MCFARLAND — In November 2017, Christ the King Parish in McFarland and St. Benedict Parish in Ilungu, Tanzania, formally became “sister parishes” under the direction of Fr. D. Stephen Smith.
Since the inception of the sister parish initiative, Christ the King parishioners have become aware of the poverty and harsh conditions in which their Tanzanian brothers and sisters live.
St. Benedict Parish is located in the remote and mountainous region of Ilungu in southern Tanzania in East Africa, where subsistence farming is the main occupation.
St. Benedict Parish was established in 2013 to address the main social ill of illiteracy.
At the time the sister parish initiative began, this new parish still lacked completion of a church, construction of a parish office, renovations to the rectory, the building of a school, and other basic parish infrastructure needs.
Christ the King parishioners have embraced their sister parish and have enthusiastically performed spiritual and corporal works of mercy to aid their brothers and sisters.
These have included prayers, as well as mailing Rosaries, books, and clothing. Christ the King also sent a small delegation to visit St. Benedict Parish in August 2019 to further solidify the sister parish relationship. Other fundraisers were held to support the construction efforts.
Pandemic hardships
The year 2020 saw two events that impacted St. Benedict parish.
First, the coronavirus pandemic thwarted fundraising activities, and postal service was suspended for many months so that the shipping of items was impossible.
This caused much hardship for our sister parish.
Second, in October, Fr. Uzima Thaddeus Mwazembe was assigned as pastor of St. Benedict Parish, after Father Minde was transferred.
Thus one of his main priorities, besides construction needs, is to address the illiteracy of the children and youth of his parish.
Recently, Christ the King sent catechist manuals and workbooks for the “We Believe” series of religious education materials. Father Uzima is organizing a team of facilitators to translate the materials into very simple language for the parish children, as they are academically challenged because of limited learning opportunities. He is looking to his sister parish in McFarland to provide the needed funds for this endeavor.
With the easing of some restrictions for in-person activities, Christ the King is now preparing to celebrate Pentecost with an in-person silent auction to support St. Benedict Parish, part of the universal Church, in Tanzania.
Silent auction
The silent auction will be held in the Fellowship Hall of Christ the King, 5306 Main St., McFarland, on Saturdays, May 15 and 22, from 12 noon to 3 p.m. and after the 5 p.m. Mass; and on Sundays, May 16 and 23, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. It will close on Pentecost (May 23) at 12 noon when the high bids will be announced. Bidders do not need to be present to win.
The silent auction will feature gifts from St. Benedict parish in Tanzania; family, children’s, and sports items; furniture, home décor, artwork, books, food, and a 50/50 Raffle, to name a few.
To see the more than 110 items that have been donated thus far, please go to the Christ the King website, www.myparish.com
All are encouraged to participate.