► FRIARIES
Arusha (Poli Singisi)
The Immaculate Conception friary in Arusha - the address:
Conventual Franciscan Friars
P.O. Box 782, ARUSHA (POLI SINGISI), Tanzania
Email: Arusha e-mail
Arusha (Poli Singisi) - is the second house of Franciscan mission in Tanzania. At the beginning of the year 1991, after mediation with the diocese of Arusha, Franciscans purchased a plot in a suburb of Arusha, called Poli, so as to build a new formation house for postulants.
In March 1992, the first apartments were ready and two missionaries came from Mwanga bringing with them a few items of furniture and the most necessary equipment to serve the needs of the small convent. At the same time work on the building site of the new formation house continued.
It was as soon as on 16 November 1992 that the first vocation retreat for candidates to the Order took place in Poli. In February 1994, the proposal to take over the pastoral duties in the parish in Poli Singisi was accepted. On 4 September of the same year, the parish was entrusted to the full pastoral care of the missionaries from Poli, and fr. Dominic was appointed the first parish priest.
On 15 January 1995, the first Sacrament of Confirmation was administered by bishop F. Lukanima in Poli Singisi. He used the occasion to officially announce that the parish had been taken care of by Franciscan Friars. The Franciscans are also involved in the pastoral ministry for the nuns, who live nearby, and they provide assistance in celebrating the Eucharist in the local chapels - outstations.
In February 2012 formation house in Arusha was chosen as a new novitiate house, third in AFCOF federation, and since then it works as Arusha Novitiate House.
Missionaries working in Arusha:
fr. Francis Zacharia Mumburi – superior, parish priest
fr. Dariusz Szymborski – Novice Master and custody assistant
fr. Dennis Ntabo Gwaro
- and novices