Like St. Allamano, Let’s “be supporters of missionaries, formation of missionaries”: Catholic Bishop of Zanzibar

On October 20, World Mission Sunday 2024, Pope Francis Canonized Blessed Allamano alongside 13 others, including Mother Elena Guerra (1835–1914); Mother Marie-Léonie Paradis (1840–1912); and 11 Martyrs of Damascus in Syria (m. 1860).

In his homily at Blessed Joseph Allamano Kibada Parish of Dar es Salaam Archdiocese, Bishop Shao drew inspiration from the legacy of St. Allamano, who supported the mission of the Church in preparing and commissioning missionaries. 

In forming missionaries and commissioning them to the periphery, St. Allamano answered God's call to "go and proclaim the Good News of His works and human salvation to all nations," the Local Ordinary of Zanzibar Diocese said.

He called upon the people of God to learn from St. Allamano and to contribute “to the work of Missionaries, the formation of Seminarians, and the Religious, who are in formation but are unable to complete it due to limited resources, as well as those already in the missions, who are in need of our assistance.”

“We are called to pray for Missionaries worldwide – those who have dedicated their lives, both male and female Religious, as well as Priests, who have committed themselves to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” the Tanzanian-born member of the Spiritans added during the October 20 Confirmation Mass at Blessed Joseph Allamano Kibada Parish.

He recognized the virtuous life of Allamano, describing him as a Catholic Priest, who “strived to live by the instructions of Jesus Christ as a human being”, and whose “deep desire to go on missions and preach the Gospel of God” never wavered despite health challenges that impeded him from leaving his native country of Italy. 

“God enlightened him, and he founded the Institute of Consolata Missionaries, comprising Priests, Sisters, and Brothers. After founding it, he sent them abroad to preach what he himself could not do. They came to Africa, and the first place they went was Kenya,” Bishop Shao said, recalling the commissioning of the pioneer IMC members to mission. 

He went on to acknowledge with appreciation the service of IMC and MC members in Tanzania, saying, “If you go to the Catholic Dioceses of Njombe, Iringa, and even here in the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, you will see evidence of the work of those whom Joseph Allamano sent.”

In preparing and commissioning missionaries, Bishop Shao said, Allamano “fulfilled the duty of becoming a missionary. He didn’t do it personally, but young people who followed him went out to proclaim Christ, and we witness that missionary work today.” 

Pioneer 

Consolata Missionaries pioneered their Tanzanian mission in 1919 after the British Governor of Tanzania, then called Tanganyika, expelled the German-born members of the Benedictine Missionaries of St. Ottilien from the Apostolic Prefecture of Lindi, that had been erected in 1913. This was after the German defeat in the first world war.

The Italian-born Consolata Missionaries were entrusted the Vicariate of Dar es Salaam and the districts of Ugogo and Uhehe in 1919; the two Tanzanian districts were merged in 1922 to become the Apostolic Prefecture of Iringa.

In his homily during the October 20 Confirmation Mass, Bishop Shao challenged followers of Jesus Christ to focus on good acts, saying, “The Holy Spirit urges us and sends us into the world to create a new world through our good deeds.”

“Today, as the baptized, you are called to be supporters of missionaries and the formation of missionaries in our nation and abroad,” the Catholic Bishop, who has been at the helm of Zanzibar Diocese since he started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1997 emphasized.  

Addressing himself to the candidates of Confirmation, Bishop Shao said, “Today, in a special way, through this Sacrament of Confirmation, you are being sent to witness Christ, just as He sent His first disciples, giving them the Holy Spirit and telling them to go into the whole world and proclaim His Gospel.”

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“Today, you will be made witnesses of the Gospel, which your patron, St. Joseph Allamano, preached and for which he sent missionaries to bring to us,” the 73-year-old Spiritan Bishop told the Confirmation candidates.

He appealed for prayers for vocations to Priestly and Religious Life through the intercession of St. Joseph Allamano. 

“As today is your Patron Saint’s Day, pray in your Parish for Priests, Missionaries, and women and men Religious, following his command to go and proclaim, to go and invite people to know God,” Bishop Shao said about the founder of the Consolata Missionaries Canonized on October 20.

Nicholas Waigwa contributed to the writing of this story