members or associates of the Maryknoll Society. This short book is an attempt to describe the unique presence that the Maryknoll Society has had in Tanzania since its arrival in 1946. One day a Maryknoll missionary was asked by some British visitors, "Are you a tourist?" He replied, "Yes." They then asked, "How long have you been out here?" He replied, "Thirty years." In this short interchange resides the hint of irreverence about ourselves, about mission and about Maryknoll itself that is at the core of our unique presence. It is an irreverence that comes not from a lack of seriousness or cynicism, but from a very real sense of our own humanness and vulnerability living in a culture that we only partly understand, preaching demands that we ourselves only partially fulfill and coming from a country (USA) with a healthy disrespect for tradition as a cultural trait. However, this is not a history thesis or a factual depiction of everything the Maryknoll Society has done and been in Tanzania. Rather, it is a popular history that tells the stories of the people who called and call themselves Maryknollers in Tanzania. The book itself follows the traditions of irreverence mentioned above especially in terms of facts and dates. This is a story that we hope is mainly true, however, we are not saying unequivocally that everything described here happened in exactly that manner. In fact, like the Gospel itself, these stories have been passed on from one generation to the next, (mainly during "sundowners") being reshaped and embellished over the years by one storyteller to the next. One of the first stories that needs to be told is that of the title itself "The Buffaloes." The scene was Ingri parish. It is a small insignificant parish slightly off the main road running from North Mara to Musoma. While Mike Kirwen was assigned there, it became the center for monthly meetings and parties. At one of those famous gatherings, that usually started in the early afternoon and lasted to early night, we were celebrating the twenty fifth anniversary of the ordination of Bill Daley. By this time in the evening, most people were in a very good mood; the level of conversation had greatly increased in volume and decreased in quality. Art Wille, who was our senior member and only active Buffalo in the room, announced that it was time to inaugurate Bill Daley into the order of Buffaloes. Justin Samba, later to become Bishop of Musoma, immediately picked up on this, declaring that Daley had all the qualities needed to be a buffalo. He definitely had the bulk weighing in at over 300 lbs. He had the presence of immovability and stability so characteristic of the Buffalo. His face had that buffalo look of dryness and tenacity that many years of living in the African sun can create. So that night, without ritual or pomp, Bill Daley became a buffalo. No votes were taken, no discussion was necessary, the elder had spoken and consensus followed. With only good hearted banter the inauguration was complete. Thus, while our leaders at the top were encouraging mission to be lived in a temporary, flexible and mobile style, Maryknollers from below were celebrating and sanctifying those virtues that they knew to be essential for the professional proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ -- permanence, stability and continuity. The buffaloes were those dedicated women and men who came to Tanzania believing that they were coming here for the rest of their lives. They believed that they had an important message to share and were willing to accept the difficulties, the failures, and the set backs, They were those who came mainly to Shinyanga and Musoma known as the Maryknoll Society. They came because of a deep faith in the Paschal mystery and the universality of the salvation that it won. From our experiences we have come to more fully appreciate what that Paschal mystery is all about. We understand that the innocent death of Jesus is so essential not because it is unique, but because it is so common. Day in and day out we witness how the innocent are suffering and dying. We have lived in situations of famine where the innocent have become emaciated. We have worked with aids victims, the children of aids victims and babies who are HIV+, all of which have challenged our understanding of the innocent death of Christ and its salvation. We have walked with the innocent victims of civil strife, ethnic clashes and genocide and in those situations we have had to ask: "What does the Gospel have to offer to these holy innocents who are so much apart of our daily lives?" One thing that we are certain of is that the suffering and dying of the innocents like the death of Jesus are not due only to the randomness of the cosmos or nature's accidents. They are caused by sin and most often the sin associated with the selfish lust for wealth, power and personal satisfaction with complete disregard for the other. In proclaiming the Paschal mystery, the "Buffaloes" knew that certain people through God's grace had been called to an explicit commitment to the community charged with celebrating and communicating the good news of Christ. These people need to be instructed and initiated into the life of that community. This in fact has been a major portion of Maryknollers' works in Tanzania. It has not however been done alone. Tremendous credit must be given to the Tanzanian lay people, both catechists and others who have given of their time to share their own faith experience with those numerous catechumens who expressed a desire to become part of the Catholic Church. Also, recognition must be made of the Christian witness of the various faith communities that has attracted so many to say "I do" when presented with the challenges of the Gospel. All of this has enabled the transformation that we have seen of the two regions of Shinyanga and Musoma, into thriving, self governing dioceses that we now serve as junior partners. This part of the story is narrated mainly in chapters two, three and four that follow. In doing the above, we have always believed that the spirit of God has been present in the cultures of these people long before Maryknoll arrived. One element of our mission of participating in God's mission has been to search out in the culture those traits that are God inspired. This has been done by various people, but two of the buffaloes stand out. One Ed Hayes who attempted to Christianize the central rituals of the Wakuria. Against varied criticism, he struggled to transform the passage to elderhood into a Christian feast. Gradually, some of these elders were baptized into the Church and as the most influential of all, they opened the door for the conversion of a culture and a people. The other is Don Sybertz who approached this ministry in terms of cultural knowledge and looking for God's wisdom as contained in traditional Wasukuma parables. This work has led to the publication of much material that has remained useful in the explaining of the Gospel. Besides cooperating in this prophetic yes of God's to African culture, we also came to Tanzania knowing that we were charged to participate in God's prophetic "no" to situations that were obviously denials of the Good News of salvation. These situations were most often associated with the poverty and powerlessness of the vast majority of Tanzanians in both colonial and independent Tanzania. Many people did this by initiating, financing or consulting in community development projects of both an economic and social nature. Others took a more political approach attempting to understand the structural character of poverty in Tanzania and move the church to a much more prophetic stance. Neither of these have met with much success, but it remains an essential element of our mission to voice God's "No" to situations of sin. Chapter six, seven, eight and nine describe Maryknoll's main social apostolates over the years. In reading chapters seven and eight, it will be obvious that they deal primarily with the work of the Maryknoll Sisters. It must be clarified that this book is a commemoration of the Maryknoll Society's fifty years in Tanzania. However, the Society is only one element of the Maryknoll Family which includes the Maryknoll Sisters and the Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful. Often, especially in the early years, we collaborated in many areas. Thus, to write our story without including some of the tremendous work done by the sisters would be incomprehensible. At the same time, we do not presume to be able to write their story or relate all the contributions they have made to Tanzania. Finally, before we go on relating this story, I must acknowledge those people who gave of themselves to write the chapters that follow. Each person was given the freedom to use their own style and include the type of material that they felt was important. Thus, there is a certain unevenness among the chapters. To a certain degree this is unavoidable in a book of this type, on the other hand, I must accept some responsibility for not giving clearer parameters to the authors. Also, I will not indicate which author is responsible for which chapter, not simply to protect the guilty but to emphasize that this was a community effort and its value and quality is related to that community effort. Having said that, I wish to thank Frs. David Schwinghamer, Michael Snyder, David Arthur Smith, Joseph Healey and Donald Larmore. Special thanks to Srs. Katie Erisman and Katherine Taepke are in order for their willingness to collaborate with us on this project. I also thank Ms. Elizabeth Mach, Brother Kevin Dargan and Frs. Herp Gappa, Arthur Wille and Peter LeJacq. No one volunteered for this project, therefore, they all deserve a special note, for their willingness to agree and take the time to write these chapters. SECTION ONE CHAPTER ONE OUR CHANGING MISSION VISION IN TANZANIA THE ORIGINAL VISION The first Maryknoll Missionaries to arrive in northwest Tanganyika possessed a single unitary theology of mission. This original vision was not written down somewhere in a polished "Mission Vision" statement, but it dwelt in the minds and hearts of all our early Maryknollers. It was reflected in the definition of mission contained in our Constitutions: "to establish the Church in assigned territories... the criterion for establishment being sufficient territorial clergy to replace us" (Art.2) What motivated and guided these early pioneers of the Maryknoll Society's first mission commitment outside of China was a clear understanding that they came to extend the membership of the Church through the preaching of the Gospel. This missionary preaching was naturally aimed at conversion and baptism. From a theological point of view, this early vision of Maryknollers reflected the missiological theory of "implanting the Church" which was developed by Pierre Charles and Vincent Lebbe in the period between the two World Wars. Underlying this theology was the belief that mission was "the missions", i.e. the territories where the Church had not yet been firmly planted. The major imperative of missionaries was church extension and a key hope was that local priests would eventually take over our work. As the four first early Maryknollers settled into their new assignments, such an orientation to mission soon became grounded in the realities of colonial Tanganyika and the evangelizing efforts that had already begun in Musoma District by the White Fathers. According to the research of Joe Carney, behind the decision to send Maryknollers to this part of Africa was the belief that in this part of the world the ideal conditions existed for new missionaries. These conditions included: a) the existence of an experienced missionary society that could give orientation to Maryknoll; b) an English-speaking colonial territory; c) the lack of Islamic expansion and d) a steady increase of conversions to Christianity. Fr. Lou Bayless, in 1947, emphasized how Maryknoll's original mission apostolate was refined by the involvement and collaboration of Maryknoll with the apostolic work of the White Fathers. I am convinced after my short time here in Nyegina mission that the work of Maryknollers will not be the planting of the seed or the laborious cultivation of this field, but rather the nurturing of this already flourishing mission which the White Fathers have so well developed. (Maryknoll News, Dec. 1986, 23.) For 20 years, from roughly the time of Maryknoll's arrival to the end of Vatican II this original vision of mission as "implanting the Church and nurturing the young but flourishing Christian community" directed the efforts of almost all Maryknollers. Their efforts bore much fruit as Christianity spread rapidly in the years prior to the independence of Tanganyika. Furthermore, this vision of mission is still part of why we believe mission continues to be important in Tanzania. However, our vision of mission has expanded over the years to include several other important perspectives. It is interesting and inspiring to note that some of the more innovative and creative missionary initiatives over the last 30 years have come from those "Buffaloes" who still roam the mission fields. VATICAN II AND THE REVOLUTION OF OUR VISION At Vatican II, the theology of mission underwent a major transformation. The Church by its very nature was seen to be missionary. This basic shift from the extension of the Church into "the missions" to "Church is Mission" led to the development of several new perspectives on mission especially among missionary congregations like Maryknoll. As the new theology of Vatican II began to filter into missionary thinking and practice, Maryknoll's vision of church and mission underwent some fundamental expansions. The Sixth General Chapter, following close on the heels of Vatican II, revolutionized Maryknoll's vision of mission grounding it on a theology of Church as the "People of God" and "Sacrament of Universal Salvation." In practical mission apostolates, this translated into a strong emphasis on the building of a local Church that was self-reliant, self-propagating, self-governing and self-actualizing sign of God's Reign in Tanzania. Much effort was put into promoting the structures and programs that would help this vision or model of Church to evolve. Leadership training in the form of catechist schools and lay leadership courses became a major missionary concern as the success of the earlier efforts to implant the Church now called for a more extensive pastoral ministry which priests alone could not provide. Moreover, Small Christian communities became the model of Church in parts of the dioceses where Maryknoll worked several years before this approach to building the Church was officially adopted by AMECEA churches. The famous Luo deanery, home to several of our more famous "Buffaloes" was instrumental in promoting this ecclesiological thinking and practice. In 1971 the then Africa Region began its preparations for the Seventh General Chapter. In the reflection papers which were prepared by Maryknollers we can find the emergence of some new missiological perspectives. Fr. Joe Glynn, in his letter announcing the upcoming Regional Conference, stated that: Maryknoll sees its role in the Africa Region as co-extensive with the three-fold mission of the Church - Preaching of the Word, Building Christian community in faith and love and in service to the Greater Community.