HISTORIA YA PAROKIA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PARISH HISTORY a). Location of the Parish St. Anthony's Cathedral Parish complex is located in Chumbageni area in the city of Tanga along Tanga-Mombasa highway. It also borders the beauty of Indian Ocean on its East. The parish complex is also connected with the diocesan chancery offices and it also borders the complex of the Tanga Port. b). First Parish in the Diocese i). Holy Ghost Fathers: The parish history goes back to 1893 when the Holy Ghost Fathers from Kilimanjaro found it. The parish is one of the four parishes the Holy Ghost Fathers established in Tanga Region when this area was within the Vicariate of Kilimanjaro. This parish and other more three parishes founded by the Holy Ghost Fathers were then handed to the Rosminians Fathers in 1948 when Tanga Region was named a Prefecture on its way to become a diocese of its own in later days ii). Rosminian Fathers: Rev. Frs Francis Kennedy, I.C. and and James Connolly, I.C. were the first Rosminian priests to minister at St. Anthony Parish when the Holy Ghost Fathers left. iii). Holy Ghost Sisters: During this time of transition, the Holy Ghost sisters who had left Tanga during the Second World War II returned back to St. Anthony Parish. Their presence in the parish brought more energy in evangelization. With the collaboration of the parish priests, the sisters built the local primary school and thus provide the local African children with access to primary education as well as the flavor of Gospel life. c). It's Big Territory i). Its geography: From its inception as the parish, St. Anthony Parish covered very large territory in the eastern territory of Tanga Region. For a long time it was the only parish in the whole of the coastal strip of Tanga from the boarder with Kenya (the diocese of Mombasa) in its north all the way to the south of Pangani where it bordered with the Diocese of Morogoro. To the west it stretched itself as far as Ngomeni areas where it bordered with Mlingano Parish. It also stretched itself all the way beyond Maramba and Daluni areas. ii). Many outstations: Priests from St. Anthony would travel in all this territory to provide pastoral services in many outstations. Many of the outstations were within the sisal estate camps where the plantation managements had built small churches to provide their employees with places for worship. The priests from St. Anthony would visit the remote areas and stay there for some days to provides various religious services to the people. iii). Liturgical services in outstations: Liturgical services in these places would start with the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation, then the celebration of the holy mass to be followed by baptism, religious instructions, other sacraments, or the blessings of homes and graves. iv). Ministry of catechists: The local catechists in these outstations were very instrumental to preserving and guiding Catholic faith since priests were few and their visits to those areas were rare. d). Parish Church Building i). Original church building: The original parish church building at St. Anthony was very small. This church reflected the size of Tanga at that time. It was a very small town with fewer people whose big percentage was Moslem. ii). Increasing of population: As the days passed by, the Tanga town grew up and its population slowly increased. From the year 1948 Tanga became a port town. The port was famous in exporting of sisal and tea from this region and also importing a number of things from overseas such as machines, automobiles and the like for the use in the plantations. The high volume of business in this port and the existing of many sisal and tea plantations in the region contributed to the increasing of population in this area. In 1952 Tanga town had 