AMECEA: Bakanja Seminary, a Rainbow Institution Offering Unique Priestly Formation

Blessed Bakanja AMECEA College which was canonically erected in 1998 as a regional seminary drawing seminarians from the eight AMECEA member conference is slowly getting the reputation of a rainbow institution as students from other regions have started joining.

Surrounded by three Catholic institutions within Langáta in Nairobi, namely the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA), Tangaza University College, the Apostles of Jesus Seminary and St Thomas Aquinas National Seminary, Bakanja College stands out a unique seminary whose niche is “to form true African, Catholic priests after the model of Jesus Christ” as the AMECEA founding fathers envisioned it.

The Rainbow Nature of Bakanja College

This year, 2019, is indeed a special year for Blessed Bakanja College as it has seen an increase of seminarians from 33 in 2018 to 48. While most of them come from the Conferences within AMECEA region, others are coming from as far as Congo and South Africa.

“This year we have been joined by two students from Congo; two from South Africa; another two from Djibout, five from Tanzania of whom three are doing Masters in Canon Law. We have also been joined by seminarians from the Dioceses of Arua and Kasese as well as the Archdiocese of Gulu in Uganda; 2 from the Archdiocese of Nairobi and 1 from Ngong Diocese in Kenya.,” says Nathan Mali a seminarian of Nairobi Archdiocese.

On this note, the Chairman of AMECEA Rt. Rev. Charles Kasonde who is Bishop of Solwezi Diocese in Zambia says, “Bakanja is an ideal place for seminarians. It gives them a lot of opportunity to mix with their peers from the entire AMECEA region and be integrated in the academic requirement of the entire CUEA family while they are receiving priestly formation in the house, and I am very happy that now the number of seminarians has increased, which he says is very encouraging.”

‘Africans, be missionaries to yourselves’

Obviously, during this Extraordinary Month for Missions, there are many reasons for the Church in Africa to remember what Pope Paul VI said in 1969 when when visited Kampala, Uganda, there in the Cathedral of Rubaga, ‘Africans, be missionaries to yourselves’.

As such, the AMECEA Chairman finds Bakanja Seminary to be the right environment to open up seminarians to other cultures. “This is what we can live when we engage our seminarians in international environment which Bakanja offers, and through AMECEA as a regional association when we integrate with each other and participate in common goals, the promotion and sustenance of the institutions that have the rainbow character like Bakanja. So, my appeal is to my brother bishops that they send some of their seminarians for their formation and education,” he says.

“Blessed Bakanja accords the bishops in AMECEA region an opportunity to participate in ‘the rainbow of AMECEA’ where nine countries are coming together by faith with consolidated pastoral solidarity. The Seminary attests to that regional unity and belongingness,” he continues adding, that in the global village we are in, seminarians ought to be opened up to the needs of the universal Church.

In fact, according to him, bishops should not fear investing in the formation of their seminarians. “Some bishops fear to bring their students due to concerns about the fees at Bakanja and in CUEA, but now CUEA gives to the seminarians a 50% discount. This is in a way a boost to priestly formation in AMECEA region. When you compare the fees, they are just the ordinary fees as in any of our seminaries. I know that what could be limiting is probably the air tickets. However, where there is a will there is a way. With a little bit of investment in these our children, we should be able to send our seminarians to come here and be formed.”

On this note, Nathan Mali concurs with Bishop Kasonde when he says, “For me, Bakanja is very unique place of priestly formation. In the first place we have a competent team of formators. Secondly, as seminarians we also enjoy a certain sense of freedom as we walk every day to CUEA for our studies. There we interact with other university students of all kinds, which helps us to become more mature and focused.”

According to Nathan, one other factor that adds value to their growth as seminarians at Bakanja is the atmosphere of freedom.

“Our Rector gives us the opportunity to express ourselves. Even where we go for the Rector’s conferences, we do not fear to say what we are thinking. Freedom is one unique thing that I have experienced and enjoyed during my stay here. I believe that we should not embrace a formation of fear because when you make seminarians fear formators, they will not open up. Obviously, we must make sure that there is respect of formators and fruitful dialogue. Again, this is very good here at Bakanja.”

Bakanja College living up to the Vision of AMECEA bishops

The Rector, Fr Peter Mouldy Zingari, a diocesan priest from the Diocese of Rumbek in South Sudan, believes that Bakanja is truly living up to the vision set by the AMECEA bishops in 1998.

“Bakanja was founded with the idea of building AMECEAness and bringing together the Conferences so that there is a certain spirit being planted in the future priests coming from the dioceses and countries; so that they may be able to work with people coming from different places; and, above all, that they may benefit from CUEA. So far, I can say with all confidence that priests that have been trained here are doing very well in their dioceses. The formation they received here adds value to their apostolate.”

Bakanja is built with a maximum lodging capacity capacity of 74 seminarians. The seminarians do their studies at CUEA. However, as any institution, Bakanja has its own challenges. This is what the Rector says.

“Of course there were some other challenges especially in terms of finances. This made some bishops reluctant to send their seminarians. However, we have devised the policy so much that the school fees for the seminarians studying at CUEA has been reduced by 50%, which is actually very good for the AMECEA region. Also, the administration has also been put in order so much that now we have a full team of formators – the rector, vice rector, spiritual director and other formators. We have also the professors and lecturers at CUEA who also participate in the formation programs.”

The rector is assuring the AMECEA bishops that Bakanja is giving the right accompaniment to seminarians.

“We are trying our best to ensure that the seminarians are formed well and that they get a clear idea of what the AMECEA bishops had thought about in erecting this regional seminary. I am happy too that as of now we have seminarians from Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Djibout. We have also received seminarians from Rwanda, South Africa and Congo.”

A parting short

Deducing from the satisfaction which is expressed by the AMECEA Chairman, the Rector and the seminarians, what one can take as a conclusion is that, indeed, AMECEA Blessed Bakanja College is offering a unique service to the Church which no Conference must afford to miss.

“I am grateful to my brother bishops who have taken the initiative to send their seminarians here and I would like to encourage more to do likewise. In the first place, we have a good number of children being called, who need formation. Secondly, supporting this institution by sending of our seminarians to come and be train ensures sustainability of our dream. This is my appeal to all my brother bishops,” says Bishop Charles Kasonde.

∽End∽

By Fr. Andrew Kaufa

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