(Mar. 10, 1971) Other new perspectives on mission also emerged both on the level of theological reflection and in the day to day practice of missionaries. Inculturation, interreligious dialogue and liberation are three of these perspectives that have influenced our vision of mission in Tanzania. VISION IN TRANSITION: EMERGENCE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH As the 30 years of intensive pastoral and missionary activity began to bear fruit, a major challenge to Maryknoll's vision of mission emerged. From its beginning days, Maryknoll had seen its role to assist in the establishment and building up of a self-reliant local Church. A key indication of the success of this work would be the emergence of local clergy and religious as well as catechists who would take over the pastoral care of the Church. Maryknoll, in theory, would then move on to begin this process of preaching the gospel and establishing the Church in areas where it was not yet existent. In the mid-1970s, with the Church continuing to expand, and with a growing number of catechists, local priests and sisters, the traditional missionary mandate of "Jus Commissionis" was terminated and the local Church, under mostly Tanzanian leadership, was given pastoral responsibility and authority. These developments raised questions about the purpose and continued existence of a "foreign" missionary society in a local Church. It became clear to many that the missionaries were to function in a secondary, service role. However, this vision of mission as secondary, subsidiary and of service to a local Church did not always sit well with veteran Buffaloes" and other missionaries who, through their many years of presence and of service, saw themselves as part of the local Church -- as ones who helped found or establish the local Church and who believed that the building up of the Church still needed a lot of attention. As Maryknoll prepared for its 1978 Chapter, one of the issues that was hotly discussed throughout the Africa Region was Maryknoll's Vision and Identity. In an honest appraisal of its Vision of mission, the Region stated that: Maryknollers in Africa have not fully resolved the meaning of the word "missionary" or of evangelization and its full implication for their local situation and work. ("Maryknoll - Vision - Identity", Pre-Chapter letter from William Daley, June 23, 1978, 2.) One group of active Maryknollers who did attempt to resolve the meaning of missionary was the North Mara deanery. In a 1978 working paper entitled "On Missiology" they defined mission in the following way: "God's activity in the world to bring about his Kingdom...." ("North Mara Working Paper on Missiology," 1978, p. 1.) In reflection on "the foreign missionary as Servant," the group went on to say that "...just what that (servant role) means is not always that clear and is often colored by historical, cultural, and political aspects." (Ibid., p. 2.) In other words, servanthood could not be defined by the servant. Buffaloes, however, are not placid creatures. When challenged, they often respond vigorously! Not only did the Maryknollers in Africa develop new structures to deal with the changing political situation (the formation of 2 Regions), but they also began a process of clarification of our missionary role in the Tanzanian Church: a vision of mission which leaped beyond a timid, behind the scenes service role. A NEW REGION: MISSION AND THE KINGDOM By 1980 the Tanzania Region, now two years old, picked up the theology of Mission defined in our Society Mission Vision Statement of 1978. This Vision statement and the one of the Eight General Chapter in 1984 are good examples of how the new perspectives of mission that had emerged in the 25 years after Vatican II produced a new understanding of mission. No longer was the focus of mission to be the Church but rather the Reign of God. The Church was to be built up, but as the Servant of God's reign. As the Eight General Chapter states: Maryknoll is called to participate in the missionary activity of the Universal Church, whereby God's Reign may be everywhere proclaimed and brought to light, and the Church may be the universal sign and sacrament of salvation. (Acts and Motions, Eight General Chapter, "Mission Vision (1984-1990), # 10, 3.) In a bold statement of a mission vision the Tanzanian Region declared in 1980 that: We are uniquely called to participate in the missionary activity of the Universal Church whereby God's Kingdom may be everywhere proclaimed and brought to light, and the Church may be the Universal sign and sacrament of salvation. Our particular task within the missionary activity calls us to build a Church in service to the proclamation of the Kingdom, giving special emphasis to the evangelization of the poor, of cultures and of structures. (Operational Plan 1981, 6.) This, the most progressive and bold mission vision statement of Maryknoll in Tanzania, concluded with a ringing challenge: In these days of rapid change and creative growth of the Tanzanian Church our vision imposes on us an urgency to reaffirm our fundamental identity as apostles and evangelizers dedicated to continuing the mission of Jesus. Our vision brings new insights into our identity as missionaries and offers new experiences and opportunities in our apostolate, binding us through the Gospel to the world, the Universal and local church, to Tanzania and to each other. (Ibid., 7.) During the early 1980's, Maryknollers consciously made "clarification of our role in relation to the local Church," a Regional priority. In 1983 the Region at a Regional board meeting in Wira developed a major statement of mission vision called "The Future is Our Own." In this statement, mission is described and defined in different ways: Because of the large population yet unevangelized and our vocation to bring to them the Word of God, and because of the large numbers who need our help to mature in Christ after their Baptism,... We understand our primary responsibility is to preach to the unevangelized.... We are still weaving a vision of the Church from our theology and from cultures, so that our work will be authentically Christian and authentically African.... In short, let us say of our apostolate, that it is a dynamic and strongly motivated force that has responded and continues to respond to changing needs and challenges. (Tanzania Regional Plan - 1984, p. 11.) With only a few additions, "The Future is Our Own" document became the Tanzania Region "Statement of Mission Vision" and was incorporated into a special issue of Mission Forum called "Mission in Tanzania: 25 Years After Independence - and Vatican II." This statement of vision guided the Region throughout the mid 1980s and on to the 9th General Chapter in 1990. THE BLURRING OF VISION "Buffaloes are known to follow old, well-known trails. They are plodding animals." (Black Elk Speaks) As the new shifts in perspectives and understandings of mission worked their way into the practice of everyday missionary work, the expansion of the breath of mission has led to a certain loss of focus. The effects of this loss of a common focus were evident in the 9th General Chapter. In preparation for the 9th General Chapter, Maryknollers in Tanzania began for the second time as a Region to reflect on mission in a global sense. Despite the domination of internal issues, especially the question of the structural relationship between society and associates, our Region did identify several mission challenges . AIDS, inculturation, Islam, primary evangelization, continual growth of the local Church and youth were the major challenges we identified as we entered the 1990s. While there is very little evidence of much theological reflection on the meaning of mission in the pre-Chapter preparations, out of the 9th General Chapter came a new approach to mission vision which, in retrospect, has led to an ever greater blurring of our understanding of mission. In the spirit of "subsidiarity" each Region was encouraged to discern its own mission vision statement which then were to be shared at the 1993 ICSA meeting. Two of the four rich themes which were developed at the Chapter received extensive attention in our Region: Mission as Prophetic Witness and Mission as Inculturation. For over a year these themes were dealt with on a local level in unit reflection sessions. The fruit of these reflections has to be dug out of minutes of these meetings. A particularly interesting reflection came out of the Dar es Salaam unit in Jan. 1991. In attempting to describe Mission as "Prophetic Witness" the unit came up with an analysis of the factors which exist on the level of public discourse and on the level of private discourse. These "countersigns" are symptomatic of structural realities which inhibit the coming of the parousia. Applying this reflection to mission, the unit members concluded: ...we see then a dynamic tension existing between mission as inculturation and mission as prophetic proclamation. The Christian message is not only challenged to adapt to the local situation but it stands in confrontation to the local situation calling the local culture to be self-critical. (Dar Es Salaam Unit, "Reflection on 'Mission as Prophetic Witness'", Jan. 28, 1991, 2.) The unit then went on to state that for the 1990s it felt challenged to rethink our prophetic apostolate in a way that includes more explicitly cultural issues. Finally, in the Regional Assembly of 1992, an attempt was made to get us to develop a focus in mission. The Superior General, Fr. Ken Thesing, stated that a major challenge to Maryknollers is to re-focus our mission vision as we undergo major changes in personnel and as financial resources become tighter. The focus that he suggested was that of prophetic proclamation of the gospel. CHAPTER TWO "THE LAND OF THE 12 TRIBES" INTRODUCTION The history of the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America (Maryknoll) in Musoma began on 21 October, 1946 when Frs. William Collins, Albert Good, Joseph Brannigan and Louis Bayless stepped off the Lake Steamer at Musoma town, then climbed a lorry for the nine mile trek to Nyegina Mission. Fifty years have passed and over 100 Maryknoll priests, brothers, priest associates, and lay associates have placed their hands to the plow participating in the missionary effort of the Catholic Church in present day Musoma Diocese. What I am about to present is a brief summary of the major aspects of the Society's effort in this portion of Tanzania. So, while I do mention some names, to attempt to describe the efforts of each individual would be a task beyond my capability and to elaborate on just a few would be an injustice to others. THE EARLY YEARS The first four missionaries and the others who followed in those early years kept themselves closely aligned with the pastoral praxis of the Missionaries of Africa, more popularly known as the White Fathers. This was the Society which preceded Maryknoll in Musoma, arriving there in 1911. Upon our arrival in 1946, there were only two missions existing: Nyegina, already mentioned, and Kowak, which was located some 25 miles north of the Mara River. The founder of the White Fathers, Cardinal Lavigerie, established a motto for his Society: "The Conversion of Africa by the Africans." Our early Maryknollers were strongly influenced by the White Fathers and were so grateful to these missionaries for their attentive and fraternal tutelage: When Maryknoll began its work in Musoma in 1946, a number of questions and themes relating to expatriates beginning mission work in another culture occurred concomitantly to Collins, Good, Brannigan, and Bayless. The study of language and culture, the juridical inheritance of the ecclesiastical responsibilities of the Musoma district from the White Fathers, the study and evaluation of mission methods and catechetical structures, human relations with the Tanganyikan people themselves and between the Maryknoll men and the White Fathers, all occupied the conscious mind of Collins and the 3 Maryknollers in that Fall of 1946.(Carney 105-106) These early years were difficult ones for Maryknollers just coming to East Africa for the first time. There was no formal language school training; there was no organized approach to acculturation; there was much work to be done and so few missionaries to do it all. Yet, these men strove hard in service to their people in "the land of the 12 tribes" as an early Maryknoll movie labeled Musoma. Within 10 years, expansion had begun from the two mother missions. By 1956, there were 5 new parishes: Masonga, Iramba, Komuge, Rosanna, and Majita. As Lou Bayless put it: In the early days we were following in the footsteps of the White Fathers, trying to maintain their mission effort. That is, taking care of the parishes, giving the Sacraments, answering sick calls, conducting school classes in religion in the schools, preparing First Communion classes, and of course, performing preparation for marriages, performing marriages, visiting the sick, administering the last rites, and burying the dead. We just followed that. It was really pastoral, there was no great push on economic development.(Bayless, Interview, 16) As Maryknoll began to get its feet on the ground, the creativity of these men began to unfold. Joe Brannigan researched various catechumenate programs and proposed a model which was much shorter (21 months) than the 4 year program inherited from the White Fathers. Maryknollers were debating and presenting new models because they had noticed since 1947 that during the catechumenate program many people were very active and excited. However, these same folks became lax Christians soon after baptism. Also, it had been noticed at Kowak how few men were entering the catechumenate program. It seemed that men were not willing to leave their homes for long periods of time and to put in the time required by the program. Thus, the Maryknollers began to experiment seeking out ways of making the catechumenate program more pertinent in the people's lives while still maintaining the traditional quality in introducing catechumens to the Christian way of life. Ed Baskerville recorded the following in his Kowak African Diary in 1956: A possible avenue of approach to some of the missionaries to rekindle the life of the catechumenate was to move all the preparation work of the catechumenate for baptism to small local outstations near the village of a cluster of people, who were interested in Christianity. It was hoped that more adults might be attracted to the catechumenate, if they did not have to leave their village and its normal social milieu for an extended period of time. It was suggested that it was now essential that a catechist be better trained and he be a man of the people in this small local outstation, who would know the people well and be capable of giving a quality instruction on Christianity. In coordination with such an effort, the priest would make more frequent trips to such local outstations to teach and celebrate the liturgy and encourage the catechumens and Christians and also spend as much time as possible talking with lapsed Christians.(Carney, 195-196) Beginning in the mid-50s and continuing well into the 1970s ideas on how to better inculturate the Gospel were introduced in parishes throughout the diocese. Moving away from a system where everyone walked to the mission for instructions, the missionaries, utilizing their faithful group of parish catechists, began organizing their flock in more local church communities. These local village communities began to provide the "services" formerly obtained at the parish center. The priest's job was that of training catechists and lay leaders and travelling around the parish to visit these new sprouting Christian communities. Gradually, the phenomenon of Jumuyia Ndogo Ndogo (Basic Christian Communities) was experimented with in our Luo missions in the 1960s and eventually became a major pastoral priority in the AMECEA countries by 1975. In this example of work with the Luo people at Kowak and Masonga, the idea of a small cluster of people living near their village and taking all the catechumenate courses at an outstation while under the direction of a good catechist and with frequent visits of the priest, proved to have some moderate success in attracting Africans to the Christian faith. In 1961, the Kowak mission had more than 1000 Baptisms for the first time since its inception in 1933. The heart of the "new" system was the quality of the catechist's instruction in the small local group and much travelling and visiting by the priest to these small local stations. In creating some success in relation to the quality of Christian life in a community, as well as the number of Christians, it demanded much more work and physical effort on the part of the missionaries in both travel and education of his catechists.