Songea Girls High School Students Visit Hanga Abbey

Late November students of advanced level Secondary School at Songea Girls' Secondary School visited Hanga Abbey as study tour. While at Hanga they visited different worshops and schools witnessing themselves the art and workshop skills monks have and the extensive apostolate that monks of Hanga abbey are undertaking. In the picture the students are seen at the dispensary with Br. Lucius Matembo, OSB, the head of the dispensary.

Frater Justin Salingwa, OSB, of Hanga Abbey Dies

On November 12th, 2011 Frater Justin Salingwa, OSB, of the Hanga abbey died in Dar es Salaam at Muhimbili National Hospital. He was 50 years old. Next year 2012 he would celebrate 25th anniversary of monastic life.

Br. Justin died of complications of the urinary system and diabetes which was diagnosed just a week before he died. All these happened within a weeek. He was being treated for malaria at the abbey then he fainted and was taken to Peramiho Mission Hospital. There it was found that his blood sugar level was too high and urinary system did now work properly. He was immediately flown to Dar es Salaam by charter plane in the evening of November 11th. Frt Justin survived overnight and succumbed his life the next morning November 12th.

Frater Justin was a true monk who lived his monastic vows well to his ability. He was an example to be followed. He was dedicated to monastic life and the community. For over 15 years he had been running the abbey general store selling different merchadise for the rural population around Hanga Abbey. Many people knew him through this business. Frt. Justin supervised the store with great dedication and dilligence such that it has been the backbone of the budget of the abbey kitchen.

May he rest in peace!

In the photo he is first on the right. The photo was taken in June 2011 when the then bishop elect Johh Ndimbo visited Hanga four days before he was installed bishop of Mbinga diocese.

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On the right you can see Frt. Justin's face. He was at the store distributing mosquito nets to nursing and pregnant mothers for free.

Clean Water for Mawa-Msindo village in Southern Tanzania C

In August 2011 villagers of Mawa-Msindo in Namtumbo district in southern Tanzania had the privillege of getting clean water. Villagers got donation from the US through St. Maurus Hanga Abbey to buy pipes. Locally, the villagers dug the trench and laid pipes. Both men and women, adults and children, got involved in the work. Women, of course, are happiest to have the water becase they do not have to walk great distances anymore searching for water.

In the photo villagers are digging trench to lay pipes

A roll of plastic pipe is laid in the trench

Enjoying clean water

Graduation at St. Benedict 2011

A ceremony was held at St. Benedict Secondary School on September 24th, 2011 for a Form Four class of 2011. It is the pride of St. Maurus Hanga Abbey to have this institution which offers secondary school eduation to people of any age, religion, race and gender. Many religious men and women in Tanzania join religious lives withouth having secondary school education and St. Benedict Secondary school offer that opportunity. No wonder in this graduating class of 2011 there was also a Camaldose nun, Sr. Angela, graduating.

Photos of sections of the graduating class. Sr. Angela a Camaldolese nun is the first from right.

Fr. Mgaga Angelo Msele (in whithe cassock and wreath) is standing with the guest of honor Jane Mapunda on his left followed by Fr. Chrysostom Mkulasi, OSB the rector of Hanga seminary.

Graduates receing their certificates of graduating at St. Benedict Secondary School.

Students performing traditional dance called "mganda" at the graduation ceremony

Representatives of the graduating class reading a special farewell address

August 2011 Visitors from Austria

St. Maurus Hanga Abbey teams with a lot of visistors from around the world, from USA, Austria, Germany, Italy, and even from the furthest continent of Australia! In August this year 2011 the abbey was happy to welcome visitors from Austria . The group was led by Ms. Petra Gehrer a frequent visitor to Hanga and a friend of the abbey. Ms. Petra has established a travel program in Austria whereby she arranges for people from Austria to come to Tanzania and enjoyTanzanian culture and the environment including wild life. While at Hanga Abbey visitors have the opportunity for a day to live with Tanzanian family to experience the real native life of an ordinary Tanzanian. This group of Austrians enjoyed emensely their stay in Tanzania especially the hospitality at the abbey. They promised to come again.

In the the photo is the group of visitors from Austria in August 2011

Visitors from Austria in a soccer team.

The Austrians are visiting with pupils at a local primary school at Hanga village

St. Laurent Standard Seven 4th Graduation - 2011

St. Laurent elementary (primary) school at Hanga is an English medium school; which means classes are taught in English as opposed to ordinary or most Tanzanian elementary schools that normally use Swahili as the medium of instruction. The graduating class of 2011 had 44 students girls and boys, making it the 4th graduation since the school was established. Their graduation was held late August and on the first week of September they sat for their final National examinations. We are looking forward to their examination results. We are very optimistic that the whole class will pass as other classes in the past had done.

