Catholics from Vermont and Tanzania help one another

Published: 2007-10-18

BURLINGTON, Vt. (CNS) -- Bishop Severine Niwemugizi of Rulenge, Tanzania, understands the missionary role of the church. "The whole church is missionary," he said during a recent visit to St. Michael Parish in Brattleboro. "In principle we are all sent to preach the Gospel, to bring the good news to all the earth." His East African diocese has only 60 diocesan priests serving 26 parishes, which together have about 450 mission "outstations." The largest parish has 43 missions. Some missions have a priest visit only about once a year, and people often walk for miles to attend Mass. Catholics comprise about half of the 1.2 million people living in the area covered by the diocese. Although the need for priests is great in his diocese, Bishop Niwemugizi has allowed 14 priests to serve in other areas. Two of his priests serve in the statewide Diocese of Burlington, which is facing a clergy shortage. In return, The Vermont Catholic Tribune, Burlington's diocesan newspaper, has teamed up with the two Vermont Catholic high schools to raise funds to provide potable water to the people in the Rulenge Diocese. And a Vermont parishioner is spearheading an effort to get wells drilled for the Tanzanians.

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