Sarah Pelaji
Tanzania Episcopal Conference TEC through PMS in Tanzania is held a National Holy Childhood Congress in Kondoa Catholic Diocese from June 22-26 this year 2023.
Four thousand, six hundred children and their 780 formatters from all 34 Catholic Dioceses in Tanzania have attended the congress.
The Tanzanian PMS National Director Rev. Jovitus Mwijage has explained that the congress is led by the slogan ‘Cooperation and Care of the Environment, where children are encouraged to continue evangelizing through respecting God’s creation.
He acknowledged to be the first national congress which was represented by all Catholic Dioceses in the country.
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kondoa Rt. Rev. Bernadine Mfumbusa who was the host of the congress thanked TEC for selecting his Diocese to host the national conference.
He explained that although Kondoa Diocese is one of the new Catholic Diocese in Tanzania with 11 years since it was founded and a Muslim dominated place but it has managed to host the National Congress.
“Our Diocese comprised of two districts of Chemba and Kondoa with almost ten tribes. On their behalf I welcome the children and their guardians from various Diocese of the Catholic Church.
Let us feel at home and live in unity, love and peace which are our National values as a nation,” he said.
He thanked all the parents who sent their children to participate the congress and trusted the people of Kondoa that they can take care of their children for the few days of the congress.
He has explained the message of the national congress of ‘cooperating in reserving environment’ saying that the topic of the environment is a serious issue that is being talked about by the world. He referred the AMECEA meeting which was held in Tanzania 2022 which discussed in detail how to take care of the environment.
“In this congress we reflect in depth on how to respect and take care of the environment, including the land.
Human activities cause environmental damage, including reckless cutting of trees. That’s why Pope Francis in his ‘Laudato Si’ encyclical said that the earth is our home and if we don’t take care of it, we destroy it ourselves.
Therefore, through this conference, I invite the children to reflect carefully on this year’s theme of participation and the environment, realizing that your current and future lives will depend a lot on how we protect the environment today.
You have come here to pray and pray for yourselves, to pray for our nation so that we can be people who care about the environment.
You have come to protect our unity as a nation and when we leave here everyone should be a missionary and educate others about the environment,” he emphasized.
It should be remembered that the National Holy Childhood Congress in Tanzania is held after every three years.
