With great joy and gratitude, the Silver Jubilee of the arrival of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters on Tanzanian soil was celebrated on June 25th, 2015 in Siuyu, Singida. This historical event was organized with the collaboration of Sisters and the lay people of different parishes. The choir recorded a CD called Jubilee Gift, and a colourful Jubilee booklet was printed for this occasion.
Thanksgiving Mass was celebrated on the outdoor stage by Bishop Desiderius Rwoma, the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Singida, along with Pallottine, diocesan and other religious congregation priests. There were three choir groups from different parishes of Siuyu, Makiungu and Igunga leading the faithful in joyful singing and dancing. They were all dressed in the special Jubilee ‘Vitenge’.
In his sermon, the Bishop praised and thanked the Sisters for their joyful dedicated service to education, health care and the handicapped children in the Diocese. After the solemn Mass, twenty-five candles were lit and Sr. Basilisa Jacob, Vice-provincial, read a short history of the Pallottine Sisters in Tanzania. Thousands of people from the villages gathered to witness the celebration and offered their gifts such as bulls, goats, sheep and chickens. Afterwards, all were invited for a meal. The Jubilee booklet and memorial cards were presented to special guests.
We were honored to have Sr. Josephina D’Souza, General Councilor, and Sisters from England, South Africa, and Rwanda. It was very uplifting to see the presence of so many old friends and supporters of our missions.
The celebration was a day of great blessing for the whole Pallottine Family. It was a time to look back in gratitude, live the present in passion and hope for the future. A grate salute to the three pioneer Sisters of the England province who sow the seed, and now there are forty-three Tanzanian sisters working tirelessly in the Dioceses of Singida, Arusha and Tabora. One Sister is a missionary in the South African Province.
Now with love and confidence, we look forward to the next twenty-five years, as we entrust our future to God our Father, to our Blessed Mother, the Queen of Apostles and to our holy founder St. Vincent Pallotti.
Glory be to Him whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.
Ephesians 3:20
Sr. Mary McNulty SAC
