Frater Stanislaus, OSB, Graduates in Medical Studies

On August 26, 2014  at the University of St. Augustine in Mwanza run by Episcopal Conference of Catholic bishops of Tanzania Frater Stanislaus Mwinuka, OSB, had graduation ceremony finishing his training to be a Clinical Officer. He becomes the first monk of Hanga Abbey to have the diploma in the field. Indeed he is being waited for eagerly at Hanga Health Center for his expertise. We thank those who sponsored for his studies. Later on we expect Frater Stanislaus to continue on with training in optometry. We wish him success in all his endeavors.

Below are some pictures of Frater Stanislaus graduation day.

St. Laurent Primary School Graduation 2014

On August 16, this year 2014 St. Laurent School had the celebration for the graduating class - Standard VII class. St. Laurent school is a pre and primary school of English Medium. The total number of graduating pupils was 62 of whom 38 were boys and 24 girls. Mr. Ernest Haule the owner of OK Hotels in Songea  town was the guest of honor. In September the pupils will be sitting for their final National Examinations. We wish them success and bright future. Like all other classes in the past that all pupils passed the National Exams, we hope they too will do well.

Farewell and Welcome to Visitors at Hanga Abbey

On July 4th, 2014,   the monks at Hanga Abbey held a farewell dinner for some visitors and welcoming others. The farewell was for a group of students and professors from Oregon Institute of Technology, USA. They have been building a structure to filter water for four years. The structure will be complete sometime this year. This year they had about two weeks to work with monks to fill the filter chambers with gravel and sand. They also had plumbers to lay/fix pipes in the chambers as inlets and outlets. The project is cosponsored by Sunrise Rotary Club of Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA, and Engineers Without Boarders of USA. See some pictures below.

  

   A Welcome was given to visitors from Cologne, Germany, Frau Perry with his friend; both are touring Hanga Abbey and the country as a whole. Also, and very unusual, two Benedictine nuns from Namibia Sisters Ottilia, OSB, and Adela, OSB, were welcomed. This is a very rare visit. They are the first people/nuns from Namibia to visit Hanga Abbey. We are very happy to welcome them to observe our monastic way of life here at Hanga Abbey and see what we do as an African Benedictine community of men.

Delbarton Students, from New Jersey, USA, Visit Hanga

In June five students from Delbarton High School (Morristown county) in New Jersey had the opportunity to visit Hanga Hanga abbey and the village. For three years Delbarton school has been sending students and teachers during summer to experience Tanzanian culture and also help Hanga Abbey schools with some school supplies. Last year the school bought books for St. Benedict Secondary School and participated in the exercise of making bricks. This year as well they provided funds to buy text books. We thank teachers and students at Delbarton schools for they support in the field of education for our Tanzanian students.

Farewell party to students and teachers from Delbarton High School

 

 

 

 

A Priest and a Benedictine Nun Join Hands to Help Needy Children

In the archdiocese of Songea in southern Tanzania, a parish priest Fr. Pius Nchimbi and a Benedictine Nun, Sister Siri, OSB, have paired their efforts to help orphans and children who have been abandoned by their parents (single mothers) or from  very poor family in Mgazini parish west of Songea municipality. Three years ago the pastor decided to use dilapidated building with minor renovation to host less than ten children. Now that number has grown to 51 children. With some help from some people form USA and Germany the children are getting better services. They have good dormitories, beds with good matresses and mosquito nets, 

     

table wares and clothing. Thanks to the benefactors for sharing their blessings with these children. As more rooms can be renovated, (depending on the availability of funds)  more children will be taken in. There are so many of these needy children.  

Hanga Heath Center Attractive to Medical Field Work

For many years Hanga Health Center has been a place that many medical schools have been sending their trainees for field work even from outside the country as far as Italy, USA, Germany and Austria. The nearby Peramiho Hospital has been sending students at the Center at  a regular basis yearly; but this year in May we had medical students from Songea regional hospital and as far as from Mbeya Referal Hospital about 8 hours car drive northwest of Hanga Abbey. As such it is a good assistance to the staff especially during busy times of the year, during rainy season when there more patients to attend to. Indeed the accommodation and friendly environment at Hanga makes Hanga Health Center

.

Frater Lucius with some of the medical students in field work at Hanga Health Center.

 

 In the photo above are medical students from Mbeya

Below a photo of medical students from Songea and Mbeya   

Medical students from Songea Hospital

Celebrating Palm Sunday at Hanga

It is customary for Hanga Abbey and its schools (Hanga Seminary, St. Benedict, Hanga Trade School) to have Palm Sunday celebrated together at which students from all schools  and workers celebrate the Mass at the abbey church. This year the mass was presided by Fr. Kamugisha the head of St. Augustine Catholic University of Songea campus. The celebration started at St. Pirmin's Guest House where palms were blessed and procession began heading to the abbey church about 300 meters.
The celebration of masses together is desirable for the community but the abbey church is too small to handle all people at once. Hence, at least once a year, monks, students and workers take the trouble to attend mass together.