On early morning 2nd April 2024, we began our journey from Masaka community, Rwanda to Tanzania to continue with the second part of our formation for mission program. This missionary journey by road from Rwanda was one of the longest journeys for most of the sisters. From Kigali to the border, we used one vehicle, then after crossing the border we had to take another bus to Kahama. Upon arrival at Kahama we had to get into another bus to Singida community. We travelled all day long and arrived at our community in Siuyu Singida, after midnight.
Discovering some milestones of the Tanzanian mission
While in Siuyu community, on 3rd April, in the morning hours as part of our mission experience we had a privilege to visit the various institutions in which our Pallottine Sisters and Fathers are doing their apostolate. We visited Pallotti Girls’ Secondary School, Siuyu Rehabilitation Center for children with disabilities, Siuyu Parish and St. Joseph Dispensary. In the afternoon we visited the Pallottine Sisters who are working at Makiungu Referral Hospital owned by the Catholic Diocese of Singida. We also visited the Pallottine Fathers at St. Leo Parish- Makiungu where the first Pallottine Fathers, who came to Tanzania in 1940, established their mission. Rev. Fr. John Makabe SAC welcomed us well and we had some talk with him. This is a very significant Parish for the Pallottine Sisters in Tanzania, since our pioneer missionaries from England who came to establish their mission in Tanzania in 1990,
were welcomed to reside in this place before building a convent in Siuyu.
On 4th April, we started our journey from Siuyu to Arusha to continue with our workshop. On the way to Arusha, we visited two Pallottine communities, that is Nangwa Parish which was established in 1952, and Magugu Parish established in 1975, where we had our lunch. We met with the Pallottine Fathers who blessed us and wished us a successful program of formation for mission. On our way we were blessed by seeing some animals from the park such as zebra, deer, buffalo, and we were excited to see these animals.
“There is no going out without staying with Jesus”
As we arrived at the Provincialate community our sisters warmly welcomed us with singing and dancing. On 6th April we had our recollection day with Rev. Fr. Allan Bukenya SAC. The theme for our recollection was “Called for Mission and Role of Evangelization”. Fr. Allan said that mission is going out, and going out to meet others is a passion which animates every Christian. In going for mission, we are encouraged to establish an intimate relationship with Jesus, since “there is no going out without staying with Jesus,” he stressed. 
Going for mission means going forth to share the joy with the world that we have received from Jesus.
On 7th April, we went for Mass at St. Vincent Pallotti Parish Esso. We had good time with the youth and the children, as we attended youth mass and had a moment to sing and dance with children. That was very inspiring to see so many sisters around the parish. We also had a moment to talk about the Pallottine Missionary Sisters, and we hope we inspired some to live their vocation. We also visited the Pallottine Fathers who are serving in this Parish, and we had lunch with them.
Inspired to live our vocation to the full
On Monday 8th April, Sr. Ernestina Patrick Lasway SAC gave us a talk on the “Consecrated Life and Spiritual Renewal.” Through this class we came to know the historical background and development of consecrated life from the 1st to 21st Century. Seeing the various phases, struggles and challenges that religious life has gone through centuries to the present time, we learned in depth on how we can live a meaningful life as religious in our world today. What religious life has gone through centuries inspires us to persevere in our vocation and give us the courage to go out to evangelize.
Thereafter, on 11th April, we had another input on “Intercultural Living” by Rev. Fr. Florentine Mallya CSSP, the Provincial Superior of the Holy Ghost Fathers. We learned the components of the mission and evangelization, which are proclamation, witness, dialogue and liberation. In the intercultural community, we are encouraged to be a healing presence to everyone in mission.
As a practical part of our formation, we had a moment to embrace the invitation of the Holy Father Pope Francis on caring for our common home, by planting flowers around the convent. Since we are residing in the new community inaugurated last year.
Text: Sr. Veronica Crasta SAC & Sr. Felista Dionis SAC
Photos in courtesy of participants.
See also the event gallery.
