With the dawning of October 30^th 2021, Kibosho Senior Seminary Community received God’s graces all the more with the coming of WAWATA (Catholic Women’s Community of Tanzania) from Hai Vicariate – Catholic Diocese of Moshi. This was so in accordance with their annual calendar, that, each year they must pay a visit to at least one of the formation centers (Major Seminaries or Minor Seminaries or Formation Houses); to pray with them and for them, encourage them and offer their material support in forming the future priests; a charitable evangelical act which they call “KUNYONYESHA” (which is a Swahili word for “breastfeeding”). And this year the turn to Kibosho Senior Seminary was of Hai Vicariate, following last year’s Moshi Vicariate visit.

Having received the information of their coming from our beloved Rector, Rev. Fr. Joseph Msafiri Mahela ALCP/OSS, the whole seminary community was anxious and eagerly awaiting to receive them, and so we did. The delegation arrived spontaneously one parish after another from 09.00 a.m. When they had arrived greatly in number, we began by praying the Holy Rosary of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, followed by the Holy Mass.

The Mass was presided by Rev. Fr. Deodatus Masondole, one of the Seminary formators. In his homily, Fr. Masondole insisted on the truth that, the Church has entrusted to women the mission to carry on the work undertaken earlier by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. That, just as Virgin Mary had done, Catholic women today are to take care of the Sacred Vocations, more especially priestly and religious vocations. This is in no other ways than through their prayers, moral guidance and material support. This will help priests and those on the way to priesthood (who have renounced everything for Christ’s sake) be more faithful, enthusiastic, passionate and zealous in their vocation and ministry.  Fr. Masondole then congratulated, encouraged and prayed for the visiting WAWATA who are holding fast to that mission.

After the Mass, we had a luncheon together. In it the leaders of the visiting WAWATA gave the report of the delegates. They were about 373 delegated Catholic women from Narumu, Umbwe, Kindi, Manushi, Kifuni, Mango, parishes. From the abundance of their love for God and the Church, they offered some money, bags of maize, beans, rice, wheat flour, sugar, soap and some liters of cooking oil.

On behalf of the visiting WAWATA, one of them gave a word basing on the call Samuel (1Sam 3). She exhorted the seminarians to be obedient to their formators, just like Samuel and formators be caring, loving and lead seminarians into the right path for discernment in their call, just as how Eli was.

(Reported by: Frater Vitalis Kitulizo)