Established: 1986
Catholics: 2500
Parish priest: Rev Fr. Piotr Bujnowski, OFMConv
Assistant priests: Rev. Fr. Raymond Marszalkowski, OFMConv
Rev. Fr. Benson Mapunda, OFMConv
Outstation: Handeni, Lang’ata Bora, Kagongo and Kiwanja
Small Christian communities (SCC) namely: St.Joseph (Mume wa Bikira Maria), St. Anna, St.Joachim, St. Emmanuel, St. Scholastika, St. Monika, St. Paulo, St. Petro, St. Yuda Thadei,
St. Anthon wa Padua, St. Maxmilian, St. Padre Pio, St. Elizabeth wa Hungari,St. Catherine wa Siena, St. Veronika, St. Faustina,St. Teresia wa Avila
Apostolic associations: Altar boys, Children of Mary, Holly childhood, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Secular Franciscans, Militia of Mary Immaculate and WAWATA
History
The Divine Mercy Parish began from a humble background. Initially, the Parish was known as Mwanga Catholic Church. The name is still in use up to now. It was an outstation of the neighboring Chanjale Parish. Mwanga was opened as an outstation of the aforesaid parish in 1981 by the Holy Ghost Missionaries, during the time of Fr. Tom Williamson, a missionary from Holland. It has been running as an outstation for about five years, till 1986 when it was raised to become a parish. But due to its devotion to the Divine Mercy, the parish name was changed to Divine Mercy Parish on 5th February, 1995 by his Lordship Bishop Josaphat Lebulu. Eleven years later the parish was named the Shrine of Divine Mercy by his lordship bishop Jacob Venance Koda on 23 April 2006.
Priests rendered service in Mwanga before its erection into a Parish in 1986:
- Fr. Kanda, CSSp: was teaching in Chanjale Seminary.
- Fr. Tom Williamson CSSp: was the parish priest of Chanjale parish.
- Fr. Constantine Conan CSSp: was staying in Chanjale Seminary. He is the One who got the plot for the parish and built the Fathers’ House and made preparation for the building of the present church. He was staying in Mwanga since 1986 to 1987. In 1986 the parish of Mwanga was established under his leadership.
Geographical Position of the Parish
The Divine Mercy Parish in Mwanga is within the district of Mwanga, bordering Mwanga Primary School. Mwanga is one of the seven districts that constitute Kilimanjaro Region in Tanzania. It is located around 530m above sea level with estimated population of around 131, 442 people. Given its vast terrain that covers about 1831.32 km – Mwanga is one among few districts in Tanzania with this relatively low population. Given its semi-arid climate rainfall varies from 15 to 35 with averages of up to 500 mm a year. Regarding livelihood systems, in general, this limited rainfalls range can only work on light pastoral use therefore rain fed agriculture is practically impossible. In this semi-arid area, agricultural harvests are highly irregular.
Populations of the Catholics
Approximately 10 percent of the populations are Catholics, who actively take part in liturgical services every Sunday and weekdays.
The priests who rendered service in the parish since its establishment:
- Fr. Constantine Conan, CSSp: the first parish priest of Mwanga: 1986 – 1987.
- Fr. Dominik Wasilewski, OFMConv: the second parish priest: 1988-1990
- Fr. Piotr Bujnowski, OFMConv: 1990 – 1996
- Fr. Janusz Chmielecki, OFMConv: 1996 – 2000.
- Fr. Michal Sabatura, OFMConv: 2000 – 2007
- Fr. Dariusz Szymborski, OFMConv: 2007- 2009.
- Fr. Piotr Bujnowski, OFMConv: 2009 –
Main activities of the parish
- Nursery School: St. Anthony of Padua in Mwanga
- Nursery School in Kagongo outstation
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