Use church building donations properly -Pengo
 
2006-09-10 09:21:10
By Daniel Mkate and Correspondent Zawadi Kapambwe

	Polycarp Cardinal Pengo

His Eminence Polycarp Cardinal Pengo has asked Christians in Tanzania to utilize contributions made by worshippers for Church-related construction projects appropriately.

The leading Roman Catholic cleric made the call in Dar es Salaam yesterday, when inaugurating Saint Mary’s Church in Kimara.

He underscored the need for proper utilization of the contributions, in order to avoid tension and divisions in the Church.

The cardinal pointed out that the Church in the Kimara parish was built by the will of God and would therefore remain intact even in the event of an earthquake.

’’ This big building is in fulfillment of God’s desire, who wants us to use it as a house of worship. If we were to turn it into a dancing hall, someone would accuse us of contravening God’s will,’’ the cleric pointed out.

Cardinal Pengo cautioned that whoever would dare use the building contrary to the intended objectives would be committing sacrilege.

He said people were driven to Jesus Christ by their weaknesses, and so the Church was a facility that had been set aside for linking them with God.

Shortly after inaugurating the Church building, the cardinal paid tribute to all the people who had contributed towards its construction, and urged them to do so elsewhere.

’’I thank you for your willingness to give donations for facilitating success of the church project… I am praying to God to grant you the means to get more income, so that you sustain that positive spirit,’’ the cardinal told the audience.

The Church leader called for prayers for Tanzania to remain a peaceful country, in which people of various religious faiths would continue living peacefully and harmoniously.

The IPP Executive Chairman, Reginald Mengi, who had been one of the invitees, was represented by one of the company’s director of Corporate Services, Agapitus Nguma.

Mengi was one of the contributors to the church project fund. The CCM Secterary-General Yusuf Makamba, who had been Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, participated actively in fund-raising events.

Some 300 million shillings has been spent on the church building project so far, the money having been raised through contributions by worshippers and other well-wishers.

Seventy million shillings is still pending to facilitate completion of its two towers, according to a parish official, Crispin Meela.

Meela explained that the church, whose construction started in 2004, would have a capacity of 1,800 worshippers.

• SOURCE: Sunday Observer