Provincial Custody of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Tanzania
Mother Province: Province of the Immaculate Mother of God in Poland (Warsaw)
The Province of Warsaw decided to establish a mission in Tanzania after its mission in Kenya was transferred to the Province of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Poland (Gdańsk).
The Warsaw Province wanted to found its own mission in Africa as a means of showing its gratitude to God for the canonization of Father Kolbe.
Since May of 2022, the Jurisdiction has thirty-nine solemnly professed friars, thirty simply professed friars, and five friaries, one of which was just recently erected.
Mwanga: St. Francis of Assisi Friary and Divine Mercy Shrine
The town of Mwanga is located at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro and belongs to the Diocese of Same, Tanzania. This was the first friary the friars opened in Tanzania after their arrival in 1988. In addition to serving in Mwanga, the friars were performing pastoral ministry at eight other chapels scattered over a thirty kilometer (19 mile) radius. The eight chapels were eventually made into two new parishes that now run by diocesan priests. Therefore, the friars currently serve only in Mwanga. They organize formational meetings for catechists. They help build churches, chapels, and parish infrastructure. The Conventual Franciscan church in Mwanga is now known as the diocesan Shrine-Parish of Divine Mercy. The friars also run a kindergarten. Almost from the start of their pastoral ministry, the friars have published the Knight of the Immaculate magazine in Swahili. In 1991, they opened a formation house in Arusha/Poli Singhisi to form native vocations. In August of 2009, the Provincial Custody of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe in Tanzania was erected.
Arusha: Immaculate Conception of the B.M.V Friary
In 1991, the friars opened their second friary in Tanzania, on the outskirts of the city of Arusha. In addition to doing parish work, the friars offer spiritual direction to various congregations of nuns and assist in the celebration of Mass at different chapels in the area. At present, the friary serves as the common novitiate of the African Federation of Conventual Franciscans (AFCOF) for eastern Africa (Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania).
Dar es Salaam: St. Maximilian M. Kolbe Friary and Parish
This friary opened in 1999, and serves as the Custodial Curia. In 2008, the St. Maximilian Kolbe Franciscan Center for Education was established at this location. It is a school compound for children and young people, built in collaboration with Caritas Antoniana [a charitable institute]. Today 1,700 young people of all faiths study there. In addition to ministering at the parish in Dar es Salaam, the friars also run a printing house where they publish quarterly issues of the Swahili language magazine Shujaa wa Imakulata (Knight of the Immaculate).
Morogoro: St. Joseph of Copertino and Bl. Johannes Duns Scot Friary
In December of 2006, this friary was opened as a formation house next to the Salvatorian Institute of Philosophy and Theology in Morogoro. Since 2012, this friary has also served as a house of formation for candidates to the Order. The friars in Morogoro also minister as confessors for nuns and priests, and provide assistance during spiritual retreats at nearby religious houses.
Mongolandege: Bl. Raffaele Chyliński Friary
This friary was canonically erected on November 8, 2022.
Franciscan Missionary Center
General Secretariat for Mission Animation