(Carney, 196-197) THE MARYKNOLL SOCIETY SETTLES IN On 7 December, 1950, Fr. J. Gerard Grondin M.M. was appointed Prefect Apostolic of Musoma. With this move, Musoma was transferred from the White Fathers' jurisdiction and became the responsibility of Maryknoll. With the close assistance of Fr. William Collins, Gerry Grondin helped the new church to prosper in those first years of the 50s. On 3 October, 1957, John Rudin M.M. was consecrated the first Bishop of Musoma. In a 1991 interview the then retired Bishop Rudin commented on Christian formation: In the beginning they (catechumens) stayed at the mission for 6 months. And the idea was not just the instructions, they had a lot of that, but also the Christian way of living and praying. . . . the Christian way of living or thinking is the example of Christ, the example of the holy men and holy women, and being charitable and being kind, and trying to see that people have faults and weaknesses. We forget those things, and we try to make up for them, and help them to overcome it. And help ourselves of course to be better Christians by doing that. That's a way of life and it takes a while to do it. We thought at first, many of us, that once you get them through this 4 year course, and then it was cut to 3 years, and then to 2 years, and now I think it's basically a year but with more classes than over the 4 year period. We thought that once they learned everything in the books, and there were no obstacles to their becoming Christians, baptize them, they'll learn. But it really isn't that way. It has to go on. They've got to get tied into the church family there, the parish or the outstation, or these days jumuyia ndogo ndogo, basic community. You've got to, and that has to continue on, and it has to be a natural process, and it takes a long while to do it, to make a real Christian. That's what we felt and the way it is.(Rudin, Interview, 23-24) Bishop Rudin accurately describes the difficulties encountered as Christianity began to spread in leaps and bounds throughout so many of the parishes in the diocese. Ed Hayes commented that when he first arrived in 1959 and for many years afterward, it seemed that every year there were 1 or 2 new missions being built in the diocese. Indeed Musoma Diocese prospered in those early 1960s. Concern for the establishment of a local clergy and religious led to the opening of St. Pius X Seminary in 1955 and in that same year the Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa Congregation was founded. Equal concern for the development of a responsible lay leadership was expressed through the opening of the Komuge Catechetical Training Center 1966 and in 1968 the Makoko Family Center for the full development of Christian family life. Over the years there has been a greater participation of the laity in all aspects of Church leadership and the Christian community. There have been developments in lay councils and Basic Christian Communities and the church in many parishes has been profoundly affected by the greater participation of the laity. There have also been numerous saintly examples of sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel and models of a vibrant faith expressed in the lives of so many of our Christians in Musoma Diocese. However, I believe it is still fair to say that to this day, a major pastoral challenge remains in what was described back in the 50s at Kowak as the "vibrant catechumen who becomes the lax Christian." I would see it more as the challenge of an authentic inculturation of a Christian way of life among the various peoples, one which truly touches the lives of the over 200,000 baptized Catholics of the diocese. DIOCESAN EXPANSION When we look upon the expansion years of the diocese in terms of the building of institutes and parishes, much of the credit goes to the Maryknoll brothers, namely Br. Fidelius, Br. John Damien Walsh and Br. Brian Fraher. These men were the planners, the engineers, and the foremen in many of those building schemes. None of the Maryknoll priests were trained for such work. Yet, the need has always been there and thus has called many of them to get involved in building also. Mission in Musoma Diocese has always challenged our Maryknollers to get involved in so many ways which has taken us outside of our formal training: extracting teeth, fitting people for eyeglasses, automobile mechanics, road construction, ambulance service, agriculture, animal husbandry, and community cooperatives, to mention just a few. Yet, I think it important to mention another, and perhaps more important level of our missionary endeavor. In 1967, Joe Carney wrote about Bishop Edward McGurkin M.M., then the Bishop of Shinyanga Diocese and paraphrased him in this way: The negative judgments on the missionary church in Africa in the 20th Century are well known - superficial community life, failure to integrate, an adequate acculturation, the neglect of Christian Social Teaching, paternalism, etc., but he raised the issue, how are such questions asked? What is the strident tone of the criticism? Is one building or destroying? The answer for him lies in the ability of one to give himself to the African people, to his fellow African priest and Maryknoller. The gift might often not have the best of tools in anthropology, agriculture, theology, but people do not desire the objects, according to McGurkin, but rather the gift of the person. It is the gift of self, which is the integrating factor in the beauty of Christianity.(Carney, 237) Personal interest in the people and personal attention to their needs are facets of the Maryknoll personality which have remained constant throughout our 50 years in Musoma. The love expressed in self-sacrifice despite whatever shortfalls may exist in various personalities, is what has endeared so many of the Maryknollers in the hearts of their people. There still remains today 8 Maryknoll priests who arrived here in the early 1950s and have remained faithful servants, working side by side with their people till this day. Lou Bayless, commented on Rab Murphy (who died and was buried here in Musoma in 1985) in this way: He was a likeable chap, and he always was thinking of others, and he had a remarkable memory for names. He would say John Mwita and he would retain that name John Mwita 6 months later, if he'd see him in the marketplace, he'd say: "Hello, John Mwita, how are you?" Oh that was really, very very good: to know everybody's name! So many men, women, and children, he retained those names which was remarkable, and that was a great help. He was a good missionaries.(Bayless, Interview, 20) In general it was not easy for Maryknollers to get close to the people in the early years. The formation programs in the States did not promote this. Then the hit and miss approach to language and cultural studies presented a barrier which proved to be a cross for so many throughout their careers. Nevertheless, many bore with the trials and broke through the barriers, enabling them to draw near to the people whom they served. This question of language and culture was prominent in the minds of our missionaries from the very beginning in 1946. However, it was not until 1964 that Maryknoll built its language school at Makoko, situated just a few miles outside of Musoma on the shores of Lake Victoria. Today, the Regional Center is situated also on the campus of the school. The first directors were Fr. George Pfister and Sr. Anita Marie MacWilliams M.M. The next year, 1965, Pfister was succeeded by Fr. Phil Sheerin. The growing predominance of the Swahili language over that of the local languages of the indigenous groups caused this school to concentrate on the national language. Courses were still offered in Luo, Kuria, Kisii and Sukuma languages, but the majority of the 2,200 who have passed through the doors of the Maryknoll Language School have taken the Swahili course. The well organized language program; the systematic approach to culture; the library; the relaxed setting and atmosphere of the school; the cordial and helpful staff; these factors all helped meet the needs expressed over those many years and have helped better equip missionaries for their various ministries in the Swahili speaking world comprising Kenya and Tanzania. In 1972, Maryknoll began its Overseas Training Program (OTP). The ease at which Maryknoll seminarians and brotherhood candidates have been allowed to acculturate in this country through 4 months at the language school and nearly 2 years of apprenticeship in parishes has had a major affect upon the effectiveness of Maryknoll's mission efforts over these past 24 years. These men have been better equipped for the tasks at hand in Musoma. The church has grown, local bishops have been appointed, vocations have prospered, the laity has matured and assumed greater responsibility. Maryknollers in Musoma have been called to assist, to counsel, to listen, to dialogue and be so attentive to this new community of local church. The role has changed significantly from those early days when everything was so dependent upon the Society and its personnel. Today, there is such a great need for close cooperation and working alongside the expanding personnel of the local church. The Maryknoll Language School and the years of apprenticeship in OTP, have been major factors in enabling Maryknollers to meet the challenges of the 1990s here in Musoma Diocese. TANZANIA'S INDEPENDENCE IN 1961, UJAMAA AND THEIR EFFECTS UPON MISSION Tanzania has been an independent nation now for 35 years. The major figure throughout most of this period has been Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere. A native of Musoma, Mwalimu Nyerere has also been a close friend to many Maryknollers over the years. His program for African Socialism, Ujamaa, had a major affect upon Maryknoll's missionary efforts beginning in the late 1960s and continuing until Nyerere's retirement in 1985. Let me give some examples where the Church's preaching of the Gospel was integrated with civil efforts in building up a national identity. In 1966 the Komuge Catechetical Training Center was opened. Its Director, Art Wille wrote the following: The syllabus of Komuge is similar to other catechist training centers with Scripture, Theology, Liturgy, Pedagogy, Church History, Sociology, Kiswahili and Music, but the courses are all orientated toward a growing social and economic awareness in relation to development and nation-building in Tanzania. The doctrinal bases for nation-building and social and economic involvement are structured with the theology courses themselves, for instance, when Genesis is taught special emphasis is made of the person's role in governing and enjoying the fruits of the earth. The liturgy of the Eucharist is celebrated as a community sharing the sacrament of a meal, in which the offertory gifts are readily identified as the fruits of the earth. The Post Vatican II emphasis on the role of the lay person in Church and the Church's responsibility itself in the modern world is stressed in the sociology course as well as the theology course.(Carney, 219) As another example, I cite the Makoko Family Center. At this institute, founded by Fr. Dave Jones and Sr. Margaret Monroe M.M. with the assistance of an African sister and 2 lay couples, 30-40 families from mostly the rural areas would gather for 3 weeks at a time. They would receive updating on Post Vatican II theology in relation to the theology of the Church as the People of God and especially the Sacraments of marriage, eucharist and penance. Half of each day, while living in a communal atmosphere, was also devoted to classes on Ujamaa socialism, the Arusha Declaration and practical experience in farming, sewing, health and child care. Another Maryknoller writing from one of the parishes put Maryknoll's cooperation in the Ujamaa government policy in this way: This means that the work of developing the country economically will be done right in our own backyard. Certainly we cannot afford to ignore such an opportunity. If the Gospel means anything to me, it demonstrates the incarnation of God in human affairs. This indicates that we must also sympathize with the people in their day to day needs and desires, and in any way possible encourage and help them. If the modernization of the traditional village is the aim of the government and hope of the people, I am sure we can be a catalyst in some form, suitable to our talents and meaningful to the local situation. Paul Bomani lists many needs, such as rural water supplies, cooperative use of machines and implements, new marketing systems, social amenities for the young, rural health centers, electricity, rural hospitals, schools, shopping centers, small scale industries, artisans and others. We may be able to establish contracts, act as organizers, perhaps unify the local people, grant use of our facilities for social purposes and so on. The possibilities are innumerable.