Tanzania notes by Fr Chris

This photo of Bishop Thomas of Tanga diocese as he greets our Fr General, Marco and provincials in front of his house. We sat for refreshments and it was Fr Emilian who asked if he was brought up in a Rosminian parish. Here in Tanga he said, Fr Tom Coffey a great Rosminian Irish missionary baptised me and although it was on St Patrick’s day, my father wanted me to be called after Fr Tom, so here I am. Did he think of becoming a Rosminian himself? I had all my early sacraments from Fr Tom, he said, but I joined the diocese. But if you cut me you will see Rosminian blood. Such friendly gestures from the Bishop of Tanga. The first Bishop of that diocese was the Rosminian Irish missionary Eugene Arthurs in 1958. His Vicar General was our Fr Gerry Smith. Gerry was later the parish priest of Pongwe parish. He organised parishioners there to care for a leper colony. He received two Land Rovers for medical aid paid from the One World group, St Peter’s Cardiff, encouraged by Fr John Doman. Colin Lucas and Peter Sullivan travelled to Tanzania to present them. The joy and cheerfulness of the Tanzanian people, surely an expression of their faith, remains a lasting memory of this wonderful country.




