100 Years of Priesthood

Next year (2018), the Church in Tanzania will be marking 150 years of Evangelization and 100 years of priesthood. The first Catholic missionaries (Holy Ghost Fathers) entered Tanzanian mainland through Bagamoyo in 1968, before venturing to other parts of the country. The first Tanzanian priests were ordained in 1918 marking the centenary celebrations, that were kicked-off last year by the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference.

Here in the Archdiocese of Arusha, all the priests, led by his Eminence Archbishop Josaphat Louis Lebulu and Most Reveled Bishop Prosper Balthazar Lyimo, the auxiliary Bishop of Arusha, marked the beginning of the celebrations, in a gathering that also celebrated 50 years of priesthood of Fr. Pius Shayo, as well as celebrating the 3 newly ordained priests, after 5 years without ordinations.

We thank God for all his graces during these 100 years of priesthood and continue to ask Him to touch more young men to accept His call to the priesthood.

Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD