Fr. Christian Temu elected Abbot of Ndanda

After the sad Covid-related demise of Abbot Placidus Mtunguja of Ndanda Abbey after only six years in office, the chapter of the abbey gathered on 24 and 25 March to elect a successor. They chose Fr. Christian Temu.

Abbot Christian is 50 years old. At the time of the election he was serving at the Congregation headquarters in St. Ottilien as Mission Procurator of the Congregation, an office which combines the tasks of a Congregation treasurer with that of chief mission officer, supervising projects world-wide. Fr Christian accepted the abbatial election and was confirmed by Abbot President Jeremias on Easter Monday in the abbey church of St. Ottilien. His successor as Congregation Procurator is expected to be appointed on 1 May, after which day Abbot Christian will return to Tanzania.

Ndanda Abbey has 92 monks and is one of seven African abbeys of the Missionary Benedictines. The abbey maintains a priory in the Usambara mountains in Northern Tanzania and a procure and guesthouse in Daressalaam. A number of monks are assigned to a recent foundation in Mozambique. This has been badly affected by the civil war in the north of the country so that the activities there are currently suspended.