Tanzania, Sept. 12 -- Morogoro. For believers and lovers of Catholic Church hymns, songs such as "Niongoze Vema Maria", "Sisi wana wa dunia", and "Ewe Bwana twakuomba upokee vipaji vyetu" have become staples of daily worship, yet few know their composer.

The Citizen's sister newspaper Mwananchi travelled over 400 kilometres from Dar es Salaam to Ifakara to visit Mzee Pascal Florian Mwarabu, a composer of Catholic Church hymns whose music has blessed many lives.

Mr Mwarabu, now 83, recounts his journey of becoming a prominent Catholic song composer, serving the church in this capacity for 45 years.

"I am a native of Ifakara, where I studied before joining the Police Force. Even before and after retiring, I served as a Catholic church ch...