0
items
$0
The Benedictine Mission House focuses its efforts in four primary categories.
Healthcare
Caring for the sick has always been a priority wherever the Missionary Benedictines established a mission.
Today, in cooperation with the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing, and indigenous Benedictine communities of women, we operate hospitals, clinics, and dispensaries not only in Tanzania, but also in Korea and the Philippines.
For decades, almost all healthcare professionals, lay and religious, were expatriates coming from Europe. Today, doctors, nurses, aides, and administrators are natives, many of whom have advanced from our nursing schools to university and medical school. Specialized training is oftentimes in Europe or America.
+ More Information
Education
Our pioneer missionaries realized early on that education is a very critical issue to help a developing nation in their struggle towards independence and economic stability.
The gathering place for children or adults, willing to learn the basics of the three “R’s” — reading, writing and arithmetic by a missionary monk or sister was under a tree; later on the one classroom buildings with crude furnishings and often without doors or windows could be found on the parish property. Today, the standard of a school building is advanced compared to those of years ago. More and more technology finds its integration into a school system so different from Western civilization.
The “British School System” has influenced the structure of schools in Tanzania. Today, we Missionary Benedictines are involved on all levels of education. We operate or co-sponsor a great number of kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools, we are also involved in high school and university education. Statistics posted by the government show that our schools are among the top 20 of all schools in the country. Our monasteries, in cooperation with the local dioceses, also provide education at the Minor or Major Seminaries, forming indigenous priests. Peramiho Major Seminary has given the Church several bishops in its history. Our major medical centers in Peramiho and Ndanda operate nursing schools and also educate lab technicians.
+ More Information
Hunger Relief / Environment
Many African regions lack the needed moisture to irrigate fields and draughts are not unknown.
Seeds often cannot germinate and grow so that a plentiful harvest can be expected. Hunger is a threatening prognosis for a countless number of people.
The lack of adequate storage facilities add to the problem that crops of corn and beans, for example, cannot be stored properly and conserved for later usage.
Pictures of starving children shock the civilized world!
As Missionary Benedictines we monitor the situation in the areas were we are represented and an Emergency Fund has been established by the Congregation so that supplies can be purchased at a moments notice to prevent hunger.
+ More Information
Evangelization
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15) is the command Jesus gave to his disciples before his Ascension.
Proclaiming the Good News has and still is the mission of all the baptized. The witness of the faithful, and their example of living the Christian principles, inspires others to embrace the faith. In order to deepen and strengthen the faith, teaching and preaching are part of the process, as is the joyous witness that the Lord is the center of our life.
Since 1886, Missionary Benedictines are involved in this ministry. The efforts of evangelization are manifested in pastoral ministry, especially in the celebration of the Sacraments. A major focus is faith formation and the outreach to people in our care.