(Houle Diary, 1966) It was with such zeal that Maryknoll and so many in the Catholic Church embarked on an enterprize which supported the independent Tanzanian government in an effort to build a nation. The goal for the Church was to assure a development which coincided with the Gospel and the building up of God's Kingdom on earth. Thus, a mutual alliance of cooperation was established between Church and Government. The efforts in Musoma Diocese, the home of the Father of the Nation and the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, was one of the prime examples. MODERN TIMES: MARYKNOLL IN THE 90S Actually, from the mid-70s and continuing on till today, the Maryknoll Society has introduced priest and lay associates to its work in Musoma. The Society has nurtured and developed this movement from a time when lay people came to work with Maryknollers on a volunteer basis, to when they came as lay associates and now as priest and lay members of the Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful. The priests and brothers of Maryknoll in Musoma Diocese have established a close working relationship and system of mutual support in mission with these many people over the years. Together with the Maryknoll Congregation we have fostered Maryknoll's mission particularly in pastoral ministry and in the fields of health and education. With so much growth and development in the diocese since the consecration of its first Tanzanian bishop in 1979, Bishop Anthony Mayala, and now under the leadership of his successor Bishop Justin Samba (1989), Maryknoll has much to be proud of as it peers over 50 years of Church history in this diocese. In recent years, the Society has tried to focus its pastoral efforts in those areas where the Gospel has not yet taken root or perhaps has not yet been heard altogether. Thus, personnel have been sent to the far northeastern section of the diocese bordering on the Serengeti Wildlife Preserve to preach "ad gentes." With the diocese's ability to staff many of its parishes with local personnel, Maryknollers have also moved into more specialized ministries. Some have devoted their efforts in Religious formation ministry and chaplaincy at hospitals and schools. Others have turned to the marginated at a local leper colony and in service to those afflicted with AIDS. The spirit of the Maryknoll Hymn "to bring Christ's light and grace to all" carries on. I am often reminded of the words of Bishop James Edward Walsh when he spoke about the missionary vocation. His words went something like this: a missionaries goes to a place where he (she) is needed but not wanted; and he (she) stays there until he (she) is wanted, but no longer needed. During Maryknoll Society's celebration of 50 years of service to the church of Musoma Diocese, it behooves us to continue to reflect upon such words of wisdom. Maryknoll's physical presence will continue to dwindle in numbers in the year's to come as we move in other directions and toward other labors in God's Kingdom. For those who will remain in the diocese, the challenge will remain. There may be many tasks which the local church will "want" us to carry on, but will not really "need" us to do so. Yet, there will also be an apostolate which will "need" the services of missionaries, apostolates which the local church cannot yet assume. May Bishop Walsh's wisdom and that of the over 100 Maryknollers who have preceded us, grace Maryknoll in these years to come. CHAPTER THREE FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE SUKUMA PEOPLE Despite having been ordained now for eleven years and having worked all that time in the Diocese of Shinyanga, I am still the youngest Maryknoll priest or brother in the diocese. Of the Maryknoll Missionaries mentioned in this informal history, I have been privileged to know but a few. Therefore, in endeavoring to present the Society's history for the past forty-two years in this region, I cannot draw much from my personal experience but rather can only relate that which I have been told by others. In a sense this is the traditional African approach to history: the elders gather the children around the fire at night and narrate for them the history of events that have made them a proud people. Like a faithful scrivener, I herein endeavor to record the stories of Maryknoll that I have been told by my elders. THE 1950S: MARYKNOLL GIVES LIFE TO AN INFANT CHURCH It was in October of 1954 that Lou Bayless, Joe Brannigan, Al Schiavone, John Rudin, and Edward (Eppie) James began Maryknoll's missionary work among the Sukuma people of Shinyanga. Al and John went to Kilulu Parish, while Lou and Eppie started at Busanda and were shortly thereafter joined by Maurice Zerr. For the first year, they lived with White Fathers. In mid-1955, Lou received two assistants at Busanda: newly ordained Donald Sybertz and Philip Sheerin. The White Fathers at Buhangija were joined by James L. Lenihan, Al Smidlein, and Edward McGurkin. In that same year, the first two diocesan priests were ordained: Fr. Zachary Buluda at Sayusayu and Fr. Joseph Kaboye at Busanda. Thomas Keefe arrived at Mwanangi-Nassa where he learned the Sukuma language and worked for the next three years together with the Eppie James, George "Tiger" Egan, and Tom Burke. It was during those years that the church at Nassa was built. Meanwhile at Gula mission, John Wohead was learning Sukuma under the tutelage of White Father Lammeke van der Schans and Maryknoller Moe Zerr. By early 1956, Brother John was primed in the language and ready to begin his work as master craftsman for many of the church buildings found throughout the diocese. He began with repairs to the rectory and cistern at Sayusayu where the many-talented George Pfister was living. In April, Lou Bayless moved to Buhangija parish rejoining Fr. Koenen, W.F., who once again handed over the keys within a few months. For that year and the following, Buhangija was home to Maryknollers Charles Liberatore, Jim Lenihan, and the adventurous James Bradley. Regarded as being both kind and thoughtful, John Rudin left Shinyanga when he was made Society Superior in Nairobi. In 1957 he became the bishop of Musoma. The area which is now Shinyanga Diocese was once part of the Diocese of Mwanza, administered by the White Fathers (Missionaries of Africa). Ed McGurkin was named Bishop of the new diocese of Maswa and had his Consecration cards printed by that title. One week before the consecration, however, the title was changed to that of Shinyanga. The ceremony was held on October 3, 1956, in Hartford, Connecticut. As the first Bishop of Shinyanga, he lived at Buhangija until the Sukuma language school was built -- the current staff house of the Shinyanga Commercial School. He guided Maryknoll's missionary efforts and nurtured the infant diocese for the next nineteen years. He is fondly remembered by the early missionaries as being wise in giving them a lot of freedom in their pastoral approaches. This sustained an enthusiasm and vivaciousness in the apostolates that encouraged creativity in announcing the Good News. The prudence of Bishop McGurkin's policy in requesting small plots of land for new mission sites is evident now as land is becoming more scarce and those with huge tracts of land are coming under attack. By 1958 there were over twenty Maryknollers working in the diocese. Jim Lenihan opened Mipa parish, moving there in October. Over the course of the next three years he would be joined at times by George Weber and Brothers Cyril Vellicig, George Carlonas, and Victor Marshall. They founded the Catechist Training Center and many primary schools. Their catechist, Emmanuel Kidola, was the first from Shinyanga Diocese to complete the course at Bukumbi Catechist School, Mwanza. Dick Hochwalt's first pastoral assignment was to Busanda parish -- initially with Moe Zerr and later with sensible George Weber and witty George Daley. By 1959 Moe had become first pastor of Bugisi where John Wohead had supervised the building of a new church and rectory while residing at Busanda. Moe was soon joined at Bugisi by Cyril Vellicig, Ray Kelly and Lionel Bouffard. Don Sybertz transferred to Kilulu with Charles Callahan, Tom Gibbons, and Ed "Tex" Schoellmann. He remained there for the next ten years. John Wohead spent a couple years at that time repairing the rectory, making benches for the church, building an outdoor kitchen, and installing cement floors. He recalls a commanding John Ridyard trying to convince a couple of women in the village to join the catechumenate program, but they stubbornly refused each invitation. On his days off, John Ridyard used his membership in the Mwadui flying club to rent a small airplane. He frequently flew around the diocese making power dives above each of the missions as his way of greeting the Maryknollers. Well, it just so happened that those two women were walking nearby when John dove his plane down over Kilulu. The women fell to their knees and cried out, "Please don't kill us! We'll start attending religion classes now!" At first covering Ndoleleji as an outstation of Wira, Tom Keefe eventually established Ndoleleji as a parish in 1961, building there a church, rectory, school, dispensary, and houses for U.S. Peace Corps volunteers who taught in the school. The Ndoleleji property was given to the Church by Chief Maximillian Shoka. Tom moved to the new parish house where he resided until 1967. During this period, two European lay missionaries were among the very first of their kind to join the missionary efforts of Maryknoll at Ndoleleji. They were Frans Van de Laak and Joseph Rott. THE 1960S: MARYKNOLL BUILDS THE YOUNG CHURCH The decade of the sixties found the young church in Shinyanga diocese in a building frenzy. Parish centers as well as outstations were started and expanded with great enthusiasm. Schools and health clinics were established everywhere that Maryknoll worked. For example, after completing the rectory at Bugisi, the skillful John Wohead erected schools and chapels in several villages. He then added a bell tower, garage, and workshop to the mission compound. He next moved to Mipa to assist George Weber and cigar-loving Jim Lenihan with the construction of cisterns, a convent, a workshop, and houses for the catechist training school. Ed Killackey served as Diocesan Education Secretary for many years and was responsible for many schools being built, including the Buhangija School for the Blind that continues to the present. This job involved a great deal of work and responsibility, because the Ed-Sec was in charge of all the schools and teachers in the diocese. The Ed-Sec office and book store were at Buhangija. Others who served in this position over the years included Charles Callahan, Joe Brannigan, and Charles Kenney. One of the great services that the White Fathers did for the development of the country was to establish "bush schools" at most of their outstations. Many of these were subsequently registered as primary and middle schools that were administered by the Shinyanga Diocese. During the mid-sixties, all of the schools throughout the country were turned over to the government. Many Maryknollers were in favor of this transfer of property and responsibility, reflecting the enthusiastic spirit of independence that prevailed throughout the new Republic of Tanzania. The turning-over also served to free the missionaries to devote themselves more to evangelization and the building of the local church. Charlie Liberatore, as pastor of Buhangija from 1959 to 1961, began the dispensary that grew into the first of twelve Mary Hannon Mahoney Memorial Clinics and Mother-Child Health centers. Charlie operated out of the tiny building that is presently used as the Chancery office at Buhangija. In his distinctively charming and amiable way, Charlie dispensed medicines himself, carrying on from his days at Sayusayu where he was involved in the complete scope of medical treatment. His experiential knowledge often proved far more effective than mere textbook solutions. Ernest Brunelle arrived in Tanganyika in late 1959 and attended Sukuma language school at Gula and Shinyanga Town. He spent the first half of the sixties at Mwamapalala parish, first with the inventive Bob Julien and later with George Pfister. The parish had been started by Bob in 1958 after being given a plot of land by chief Limbe Ng'winula. Initially living at Kilulu while the church and rectory were being built, Ernie recalls that the first Mass in the new church was celebrated on Christmas of 1960. The Uhuru rains of 1961 flooded the nearby pond up to the church doors. Roads and bridges were washed away, so in order to get to the annual retreat in Nairobi they resorted to riding a railway flatcar to Mwanza and then boarding a steamship for the trip north on Lake Victoria to Kisumu, Kenya. George Cotter arrived on the scene in August of 1960. He remembers being in language school with Bill Tokus, Dick McGarr, Mike Callanan, Paul Fagan, John David McGuire, and Ed Killackey. George was first assigned to Gula in 1961 where he worked with Marvin Deutsch and garrulous Walter Stinson until 1964. Ruminative by nature, George recalls there being hundreds of catechumens studying for baptism, but also having plenty of time for hunting trips to the area around Lake Eyasi. Most of the Shinyanga Maryknollers looked forward to the annual trips out to that wilderness area and many a story continues to be told about their adventures. Dan Ohmann managed to get lost one time and ended up sleeping in a river bed hidden at the base of an embankment for fear of lions. The wind had prevented him from hearing the others blowing the Landrover horns until the following morning. Another time, the competitive Cyril Vellicig shot and wounded a lion that he mistook for a hyena coming into camp at night. The lion roared and ran off into the underbrush. Trying to drive around to locate it, the group discovered that their camp was surrounded by dozens of lions. Not many slept in their tents that night! Leo Kennedy sat in his truck until morning smoking a big cigar -- all that was visible to the others was the glowing ash in the middle of a dense cloud of smoke. During yet another trip it was John Wohead's turn to cook. Someone had mistakenly put a jerry can of gasoline next to the cooking fire in place of the normal jerry can of drinking water. When John went to pour some water into a pot on the fire, the petrol ignited, splashing over him, as well. He managed to get his pants off quickly and to roll on the ground to extinguish the flames, but he was still badly burned. Don Sybertz claims to have saved John by covering him with a blanket, but to this day John continues to chide Don, "You were too late!" To which Don always retorts, "You still haven't thanked me for saving your life!" In mid-1961, Al Smidlein took over as pastor of the Shinyanga Town Parish. Being an outgoing person, Al's dedication over the next thirteen years would make his name synonymous with the Town. He was the fostering father of the Shinyanga Commercial School that he opened as the parish hall. Al supervised the enlargement of the original, small church building expanding it to its present size. Brother John Walsh did the architectural work on the new structure. At the church's dedication, Al welcomed President Julius Nyerere to the ceremonies. Arriving in the country for the first time in August 1962, John Lange was a man of unbounded compassion. He joined the Gula crowd in mid-1963 and devoted himself to opening new territory and outstations for the ensuing five years. Later he was joined by a work-loving Thomas Gibbons and the friendly Tom McDonnell. Their efforts eventually spawned two new parishes: Mwanhuzi and Mwandoya. Sometime during the sixties, while stationed at Busanda with the magisterial George Daley, a young Leo Kennedy learned an important mission survival tactic. Over a hundred rambunctious school children arrived at the mission to attend a week of catechism classes, but in their free time they took to punching holes in some of the twenty-odd, corrugated iron, rain water tanks upon which the mission depended. Fearing not for the delicacy of their infant faith, George ordered them all to return home until they learned to respect the church property. To this day, some of those same tanks remain in working condition! Clean water for the missions and for the village people among whom Maryknollers have lived has been a constant concern over the decades. From August 1961 to March 1962, steady Lou Bayless continued Maryknoll's missionary work in Nassa with Michael Callanan. During that period, four Maryknoll Sisters came to establish a clinic at the parish. Lou vividly recalls the road to Mwanza being closed during November and December of 1961 due to the downpour that came to be known as the Uhuru (Independence) rains. John Wohead arrived to repair the storm damage to the rectories and to improve the school, clinic, and church buildings at both Nassa and Chamugasa. The determined Phil Sheerin followed Dick Hochwalt as pastor of Buhangija in 1963, and later Paul Fagan took over from Phil. Charlie Callahan founded Old Maswa parish in 1962, naming it the church of St. Ann following on his mother's name. By the late sixties, Paul Fagan became its pastor. His great love for the Sukuma people has since manifested itself by the development of the largest dispensary in the diocese, numerous workshops, a children's home and craft school for invalids, a convent, and sizable church buildings in the distant centers. The idea Paul started inspired many to attempt to improve the quality of villagers' lives through improved methods of appropriate technology and farming techniques, including extension services and model farming plots. Fresh from Maryknoll Society service in Minnesota, a down-to-earth Daniel Ohmann reached Tanzania in 1964 and began working at Chamugasa in 1965 with Jim Bradley and at Malili with Eppy James. It was there that Dan met Mr. Edson Moyo, a Malawian carpenter and builder who had been trained by George Carlonas. Moyo began working for Dan building churches and houses and moved with Dan to Ndoleleji in 1967 where he continues to aid the building efforts of the church to this day. At Ndoleleji, Dan was active in building and supporting an agricultural training center that later became a catechist school. He and Moyo installed windmills in many villages to provide water during the seven month long dry season each year. Various Maryknollers worked alongside Dan during the seventies and early eighties, including Herb Gappa, Ed Schoellmann, Dave Schwinghamer, Larry Lewis, and the animated Jim Lee. After teaching at the national seminary at Kipalapala for several years (together with Maryknoller George Putnam), Dick Hochwalt was assigned once again to be pastor of Buhangija in 1967. Bishop McGurkin and Bob Lefebvre were there, along with John Ridyard as Diocesan Treasurer. Dick returned to Kipalapala later that year for another four semesters of teaching canon law. Thomas Shea arrived in Africa in 1967 and came to Sukumaland in 1968 after attending language school. He worked for a few months at Mwamapalala while a pastor was sought for Wira. Charlie Callahan went to Wira as pastor in 1968 and was immediately joined by Tom. Together they strengthened the village outstation communities. In 1971, Bishop McGurkin appointed Tom as pastor when Charlie moved to Mipa. Wira was home for Tom for 24 years. His love for the Sukuma people and theirs for him became obvious to all when Tom spent over a year in the United States caring for his mother. Hundreds of letters were exchanged between this dedicated, parish shepherd and his devoted flock. 