4,635 Africans, 1,029 Arabs, 5,779 Asians and 558 Europeans. iii). Cathedral Church: When Tanga became a diocese of its own in 1958, the there was a need of building a Cathedral Church. At the beginning the headquarters of the diocese were thought to be in Lushoto. Initial efforts were done to build the church of the Cathedral status in Lushoto. This plan was reversed when the headquarters of the Diocese was advised to be in Tanga Township to reflect the the governmental headquarters of Tanga Region. With this move, the efforts to establish Lushoto as the Bishop’s See were reversed and from then, plans were put together to build the Cathedral Church in Chumbageni Tanga. In 1966 the Cathedral Church begun to be built in Chumbageni under the leadership of Fr. O’Kane, I.C. who was both a priest in-charge of St. Anthony Parish as well as the diocesan Vicar General. Brother Fortunatus, OSB of Sakharani Benedictine Farm and Brother Jim Marriot, I.C helped Fr. O’Kane. The shape of this church was in a circle and it continues to stand up to these days. Its beauty is just outstanding. e). The Expansion of Tanga Township i). Pastoral challenge: The history of St. Anthony Cathedral Parish has the big footprints of Rev.Fr. Gerard Smith, I.C. who became the priest in-charge for St. Anthony Cathedral Parish for a period of around 20 years since mid-seventies. During that time he was also the Vicar General for the diocese as well as the Diocesan Treasurer General. During his term of leadership at St. Anthony Cathedral Parish Fr. Gerard Smith witnessed the growth of Tanga Township and its suburban areas. This growth challenged the parish in its pastoral infrastructure to reflect this physical growth. St. Anthony Cathedral church could no more contain all these people who were coming in for Sunday liturgies and people had to walk long distances to the parish. ii). Outstations in the township: Fr. Smith saw the need of getting more plots of land in other parts of the town municipal to build up bigger outstation churches so that people in those areas could receive pastoral services in their neighborhoods. He got a number of plots of land and he built St. Charles Lwanga Church in Majani Mapana area; St. Joseph Kagwa Church in Amboni; St. Mathias Mulumba Church in Usagara and then St. Peter-Saruji Church outside the town of Pongwe. Fr. Smith didn’t only build church buildings in those outstations, but he also build houses for priests, sisters, and kindergarten schools for the education of young children. f). Other Parish/Diocesan Projects While at St. Anthony Parish, Fr. Smith built a Hostel for girls who were doing their educational programs in educational institutions within the municipal of Tanga. The hostel became a sanctuary for many girls whose families had to be transferred from Tanga to other parts of the country because of their employments. In that conditions, these girls would remain live at St. Anthony’s Hostel finishing their studies. Fr. Smith also was instrumental to the building of the large warehouse to help with procuring diocesan and nearby dioceses whose shipments arrived in through the Port of Tanga. g). Rev. Gerard Smith Leaving the Parish In 1985 Fr. Smith left St. Anthony Cathedral Parish for St. Peter-Saruji outstation outside in Pongwe. At that time, Rev. Rev. Fr. Martin Maganga,, a diocesan priest, was sent by the bishop to be the first native priest to be a priest in-charge of St. Anthony Cathedral Parish. While in Pongwe Fr. Smith continued with his diocesan level assignments as the Vicar General as well as Diocesan Treasurer General positions, the positions he held until the time when Bishop Maurus Komba retired as the bishop of Tanga. h). The native priests from St. Anthony Cathedral Parish Zachary Kayanza (1975) and James Kweka (1975) (R.I.P), and Samuel Itatiro (1976) (R.I.P.).

