Women in today's society and the Church have an equal share and responsibility in
bringing the message of Jesus to others.
Not all cultures recognize the rights of women. Often the right to education is denied. Very early on in the history of the Missionary Benedictines attention was given to educating women and girls, thus helping to brighten their future and placing high values on family life.
Fr. Damian Milliken, O.S.B., educator in Tanzania for over 40 years, says:
"Our overriding concern is to make education available to the women of Africa. When the women are empowered, I believe real change will begin..."Another statement by Fr. Damian, formerly of St. Paul's Abbey in Newton, NJ, and now affiliated with the Archabbey of St. Ottilien, Germany, reads:
"Rather than solving problems in Africa through outside intervention, it is better to equip the Africans themselves with the education and expertise they need to identify and solve their own problems."
This has been the goal of St. Mary's Mazinde Juu Secondary School, located in
the Diocese of Tanga, Tanzania, and operated by the Sisters of Our Lady of Usambara.
Fr. Damian has helped the Congregation for many years, and especially supervising
the growth of this "top quality school." St. Mary's opens the doors for girls from
poor families who otherwise would have no higher education made available to them.
The girls are not only educated in all of the required courses set by the Tanzanian school system,
they also have to work the fields, tend to the livestock, etc... Several Sisters, through the generosity
of the Sisters of Mercy, the Sisters of St. Joseph, and Nazareth College in Rochester, New York,
and the encouragement of Fr. Damian, have received education in the U.S.A. on full scholarships.
Those Sisters in turn are now passing on knowledge to the girls enrolled at Mazinde Juu.
You and I are aware of the high cost of Catholic education and education in general. People in Tanzania do not have financial resources to ensure funding for higher education; they still depend very much on help from overseas.
The future of the country and of the Church depends on sound and solid education. Can we deny
this to the youths of Tanzania?
Fr. Damian asked for our help, especially for the expansion of the library. New classrooms, additional dormitories and storage are also needed, but most of all funds that can be set aside to assure financial independence...
Do
you see a way to help Fr. Damian and the students of St. Mary's so that the
future of their school is secured? I invite you to invest in the future of these
young women. Any donation will be of great help and is appreciated.
Less than 5% of Tanzania's young women receive a secondary education. With your support, you will empower some of them in an excellent way to learn skills that are necessary for leading families, their communities, and their country to self-sufficiency and economic stability.
We monks of Christ the King Priory, together with Fr. Damian, the Sisters of Our Lady of Usambara, and the students at St. Mary's Mazinde Juu express our gratitude for coming to our aid.
For more information or to send any help possible, please contact us at:
Benedictine Mission House
P.O. Box 528
Schuyler, NE 68661-0528
402.352.2177
e-mail:
FrVolker@BenedictineMissionHouse.com
(Fr. Volker - Mission Procurator)
BroTobias@BenedictineMissionHouse.com
(Bro. Tobias - Director of Development)