Jan Cornelius van Sambeek, M.Afr. (or John van Sambeek) was a

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

White Fathers The White Fathers (french: Pères Blancs), officially the Missionaries of Africa ( la, Missionarii Africae) abbreviated MAfr), are a Catholic Church, Roman Catholic society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right (for Men) Founded in 1868 by then Ar ...

missionary who was the Vicar Apostolic of Tanganyika (1936–1946), and then Bishop of Kigoma (1946–1957), in the former British-administered

Tanganyika Territory Tanganyika was a colonial territory in East Africa which was administered by the United Kingdom in various guises from 1916 to 1961. It was initially administered under a military occupation regime. From 20 July 1922, it was formalised into a L ...

, now Tanzania.

Early years

Jan Cornelius van Sambeek was born on 23 April 1886 at

Veldhoven Veldhoven () is a municipality and town on the Gender in the southern Netherlands, just southwest of Eindhoven. Topography Dutch topographic map of Veldhoven (town), Dec. 2013 Population centres The modern town of Veldhoven is an agglomerat ...

, Netherlands. He came from a family of ten. One of his sisters became a nun, and three of his brothers became priests. He studied Theology at

Carthage Carthage was the capital city of Ancient Carthage, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classi ...

in Tunisia. On 29 June 1911 he was ordained a priest of the White Fathers (Society of

Missionaries of Africa , image = Cardinal Lavigerie.jpg , caption = Charles Lavigerie , abbreviation = M.Afr. , nickname = White Fathers , formation = , founder = Archbishop Charles-Martial Allem ...

). He remained in the Netherlands during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

(1914–1918).

Missionary

In 1919 van Sambeek was assigned to the Chilubula mission in the Apostolic Vicariate of Bangweolo, in

Northern Rhodesia Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate in southern Africa, south central Africa, now the independent country of Zambia. It was formed in 1911 by Amalgamation (politics), amalgamating the two earlier protectorates of Barotziland-North-West ...

, now Zambia. For the next twelve years he worked with the government in developing Catholic schools. He threw himself into the work with great energy and enthusiasm. He opened the Teacher Training College of Rosa in 1927, and became the college's first principal. He was later made Education Secretary for the diocese. He wrote a number of school books including ''Ifya Bukaya'', which is still in use today. He had an extraordinary aptitude for languages, and wrote many books in the

Bemba language The Bemba language, ''ChiBemba'' (also ''Cibemba, Ichibemba, Icibemba'' and ''Chiwemba''), is a Bantu language spoken primarily in north-eastern Zambia by the Bemba people and as a lingua franca by about 18 related ethnic groups. History Bem ...

covering a range of subjects. Van Sambeek visited the

copperbelt The Copperbelt () is a natural region in Central Africa which sits on the border region between northern Zambia and the southern Democratic Republic of Congo. It is known for copper mining. Traditionally, the term ''Copperbelt'' includes the ...

for two weeks in 1929 with Fr. Louis Etienne. He recommended a separate mission to support the miners, but this was not accepted. In 1932 he took home leave, following which he was made

Prefect Apostolic An apostolic prefect or prefect apostolic is a priest who heads what is known as an apostolic prefecture, a 'pre-diocesan' missionary jurisdiction where the Catholic Church is not yet sufficiently developed to have it made a diocese. Although it ...

Tukuyu Tukuyu, known as Neu Langenburg during the German colonial rule, is a small hillside town that lies about south of the city of Mbeya, at an elevation of around in the highland Rungwe District of southern Tanzania, East Africa. Tukuyu town has ...

Tanganyika Tanganyika may refer to: Places * Tanganyika Territory (1916–1961), a former British territory which preceded the sovereign state * Tanganyika (1961–1964), a sovereign state, comprising the mainland part of present-day Tanzania * Tanzania Main ...

. There he prepared a Nyakyusa dictionary and a

Safwa The Safwa are an ethnic and linguistic group based in the mountains of the Mbeya Region, Tanzania. The Safwa language is a member of the large Niger–Congo languages, Niger–Congo language family group. Alternate names for Safwa are Ishisafwa, C ...

grammar. He returned to Northern Rhodesia in December 1933 as Administrator of the new Mission Sui Juris of Lwangwa. In 1934 he founded the Ilondola (Maria Magdalena de Puzzi) mission in

Chinsali District Chinsali District with headquarters at Chinsali is located in Muchinga Province, Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typical ...

and the Chalabesa (St. Joseph) mission among the Bisa in the

Mpika District Mpika District is a district of Zambia, located in Muchinga Province. The capital lies at Mpika Mpika is a town in the Muchinga Province of Zambia, lying at the junction of the M1 Road to Kasama and Mbala and the Tanzam Highway ( Great North ...

. In 1936 he established the missions of Katibunga, Christ the King (Mpika) and Mulilansolo near

Isoka Isoka is a town located in the Muchinga Province of Zambia near the borders with Tanzania and Malawi. It lies on the T2 Road (Tanzam Highway; Great North Road). Area The area of the district now (2020) is 5,091 km2. The entire country is ...

and St. John the Apostle, (Chinsali).

Vicar Apostolic and bishop

Van Sambeek was appointed Titular Bishop of Gergis and Vicar Apostolic of Tanganyika (now the Diocese of Sumbawanga). on 19 November 1936. On 7 May 1937 he was ordained bishop by Bishop

Anton Oomen Anton may refer to: People * Anton (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Anton (surname) Places * Anton Municipality, Bulgaria ** Anton, Sofia Province, a village * Antón District, Panama ** Antón, a town and capital ...

. On 10 May 1946 the Apostolic Vicariate of Kigoma was formed from part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Tanganyika. Van Sambeek kept the less-developed northern Buha region of the diocese. He was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Kigoma. On 25 March 1953 the Apostolic Vicariate was promoted to the Diocese of Kigoma. Van Sambeek was appointed Bishop of Kigoma, holding this position until he resigned on 22 November 1957. As bishop he translated many Christian works into the

Ha language Ha, also known with the Bantu language prefix as ''Giha, Igiha,'' or ''Kiha,'' is a Bantu language spoken by the Ha people of the Kigoma Region of Tanzania, spoken on the eastern side of Lake Tanganyika up to the headwaters of the Mikonga. It is ...

, and wrote a book on local customs. When van Sambeek resigned he was made Titular Bishop of Tracula. He remained in the diocese, dying in Kabanga on 25 December 1966.

References

Citations Sources * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sambeek, Jan Cornelius van 1886 births 1966 deaths White Fathers priests Dutch Roman Catholic missionaries Tanzanian translators People from Veldhoven Roman Catholic missionaries in Tanzania Roman Catholic missionaries in Zambia Missionary linguists Missionary educators Dutch expatriates in Tanzania Dutch expatriates in Zambia Northern Rhodesia people Tanganyika (territory) people 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Tanzania 20th-century translators Roman Catholic bishops of Sumbawanga Roman Catholic bishops of Kigoma