TANZANIA: Catholic Bishops in Tanzania Open a New Major Seminary
Seminarians with the Bishops
Sarah Pelaji
Catholic Bishops in Tanzania have officially opened a new seminary in Kahama Catholic Diocese located in north-west of Dodoma, the capital of Tanzania.
Nazareth Major Seminary was opened on December 5 this year by a Holy Mass led by the Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam His Eminence Cardinal Polycarp Pengo at the seminary grounds.
The Chairman of the Major Seminary Board in the country, Rt. Rev. Joseph Mlola, said that the bishops have decided to open the seminary after the vocation of priesthood has increased in the country.
“In the recent years there has been an increase in priestly vocations here in Tanzania which has resulted in our major seminaries being overpopulated by the large number of seminarians. The situation has made some of them find it difficult to accommodate them and even make their formation difficult.”
By the new academic year 2020/2021, more than two hundred young men who wanted to join the seminary were on the verge of missing out on a place in Tanzania’s major seminaries and so the Conference decided to tackle the challenge.
“We added dormitories in some of our seminaries, we sent some of them to the seminaries of Religious organizations, we opened formation centre in Morogoro and even some of the dioceses send their seminarians abroad, ”he explained.
However, he explained that despite these efforts, they could not meet the need. So, the bishops decided to establish a major seminary.
“In the proposed areas, the area that seemed most suitable was Kahama Diocese. So, we thank the Bishops for their cooperation, the faithful of Kahama Diocese for welcoming our seminarians as well as for their various donations to the Church in the country, “he said.
He said the main seminary would be supervised by the Rector Monsignor Pius Rutechura, assisted by various priests appointed by the bishops.
The seminary shall be for both philosophy and Theology.
His Eminence Cardinal Polycarp Pengo called for sincere cooperation from bishops, priests and the faithful of all dioceses and join forces to develop the Nazareth Major Seminary.
“It is a day of rejoicing for the Church of Tanzania to open the Great Seminary of Nazareth. I congratulate the bishops for starting this seminary, ”he said.
He connected the inauguration of the Nazareth Major seminary and the inauguration of St. Karoli Lwanga Major Seminary Segerea in 1978 in Dar es Salaam at the time he was appointed by bishops to be the Rector.
“There were various challenges especially in infrastructure. At that time, Tanzania was in the war against Iddi Amini so there were various needs. National energies were all directed at the war. In that context the bishops’ statement of establishing the Major Seminary required great courage. At that time the environment of the Segerea seminary was so wild that, when heavy rains fell there was no communication. But the bishops decided that the seminary should begin. They cooperated and the they succeeded.”
Cardinal Pengo urged everyone to stop looking at the current challenges and all the difficulties, as that perspective will not bring development. He said he wants everyone to turn their eyes to Jesus who can fulfill his desire to establish that Great Seminary.
The First Rector of the Seminary Monsignor Pius Rutechura thanked the bishops, the faithful, all the major seminaries in the country, for the cooperation in meeting the essential needs of the seminary at its inception.
Nazareth Major Seminary has already received 106 first-year students in Philosophy and have estimated that after three years they will have 480 seminarians. In addition, upon completion of Philosophy they will continue to their theological studies.
For the first three years, Monsignor Rutechura is asking the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) to look at the seminary with a sympathetic eye so that they can expand the infrastructure.
The seminary needs benches for the chapel, breviaries, piano, microphones and other infrastructure.
There is a need to establish an administrative office and classrooms; to build a convent for Sisters who will provide services at the seminary; and to erect a fence around the Seminary.
