50 Years Presence of the Salvatorians in Tanzania

The year 2005 marks the Golden Jubilee of Salvatorian missionary work in Tanzania. This jubilee is a special mark of the deep dedication of the Salvatorians and their associates as well as a sign of God's grace and blessing. Their arrival in Tanganyika in 1955 (renamed Tanzania in 1964) was the fulfillment not only of the Apostolic zeal of their founder, the Venerable Father Maria Jordan of the Cross but also of their dedication to the Mission of Christ, the Catholic Church and the African People. From the beginning they were deeply involved in pastoral work in the territory originally under the care of the Missionaries of St. Benedict (OSB), later in the territory of the Diocese of Nachingwea and finally the diocese of the Tunduru-Masasi.

The Apostolic zeal and the work of the Holy Spirit inspired the Salvatorians to invite native Catholics to join in the adventure of dedication to Christ. The establishment the formation House (1976) in Namiungo near Tunduru was a great hope for the future development of not only Christian faith in the area but also so that African Salvatorians may give a witness to other Tanzanians through their Christian religious life.

Their apostolic dedication was emphasized when Salvatorians begun to work in the diocese of Morogoro and then in the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam. They understood that their pastoral work couldn't be properly continued without ensuring the education of future African Priests. Therefore, some members of the mission were involved with the formation and education of diocesan priests in the Segerea Seminary and Kibosho Junior Seminary.

The formation and education institutions of the Dioceses were not able to accept the continually growing number of religious vocations. Therefore, the Salvatorians decided to build and run a higher educational Institution of Philosophy and Theology which was called "The Salvatorian Major Seminary" and then renamed as "The Salvatorian Institute of Philosophy and Theology" at Morogoro. From the beginning the Salvatorian higher education institution was to give intellectual and priestly preparation and formation for the Priesthood for religious prepared in their own formation houses. Students study Philosophy for three years and Theology for four years and obtain either a diploma or bachelor degree.

The Institute has also given to Catholics the possibility of obtaining a Diploma. This can be obtained in three ways: in English by joining the Diploma course: one year of philosophy and three years of theology, and in Swahili by attendance at Saturday lectures for two years or by attending the annual monthly course for catechists from Tanzania for three years. The Diploma courses give the opportunity for religious sisters and brothers and lay people to learn a deeper Christian knowledge and to share strong Christian faith. The purpose of the Diploma Course is to give strength and to also encourage people who are using Swahili to learn the Catholic Faith in the Institute.

The establishment of the publishing house "Salvatorianum" and publishing the first books in Swahili helped African Catholics to understand and express their faith. There is also the willingness to help Tanzanian Bishops, on the one hand, of organizing the updating course for Priests.

It is necessary to say that we Salvatorians are very grateful to the Missio organization for her assistance and financial support for the above mentioned projects. We thank the Polish, Irish, British, USA and German speaking Churches and the Salvatorian Vice-Province in Tanzania and in particular the Salvatorians who are working here, for their dedication and help in fulfilling our and their missionary vocation.

This issue of Africa Tomorrow which shares the Golden Jubilee with all Salvatorians in Tanzania presents the intellectual work not only of particular teachers of the Institute but we are also proud to introduce the fruit of the Institute presented by a former student. There are six articles: four of them written by our teachers and two of them by our former student.

The Philosophical section is opened by an article titled "Towards a Hermeneutic of Cultural Object -An Essay on the over - determined Symbols Theory and its applicability to African Culture (part two)" which is written by the Dean of Philosophy, by Victor Badibanga Bin Kapela. It is the continuation of that published in the previous issue of this periodical, it is the application of the theory of the over-determined symbols, conceived as a method of approaching philosophy grounded in human culture. Basing on ethnographic accounts and descriptions, the author of this article manages to demonstrate that cultural symbols, particularly ritual mutilations, interpreted as over-determined symbols, express what reason is achieving through history. They reveal the meaning of human existence and all its fundamental dimensions, notably the politico-economical dimension, moral and spiritual dimensions. This article has a particular significance: it brings about a complementary perspective in the common effort to understand man and all his environments. That is the formal object of philosophy.

The second article is by Dr. Eric J. Boos from University of Wisconsin Law School H.L.A. and also a lecturer in the philosophical department of the Institute. His intention is to meditate and consider "The Compatibility of Hart's Positivism and Aquinas' Natural Law: An Application of Goerner's 'Unconventional View'". Hart uncritically follows the general utilitarian rejection of traditional natural law theory, accepting as the preeminent representative of that theory, St. Thomas Aquinas,¹ in an attempt to avoid "the danger that law and its authority may be dissolved in man's conceptions of what law ought to be" (CL, 54). This rejection is also part-and-parcel of Hart's attempt to keep separate the realms of law and morality. However, Hart's specific criticisms of traditional natural law theory cannot accurately be applied to St. Thomas' legal theory. In his boldfaced rejection of St. Thomas' legal theory, Hart has unwittingly rejected a potential ally for his own legal theory.

The Theological section is marked by contributions from three respected people who were involved with The Salvatorian Institute of Philosophy and Theology almost from the beginning.

