Disappointment

Yesterday I had a great, satisfying and productive day. But not today. Drove to Musoma with Sr. Mary, the headmistress of Blessed John Paul II Center for Education and Formation in Kiabakari, for the diocesan meeting of the department of education. On my way to the meeting hall I passed through the diocesan bookshop and spotted a brochure - in swahili - the history of the Christianity in the diocese of Musoma. Prepared for the last year's centenary celebrations in Musoma, though I came across this publication for the first time today. Nicely printed with bishop's foreword...

I read it a bit flipping pages till I came to the section describing all parishes of the diocese. I was genuinely disappointed when I read that the construction of Kiabakari parish was accredited in the booklet to Maryknoll Fathers. Not to me, though everyone knows what is the real truth.

No word either on Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy. Checked with Butiama and Shirati parishes. Similar misinformation, discretiting us, Fidei Donum missionaries from Poland working in this diocese since 1974, in general of our due achievements.

I find it unjust to write a history of the diocese without mentioning our part in it. And without describing the crucial role of other missionaries (apart from White Fathers and Maryknoll missioners) - the diocese has numerous religious congregations and volunteers from different countries. And all of them contributed greatly to what the diocese has become now.

Very disappointing.

I wonder if the committee in charge of preparing this official 'history' did this on purpose to hurt us, missionaries, deliberately or they were nonchalant in writing to not bother checking the true facts and showing the complete face of the diocese.

In my case, though, it is hard to believe that it was done by simple lack of information as everybody in the diocese and beyond knows the story of Kiabakari and Divine Mercy here and my personal involvement in it since the beginning... But official history of the diocese of Musoma simply denied me and all my benefactors and friends due credit. As if we never existed nor did anything here since 1990 till 1997 when I was appointed the first parish priest of Kiabakari.

It is very disappointing.

Shame on those who published such things unprofessionally and knowing that they will be held liable for the misinformation, simply hid their names (as you cannot find any info on who wrote and published this brochure).

In any case, this publications is a gross and biased misinterpretation of the history of the diocese, in particular its last thirty plus years. It should be taken off shelves and rewritten to give everyone due credit.