BAGAMOYO, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF
In East Africa; created in 1906 from the Vicariate of the Sudan, it is governed by the Fathers of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit of the Dutch Province. It is the mother mission of all others in Tanganyika. Its area is 65,000 sq. km., and its population numbers 323,317 souls, of whom 98,000 are Arabs on the coast, the rest belonging to various Bantu races. The city of B. was an important slave market, and the activity of the missionaries began precisely in 1867 with a group of young redeemed slaves educated to work in an agricultural colony, founded with the favor of the Sultan of Zanzibar and admired by all.
During the war of 1914-18 the vicariate was occupied by Allied troops, who brought the war into German East Africa; the Cathedral was bombed, several stations destroyed, the German missionaries deported to India and placed under surveillance, which caused a halt in evangelizing work and favored the penetration of Islam even into areas hitherto resistant, such as among the Sandavi of Kurio.
After the war the Apostolic Vicar, Mgr. Vogt, was succeeded by Mgr. Wilson, who organized the school according to the new British government program, obtaining its recognition and a subsidy, and opened a central normal school at Morogoro for the training of catechists for the various vicariates of Tanganyika. Islam remains the great obstacle; nevertheless, the mission progresses. Today it counts 76,561 Catholics and 6,791 catechumens. There are 62 priests, 22 Brothers, 66 Sisters, 510 catechists employed in the mission, and 148 teachers. The primary schools (64) instruct 8,152 boys and girls, the vocational schools (3) 63 young men, and the three normal schools train 100 women teachers and 210 men teachers.