Bikira Maria Mkingiwa Dhambi Asili: Mwombezi wa Tanzania: Uhuru Wananchi!
Na Padre Richard A. Mjigwa, C.PP.S. – Vatican.
Familia ya Mungu nchini Tanzania tarehe 9 Desemba 2023 inaadhimisha Kumbukizi ya miaka 62 ya Uhuru wa Tanzania Bara na kwamba, tarehe 8 Desemba 1997 Kardinali Laurian Rugambwa, Kardinali wa kwanza Mwafrika alifariki dunia. Mtakatifu Yohane Paulo II tarehe 8 Novemba 1984 alichapisha Waraka unaojulikana kama “Tot Tantaeque” yaani “Bikira Maria ameidhinishwa kuwa Msimamizi wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania.” Hili ni ombi lililotolewa kwa wakati huo na Askofu Antony Petro Mayala “23 Aprili 1940 hadi tarehe 19 Agosti 2009” aliyekuwa Rais wa Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki Tanzania, TEC, kuomba ili Bikira Maria Mkingiwa Dhambi ya Asili aweze kuwa msimamizi wa Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania kwa kuipatia familia ya Mungu nafasi ya kumwimbia Mwenyezi Mungu utenzi wa sifa na shukrani kwa zawadi ya uhuru, siku moja tu, baada ya kuadhimisha Sherehe ya Bikira Maria Mkingiwa Dhambi ya Asili. Mtakatifu Yohane Paulo II, alikazia umuhimu wa watu wa Mungu nchini Tanzania, kuomba ulinzi na tunza ya Bikira Maria, huku wakisukumwa kwa namna ya pekee na uchaji kwa Mwenyezi Mungu na Ibada kwa Bikira Maria Mkingiwa Dhambi ya Asili.
Ni matumaini ya Mtakatifu Yohane Paulo II kwamba, kwa ulinzi, tunza na maombi ya ya Bikira Maria Mkingiwa Dhambi ya Asili atazidisha upendo, ari na mwamko mkubwa wa mshikamano kwa familia ya Mungu nchini Tanzania. Ni katika muktadha huu, Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki Tanzania katika mkutano wake mkuu wa mwaka uliofanyika Juni 2016 liliamua kwamba, kuanzia wakati huo, Sherehe ya Bikira Maria Mkingiwa Dhambi ya Asili itakuwa inaadhimishwa kitaifa nchini Tanzania ifikapo tarehe 9 Desemba. Askofu Tarcisius Ngalalekumtwa katika barua yake kwa ajili ya tukio hili alisema, uamuzi huu ni utekelezaji wa zawadi iliyotolewa na Mtakatifu Yohane Paulo II kunako mwaka 1984 kwa kuiweka Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania chini ya ulinzi, tunza na maombezi ya Bikira Maria Mkingiwa Dhambi ya Asili. Kumbe, kwa mara ya kwanza, katika historia ya Tanzania, Sherehe ya Bikira Maria mkingiwa Dhambi ya Asili kitaifa iliadhimishwa rasmi tarehe 9 Desemba 2016. Hii ni nafasi ya kuombea familia ya Mungu nchini Tanzania ili iweze kudumisha misingi ya haki, amani, upendo, umoja na mshikamano wa kitaifa, nguzo msingi ambazo daima zimewatambulisha watanzania katika Jumuiya ya Kimataifa.
Ilikuwa ni wakati wa mkesha wa uhuru wa Tanganyika kunako Desemba, 1961, Mtakatifu Yohane wa XXIII alipotunga sala maalum kwa ajili ya kuiombea Tanzania, ili uhuru wake uwawezeshe watanzania kuishi maisha mema zaidi kadiri iwastahilivyo watoto wa Mungu. Aliwaombea viongozi wa Serikali na watunga sera na sheria ziwe ni kwa ajili ya mafao ya wengi. Aliwaombea Watanzania paji la imani, hekima, ukweli na uaminifu kwa Amri za Mungu. Aliwaombea upendo wa Kimungu ili kujenga na kudumisha umoja na mshikamano wa kitaifa ili kushinda: utengano, ushindani, ukabila, utaifa ili watanzania wote waweze kuwa ndugu wamoja na katika Fumbo la Utatu Mtakatifu. Mtakatifu Yohane XXIII aliombea amani na maridhiano kati ya Tanzania na majirani zake; viongozi wa Serikali ili waweze kutimiza wajibu wao kama inavyostahili; raia kujipatia maisha bora zaidi na hatimaye, waweze kuwa ni raia katika Ufalme wa mbinguni milele na milele!
