Mission and History
Introduction
St. Monica Parish – Buhongwa started as an outstation (Kigango) established in 1974 under St. Charles Lwanga Parish – Nyegezi. In that same year, Mr. Charles Mayunga, who was then the ward secretary of Buhongwa Ward, facilitated the acquisition of two plots of land for the church: the current church site and the cemetery area. At that time, Holy Mass services were conducted once a month by Father Thomas Bulabo from Bugando Parish. The Masses were held in classrooms at Buhongwa Primary School, bringing together believers from the areas of Lwanhima, Sahwa, Bulale, and Buhongwa itself.
Church Construction
After using classrooms for several years, Father Karoli from Nyegezi Parish initiated plans to construct St. Monica Church in Buhongwa. The construction of the church began in 1988 using mud bricks before Father Karoli started the initiative for the current church building. In this effort, Father Karoli contributed funds and building materials, while the parishioners provided labor, stones, sand, and made bricks. The construction of the church was completed in August 1990, and the outstation was inaugurated by the late Bishop of Mwanza Diocese, Renatus Budobudo Butibubage, in September 1990. At the time, the outstation had only nine Small Christian Communities (Jumuiya). The outstation continued to grow, leading the faithful to purchase nearby plots of land. By 2001, the expansion of the current church began.
Spiritual Services
Before and after the inauguration of St. Monica Outstation in 1990, all spiritual services were provided and continued to be offered by priests from Bugando Parish, Nyegezi Parish, and the Nyegezi Social Training Institute (NSTI), which is now St. Augustine University (SAUT). In 2007, St. Augustine Mkolani Parish was inaugurated, and St. Monica Outstation became one of the outstations forming this new parish.
Status of a Quasi-Parish
The Most Reverend Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Ruwa’ichi declared St. Monica Outstation a quasi-parish on August 27, 2014. At that time, the outstation comprised 40 Small Christian Communities (Jumuiya).
Full Parish
The Most Reverend Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Ruwa’ichi of the Archdiocese of Mwanza officially established St. Monica – Buhongwa as a full parish on Wednesday, December 21, 2016.
Administration
This parish comprises the wards of Buhongwa and Lwanhima, which are part of Nyamagana District in Mwanza Region.
Administrative Boundaries
When St. Monica Parish was officially established on February 21, 2016, it comprised four outstations (vigango) that formed St. Monica Parish. Due to various developments and the growth in the number of faithful, what was once Bulale Outstation is now a Parish, and Sahwa Outstation has also become a Parish.
Currently, the third outstation is Lwanhima Outstation, which now belongs to St. Bartholomew Sahwa Parish, while the fourth outstation is St. Monica Outstation, Buhongwa, which serves as the mother and main pillar of the Parish.
At present, St. Monica Parish, Buhongwa, consists of 10 zones (Kanda) and 63 Small Christian Communities (Jumuiya Ndogo Ndogo za Kikristo).