1968 was the 100th Anniversary of the Church in Tanzania. The diocesan celebration was held at the Nyalikungu Sports Field in June, and all Maryknollers were in attendance. Having spent a decade at Kilulu, by 1968 the typically unhurried Don Sybertz was ready for a move. That was to Gula where he had over eighty villages through which to roam. Of all the places in that vast territory, Don fell in love with Mwanhuzi -- an African version of Dodge City as it was in the 1860's. He moved into a small, mud block house that officially became a rectory in 1975 when Mwanhuzi was made a parish. Don was its first pastor, and he dedicated the following twenty years to evangelizing the Sukuma people through the innovative use of their traditional songs and sayings. The wild team of Herbert T. Gappa and William Gilligan descended on Africa in the latter part of 1968, and Finlander jokes were introduced to the southern hemisphere. They were the last Maryknollers to learn the Sukuma language as an initial course. (It is rumored that their teachers threatened to strike after being subjected to that pair of students.) In 1968 Ernie Brunelle joined Phil McCue at Kilulu for a year and then was alone for another three years. An indoor bathroom was added to the rectory. Despite the objections of parish council members (who wanted to keep the parish clinic's profits for church use alone), earnest Ernie initiated a water project for the whole village bringing a pipe from the Senani river. To this day, the villagers continue to benefit from Ernie's vision, and the church at Kilulu is recognized as being in service to the wider community. The end of the decade saw a man land on the moon. A quieter, but certainly no less momentous, event took place within the world-wide church. Rome ended the Law of Commitment by which each mission territory was placed under the direct rule and administration of a missionary society or congregation. The immediate effect of that change was to make Bishop McGurkin the first resident Bishop of Shinyanga directly responsible to the Vatican's Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith rather than to Maryknoll, New York. In the long-term, however, the step led to the rapid advance and development of the local churches and to indigenous bishops. THE 1970S: MARYKNOLL DEVELOPS THE GROWING CHURCH From early 1969 through Lent of 1971, Herb Gappa assisted first Jim Lenihan and then Castor Sekwa at Sayusayu parish. It was the first time that a Maryknoller had been the associate priest under an African pastor. Brother Frank Norris was at Sayusayu during this period, as well. George Cotter was roaming through the diocese during the early seventies giving three day Biblical seminars in outstations of many different parishes. He estimates that at least 5000 people attended the course over three years. As economic conditions deteriorated throughout the seventies, the roads became worse and approached being unbearable. Up until the present, travel is a torturous adventure and avoided whenever possible. Ill-mannered drivers make the situation even worse. As luck would have it, a forthright Lionel Bouffard was driving to town one day when two trucks in a row forced him off into the ditch. Both drivers barreled towards him smack in the middle of the road refusing to move over to their side. Lionel was steaming mad, so he resolved to himself that the next driver was going to have to move over for him and not vice versa. Shortly, a vehicle appeared on the horizon heading towards Lionel. Sure enough, it was cruising right down the middle of the road. Lionel held his ground and continued heading straight down the center of the road, as well. Holding on to the steering wheel with nerves of pure steel, Lionel was rewarded at the last moment when the approaching vehicle swerved off the road into the ditch leaving Lionel unscratched. He felt pretty good about himself until he received a letter shortly thereafter. "Dear Fr. Bouffard, Why did you try to kill me with your car a few days ago? Signed, Bishop McGurkin" From Malampaka, Lou Bayless returned to Buhangija in 1971 where he has served now for 25 years. During that tenure he has worked alongside many of Maryknoll Shinyanga's greatest missionaries: Bishop Edward McGurkin, Fathers Charles Liberatore, the ever-bouncy Eppie James, John Ridyard, comical Jim Bradley, Charlie Callahan, the sociable George Putnam, Dick Hochwalt, Ernest Brunelle, Jim Lenihan, Al Smidlein, and Brothers Cyril Vellicig, John Wohead, gentle Gene Casper, blustery George Carlonas, Frank Norris, and the humorous Kieran Stretton. The seventies witnessed several attempts at "team ministry" with mixed degrees of success. One major experiment was conducted at Mwanangi-Nassa and included Moe Zerr, John Wohead, Joe Sullivan, Dan Zwack, and the well-liked Randy Madonna. A second attempt was made at Mwamapalala by a knowledgeable Carl Meulemans, Mike Bishop, the imaginative Dick McGarr, Tom McDonnell, and for a short period of time Paul Fagan. As had always been suspected, however, these trials confirmed that the typical Shinyanga Maryknoller thrives best as an individual! Moving over to Ndoleleji for most of 1971 and the start of 1972, Herb Gappa teamed up with David Schwinghamer to combat the sky-filling, dust storms by performing native American, rain dances. They claim to have been effective -- or at least famous! Dave participated in teaching at the parish's Family Training Course. For the rest of 1972, Herb covered the Mipa homestead on his trusty motorcycle doing a lot of pastoral visits and sacramental ministry in the villages furthest from the parish center. During 1973 and 1974, Dave and Dan Ohmann joined forces with Don Sybertz and Ken Thesing to try a team approach to ministry and catechist training for the Gula-Ndoleleji areas. In mid-1974, Ken began working part-time in Shinyanga Town as the Coordinator of the diocesan Agricultural Program, replacing Mike Duffy. When Jim Lee was assigned to Ndoleleji in late 1975, Ken was able to move to Shinyanga to work on the Program full-time. He served as such for six years, recruiting five United States Agriculturalists to do extension and demonstration work among the people of Shinyanga and Musoma. Rain, traditional dances, and weddings are among some of the most important events in the Sukuma culture. After successfully filling up the river with a major rain dance one time, Herb Gappa recalls having to cross the swollen torrent in a tiny styrofoam boat. Missionaries would on occasion have to leave their vehicles on the far side of the river and walk the four miles to the mission since there was no bridge in those early years at Ndoleleji. To avoid the hike, Herb floated down river towards the mission and came upon two crowds of people -- one on either side of the river -- yelling across to each other. A wedding had been planned that day. Being afraid of the deep waters, the bride's family was saying, "If you love us, you'll send your son over here." While the groom's family was saying, "No, if you love us, you'll send your daughter over here." As Herb floated between the two groups, he reflected on how marriage -- and perhaps mission -- must involve compromises from all involved! Bishop McGurkin asked Jim Lenihan in 1973 to return to Salawe to teach the Christian community there to live without a resident priest. He accomplished that task over the next three years. At the same time, Ernest Brunelle returned from a Stateside sabbatical and went to work at Malampaka where he resided until 1981. He shared the mission life briefly with Kevin King but for much of the time he was on his own. Ernie frequently visited his neighbors, George Delaney at Sayusayu or Bill Murphy and Dick McGarr at Nyalikungu. During these years many became active in the Yesu Caritas group started by Phil Wallace at the Shinyanga Secondary School near Mwadui mine. From mid-1973 to early 1974, John Lange helped out at Sayusayu and then headed off to language school in Musoma to learn the national language of Swahili. In September he moved into Nyalikungu, Maswa, as pastor and spent three years animating the village outstations. During that time he was joined by the industrious William Murphy and the effervescent Bill Gilligan -- also, on the Overseas Training Program were seminarians Robert Jalbert and Kevin King. The government's program of forced villagization in 1974 contributed to creating a famine situation throughout Sukumaland and much of the rest of the country. Dave Schwinghamer joined Don Sybertz at Gula where he eventually took over as pastor and stayed until 1979. In the midst of famine relief efforts, the vast Gula territory was further expanded into four sub-parishes. Reflecting back on the villagization scheme, however, Ken Thesing observed that by concentrating people into small areas, the church was given an unprecedented opportunity to organize praying communities and to form a system of catechists to preach the Word of God in a more focused setting. It was out of the need to train catechists for over 100 new villages that Ndoleleji, Gula and Wira started their own one-year catechist training program. True to his reputation as a considerate man, in 1975 Bishop McGurkin retired and returned to the United States. Bishop Castor Sekwa was consecrated that year and became the first indigenous bishop of the diocese. Lou Bayless noted that just as independence was given a heavenly welcome (the Uhuru Rains), so too the new bishop was welcomed by a hurricane-force storm that blew the roof off of the Buhangija rectory! Herb Gappa, known for his progressive approach to mission, joined Paul Fagan at Old Maswa at the start of 1977. From that base, Herb began the establishment of a parish in the new district center of Bariadi. The Catholic community there has been innovative in promoting the concern for the land by demonstrating the importance of trees, water, and careful farming methods. Herb moved to Bariadi while construction of parish offices, rectory, church, and hall were in process. Now he is making plans to build a second parish on the other side of Bariadi town. THE 1980S: MARYKNOLL NURTURES THE MATURING CHURCH From 1980 to the end of 1982, Ken Thesing resided at Gula parish which was then being staffed by the Society of African Missionaries. From that base of operation, Ken developed the new parish of Mwandoya, situated some thirty miles east of Gula and having fifteen outstations -- some as far away as fifty miles. In that area, Ken established a church presence in some villages that had never before heard the Gospel message. He said the first Masses in several villages and worked with catechists to organize the first praying communities. Beginning in 1982, Dan Ohmann shifted his work efforts from Ndoleleji to nearby Imalaseko, a center of Mwanhuzi parish. He and Don Sybertz maintained their "retreat" house on the bluff overlooking the Mangu river at Ndoleleji. Surrounded by a rare colony of Fischer's lovebirds, they enjoyed the serenity and played tennis. Ken Thesing took over as pastor of Ndoleleji where he stayed until elected to the General Council at the Maryknoll Society Chapter of 1984. (At the completion of his six year term, Ken was subsequently elected Superior General of Maryknoll -- the office he holds at the time of this writing.) Cyril Vellicig has been a shrewd and effective treasurer of the diocese since 1978. His business savvy showed as early as 1961 when he was working as Maryknoll's procurator in Nairobi. The Regional Superior, Paul Bordenet, had a project going for wood carvers but it was not proving to be a financial success. Despite the fact, he often enthusiastically told Cyril, "We're going to make a lot of money selling these items," but it just never happened. So one day he asked Cyril for his suggestions on how to make the project viable. Cyril didn't beat around the bush. He responded, "Liquidate the stock!" As Paul's face turned beet red, he blurted out, "O.K. Mister liquidator, what do you propose to do?!" Famine struck hard in 1984. Being acutely sensitive to the plight facing the Sukuma villagers, Ken Thesing was instrumental in notifying international relief agencies in Dar es Salaam about the coming disaster. During much of 1984 and 1985, American-donated bulgar wheat and cooking oil were distributed in most parishes to stave off starvation. This massive endeavor became a full-time job for many Maryknollers, but their dedicated efforts left a lasting impression among all the people of Shinyanga. As part of the relief work, Dan Ohmann began visiting the nomadic Wataturu tribe around Lake Eyasi. Although he was the first Shinyanga missionaries to reach this small, remote tribe, by helping them with famine relief, they came to trust him. Dan gradually learned bits of their language and started sharing with them the message of Christ. Inspired by Dan's efforts, newly-ordained Jim Eble joined the mission to the Wataturu in 1988 and endeavored for two years to learn their language and gain their trust. The Wataturu, however, proved very reluctant to embrace new concepts. In August of 1983 after straightening out the Treasury Department at Maryknoll, New York, in record time, Dick Hochwalt returned to Shinyanga -- at first getting re-acclimated at Wira for a few months and then returning to Buhangija as Chancellor of the Diocese. Figuring that the third time must be the charm, he became pastor of Buhangija again in 1990 when it was officially re-opened as a parish. "Hocky" has spent the past thirteen years there, walking with the Sukuma people through the valleys of famine and AIDS. In October of 1985, Leo Kennedy moved from Old Maswa to become pastor of Nyalikungu together with newly-ordained David A. Smith. The parish had been without a priest for most of that year, so they were received with much rejoicing. Bishop Sekwa appointed Dave to be the diocesan youth director, and as such he joined the national convention of Young Christian Workers when they met with President