Meeting of Superiors and Directors of Work – Dodoma
By Fr. Kyaligonza, SJ
The recently concluded meeting of Superiors and Directors of Work, and Province Assembly were spiced by interludes of exciting conversations, delicious meals, and irresistible socials. Many companions who attended the meeting and/or assembly had not seen one another for decades, and some were meeting for the very first time. Similarly, many had not visited Dodoma since it became Tanzania’s capital city. The pleasant surprise about how magnificent the city and our apostolates have become was echoed in the pleas of many companions who requested that henceforth all our meetings and assemblies be hosted in Dodoma.
The meeting of Superiors and Directors took place on 3rd July 2025, at St. Peter Claver High School (SPCHS). In his opening remarks, the Provincial thanked God for the gift of life and the safe arrival of the companions who had travelled from all the corners of the province. The companions were overjoyed when the Provincial mentioned that Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) Jesuit community and SPCHS had generously promised to cover 60% of the total cost of the meeting and assembly. Frs. Kimonge and Karongo, the Superior and Director, respectively, were applauded for their generosity and magnanimity. Scholastics Benedict Angelo Msuya and Adriano Chavala were applauded for organizing the events very well and ensuring that all the necessary logistics were in place. The Provincial reminded the participants that the main goal of the meeting was to strengthen the union of minds and hearts of the Superiors and Directors. He urged the participants to catch up on stories, learn best practices from one another, and be charitably honest during the sessions. Before concluding his opening remarks, the Provincial reminded his companions that the progress of AOR does not and will not depend on the charisma of a single individual but on the goodwill of all its members. He then requested the participants to continue praying for Frs. Fratern Masawe, Peter Otieno, and all the members of the province who are sick. Fr. Provincial concluded his opening remarks by introducing a new member of AOR, Fr. Deshi Ramadhani Thomas Aquino, and two brand new doctors, namely, Rev. Dr. Evarist Shigi, and Rev. Dr. Robert Ssekyanzi who recently completed their doctoral studies at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), and the University of Toronto – Canada, respectively.
Synodality was the theme of the meeting, and the main presenter/facilitator was Br. Elias Mokua. Br. Mokua began by thanking the Provincial and his Socius for inviting him to share his experience and insights. In the spirit of synodality, just before projecting his first PowerPoint slide, he asked the participants to sit in one big circle so that they could easily see and listen to one another. Br. Mokua spent some time taking the participants through the misconceptions some people have about synodality, such as reducing the authority of the bishops, giving too much power to the laity, changing Church doctrine, politicizing and polarizing the Church, and turning the Church into a democratic institution. He spent the rest of the time talking about the main content of the document by highlighting the meaning of synodality, the richness and challenges of plurality and diversity and inclusivity, the importance of journeying together, discernment as the method of renewing the church, and the call to repentance and conversion, among many key points in the document. After his informative and thought-provoking presentation, Br. Mokua divided the group into 5 sub-groups to discuss 4 critical questions. Some of the reports by the sub-groups caused exciting debates and discussions during the “pre-examen” plenary session.
During the afternoon session, Fr. Shigi, the Province Treasurer, gave a brief presentation about the Instruction for Administration and Finances (IAF: # 413, 563-570) and emphasized the need to sign credible contracts with collaborators/employees (i.e. avoiding what he referred to as “gentleman agreements”), the benefit of being familiar with the laws and policies of the countries and dioceses where we serve, and the importance and necessity of reliable handover reports and files whenever there is a change of superiors or directors. He also reminded the participants that superiors and directors are expected to use their official (not personal) email addresses when communicating with the Province Treasury on community or apostolate-related matters. The rest of the afternoon was spent discussing the reports of the sub-groups that had not yet reported to the main group. The day ended with mass (celebrated by Fr. Deshi), followed by a mouth-watering dinner and a grand social.
