“Do not despise your neighbour”: Tanzanian Archbishop Calls for Compassion Toward Childless Couples

Arusha, 14 January, 2026 / 11:45 PM

Archbishop Isaac Amani Massawe of Tanzania’s Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha has called on the people of God under his pastoral care to show compassion and respect toward couples who do not have children, warning against attitudes of pride and judgment within families and communities.

Archbishop Amani made the appeal during his homily at Holy Mass marking the official opening of St. Joseph Moscati Boys Secondary School in his Metropolitan See on Monday, January 12. He emphasized that children are a gift from God and should never be used as a measure of personal worth or moral superiority.

“Let us open our eyes and stop despising those who do not have children,” he said, and urged believers to examine their attitudes toward childless couples. 

The Tanzanian Catholic Archbishop emphasized, “Do not despise your neighbour because you have blessings; you may be healthy while another is sick. Do not look down on them.”

Reflecting on the biblical account of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, Archbishop Amani said that childlessness is not a personal failing. “Hannah was despised and humiliated because she had no child, and yet she herself had no power to conceive,” he said.

He stressed God’s sovereignty over life and human circumstances, noting, “It is God who gives life. He is the one who gives children to the barren, who raises the poor, and who brings down the proud. God is the one who plans everything. Therefore, we must trust in Him and entrust to Him our faithfulness.”

Archbishop Amani went on to recall, “In God’s time Hannah received Samuel, who became the key to great changes in the nation of Israel.”

He explained that Samuel “became the prophet who closed the period of the Judges and ushered in the kingdom of Israel” and “anointed the first king of Israel, whose name was Saul.”

“From Hannah we learn strong faith,” the Local Ordinary of Arusha since December 2017 said. He also invited the people of God to draw inspiration from Hannah’s husband, Elkanah, who, he noted, did not abandon or blame his wife for not bearing children.

He emphasized that marital fidelity should not be pegged on whether a couple has children or not, observing that Elkana’s original love remained because “he knew who gives children: it is God. He did not abandon his wife because of being childless.”

The 74-year-old Tanzanian Catholic Archbishop at the same time condemned the tendency among some members of society to shift the blame onto women who do not bear children, saying, “In many situations in life, if a woman does not have children, who is considered at fault? People begin to accuse and despise her, saying she has nothing to show for herself.”

“The woman is often sent away: ‘Go back home so that I may marry another and have children.’ But Elkanah did not do that. From Elkanah we learn fidelity,” he said.

Meanwhile, in his January 12 homily, Archbishop Amani welcomed the opening of the new secondary school, noting that his Metropolitan See had long desired to have “a place where we could raise and form our young boys.”

“That is why we are here today to bless the school itself and the children who will stay here. This is going to be a center for raising and nurturing our boys,” he said and went on to highlight the spiritual significance of the institution, noting that the celebration of Holy Mass at the school would ensure Christ’s presence in every aspect of school life.

He continued, “We believe that Christ will bless it, protect it, and guide all that will be done here, that everything will be a blessing to those who will live here, the teachers, the students, and all the other stakeholders.”

Archbishop Amani welcomed the first group of students who had already reported to the boys' school located in Kingore, Arusha, urging them to be obedient and diligent in their studies.

He said, “These are the first seeds of this place. We pray that they may settle well into their studies and prepare for what God has planned for them.” 

“Just as your parents are doing, I pray that you succeed in your lives. Each young person should take a worthy place in God’s plan and become a blessing to the community. And may God be glorified in all your lives,” the Tanzanian Catholic Archbishop said.