Nyerere to express their concern over the legislature's agenda on artificial birth control. After Dave was appointed pastor of Ndoleleji at the start of 1988, Leo's jovial nature was rewarded by Bishop Sekwa's sending him a newly ordained African priest each year. Leo was living up to his nickname of "Guku" (grandfather). As a seminarian, Dave Smith had already lived at Ndoleleji for a couple of months in 1983 while his classmate, Peter LeJacq, was there for a summer of medical fieldwork. When Dave was later asked to move and Peter inquired where, all Dave needed to say was, "To the end of the world." Peter's immediate response was, "No! Not Ndoleleji!" In the land of dry season dust and rainy season mud with no in between, Dave first spent five years covering the thirty outstations on his own while administrating the mission compound that included a large dispensary and maternity center, a carpentry and welding shop, a sewing school, a tractor and grain grinding machine, and a parish bookshop, library and office. Expanding the baptismal programs and religious education programs in the village schools, while reviving the parish council at the parish and village levels, the vigorous missionaries saw the number of Christians in the territory double in seven years. Large center churches were built in the two most remote districts with the local Christians comprising the labor force. Beginning in 1993, Bishop Sekwa started assigning newly ordained priests to Ndoleleji each year to assist Dave with the continually expanding, pastoral work. Now plans have begun to build a new parish in the center located at Mhunze town. In 1983 Bill Tokus became pastor of St. Paul the Apostle center at Shinyanga Secondary School, and the following year a new church and chaplaincy center were blessed by Archbishop Marko Mihayo of Tabora. Marv Deutsch then succeeded Bill. After serving as chaplain to the students of the Shinyanga Secondary School for six years, Marv moved to Shinyanga Town to complete the diocesan Youth Center that Bill had begun building in 1978. A priest who is both spiritual and practical, Marv single-handedly got the stalled project back on track. The Queen of Peace Youth Center was officially opened in April of 1989. That same year, Brother Kevin Dargan joined Marv at the Center Being one of the most well-read Maryknollers in Africa, Kevin has been instrumental in creating the best library in the Region. The Center offers activities for the town youth on a daily basis and conducts retreats and seminars throughout the year. The hospitality of Marvin and Kevin to all Maryknollers and diocesan personnel has been enjoyed immensely in recent years. THE 1990S: MARYKNOLL EMPOWERS THE AFRICAN CHURCH After ten years of Society service in the Development Department, Ernie Brunelle returned to Tanzania in 1991 and took up residence at Buhangija. He devoted himself to teaching religion in several of the secondary schools in and around Shinyanga Town in conjunction with Kevin Dargan and Marv Deutsch. Living in the city and working with young adults, Ernie became intensely aware of their many problems. The AIDS epidemic was in full swing, so burials of young adults were common. In 1993, Ernie started a small metal-craft workshop to give the local youth a usable trade. After visiting Shinyanga during a sabbatical in the mid-1980's, Lou Quinn was enamored with the Sukuma people and elected to move from Taiwan where he had served for many years. He spent the second half of 1992 in Bariadi with Herb Gappa, and in 1993 became the associate to an African pastor at Sayusayu. Like an itinerant contemplative, Lou spends a lot of time walking through villages in the area making first contacts with people who have yet to hear the name of Jesus. During the first half of the nineties, the Maryknoll Society contributed greatly to the construction of the Shinyanga cathedral. First John Wohead and later Marv Deutsch were instrumental to the actual building of the church. The Ngokolo cathedral was dedicated in May of 1994. On the same property, Marv built a new diocesan office block and a hostel for clergy. Both were dedicated and blessed by the Papal Nuncio to Tanzania during his pastoral visit to the diocese in January 1994. SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD On June 10, 1994, one of the longest-serving Maryknollers in Shinyanga Diocese went to his eternal reward: Charles Callahan, pastor of Mwadui Mine Parish since 1977. He arrived in Shinyanga after his ordination in 1955 and served his entire priesthood working in various locations throughout the diocese. Charlie will always be remembered for his delightful disposition. His direct manner and off-beat humor brought life to many a gathering; and although he often posed as a lighthearted joker, he was very serious in his fidelity to his priesthood and service to his people. Charlie hated phoniness and always talked "straight from the shoulder." He expected others to do the same. He was often heard to comment, "Never try to B.S. a B.S.'er!" Over the years, the Maryknollers who have lived among the Sukuma people of Shinyanga have been touched by their gentle ways. In seeking to make them more Christian like us, we find ourselves becoming more Christian like them. Without even realizing it, we have become more patient and less hurried than typical Americans. Hospitality and greetings have become second nature to us. Respect for the sanctity of human life and the ultimate importance of human relationships has drawn us closer to the path of our Lord. In a very real sense, we have become "natives" of Shinyanga having been born into our missionary vocations here and having been fulfilled in our priestly / brotherly lives here. We are grateful to God for having been sent among the Sukuma tribe. In sum, Charlie Cal, who is the first Maryknoller to be buried in the soil of Shinyanga and the first priest to be interred in the grounds of the new Mater Misericordiae Cathedral, once told me, "The Sukuma are the most beautiful people in all of Africa... maybe the most beautiful people that God has ever made. We have been blessed to have been sent to live among them, to share the joy of our faith with them, and to die knowing that we and the Sukuma people have learned to love one another." CHAPTER FOUR SERVING THE NATIONAL CHURCH The fifty years from 1946 to 1996 actually contain many Maryknoll histories. While Musoma and Shinyanga are the best known places with the largest number of Maryknollers, another important story is Maryknoll and the National Church in Tanzania. Also some other Maryknollers have worked at the AMECEA or the Eastern Africa level of which Tanzania is a significant part. During these past 50 years the number of Maryknollers who have served at the national or regional level are impressive: two bishops, 28 priests, one Brother, 11 Sisters, two lay associates and one lay affiliate. The breakdown according to their main work is: 12 people: Tanzania National Episcopal Conference/Catholic Secretariat. 5 people: Tanzania National Seminaries. 19 people: Tanzania National Institutes (including hospitals). 9 people: AMECEA Level. To get a glimpse of the contribution of these forty five people, I will give here the stories of four representative Maryknollers and their service to the Local Church in Eastern Africa. MARYKNOLL AND THE TEC/CATHOLIC SECRETARIAT Some years ago I met Del Robinson at the Happy Hour at Maryknoll, N.Y. He was his usual dour, taciturn self and said very little. When I mentioned "Tanzania" he suddenly lit up, became very animated and asked: "What's happening out there?" In 1953 the Catholic Hierarchy was established in the "then" Tanganyika and the Catholic vicariates became dioceses. The Tanganyika Catholic Welfare Organization or TCWO (in the original draft "conference" was used rather than "organization") was formed in 1956 with six departments. In 1964 Tanganyika and Zanzibar united to form Tanzania. In 1965 the national bishops organization became the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC). The first Plenary Assembly of the Inter-territorial Episcopal Board of Eastern Africa (ITEBEA) was held in Dar es Salaam in July, 1961 and in November, 1964 this organization became the Association of the Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA). The forward vision of Tanzania is reflected in the booklet celebrating 25 years of AMECEA which stated in its Milestones of AMECEA: "June, 1960: The Tanganyika Catholic Welfare Conference [Organization] launched the idea of a regional cooperation of the episcopal conferences of Eastern Africa." Del Robinson was an important part of this history. Jerry Grondin was the first Secretary General of the Tanganyika Catholic Welfare Organization and Del succeeded him in February, 1963. They helped to set up the organizational structure of the now Tanzania Catholic Secretariat in Dar es Salaam with its various departments and commissions. The Tanzanian structure was based on the National Catholic Welfare Conference (NCWC) of the Catholic Bishops in the U.S.A. This in turn was the model used in setting up the chancery offices and other departments in various dioceses in Tanzania. Despite the efficient and systematic work of Grondin and Robinson, observers have asked if this American infrastructure (with its heavy requirements of office staff and money) was an appropriate model for a newly independent country in the Third World. Even today the Catholic Church in Africa is struggling to find its own organic "mix" of the personal/pastoral priorities and the necessary structure/organization. During the period 1963-65 Robinson accompanied the Tanzanian bishops to Rome for the Second Vatican Council. During these years the Fall Plenary Meetings of the TEC were held in Rome in October. Del contributed his many organizational and coordinating skills as well as a broad vision of church. He was definitely the right man at the right time for laying a firm foundation. In 1966 Del was elected a delegate of the then Africa Region to the Fifth General Chapter of the Maryknoll Society. Then he was elected to the General Council. Serving as Assistant Secretary General of TEC, Father James Sangu succeeded Del Robinson briefly before he was ordained the Bishop of Mbeya Diocese on 11 September, 1966. Then Father Robert Rweyemamu became the new Secretary General building on the solid foundation of Grondin and Robinson. While no Maryknoller has served in that position since then, a number have served on commissions, in various offices and institutes of TEC. MARYKNOLL AND TANZANIAN SEMINARIES Although Dick Hochwalt has served in various teaching and administrative positions for many years, his heart has always been in bush pastoral work as described by Mike Snyder in 1995: "Dick Hochwalt, who recently passed the 70 mark, is found regularly putting a safari bed with net and various sundry necessities on the back of his bicycle as he travels out to the villages to spend a few days among the rural folks of Shinyanga Diocese." Dick Hochwalt taught Moral Theology at Kipalapala Major Seminary in Tabora for six months in 1966 and again from 1967 to 1969. His former students are working in many dioceses throughout Tanzania including Archbishops Anthony Mayala and Polycarp Pengo and Bishops Aloysius Balina, Telesphore Mkude and Fortunatus Lukanima. Dick is one of a large number of Maryknoll priests who have taught in the major or minor seminaries in Tanzania. From the very beginning Maryknoll's top priority was to establish the Local Church in Tanzania. One very important way was the development of the local Tanzanian clergy. Following the lead of the Missionaries of Africa (formerly called the White Fathers) Maryknoll helped to staff Kipalapala, Segerea Major Seminary in Dar es Salaam and various seminaries in Kenya for both diocesan priests and religious. Just as Maryknoll itself started as a national mission seminary, Maryknoll has assisted in the teaching and formation work of the national seminaries in East Africa. Over the years Dick has also been the secretary of the Canon Law Commission of the TEC. His records of marriage cases are legendary. He always has had a deeply pastoral concern for the situation of local couples. One wonders what would have happened if he had started using a computer database to record marriage cases 40 years ago. MARYKNOLL AND NATIONAL INSTITUTES In 1993 I was talking to Archbishop Anthony Mayala of Mwanza Archdiocese about the Tanzanian preparations for the 1994 African Synod. I complained that nothing seemed to be happening on the local, grassroots level. He startled me by saying, "I agree, but what we need is another Frank Murray to animate us on the local level." Frank (Ace) Murray was one of the most creative and innovative Maryknollers in East Africa. He was assigned to the then Africa Region in 1948 and worked in Tanzania until he left the region in 1972 and later Maryknoll in 1974. First Frank worked among the Luo in North Mara. He assisted a French sociologist, Marie-France Perrin Jassy, in a study of the Luo African Independent Churches in North Mara and their style of basic community life. Although 1973 and 1976 are considered the official starting points for Small Christian Communities (SCCs) in the AMECEA countries, the very beginning of SCCs can be traced back to Nyarombo Parish in Musoma Diocese, Tanzania in 1966 with this research on the social structures and community values of the Luo Ethnic Group. After studying in Europe, Frank became the secretary of the Pastoral Department of the TEC and then the Director of the Bukumbi Pastoral Institute in November, 1967. This institute was founded by the visionary Bishop Joseph Blomjous, M.Afr. in 1962 and was originally located outside of Mwanza. Later it became the Tanzania Pastoral and Research Institute (TAPRI) located first in Kipalapala, Tabora and now in Dar es Salaam. In June, 1970 Father Theobald Msambure was appointed the first Tanzanian Director. Murray was instrumental in promoting the special "Seminar Study Year" (SSY) which took place throughout Tanzania in 1969 to implement the teachings of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). He spearheaded a plan of organizing in every diocese, parish and sub-parish a period of six months of discussion and reflection on the major problems facing the Catholic Church in Tanzania during the post-Vatican II Period. The specific methodology was an on-going process of critical reflection on vital issues facing the church and society. This culminated in a National Seminar at the University of Dar es Salaam from 10-18 December, 1969. After this seminar week, study and action continued again on the local level. During this time the SSY gave great impetus to the growth of the Church in Tanzania. Key topics included the Church's cooperation with the Tanzanian government in the socio-economic field, community development, Africanization, the priest's ministry in modern Tanzania, the role of the laity, local patterns of ministry, specialized apostolates, self reliance and the evolving "assisting" role of the expatriate missionary. During the SSY the concept and praxis of SCCs which were then called "local Church communities" were first articulated as a priority in both rural and later urban parishes. It can truly be said that the dynamism of the SSY (largely due to Frank's personality and drive) was a big factor in making Tanzania the most forward looking country in the Catholic Church in Eastern Africa at that time. In his African history entitled 2000 Years of Christianity in Africa, John Baur states of this period: "The Catholic Church in Tanzania was undoubtedly leading its sister churches in Eastern African -- the so-called AMECEA countries -- in self-reliance, but also in pastoral and