a). Mahali Ilipo Parokia
Parokia ya Mtakatifu Antoni wa Padua ipo katika kitongoji cha Chumbageni katika jiji la Tanga kandokando ya barabara kuu inayounganisha jiji la Tanga na mpaka wa Tanzania na Kenya hadi jiji la Mombasa (Kenya). Parokia hii kwa upande wa mashariki mwake inapakana na uzuri wa Bahari ya Hindi. Makao ya parokia hii pia yameunganisha na makao makuu ya Jimbo la Tanga.

b). Parokia ya Mwanzo Tanga
i). Mapadre wa Shirika la Roho Mtakatifu
Historia ya parokia hii inarudi nyuma kwenye mwaka wa 1893 wakati ilipoanzishwa na mapadre wa Shirika la Roho Mtakatifu waliotokea Kilimanjaro. Parokia hii ni moja ya parokia nne za awali katika jimbo la Tanga ambazo zilianzishwa na mapadre hawa wa Roho Mtakatifu wakati eneo la jimbo la Tanga hivi sasa lilikuwa sehemu ya vikariate ya Kilimanjaro.

ii). Mapadre Warosmini:
Parokia hii na parokia nyingine tatu za awali zilizoanzishwa na mapadre wa shirika la Roho Mtakatifu zilikabidhiwa kwa mapadre wa shirika la Warosmini katika mwaka 1948 wakati eneo uliomo mkoa wa Tanga lilipotangazwa kuwa Prefekture inayojiandaa kuwa jimbo linalojitegemea. Waheshimiwa mapadre Francis Kennedy, I.C. na James Connolly, I.C. walikuwa ni mapadre wa kwanza wa ki-Rosmini kuhudumia parokia hii mara baada ya mapadre wa shirika la Roho Mtakatifu kuondoka.

iii). Masista wa Roho Mtakatifu:
Wakati wa kipindi hiki cha mpito, masista wa shirika la Roho Mtakatifu ambao waliondoka Tanga wakati wa Vita Kuu ya II waliweza kurudi tena kuendelea na shughuli za kichungaji Tanga. Uwepo wa masista hawa katika utume wa parokia ya Mtakatifu Antoni uliongeza nguvu na hamasa katika shughuli za kichungaji. Kwa kushirikiana na mapadre wa parokia hii, masista hawa wa shirika la Roho Mtakatifu walijenga shule ya msingi hapo parokiani kuweza kutoa elimu kwa watoto wa maeneo ya Chumbageni na pia kuweza kuyathibitisha maisha ya Injili ya Kristu kwa watoto hawa na wazazi wao.

c). Eneo Kubwa la Parokia
i). Jiografia ya parokia:
Tokea muda wa uasisi wa parokia hii, Parokia ya Mtakatifu Antoni ilikuwa na eneo kubwa mno la kichungaji. Kwa muda mrefu parokia hii ilikuwa ni parokia pekee katika ukanda wote wa pwani ya Tanga. Kwa upande wa kaskazini parokia iligusa mpaka wa nchi ya Kenya na Tanganyika ikipakana na jimbo la Mombasa, Kenya. Upande wa kusini parokia hii ilihudumia maeneo ya kusini ya mji wa Pangani yanayopakana na lililokuwa jimbo la Bagamoyo (baadaye Morogoro). Kwenda magharibi, parokia hii ilipakana na parokia ya Mlingano katika maeneo ya Pongwe na Ngombeni. Eneo la parokia lilitanuka hadi vitongoji vya Maramba kuelekea Daluni.

ii). Utitiri wa vigango:
Kutokana na ukubwa wa eneo hili la parokia mapadre wamisionari walilazimika kusafiri toka parokiani kwenda kutoa huduma za kichungaji katika maeneo mengi ambako vigango vilianzishwa. Vigango vingi vilianzishwa ndani ya makambi ya mashamba ya mkonge ambako wafanyakazi wake wa-Katoliki toka mikoa ya bara ya Tanganyika na nchi jirani waliweza kupata huduma za kichungaji. Tawala za mashamba haya ya mkonge yalijenga vikanisa vidogodogo katika kambi za wafanyakazi ili kuwawezesha wafanyakazi wao kuiishi imani yao. Mapadre tokea makao makuu ya parokia waliweza kutembelea vigango hivi na kutoa huduma za kiroho kwa wafanyakazi hawa. Mara nyingi kutokana na umbali wa maeneo haya, mapadre hawa walilazimika kupiga kambi katika maeneo hayo kwa siku kadhaa kukidhi mahitaji mengi ya kiroho kwa waumini hao.

iii) Madhehebu vigangoni:
Madhehebu ya kiliturjia katika vigango hivi wakati wa ujio wa mapadre toka parokiani yaliweza kuanza na maadhimisho ya sakramenti ya kitubio ikifuatiwa na maadhimisho ya Misa Takatifu. Baada ya misa yangeweza kufuatia maadhimisho ya sakramenti nyingine za kanisa kama ubatizo na ndoa. Pia baada ya maadhimisho ya misa, mapadre waliweza kufanya mafundisho ya dini na hata kuweza kubariki nyumba na makaburi ya wa-Kristu.

