杏MAP导航

By Sarah Pelaji

The Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) officially launched a landmark Five-Year Strategic Plan (2025–2030) for the Catholic Laity Council of Tanzania.

The launch took place recently during the Annual General Meeting of the Laity Council at the TEC Lay Formation Centre named after Blessed Isidore Bakanja located in Segerea, in the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam.

Bishop Edward Mapunda, Chairman of the Laity Commission of TEC, gave thanks to God for the gift of life, faith, and the mission entrusted to lay faithful, particularly in their role of sanctifying the world through their witness and engagement in society.

He emphasized that the Strategic Plan is a fruit of divine inspiration and guidance from the Holy Spirit. He called upon God's blessings for the plan's successful implementation, inviting lay people to make it a source of salvation and transformation in line with the Church’s evangelizing mission.

A historic milestone for the laity

Since its establishment in 1969, the Laity Council of Tanzania has operated without a formal strategic plan, relying instead on tradition and experience.

However, growing awareness of the need for structured guidance led to a resolution during the Bishops’ 2021 General Assembly to develop a comprehensive strategic document.

The resulting plan sets out to strengthen the role of the laity within the Church, nurture and empower lay associations and apostolic movements, and promote spiritual, social, and economic development among Catholic faithful across the nation.

The plan is rooted in the Church’s broader vision, drawing from documents such as Apostolicam Actuositatem, Christifideles laici, and Ecclesia in Africa, as well as the synodal vision of 杏MAP导航 Francis.

Vision and mission

The vision of the Laity Council is to become “a center of excellence in offering appropriate advice to Church leadership at all levels from Small Christian Communities (SCCs) to the national level on the journey of leading the Church to heaven.”

Its mission is “to unite lay faithful in their vocation and mission to sanctify the world through the Gospel of Christ, from the grassroots to the national level.”

Strategic objectives

The plan outlines five key strategic goals:

-  Deep Evangelization and Pastoral Formation: To offer holistic faith formation tailored to children, youth, adults, and the elderly;

-  Institutional Strengthening: To build robust governance and operational systems within the Laity Council, including capacity-building and financial sustainability;

-  Promoting Unity among Clergy, Religious, and Laity: To enhance collaboration and mutual respect within the Church’s diverse ministries through shared projects and formation programs;

-  Inclusive Socio-Economic Development: To empower lay groups in entrepreneurship, vocational training, and education, particularly among marginalized communities;

-  Environmental Stewardship: To implement the Laudato si' vision through climate education, sustainable use of resources, and Church-led environmental initiatives.

Implementation and oversight

The Strategic Plan will be implemented through inclusive and participatory processes from local to national levels.

A Results Based Monitoring and Evaluation (RBM&E) framework will guide assessment and reporting, with semi-annual updates at diocesan and national levels to ensure transparency and accountability.

The five-year plan is estimated to cost TZS 2.5 billion (approximately TZS 500 million annually). Funding will come from diocesan contributions, fundraising, partnerships with development agencies, NGOs, private donors, and if necessary financial institutions.

Risk mitigation and long-term vision

The Council acknowledges risks such as funding shortages, weak stakeholder collaboration, and shifting socio-political conditions. These will be addressed through diversified funding strategies and active stakeholder engagement.

The plan reflects a commitment to build a vibrant, self-reliant Church a synodal, missionary Church where laypeople are fully involved in pastoral and societal transformation.

Bishop Mapunda concluded by invoking Luke 14:28, urging the faithful to act with foresight and purpose: "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?”

This strategic plan, the first of its kind for the Laity Council, marks a new chapter in the Church’s journey in Tanzania one rooted in faith, action, and shared mission.