IOANNES PAULUS PP. II: LITTERAE APOSTOLICAE. TOT TANTAEQUE BEATA VIRGO IMMACULATA PATRONA CONFIRMATUR REI PUBLICAE TANZANIENSIS
Ad perpetuam rei memoriam. – Tot tantaeque sunt difficultates, pericula, discrimina, in quibus Christifideles versantur, ut ad aeternam illorum salutem non modo oporteat omnia humanae prudentiae quaerere praesidia, sed etiam superum opem implorare, maxime beatissimae Virginis Mariae, Christi Matris amabilissimae filiorumque Patronae sollicitare. Qua re, cum Venerabilis Frater Antonius Mayala, Episcopus Musomensis, idemque Coetus Episcoporum Tanzaniae Praeses, ab hac Petri Sede petierit, etiam fidelium nomine, ut beatissima Virgo Maria ab Immaculata Conceptione, Patrona apud Deum totius Rei publicae Tanzaniensis confirmaretur (nempe ad normam «Instructionis de Calendariis particularibus atque Officiorum et Missarum Propriis recognoscendis», n. 30): in Eam enim fideles summa pietate ferri, in Eiusque die festo sollemnem recuperatae patrice libertatis celebrationem fieri; Nos re bene considerata, comperto praeterea sive electionem, sive Episcopi adprobationem ad statas leges facta esse, libenter in Venerabilis Fratris, cuius mentionem fecimus, sententiam discedimus. Quapropter, iis probatis quae Sacra Congregatio pro Cultu Divino de negotio gesserit, factis olim a Nobis potestatibus, placet B. M. V. sine originis labe conceptam, caelestem esse et haberi Tanzaniae Rei publicae Patronam, certa spe fore ut tum christiana plebs pietatem in Virginem augeat, tum beatissima caelorum Regina amoris ac dilectionis dona multiplicet. Quae vero iura, privilegia, facultates confirmationem hanc consequantur, haec libenter facimus et concedimus. Contrariis nihil obstantibus.
Datum Romae, apud Sanctum Petrum, sub anulo Piscatoris, die VIII mensis Novembris, anno MDCCCCLXXXIIII, Pontificatus Nostri septimo.
AUGUSTINUS Card. CASAROLI, a publicis Ecclesiae negotiis.
Mtakatifu Yohane Paulo II: Barua ya Kitume: Bikira Maria Mkingiwa Dhambi Asili Athibitishwa kuwa Ni Mlinzi na Msimamizi wa Umma wa Tanzania. Ifuatayo ni tafsiri isiyo rasmi kwa lugha ya Kiingereza.
For the perpetual memory of the matter. - There are so many and so many difficulties, dangers, crises in which the Christian faithful are involved, that for their eternal salvation it is not only necessary to seek the protections of all human prudence, but also to implore the help of the superiors, especially to solicit the most blessed Virgin Mary, the lovely Mother of Christ and Patroness of children. In this regard, when the Venerable Brother Anthony Mayala, Bishop of Musoma, and the same President of the Council of Bishops of Tanzania, has requested from this See of Peter, also in the name of the faithful, that the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness before God of the entire Republic of Tanzania, should be confirmed (namely in accordance with the "Instruction of particular calendars and of recognizing the proper offices and masses", n. 30): for the faithful should be led to her with the utmost piety, and on her feast day a solemn celebration of the recovered patrician liberty should take place; We, having considered the matter well, having ascertained, moreover, that either the election or the approval of the Bishop had been made according to the established laws, we gladly departed from the opinion of the Venerable Brother, whose mention we have made. Therefore, with the approvals that the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship has carried out regarding the business, made once by Our powers, it pleases B.M.V. The Queen of Heaven will multiply the gifts of love and affection. But what rights, privileges, and faculties obtain this confirmation, these things we willingly do and grant. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary.
