Canonical visit to Tanzania: the Maasai, Kilimanjaro, and the profound impact of 50 years of Augustinian presence in East Africa

Tanzania beats strongly in the heart of East Africa. Since the late 1970s, the Order of Saint Augustine has been present in this country, where a diversity of peoples and cultures coexist, moving to the rhythm of the sun in a majestic setting.

After half a century of presence, the Augustinian Vicariate of Tanzania has become an emerging jurisdiction within a multicultural and multireligious society, where Swahili serves as the common tongue.

From June 16 to July 7, Fr. Edward Daleng, Assistant General for Africa, and Fr. Javier Pérez Barba, Assistant General for Southern Europe, carried out the renewal visit to the Augustinian communities of the Vicariate.

The purpose was “to promote the good of each community and each of the brothers, examining and fostering the various aspects of religious and apostolic life”, as stated in the Constitutions of the Order.

These were intense days in which the Assistants to the Prior General visited all the houses across the country.

The journey began in Dar es Salaam, which, although not the political capital, is the nation’s social and economic center. The vicariate curia is located there, along with other Augustinian houses and apostolates.

The first visits were made to the nearest communities, close to one another, yet difficult to reach due to the poor state of the roads.

Augustinians at the Foot of Kilimanjaro: Encounter with the Maasai

On the second day, the itinerary led to the iconic and imposing Mount Kilimanjaro, specifically to the community of Saint Possidius, where the Augustinians maintain two residences. The first is in Kamwanga, home to the parish of Mary, Mother of the Church, served by an Augustinian friar. The second lies in Enduimet, at the foot of Africa’s highest peak, where the parish of Saint Joseph the Worker is located, in a region inhabited by the Maasai tribe, some of whom are parishioners.

Living alongside the Maasai poses a real challenge for evangelization. Although there are Protestants, Muslims, and a small group of Catholics, the tribe preserves its own culture and customs, with a nomadic lifestyle that makes settlement and regular parish life difficult.

A New Augustinian Church in Arusha

In the city of Arusha, the community of Korona-Njiro, made up of two Augustinian friars, welcomed Fr. Javier and Fr. Edward. They visited the parish of Saint Thomas of Villanova and listened attentively to reports regarding the new church currently under construction.

In Tanzania, Augustinian spirituality and the presence of the brothers are leaving a deep mark. During the visit, the Assistants perceived that every corner of the country seems to hold a story of the Order still being written, inviting us to open our eyes wide and offer respectful listening in a land of such variety.

On the Shores of Lake Victoria

The journey continued to Mwanza, on the banks of Lake Victoria, where the Augustinians maintain a significant community spread across several houses: the Musoma Residence, with the parish of Our Lady of Fatima; the Tarime Residence, with the parish of Saint Thomas the Apostle, which encompasses eight chapels scattered throughout the parish territory; and the Novitiate House, currently home to fourteen novices, alongside the parish of Saint Augustine in Mwanza.

Yet the Augustinian presence in Mwanza goes even further. One friar serves the parish of Saint Monica in Bohongwa.

High on a mountain, the visitors also reached the Shrine of Saint Rita, entrusted to another Augustinian missionary who also oversees those aspiring to religious life.

The number of pilgrims coming to express their devotion to the Virgin Mary and Saint Rita continues to grow, especially during the monthly novena.

Reflecting on the early stages of the visit, Fr. Javier Pérez Barba remarked that this is a Vicariate in expansion: “The Vicariate is responding to the call of dioceses and bishops, who turn to the Order of Saint Augustine to entrust them with the pastoral care of certain regions. This explains why the names of some parishes are not traditionally Augustinian.”

Both Assistants emphasized the missionary character of the Augustinian presence, which is opening houses in remote and rural areas.

“Communities of friars are usually small, isolated, and with few members,” they added. “Parishes often have a central church and several chapels depending on it.”

Mahanje, the Cradle of the Vicariate

After a journey of more than 18 hours, the Assistants reached Mahanje, cradle of the Vicariate, where in 1976 the Order opened its first mission in Tanzania, in a former Benedictine monastery, and where Augustinians continue to live today.

At present, in addition to the parish, the community rejoices in the creation of a vocational training center, where young people receive technical training enabling them to forge a future.

The Mahanje community, consisting of two friars, is linked to another house in Madaba, where two other Augustinians live and work in a primary school. The center is undergoing progressive expansion and the development of a boarding school.

In Mahanje, within part of the old Benedictine monastery, the Augustinian Missionary Sisters run an orphanage, while in another nearby town they oversee a school. During the visit of Fr. Javier and Fr. Edward, they proudly displayed a photograph with the current Pope Leo XIV, taken when he visited the community as Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine.

Morogoro

The next stage of the renewal visit focused on formation and vocational ministry, another of the Vicariate’s strengths. In the city of Morogoro, there is a formation house for prenovices and professed friars.

Prenovices there study three years of Philosophy, while professed friars pursue Theology at a university center run by the Spiritans.

Conversations with them were undoubtedly enriching for all. The students were able to share their experiences and impressions, ask questions, and discover new aspects of other realities within the Order. On the final day in Morogoro, the Assistants took part in the renewal of simple vows by seven professed friars and in the reception of three novices from Kenya, during a celebration presided over by Fr. Edward Daleng.

Final Chapter in Dar es Salaam

Back in Dar es Salaam, before returning to Rome, they visited the city’s three communities.

First, the Saint Augustine Tagaste School, where they met with students and teachers. Then, the Temboni community, responsible for two additional houses and the parishes of Saint Rita and Saint Thomas of Villanova.

Lastly, at the provincial house, home to the parish of Saint Augustine, they held the concluding meeting of the renewal visit with the Vicar, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Vicariate of Tanzania.

The closing highlight of the journey through the country was the visit to Augustinian bishop Mons. Stefano Musomba, shepherd of the newly created Diocese of Bagamoyo.

It had been three weeks traveling across the nation from north to south, coming face to face with its people and the immense mission carried out by the Order of Saint Augustine, both in urban centers and in distant rural areas. Tanzania is a multicultural and multireligious country, where Augustinian spirituality is becoming ever more present, embodied in deeply committed communities.