The Pontifical Mission Societies in Los Angeles

African Benedictine Sisters, Tanzania #2445

The first Benedictine Missionaries from St. Ottilien in Germany arrived in East Africa on January 12, 1883, landing on Zanzibar Island, and later moved to the mainland (Tanganyika) and came to the Pugu area in Dar es Salaam. On September 30, 1894, the Missionaries moved further southward and reached the Lindi Region (Province). By then, Lindi was a strong area of Islamic influence. After about 60 years of arduous work in evangelization among the native Muslims and believers of traditional African religions.

The African Benedictine Sisters of Our Lady Help of Christians is a Diocesan congregation in Mtwara, Tanzania. The Mother House is in Ndanda, Mtwara Region, in the Catholic Diocese of Mtwara, Tanzania.

The Congregation was founded on January 6, 1946, inaugurated ‘under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians’ by the Benedictine Monks from the German St. Ottilien Congregation, under the leadership of the late Abbot – Bishop Joachim Amman of Ndanda Diocese in cooperation with the Tutzing Missionary Benedictine Sisters.

The motto of the congregation is “ORA ET LABORA,” which means the Congregation follows the rule of St. Benedict – ‘PRAY AND WORK’.

The Mission and Apostolates of the Congregation are:
a. Evangelization: spreading the Good News (the Gospel) to all people. The Congregation is surrounded by Muslims, especially along the Indian Ocean, which prompts us to make more effort to spread God’s word.
b. Caring for the sick, orphans, and the elderly.
c. Vocational training for youth.
d. Empowering women and girls in different skills, such as home design skills, crocheting, knitting, and sewing.
e. Teaching Catechists and other education from kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, and universities without discrimination of color or religion (diversity).
f. Agricultural and livestock husbandry.
g. Missionary work in the Tanzanian Archdioceses of Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Mbeya, Mtwara, Lindi, Tunduru-Masasi, and Pemba Diocese in Mozambique.
h. Education: We have two schools; one in the Novitiate Narunyu formation house and the other school is located in Nachingwea, Lindi.

Formation Houses: Narunyu (Lindi) & Kawekamo (Mwanza).

In this case, it has been very difficult for the congregation to fulfill our ministries or evangelization due to countless challenges that arise spiritually, mentally, and physically. With your support, we can make a difference.

The needs of our community and the people we serve are many, but this year, the funds will be intended to be utilized in three major urgent areas, including:

1. To dig a borehole to obtain safe and clean water at our schools and centers for the community and the village people nearby. Sometimes, alligators or lions kill people when they go to fetch water from streams, and the water is contaminated.
2. Basic human needs for orphans and street children at our Narunyu Day Care Children’s Center.
3. Renovation of our Monastery, which was built in the 1940s, including fixing old and rotten windows, the kitchen, roof, and water pumps.

Support the African Benedictine Sisters, Tanzania #2445

You can support the African Benedictine Sisters, Tanzania #2445 through your prayers and monetary donation by making a check payable to THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH, 3424 Wilshire Blvd 3rd Fl., Los Angeles CA 90010, memo #2445. You may also donate online by clicking the donate button. When making an online donation, reference #2445 in the Memo box. Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law.