AFRICA/TANZANIA - Over 2.400 Small Christian Communities in Dar es Salaam offer basic service of in depth evangelisation

Thursday, 20 September 2007

Dar es Salaam (Agenzia Fides)- In the archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, capital of Tanzania there are more than 2,400 Small Christian Communities, SCC. Sr Rita Ishengoma, of the congregation of St. Teresa of the Holy Child said in her address at a national SCC meeting. These communities” we read in the report Sr Rita sent to Fides “are for the parish a special way of in depth evangelisation which transforms the parish into a fraternity of life and an apostolic community”.
"Small Christian Communities articulating the Word of God and praying together once a week from home to home, through shared charitable activities, strengthening their families and bringing up together their children with a common vision. This is very successful because all are parishioners without social, economical or special interest distinctions. They are able to help neighbouring families to live in the spirit of brotherhood/sisterhood and a sense of spiritual togetherness ” Sr Rita explains.
"There is not a parish in the archdiocese without SCCs and the number is increasing. The way of life of International Small Christian Community Twinning (Sister SCCs or partner SCCs) was introduced in the archdiocese about 10 years ago. Twinning has brought about changes Sr Rita says. "We have friends, brothers and sisters all over the word. We break the barriers of cultures, boundaries, etc."
Other means used to nurture the implementation of SCCs are Radio Tumaini, the Archdiocesan Radio Station and the Tumaini Letu, the Archdiocesan Newspaper that continue to broadcast and circulate events of SCCs
To enhance this ongoing formation the archbishop, Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, announced 2006/2007 as the "Year of SCCs" throughout the archdiocese. It was inaugurated with a solemn mass at the cathedral on the feast day of St. Joseph, the Patron Saint of the Archdiocese (celebrated on Monday, 20 March, 2006 because of Sunday liturgy). To emphasise joint participation in building SCCs symbols were used to demonstrate the importance of working together in evangelisation..
The success of this "Year of SCCs" in Dar es Salaam led to the Tanzania Episcopal
Conference (TEC) to declare the following year as the "National Year of SCCs." The National Year of SCCs was inaugurated on 27 May, 2007 (Pentecost Sunday) in every diocese..
Small Christian Communities are a priority objective for the Church in AMECEA countries, (Association of Bishops' Conferences of East Africa): Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 20/9/2007 righe 31 parole 425)


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