Zagreb, November 7, 2000 (IKA) — The Croatian bishops have issued a memorandum urging all the faithful in Croatia to offer contributions on Sunday, November 12, for the building of a church and pastoral center for the Ujewa Mission in Tanzania. This mission, in which the church will be named for the Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, is headed by priests from the Split-Makarska Archdiocese. The bishops’ memorandum notes that during the war in Croatia, the faithful of this mission prayed for Croatia, and despite their poverty also collected money and other assistance for Croatia. The local ordinary bishop has approved the building of this church. The new center will serve the 17,500 Catholics of this mission and is needed for the further spread of the gospel in this region where, besides 7,500 Muslims and 6,500 Lutherans, there are over 60,000 pagans. Within the mission complex, a house for missionaries and catechists, a school for girls, a trade school, a clinic with 40 beds, a well and water tower, an agricultural center, a playground for children and apartments for the workers in the mission will also be built. A health center will be built at the same time as the church and will have, in addition to the existing dispensary, a maternity ward, surgery ward, laboratory and 60 beds for patients. In the memorandum, the bishops point out that the Croatian missionaries in the Ujewa Mission are preparing hundreds of adults and children for baptism, administering the other sacraments, celebrating Masses, conducting catechesis in two secondary schools, with catechists in 30 elementary schools, and instructing the people in agriculture.