liturgical renewal." MARYKNOLL AND THE EASTERN AFRICAN CHURCH After my arrival in East Africa in August, 1968, my first stop was Kampala, Uganda. Mike Pierce picked me up at Entebbe Airport in his Volkswagen Beetle and a couple of days later a group of us from the Gaba Pastoral Institute went out to a Chinese Restaurant in downtown Kampala. Gertrude Maley whispered to me: "If we let Mike do all the ordering, you will have a real experience." Well, Mike was really in his element: "commandeering" the table as it were, joking with the waiters, explaining all the varieties of Chinese dishes, spinning around the revolving serving table and making sure everyone had a good time. Now I can't go to a Chinese restaurant without thinking of Mike. Similar to Frank Murray, Alden (Mike) Pierce's missionary journey led through Luoland, advanced catechetical studies in Europe and the Bukumbi Pastoral Institute. In 1968 Mike joined the staff of the AMECEA Pastoral Institute to teach catechetics and religious education in a nine-month residential course for priests, Brothers, Sisters and lay people. At that time AMECEA covered the countries of Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia and later expanded to include Ethiopia, Sudan, Seychelles and Somalia. Mike was a fun-loving and exuberant teacher. What he lost in disorganization and an "all over the place" teaching style, was more than made up by his enthusiasm, excitement and energy. Mike plunged in where angels feared to tread. When the men and women's residence blocks at Gaba were completed, Mike sent his now famous postcard back to a Brother at Maryknoll, N.Y that read: "Well, Gertrude and I are finally living together at Gaba." With other lecturers that included such well known theologians as Brian Hearne and Aylward Shorter, Mike pioneered an inter-disciplinary approach and a team teaching methodology with each teacher sitting in on the other lectures. Pastoral, theological, biblical and anthropological themes were taught in a life-experience process that emphasized building Christian community. Mike was also part of a team that produced two textbooks Developing in Christ and Christian Living Today in the secondary school religious education project. The methodology of a life-centered catechesis was far ahead of its time in Africa. Besides all of this, Mike was authentically concerned for all his students and went out of his way to find out where they were coming from and to help them reflect on their local reality. Four Maryknollers -- Del, Dick, Frank and Mike -- but behind them many other Maryknollers and a far-reaching vision of Church and a tireless missionary zeal. In a very real way, Maryknoll in the past has had a hand in shaping the Church in Tanzania at a National level. CHAPTER FIVE MARYKNOLL ASSOCIATE PRIESTS AN ODE TO MARYKNOLL The facts, The statistics, The prime matter of Maryknoll Associate Priests in Africa: Number-wise: 0000 - 1980: 4 1980 - 1994: 6 Total: 12 States-wise: West - 2 Central - 3 Minnesota - 1 and a half Other - 4 Total: 12 Age-wise: 20 - 30: 1 and a half ` 30 - 40: 6 40 - 50: 2 Other: All Total: 12 Wise-wise: Brilliant Biblically perfect The decision The impulse The call of the wild to be to become to live as an African Missioner is as varied as fingerprints the stripes on a zebra the folage of the Serengeti the waves of Lake Victoria the matatus of Nairobi From the shock on our mothers' faces the resigned set of our fathers' shoulders the ruckus laughter of our beloved siblings We learned early that Africa is a divine call from the womb from a fall from our baby-crib from National Geographic from love too close from love too far. We, like Samuel, hear: Tom! Bill! John! Blindly, we answer: Nipo! Then we hear something like: you are my beloved wild woolly child. I am very well pleased to see you surrounded enveloped enchanted by African lively loveliness. After the vision, images play with our minds: elephants and lions jungles and plains faces and smiles dances and spears. Fears churn our bowels: snakes mosquitoes jungle-rot Aids refugees and famines wars and rumors of war. A strange courage wells up as we pack raincoats and hats repellant and pills cool-shades and Bible pocket-knife and a Mars bar. Doubts bubble up from volcanic depths: You gotta be crazy! Who else does this? I am going where to do what? Not me, who likes three squares and no hard lifting! God said what? Oh, but then, the comfort the confusion the consolation of the Knoll, and we are planted firmly in missionary myth. Intensely relaxed Sun-baked and ancient Hilariously sad Balb and Serene Anxiously intellectual Honey-lipped missioners smooth over the doubts reconcile the paradoxes assuage our fears...............in short, lie to us. As Picasso proclaimed: All art is a lie to help us appreciate reality. As Maryknollers say: All mission is a lie until you live it! We study Global Awareness Inculturation Missiology Malaria Counter-culture. Wonderful words, but in fact in Africa in reality, way too real. Global Awareness: Reading an October 15, 1992 Newsweek on January 31, 1993 and re-reading it on February 12, March 19, April 17. Inculturation: Admitting I don't have the slightest idea after 14 years. Counter-culture: over the counter - Hamna - None available. under the culture - frying our Spam. Missiology: Waving at the folks in the field. The folks waving back. God doing the rest. Malaria: Fever Headache stiff joints 4 x 4 x 2 I got to be crazy. At the Knoll of Mary, you find out you are not alone you are part of a world people are very generous prayer works God has a sense of humor you are nothing special in a special way As a Maryknoll Associate: Maryknoll is a mystic word about to be enfleshed. Mission has a glorious rustic ring about to be demythologized Justice and peace are noble words about to become painfully real. Life in the spirit is a personal matter about to become a matter of survival. A Maryknoll Associate is a feet-firmly-on-the-ground person about to be launched into outer-cultural-space. Whether we were introduced to mission through an Orientation Program a Mission Institute an Overseas Seminar We, novice associates, realize that Maryknollers teach out of suffered experience That Maryknoll is a safety net that there is a wisdom in Maryknoll that the members cannot even articulate. I like the image of stepping off the plane in East Africa onto a trapeze platform swinging to and fro stunned but with a Maryknoll safety net. We go about the wild and high trapeze of mission with Maryknoll yelling and cheering as we do our mission fling our counter-culture death-defying plunge. Being an associate is way too easy. We don't set up the tent the poles the high-wire the bleachers the launching platform. Our first mid-air free-fall foolhardy summersault is performed in Maryknoll language school. Brother Brian, Anita and Phil George Carl Chacha Mwita Bob The Ring-Masters! Mwita John Benedicto William and Magdalena The Clown Trainers! After four months with Bwana Magafu and his hadithi, we are ready for reality life God's African circus. To a Maryknoller with years of mission formation reams of mission stories dreams of other cultures it is hard to realize that associates, amateur missioners, have few stories zero experiences fewer theories no mission myths. Associates, mission Don Quiotes, ride out on their horsy culture their Rozinante armored in Levis josting with whirling cultures dismounted by trial after trial, real or imagined heartened by the knights-errant before us. Pancho is our families, friends and foes speaking to us of common sense finances our futures our health their sanity. The first year in East Africa is wow year Ah-ha week Ouch day The ouch of malaria of loneliness of stupidity. Nothing prepares us for the reality of our encounter with the East African malaria spitting mosquito. Some, like Steve, don't bother to get sick. Others, decorate their rooms-with lunch. Each one comes to know his own personalized symptoms. Our malaria computer breaks under the conflicting advice from nurses from quasi-experts from doctors from veterans Then we survive we move on we wonder what we said during our fever we become a bit closer to our friends in Africa as we feel our energy and the energy to Africa drained by malaria. Some week in that first year, we sigh a big Ah-ha to African uniqueness to their welcoming to their generosity to their godlikeness to their pace to their gift. Not until we get into the rythmn of sun-time in tune with chatting in harmony with waiting into the melody of savoring life do we leave our watch at our desk our calendar on hold our TV in the past our goals out the window, and sit in the sunshine, the African bliss of wewe in Mwanangu Mpendwa wangu Nimependezwa nawe. You 're my kid I'm crazy about you Relax with that for-a-life-time. There is the Ouch and Ah-ha of loneliness. No McDonald's No traffic No distractions We come after months or a few weeks from a noisy culture a busy schedule sensory over load and we miss fast junk food 77 TV channels family fun friends banter we begin to appreciate being alone with ourselves a letter a Cadbury Tony Hillerman. It hurts, but in Africa it's OK. Oh, that first time that a Swahili word comes in our ears rattles around in our brain and comes out our eyes. Ah-ha, that person is asking for a lifti. Someone has recognized that I want an onion. Glory to God. I've been healed I can speak I am no longer dumb Like Zechariah coming from the language school temple. I am whole. Ah-ha and Ouch. I blew it I have just missed all of African love theology Life wisdom and grace. I was on my way to my house to important stuff to buy a farm to not be here and I refused to be invited to sit and chat to taste the ugali and mchuzi to be a present by my presence. OK I am a cultural nerd. I admit it. But I go on. A bit wiser humbler slower. Wow, what a year. Everything is new. We write it all to family and friends. The names have a special ring: Kibanchabancha Bura-tana Kilimanjaro Nyambula Chacha Pili. The birds and animals sound exotic: Widowbirds Bataleur Eagles Simba Chasabugu Nyumbu The scenes take your breath away Lake Victoria Mathari Valley The Serengeti Dancing and Drumming Bunches of smiling faces. Even the fears are new and special: Vipers and mambas Failure and fun Roaches and lizards Border crossings and a first Funeral The Second Year The Cow Year If I see one more cow on the road I am going to........ If I have to talk about another cow, I am going to........ Can't they see that there are forty-seven and 1\2 person on a 1 1\4 ton pickup? If I hear one more hodi or one more Mzungu today. I will absolutely........ WE thus begin to see the dark-side of mission. As Lou says : You cannot have the bright side of the moon without the dark side. And our own dark-side emerges with a tactile vocal palitable vengeance, that shock us to the core. I did what? I said that? I complained about......? Africa hides nothing of itself of yourself of the Great Self Life is stark down-to-the-bone bold-lettered real beyond words Life is a bit different for an Associate because we have a contract, not a lifetime we are by vocation short-timers. we still have one foot at home and are not all here. Under the umbrella of Maryknollers of lifers of those on death row for Africa we learn African - Christian patience we feel a life-call to African mission we know there is more than we'll ever know. The mystic Third year is for-ever all-ways the year of perfection Whenever it happens, first month or fortieth month we will always be of Africa sealed by mission truly here. Whether they've been in Africa for two years or 20 years You can tell who has gone through their third year their baptism their fire. They complain but never bitterly. They are zealous but never out of time. They are impatient but patiently. They are heretical but out of love for the folks They are joyful but with a note of sadness. They have an American sense of humor, but with an African's flavor. They are fully Maryknoll but with a reverent distance. And what does Maryknoll have to do with an Associate's third year? With a delightful humorous wisdom How long you been here, Cornhusker? You look awful, parrot breath! How's your folks? How's your malaria or were you born that way? Is it true that Notre Dame had a scoring deficit? I like that outfit - safi sana. Is Califonia still part of the union? They push us over the edge into the abyss of afro-mania afro-fun afro-wonder. And the associate never recovers. And they know we will never recover. And they laugh as God laughs when they know we'll never recover. African Maryknoll Associates announce by word by action by attitude to Maryknoll to our African friends to the world we are like all of you, but different-giraffe unique we look slow, but we're alert - buffalo alert we can be fierce but usually gentle - lion belly up we are short winded and quick starters - eland trot we are nigra et fromosa - sable svelte we are here because of Maryknoll and we never forget - elephant memory But our special symbol our sacred pair our w-holy history is Jonas and his whale. Called Confused Reluctant but present, We are Jonas Maryknoll is the whale. In the comical confusion Dressed in the sack cloth of poverty Bedecked with the wisdom of the ages, Bhoke, Elias and Felista realize that before the All-Mighty of Africa they already have what they are looking for they are the beloved and always have been they are peacefully at home. And we, associates, under the shade of our bean-plant are confused by the catholic splendiferous boundless generosity of the All-Present, Stunned Sadly delighted Struggling but peace-full Wide-eye and bushy-tailed Belly-sick and heart-wild, the associate returns home. And a whale-of-a-Maryknoll takes us down the road toward home-mission. helps us get back to be Maryknoll Associates for-ever all-ways every-where States-side World-wide SECTION TWO CHAPTER SIX MARYKNOLL AND POLITICS IN TANZANIA COLONIAL TANGANYIKA When the Germans took over Mara Region, they wanted someone directly responsible to them. They forced the tribes there who had no chiefs to choose chiefs. In many cases the people chose those who had been their "Abagambi" as their chiefs. As chiefs they were given salaries and power over the people. They also had the responsibility of collecting taxes, the conscription of labor to build roads, schools and other projects as well as the administration of justice in the local courts or "Baraza" as they were called in Swahili. This gave them a great deal of power. In their effort to give some representation to the people, the British established District Councils. Individuals who had some education or who had shown some leadership were invited to be members of these District Councils. The District Councils offered advice to the District Commissioners. At the time Fr. Ed Bratton and Fr Art Wille were building Komuge Mission the District Commissioner from Tarime came to enquire where he could find a young educated woman. He was looking for Maria Waningu the daughter of Gabrieli Magige. We directed him to Gabriel Magige's home in Baraki. He was very surprised when he found her working in her father's field hoeing. He was even more surprised when she turned down his invitation to join the Tarime District Council. Maria Waningu the daughter of Gabriel Magige would later marry Julius Kambarage Nyerere and become the First Lady of an independent Tanganyika. Maryknollers soon realized how important it was to establish good working relationships with the chiefs, sub-chiefs, and headmen or "Mwanangwa" as they were referred to in Swahili. Because Maryknollers followed the custom of the White Fathers and learned the tribal languages they had easy access to the chiefs. This good relationship was helpful in working