Congratulations to the pupils and staff members for preparing these children to be good citizens in the future. We pray and hope that the good moral formation they have acquired at Hanga will make them succeed in their endeavors.

In pictures: the graduating class of 2011

Optometrists from Netherlands Serve People at Hanga Dispensary

In Ausgust 2011, a group of doctors and students of optometry from Holland came to Hanga Abbey devoting their time to serve people with problems of vision. They brought with them spectacles and distributed to the people in need for free. Dr. Ed Tuhy from Klamath Falls, Oregon - USA had also sent some glasses for the purpose. As a matter of fact this is an endeavor he initiated back in 1009. This project is hailed so much and thete were people fro all over the Tanzania. Our gratitude and congratulations to all the those who made this service possible especially to the group from Netherlands.

In the photo is a group of optometrists from Netherlands.

Patients are being diagnosed for vision problems

Br. Benedict Kaguti, OSB, Graduates with Diploma in Advanced Nursing

The Hanga Abbey dispensary is making steady progress as more Brothers get training in the medical field. In 2010 Br. Jesephat, OSB, graduated with the Advanced Nursing diploma at Peramiho Nursing School, and this year 2011 in August Br. Benedict achieved his diplama in Advanced Nursing at KCMC in Moshi, northern Tanzania. The need for trained personnel at the dispensary is great and it is great joy when personnel is added.

We congratulate Br. Benedict for his achievement and we welcome him to work, wishing him great success.

In the photos: Br. Benedict on his graduation day.

A Native of Hanga Ordained to Priesthood

Fr. Gaston Millinga was ordained a priest with other seven men in archdiocese of Songea on June 22, 2011. Fr. Gaston's parents have been very much influenced by Bro. Augustine Mgedzi during their youth ages. Unfortunately though Fr. Milinga had lost his father back in the 80's. Fr.

Gaston celebrated his thanksgiving masses and Hanga parish on June 28 and at his parents' house on July 2nd. We wish him good zeal in working in the Lord's field!!

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Fr. Millinga celebrating his thanksgiving mass at his home

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Fr. Gaston is having meal with his mother on his left and abbot Thadei on her left.

Fr. Gaston with Br. Augustine Mgedzi, OSB,

Progress In Eye Services at Hanga Dispensary

Since the 2008 when Dr. Ed Tuhy of Klamath Falls, Oregon -USA came to Hanga for eye services, the project has been doing very well. Dr. Tuhy had organized donation of glasses from the US. Then he trained Br. Stanislaus to do simple diagnosis for people with eye sight. Now Hanga dispensary receives many people who need eye glasses to see. Also through monetary donations from the US other patients with problems of eye cataracts have been helped. One particular case is of two children: one of 10 years and another of 3 years were operated in Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam. The two children are now doing fine.

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In the photo Br. Lucius with Sisters who came to have eye glasses.

Jackline Lunji who had surgery in both eyes, in Dar es Salaam, she is now back school.

More people who have had eye surgeries.

A boy of 3 years was successfully operated on his left eye in Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam.

Bishop Gervas Placidus Nkalanga, OSB, of Hanga Abbey Celebrates 50 Years as a Bishop

A monk of Hanga Abbey, and retired bishop of Bukoba northwestern Tanzania, Gervas Nkalanga, OSB, celebrated 50 years as a bishop on June 2011. He was joined by more than 30 bishops from Tanzania Espiscopal Conference including Polycarp Cardinal Pengo and the archbishop of Songea Norbert Mtega who also celebrates 25 years as a bishop. Bishop Nkalanga is praised for his humility and simplicity as he lives his monastic life among other monks of Hanga. Being a native of Bukoba, where bananas form a stapple food, he has established and always has been working in his banana garden.

Bishop Nkalanga with frater Fraternus shortly before Holy Mass for his jubilee began.

Bishop Nkalanga with retired abbot Alcuin, archbishop Norbert, Cardinal Pengo and abbot Thadei Mhagama, OSB, of Hanga Abbey.

The former president of the Republic of Tanzani Benjamin Mkapa with his wife were also present. In the picture to the right of the president is archbishop Norbert Mtega and behind him is Abbot Thadei Mhagama, OSB, the abbot of Hanga Abbey.

The monks of Hanga Abbey with bishops who came to celebrate jubilee with bishop Nkalanga.

Nuns from different religious convents were present for the jubilee

Bishop Nkalanga at his banana garden with the youths in monastic formation at Nakagugu.