According to the Annual School Calendar of the academic year 2021/2022, on 2^nd June was the graduation day of forty-four fraters of the fourth-year at Kipalapala Senior Seminary. The event was prepared as a special celebration of the seminary community, for giving farewell hand to the fraters who have completed their fourth year of formation and Theological Studies at Kipalapala Seminary. The preparations included: welcoming guests like priests and nuns of the nearby communities, environmental preparations, entertainments, foods and drinks, as well as liturgical preparations for the day like singing.

The schedule of the day began with the Holy Mass. It was a thanksgiving mass, with the intention of giving thanks to God for His guidance and providence to the seminary community for the whole academic year. In a special way, thanking God for the fraters of the fourth year who have successfully approached the end of their four-year formation and studies in our seminary. This intention was announced by the rector, Rev. Fr. Herman Kachema, as he was welcoming His Grace Paul Ruzoka, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Tabora, to preside over the Holy Mass.

The readings of the Mass were: Is. 63:7-9, 1Cor. 1:3-9, and Lk. 17:11-19. In the Homily, His Grace had a very profound message in a special way to the graduates, and in a general sense to all the community, about the way of life in the Church. He depicted King David in the Old Testament, as one who was exceptionally patient and forgiving, in cases like his relationship to king Saul in 1Sam. 24 and 26, and Shimei in 2Sam. 16:5-14. His Grace went on depicting Jesus as the truest figure of patience and forgiveness, in relation to whom, King David was an image. He urged the graduates and, indeed, all the seminarians and priests to cultivate patience and forgiveness, and discourage wrath, lest they become always unhappy in their apostolate. His Grace insisted on celibacy, urging the seminarians and priests to be ware of the blowing winds of modernism which are openly against celibacy, he told them to choose carefully and take a proper stand for the good of the Church and the mission.

When the Holy Mass ended, there was a short program of taking photos with his grace on the basis of different groups of priests, nuns, workers and the seminarians grouped according to their classes. After a while, the part of entertainment and celebrations began with all the community gathered in the Seminary Conference Hall. There were many entertainments prepared for the day, with a general message of giving farewell to the graduates, and urging them to be faithful to all that is expected of them by the Church. There were two speeches/precises, one on the seminary, read by the senior student to his grace, and one on the graduates’ class, read by the class leader to his grace; both carrying the message of giving thanks to different parties involved in the formation process in the seminary, including the bishops.

The rector of the seminary, Rev. Fr. Herman Kachema in his speech, urged the graduates and all the seminarians to observe all the values they have acquired during their formation in the seminary, in their service to the Church. He rebuked the tendency of learning from some of the priests who are not doing well in their service to the Church. In his speech, His Grace used the example of St. Paul, urging the seminarians and the priests to be holy, for the Church always desires to have holy ministers. He stressed on the need to stand for the doctrines of the Church, especially in this age of so many ideas that are either openly or hiddenly against the Church.

In addition to the event of the day, his grace Paul Ruzoka was commemorating 50 years since the first time he came to Kipalapala Seminary as a seminarian. After the part of entertainments and speeches on the day, all the community and guests had lunch in the seminary dining hall together with His Grace and the graduates. In the evening there was a match prepared for farewell to the fourth-year fraters, between the fourth-years and the rest of the seminarians. The remaining fraters won the match by 3 – 0. The day was ended happily and everyone enjoyed.

Thanks to God and to all who made it possible for all that made the day so enjoyable. Thanks to Rev. Fr. Herman Kachema, the rector of the seminary and to all the formators for the good work of forming the seminarians. Thanks to the nuns for what they have been doing in their different departments in which they have always worked with great love and care for our community. Thanks to all the workers of the seminary for the services they have been rendering tirelessly to our community. Finally, thanks to all the seminarians for through their different duties, they also contributed to make the day enjoyable as it was.

(Reported by Frt. Godfrey Fredrick Mkwe).