with the people in establishing bush schools, primary schools, dispensaries, outstations as well as getting plots for missions. For example, in Nyegina, Fr. William Collins and Lou Bayless had a close relationship with the old chief Musira. Later Fr. Collins would baptize him, Alois, and bring him into the Church after provisions had been made for him to separate from his several wives. Fr. Joe Glynn was a close friend of chief Nyamo of Kowak. He and Fr. John Schiff were also well known and liked by chief Gregory Nyatega of Shirati. In Tatwe, Fr. Mike Pierce was a good friend of chief Philip Nyatera. Philipo was a very loyal and enthusiastic Catholic. He helped Mike in many ways in developing this mission. Chief Edward Wanzagi whom Fr. Art Wille came to know through his brother Julius Kambarage Nyerere became his good friend. He supported Fr. Wille in many ways. At the meeting at which Fr. Wille asked the elders of Zanaki in Busegewe for a plot to build the mission, chief Edward Wanzage opened the meeting in Kizanaki by telling everyone present that he did not want anyone to oppose Fr. Wille's request. No objections were raised by the elders and the plot was quickly granted. THE MOVE TO INDEPENDENCE A new period dawned for Tanganyika in 1952 when Julius Kambarage Nyerere returned from Scotland where he had obtained a Masters Degree in History and Economics. This young man was shortly to lead his country to independence and become the Father of Tanganyika. Before going to Musoma and his home village of Butiama, Julius secured a position as a teacher of history in St. Francis Secondary School Pugu. This was the first territorial secondary school set up by the Roman Catholic hierarchy for Tanganyika. It was the elite Catholic Secondary School that got the selection of all the best students when they completed middle school. The Tanganyika Government was anxious for Nyerere to teach in one of their secondary schools. At this time he was the only Tanganyikan with a Masters Degree in Arts. Because he opted to teach in a Catholic secondary school, he was offered only a salary of Pound 300 by the government. This was the salary for a Bachelor Degree level teacher. After Fr. Walsh made several request his salary was raised to Pound 450. The objection raised by government was that there was no precedent in government service for a Tanganyikan to receive a Master's Degree salary. When Julius and Maria returned to Musoma to make preparations for their marriage, in discussing it with Fr. William Collins, Maria told him that she needed a period of time to see if Julius was still the same person she had known before he left for Edinburgh. "You know Father a person can change a lot in three years". However, on January 24th 1953 Julius and Maria were married in the small church in Musoma Town. Fr. William Collins witnessed their marriage. This was the beginning of a long and close friendship between Julius Nyerere and Fr. William Collins. Three years later Fr. Collins, Fr. Al Nevins and Fr. John Considine would assist Julius with money for his fare from Europe to America so that he could appear before the United Nations for the second time. His first visit was in March 1955 when he appeared before the Trusteeship Council that debated the third U.N Visiting Mission's Report on Tanganyika. It was in this debate that Nyerere won international recognition. Despite his youthful appearance he was self-possessed, relaxed well prepared for the debate. He stated "The main object of my presence here is to prove the falsity of European Press Reports that the Tanganyika population is opposed to the recommendations of the Visiting Mission". He was able to win the sympathy of the packed gallery and the officials by proving his point without attacking the Administration Authority. It was on his return from this meeting in New York that he had to make an important personal decision. Previously, Governor Twinning had made a law which forbad civil servants from being members of any political organization. Nyerere as a member of TANU had to make a decision to either resign from TANU or to resign from teaching. Since his salary as a teacher came from government even though he was teaching in a Catholic School, he was considered a civil servant. He resigned his teaching position at St. Francis, Pugu. He also realized that because of the increasing amount of time and energy he was devoting to TANU he could not do justice to his students as their teacher. He returned to his village of Butiama with his wife Maria and his two children, Andrew and Anna. It was just at this time that Msgr. Grondin decided to open a new mission in Zanaki. Fr. Art Wille was assigned the job of starting this new mission. He and Msgr. Grondin went to see Nyerere in Butiama. He and his family were living in the small mud brick house that he had built and given Maria as a wedding present. He was delighted when Msgr. Grondin asked him to teach a priest Kizanaki and Julius immediately accepted the offer. He made arrangements to move into Mwisenge, a suburb of Musoma Town. He and his family moved in with his old and close friend Oswald Marwa. Oswald at this time was in charge of public works under Musoma District Council. Julius accepted a small salary of 600 shillings a month from Fr. Wille who came under criticism from some of his conferees for paying such a high salary. Years later Julius would jokingly introduce Fr. Wille as his former "boss". This was the beginning of a long and close friendship between Fr. Wille and Julius Nyerere and his family. Nyerere was to have an influence on Fr. Wille throughout his life and work in Tanzania. In addition to teaching him every day for three months, he composed during this time an English Kizanaki grammar. He also translated two catechisms, two explanations of the catechism that the White Fathers had made up in Kikwaya, all the prayers for Mass and all the Scripture Readings for Mass. In 1955 there were no decent translations of either the Old Testament or the New Testament in Swahili. Julius started the translation of the Scriptures using the Douay Rheims Bible. The old English in this translation proved difficult. He then used the Latin Missal. One day he asked Fr. Wille if he had a Greek New Testament. He said "I find some of the passages in St. Paul difficult to understand". When Fr. Wille asked him if he knew Greek, he answered "Yes, I had a year of Greek in the University. I think I can handle it". The road to Julius Nyerere's baptism had been a long one. He studied our Catholic Faith for four years in primary school, four years in middle school and four years in secondary school. When he was chosen to go to Makerere university in Uganda, he went to Nyegina Mission to ask for baptism. He was told that he still needed to take a special course given by the mission catechist. He had to study in Kikwaya language. On December 23, 1943 he was baptized by Fr. Matias Keenen a White Father in Nyegina Mission. He chose for his godfather, the catechist Petro Maswe who had prepared him for baptism. At this time there were no other Catholic Zanaki who could have been his godfather. The three months that Nyerere spent teaching Fr. Wille were also a time for him to think and prepare in his own mind the path he would follow to bring about the independence of Tanganyika. He often discussed his ideas. He had no doubt that TANU would gain independence and that world opinion was in favor of it. He was greatly concerned about how to prepare for independence. On one occasion he told Fr. Wille that he would gladly turn over the leadership of the party if there was someone whom he felt could lead it without bringing about a bloodbath. He would be happy to return to his life as a scholar. During this time he received a number of letters and telegrams from Oscar Kambona urging him to return to Dar es Salaam and begin the campaign for independence. On one occasion, Oscar came to visit Nyerere in the rectory in Musoma Town where Julius was teaching Fr. Wille. Some time later Nyerere mentioned to Fr. Wille that TANU had received 10 scholarships for students to study behind the "Iron Curtain." Nyerere was not in favor of members of TANU going to these countries for education but could do little to stop them. Although the Western press frequently characterized Nyerere as a Communist, he was never in favor of Communism. One day talking about these accusations, Julius told Fr. Wille "I am not a Communist. I believe in God". When Julius mentioned to Fr. Wille that he was afraid that Oscar Kambona was going to take one of these scholarship, Fr. Wille offered to try to get him a scholarship in the West. Oscar Kambona was the Organizing Secretary of TANU and number two man in the party after Nyerere. Fr. Al Nevins at Maryknoll who had many connections around New York was able to get Kambona a scholarship at Fordham University. When Oscar learned this and went to apply for a passport, he was told that he would not be given a passport because he wanted to study behind the "Iron Curtain." He denied this and said that he wanted to go to the states to study at Fordham University in New York. When the Administration heard this, they offered him a scholarship to study in England. Because he wanted to study law and since the law in Tanganyika was British Law he opted to go to England. At tea in the afternoons, Nyerere would frequently talk about himself. One day he told how he got the opportunity to go to school. His elder brother Wanzagi had not been given this opportunity. His father, chief Nyerere had a good friend, also a chief of the Ikizu tribe, Mohamedi Makongoro. They frequently enjoyed an African game called "Soro" in Kizanaki or "Bao" in Swahili. To play this game well requires a lot of intelligence. The game is played on a long board that has four rows of holes in it. Pebbles or seeds are moved along these holes in order to land them in such a position that you will confiscate your opponents pebbles until they are finished. To do this one has to figure many moves a head and keep track in ones mind every position that you will end up in. When Julius' father would be busy, Julius himself would play this game with chief Makongoro. Frequently he would beat him. One day Makongoro told Julius' father that he should send his son into the school at Mwisenge that the British had started for the education of the sons of the chiefs. It was because of this prompting by chief Makongoro that Julius was sent to primary school in Mwisenge. Nyerere's second visit to the United States was sponsored by Maryknoll. Instrumental in arranging it were Fr. William Collins, Fr. Al Nevins and Fr. John Considine. Maryknoll paid for his passage from Europe to America and back. His air line ticket from Tanganyika to Europe and back was bought by money raised in Tanganyika from a number of sources including Fr. Richard Walsh W.F. The purpose of this trip was to enable Nyerere to appear before the Fourth Committee of the U.N. on December 20, 1956. Maryknoll also arranged a lecture tour for Nyerere to visit various universities to acquaint himself with the American educational system and to seek scholarships for Tanganyikans. He also made an appearance on television with Eleanor Roosevelt on the Mike Wallace show. Nyerere was met in New York by Fr. William Collins and Fr. Al Nevins. Fr. John Considine who was on the General Council had submitted a memo to Maryknoll for the fare that would enable him to come. During the period of struggle for independence that Nyerere and TANU led, many Maryknollers would get to know and respect him for his devotion to his people, his honesty, integrity and his great faith. Despite the tremendous work load and constant travel that he undertook during his campaign for independence he always took the time to go to Mass and receive Holy Communion whenever there was a Catholic Church in the area. He would continue this practice through the many years of his presidency. At the same time, he could laugh at how he became a Catholic as he said "by chance." When he went to begin primary school in Mwisenge at the suggestion of chief Makongoro, he met there another boy who was also a Mzanaki. This boy, Oswald Marwa was also the son of another Zanaki chief. Julius and Oswald immediately became friends. Since Oswald had arrived at school ahead of him, he was able to show Julius around. When the bell for religion rang Oswald told Julius "It is time to study dini (religion). Let us go to the class with the Padre. "Under the British there was a period of religion every day in the schedule for primary schools. Children were free to study any religion they or their parents decided. With Oswald's help Julius began to study the Catholic Faith. Later he would tell Fr. Wille that when he went to Makerere University after his baptism he would read a lot of Catholic Philosophers and other authors in order to understand his faith better. At Makerere he became one of the leaders of the Catholic students, organizing retreats and pilgrimages to the shrines of the Uganda Martyrs. This interest in his faith would grow when he went to Edinburgh University. There, he corresponded with Fr. Walsh, his friend and sponsor, who had raised the money for his scholarship. In this correspondence Nyerere wrote that he was considering becoming a priest. Fr. Walsh wrote back to him and told him that he did not think that he had a vocation to the priesthood. He knew of his keen interest in politics and advised him to continue on in this field. One result of Maryknoll's support of Nyerere was a resistance on the part of the local British District Commissioner to grant us plots for new missions. Undoubtedly they had heard from Governor Twining who regarded Nyerere as a rogue and foolish upstart, not to be helpful to us. In these negotiations Msgr. Grondin and Fr. Collins were given good advice by Benedict Mato. This old man held the highest position available at the time under the British Administration. He was Secretary of the Native Treasury. All the chiefs were under him. They made their reports to him. They also handed over to him all the taxes that they collected. Benedict was an outstanding Catholic. He was also a good friend of Nyerere. Julius used to stay in his house when he came to Musoma Town. Benedict told Msgr. Grondin and Fr. Collins when they were turned down on their request for mission plots by the District Commissioner, "D.C's come and D.C's go. Just wait a little and you will get your plots". POST INDEPENDENCE After independence the new government revamped its whole system of government. One of the first steps was the removal of the chiefs and headmen. These in general had remained loyal to the British Government. They were replaced by Katibu Tarafa (Division Secretary) and Katibu Kata (Sub-division Secretary). They functioned in these positions in much the same way that the chiefs and headmen had done, but in most cases those chosen for these positions were not from the tribe among whom they worked, but from other tribes. They were also TANU loyalists. This was one of the measures adopted to brake down tribalism and to build nationalism. When the TANU National Executive Committee met in Arusha January 26-29 1967 it turned out to be a stormy session. At this meeting Nyerere proposed that Ujamaa become the official policy of the government. Oscar Kambona objected strongly to this policy. Twice during these sessions, the Executive Committee adjourned in order to allow their three leaders, Nyerere, Kambona and Kawawa to go into private session. Each time that they returned to the Executive Committee it was apparent that Kawawa had supported Nyerere to defeat Kambona. The result was that the Arusha Declaration was adopted. Following the proclamation of the Arusha Declaration there was a short p