iv). Utume wa makatekista vigangoni:
Maisha ya kiroho katika ngazi ya vigango yalishikiliwa sana na uongozi bora wa walimu wa dini (makatekista). Walimu hawa wa dini waliongoza mafundisho ya dini katika vigango hivyo na pia kuongoza madhehebu ya ibada mbalimbali kama vile misa bila padre, maziko ya wa-Kristu, na hata ubatizo katika nafasi ya hatari ya kifo.

d). Jengo la Kanisa la Parokia
i). Jengo la awali:
Kanisa la mwanzo la Parokia ya Mtakatifu Antoni lilikuwa dogo sana. Hii ni kutokana na udogo wa watu walioishi katika mji wa Tanga na udogo wa jumla ya wa-Kristu katika eneo hili la Tanga ambalo lilikuwa na wa-Islamu wengi. Kadiri siku zilivyosonga mbele na kazi ya uinjilishaji kushamiri, idadi ya wakazi katika mji wa Tanga iliongezeka na hivi hata idadi ya wa-Katoliki kuongezeka.

ii). Kuongezeka waumini:
Tokea mwaka 1948 bandari ya Tanga ilijengwa kukidhi mahitaji mengi ya eneo hili katika usafirishaji wa mazao ya mkonge na chai (yaliyolimwa katika mkoa huu na mikoa jirani) kwenda nchi za nje. Bandari ya Tanga pia iliweza kuwa chombo bora cha kupokea mitambo na mahitaji mengine kutoka nchi za nje kwa ajili ya matumizi ya mashamba na wakazi wake. Ongezeko hili la shughuli za bandari na biashara za mashamba ya mkonge na chai yalisukuma ongezeko la wakazi katika mji huu na vitongoji vyake. Sensa ya watu ya 1952 katika mji wa Tanga ilikuta kwamba mji ulikuwa na wa-Afrika 4,635, wa-Arabu 1,029, wa-Asia 5,779, na wazungu 558.

iii). Kanisa la kiaskofu:
Wakati Tanga ilitangazwa kuwa jimbo linalojitegemea toka vikariate ya Kilimanjaro hapo mwaka 1958, kulikuwa na hitaji la kujenga makao makuu ya jimbo na pia kanisa la kiaskofu (kathedra). Kutokana na ubora wa hali ya hewa ya milimani ya Usambara, uongozi wa jimbo wa awali ulifikiria kuyafanya makao haya makuu ya jimbo kuwa katika mji wa Lushoto. Kwa mawazo haya, eneo la ujenzi wa makao haya lilipatikana katika mji wa Lushoto na hivi kanisa kubwa na zuri kujengwa. Maamuzi ya kuyafanya makao makuu ya jimbo la Tanga kuwa katika mji wa Lushoto yalibatilishwa baadaye kwa mapendekezo kwamba makao makuu ya jimbo la Tanga yawe katika mji wa Tanga ambako pia ni makao makuu ya kiserikali ya mkoa wa Tanga. Mabadiliko haya ya kusimika makao makuu ya jimbo kuwa Tanga badala ya Lushoto, yalileta ujengaji wa kanisa kuu la kiaskofu kuwa maeneo ya parokia Mtakatifu Antoni katika kitongoji cha Chumbageni mjini Tanga. Harakati za ujezi wa kanisa la kiaskofu katika kitongoji cha Chumbageni ulianza mwaka 1966 chini ya uongozi wa padre O’Kane, I.C. ambaye alikuwa ni paroko wa parokia ya Mtakatifu Antoni na pia kaimu wa askofu wa jimbo. Pamoja naye, alishirikiana na bruda Fortunatus, OSB wa shamba la Kibenediktini la Sakarani na bruda Jim Marriot, I.C. Muundo wa kanisa hili lilikuwa ni la mduara, muundo ulioongeza uzuri wa jengo hili.

