The Catholic Archdiocese of Mbeya has a rich and inspiring history, rooted in the missionary efforts of the Missionaries of Africa, popularly known as the White Fathers (WF). Their pioneering work began in 1899 when they crossed the Momba River from Zimba parish in the Diocese of Sumbawanga and established the first mission at Mkulwe on the Mbeya side.
The Archdiocese is situated in Southwest Tanzania, bordering Malawi to the south and Zambia to the west. The Malawi–Zambia highway passes through Mbeya town, connecting the region to both neighboring countries. Today, Mbeya Region is divided into Songwe Region and Mbeya Region, with the Archdiocese covering nearly both.
The Archdiocese has 71 parishes, which are scattered all over the Archdiocese, serving a total population of 2,343,754, while Catholics are 316,471. On the other side, the Archdiocese has a total number of about 141 priests, while out of that, about 35 are working or studying outside the Archdiocese. Hence, the total number of priests working in the Archdiocese is 106.
Around 80% of the population are subsistence farmers, cultivating maize, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts, rice, coffee, cocoa, and bananas. Cattle keeping also supports livelihoods, though poverty remains widespread.
The region is home to diverse ethnic groups including the Safwa, Nyakyusa, Wanyiha, Bungu, Kimbu, Nyamwanga, Wasangu, and Ndali, along with migrants such as the Sukuma, Masai, Kinga, and Hehe, who settled for farming and cattle keeping.
The vision of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mbeya is to achieve excellence in holistic formation and conversion, thereby fostering the growth of the Kingdom of God on Earth.
We strive for excellence in formation, evangelization, and service, guided by Gospel values, to transform lives and society, and build God’s Kingdom on Earth.