HISTORICAL BACKROUND OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ZANZIBAR  

The Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar is the missionary fruit of Reunion Diocese. Originally the Islands were under the jurisdiction of the Bishop in Reunon. Once the mission was settled, jursdicton passed from one Diocese to another on the Mainland. But this type of Governace arrangement was unsatisfactory due to the geography and hardship of travelling. Politacally, it became necessarily that a native Tanzanian to take charge of the Islands. Accordingly, a spritan Priest, Father Bernard M, Ngaviliau, C.S.Sp. was appointed as the first Apostolic adminstrator from the Mainland. He was ordained first Resident as a Bishop of Zanzibar on 5th June 1980 to 30th Nov.1996. After 17 good and successive years in the serviceof Church of Zanzibar he retired.

When Bishop Bernard Ngaviliau retired in 1997, there were already 13 Diocesean Priests, 26 Sisters,(all assigned from the Mainland congreations as missionaries), and 44 Catechists. Because of the existing situation, the priests had not had an opportunity for further education beyound that required for ordination. Very few Sisters had graduated from Form IV at this time and they offered a great pastoral missionary work to the church of Zanzibar. Only four Catechists had received fromal training.

With the retirement of Bishop Bernard Ngaviliau in 1996, a new and second resident Bishop was ordained on 27 April.1997; the Most Rev, Augustine Ndeliakyama Shao, C.S.Sp from 1997 to present, whao is also a Spiritan Missionary. With the coming of the new Bishop, things started changing rapidly. The number of Priests and Sisters increased, more effort was made to upgrade the Diocesan personels with particular emphasis on the kind of competence needed for the Missionary Diocese, Other dioceses are assisting by temporarily assigining Priests to Zanzibar to replace those who are away for studies. When they return, others will be given an opportunity on rotational basis. Read more the History of the Catholich Church of Zanzibar

The Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar, at present, has 12(twelve) established Parishes with more than 25 outstations and good number of catholic faithful.