e). Kukua kwa mji wa Tanga
i). Kukua mji na changamoto la uchungaji:
Ukuaji wa mji wa Tanga na miji ya pembezoni mwa Tanga kadiri ya siku zilivyozidi songa mbele, ulitoa changamoto kubwa katika uongozi wa jimbo la Tanga na haswa parokia ya mtakatifu Antoni. Katika muda wa uongozi wa mheshimiwa padre Gerard Smith, I.C uongozi ulipanuka kwa muda wa miaka ishirini kama paroko wa parokia hiyo na pia kama kaimu wa askofu wa jimbo na pia msarifu wa jimbo, aliweza kukabiliana na changamoto na mahitaji ya kuibadilisha parokia hii kujibu mahitaji ya kichungaji katika miaka ya sabini na themanini.

ii). Vigango vyaingia mitaani:
Padre Smith alitafuta maeneo ya kujenga makanisa ya kudumu ndani ya eneo la Parokia ya Mtakatifu Antoni kuwakuta watu. Maeneo haya yalikuwa katikati ya makazi ya watu ili kutoa nafasi ya wakazi wa maeneo hayo kupata huduma za kichungaji. Padre Smith alipata maeneo katika vitongoji vya Majani Mapana, Usagara, Pongwe, na Amboni. Kule Majani mapana lilijengwa jengo zuri la kanisa lililopewa jina la mwangalizi mtakatifu Chalesi Lwanga. Kule Usagara kanisa kubwa la kigango lilijengwa na kuwekwa chini ya ulinzi wa mtakatifu Matiasi Mulumba. Kule Pongwe kanisa lilijengwa na kuwekwa chini ya ulinzi wa mtakatifu Petro na Kule Amboni kanisa lilijengwa na kuwekwa chini ya ulinzi wa mtakatifu Josefu Kagwa. Pamoja na ujenzi wa majengo ya makanisa, padre Smith alijenga nyumba za kuishi masista, walimu wa dini, na shule za chekechea ili kutoa huduma zaidi kwa jamii.

iii). Vingago vyawa maparokia:
Kadiri siku ziliposonga mbele na kutokana na makuzi ya makazi ya watu katika maeneo hayo, vigango vyote hivyo (isipokuwa kile cha Majani Mapana) vilibadilishwa kuwa parokia zinazojitegemea.

d). Miradi ya parokia/jimbo
Wakati akiwa kiongozi wa parokia ya Mtakatifu Antoni, padre Smith aliazisha mradi wa hosteli ya wasichana waliokuwa wakifanya masomo yao katika vyuo na shule mbalimbali mjini Tanga. Hosteli hii imechangia mno ubora wa masomo ya wasichana hawa. Familia nyingi za wasichana hawa zilikuwa ni za waajiriwa wa serikali na mashirika binafsi zilizokuwa zikiishi mjini Tanga na baadaye kuhamishwa kwenda sehemu nyingine nchini waliweza kuwaacha mabinti hawa Tanga wakiendelea na masomo yao. Katika mazingira haya, wasichana hawa waliweza kupata maskani salama ya kuishi katika hosteli hii ya parokia. Kadhalika katika kipindi hicho cha uongozi wa padre Smith (R.I.P) aliona hitaji kubwa la kuwa na jengo la kuhifadhia mizigo ya parokia, ya jimbo na majimbo jirani iliyokuwa ikifika Tanga kwa njia ya meli toka nchi za nje. Kwa hitaji hili kubwa, padre Smith alisimamia ujenzi wa jengo la kuhifadhia mizigo ambalo linaendelea kutumia hadi hivi leo.

e). Baba paroko Smith aondoka Chumbageni.
Katika mwaka wa 1985 padre Smith (R.I.P) alihamisha makao yake toka Parokia ya Mtakatifu Antoni Tanga na kwenda kuishi katika nyumba ya mapadre katika kigango cha Mtakatifu Petro Saruji Pongwe. Katika kipindi hicho cha mpito mheshimiwa padre Martin Maganga aliteuliwa kuwa paroko wa kwanza mzawa wa parokia ya Mtakatifu Antoni. Bado padre Smith aliendelea kushikilia ofisi ya ukaimu wa askofu na pia usarifu wa jimbo hadi mwisho wa kipindi cha uongozi wa jimbo cha baba askofu Maurus Komba (R.I.P).