Fr. Bernard Witek, SDS who after his ordination in Poland, joined the Salvatorian Mission in Tanzania and then followed further studies in Rome in order to be a future teacher at the Salvatorian Institute. Today we present his paper called "Reading the Biblical Proverbs in the Literal Context" which was introduced as his Lectio Magistralis given at the Institute on 10.10.2004, as well as the summary of his well defended dissertation on the Gregorian University at Rome on 27.10.2005.

This paper shows that a group of biblical proverbs can be recognized as a literal unit, and reading them together gives a new sense which remains hidden when the proverbs are only read separately without taking into consideration the literal context. The analyzed text (Prv 13:20-14:11) is an example proving that in the First Solomonic Collection, besides the apparent disorder and lack of logic, there are well organized literal units. The proverbs are linked in various ways; but finding them often requires dedication and time. The canonical order of proverbs should not be altered for any reason; otherwise the mosaic would be destroyed. The parallel relation between 13:20 and 14:7 is a good example showing how the literal context can be helpful in finding solutions of textual problems present in the original text.

The second person is Fr. Feliks Sciborski who gives us some reflections on the last Encyclical of John Paul II Ecclesia de Eucharistia. The mystery of the Eucharist and its vital relation to the Church is the principle theme of this article. The Eucharist is presented as a gift of Jesus' himself to the Church. The Eucharist in the Pope's teaching has the same attributes as the Church, it is: one, holy, catholic and apostolic. John Paul II wants this gift (the Eucharist) to continue to shine in all the splendour of its mystery at the dawn of this third millennium. The article is a good occasion for a renewed awareness of "this incomparable treasure" that Christ has entrusted to his Church.

The third person is Fr. Marcel Mukadi, SDS who came to our Institute as a student of Philosophy. From the beginning he was eagerly involved with publishing material. He is the author of many articles published at Sauti ya Mwokozi² titled "Father Jordan, Apostolate of Inculturation". One part of that article about Fr. Francis Jordan, Pioneer of Inculturation, is reprinted with small adaptations in the Institute Prospectus from the beginning with his permission.

In the present issue we present two of his articles:

One is titled "African Ecclesiology: The Metaphor of "Church as Family of God". This article has as a purpose to shed some light on the life and role of the urban SCCs in the renewed vision of the Church taking into consideration the Tanzanian context. In the areas where SCCs have been a key element of the pastoral option their role in renewing ecclesial life at the grassroots of the local church is indispensable and crucial. However, a rapid growth of urban centers, fast socio-cultural challenges and the renewed vision of the Local Church proposed by AMECEA Bishops demands a proper pastoral discernment on the place and role of SCCs in the life of the local Church. In a special way the task of new evangelization, which becomes part of African pastoral care, demands appropriate pastoral actions. The article tries to point out some perspectives for the present and future development of SCCs that would make these communities capable to read the great signs of the time and respond to them with concrete pastoral actions. It attempts also to answer to the question that naturally arises as to what kind of SCCs would be appropriate and would respond to the demands of new evangelization in present ecclesial and socio-cultural context.

After a clear and helpful general summary of the way models function in ecclesiology, this article goes on to examine the suitability of one model in particular: "The Church as God's Family." This model arises from within the Sub Saharan African cultural context and is a kind of gift to the universal church. Although this model is warmly received in Africa and finds great resonance within this cultural context, like all models it has strengths and weaknesses. As with any good model, seeing the Church as God's family both reflects and challenges the predominant cultural values associated with "the family." In this way this model serves to further true inculturation, it does this by providing a tool to evaluate, strengthen and purify the cultural elements imbedded in the notion of family, not only for Sub Saharan African cultures but for every culture comprising the universal Church.

The Second article is written in French "Sunday Christian Assemblies without a Priest - promoting the liturgy of the Word and avoiding the degradation of the Holy Eucharist" This article, which questions our everyday attitude toward the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, has three goals: it reminds us of the importance of the liturgy of the Word of God, it reinforces the significance and the holiness of the Holy Communion and it pins down the mediating fundamental role the priest fulfils when, in memory of our Lord, he "takes" the bread, "gives thanks", "breaks" it and "gives" it to the assembly of children of God. This article, at the end of the day, shows the unity of the liturgy of the Word and the liturgy of the Table. Far from reconsidering the teaching of the Church on this particular point, Reverend Father Marcel Mukadi points to a possible danger hidden behind the SCAWP (Sunday Christian Assemblies without a Priest) and which could consist of receiving the Holy Eucharist without the basic meaning surrounding the mystery of the sacrament.

Finally I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to the whole editorial board and all advisers for their cooperation and help. In a special way I wish to say thanks to Fr. Rector, Julian Bednarz, for appointing me to this task. I hope that future issues will be more developed and be more involved with pastoral matters. May future issues celebrate further jubilees not only of the Salvatorian Vice-Province but also of the Institute itself and also of Africa Tomorrow.

The Editor

Footnotes

¹ H.L.A. Hart, The Concept of Law (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1961), 7, 152.

² Frt. Marcel Mukadi, SDS, "Fr. Jordan, An Apostolate of Inculturation," in Sauti ya Mwokozi No. 7, May 1997, p. 75-78 (especially, p. 76-77).