Miembe is a name applied for the welcoming and farewell celebrations among the seminarians at Kipalapala Senior Seminary. The welcome miembe celebration is normally celebrated in the beginning of the academic year, to welcome the new commers, the First Year Fraters; and the farewell miembe celebration is normally held at the end of the academic year, as a farewell to the Fourth Year Fraters. The term “miembe” is used for these celebrations because, traditionally, they are celebrated under the mango trees in our seminary environment.

Miembe is celebrated in groups of seminarians, basing on the zones in Tanzania like MWEMBE KASKAZINI, MWEMBE MASHARIKI; or basing on the unions of several dioceses like MWEMBE SIMBA (Singida, Mbulu and Arusha), MWEMBE MPAMBESU (Mpanda, Mbeya and Sumbawanga). Generally, there are 8 miembe groups of seminarians.  Every seminarian is a member and sharer in a specific “mwembe”, depending on which mwembe his diocese participates. Miembe celebrations have been a long-lived tradition of Kipalapala Seminary.

This article is based on the farewell miembe celebration of this academic year 2021/2022, which took place on 28^th May 2022. There were 44 Fourth Year Fraters from all over Tanzania to whom we bid farewell on the basis of their miembe groups, as they are graduating their Theological studies. The preparations began in the evening before the very day. The schedule of the miembe day was preceded by the Holy Mass in the morning, and after Mass all fraters went for tea in the dining hall. After tea the activities of the day began in every mwembe like slaughtering, cooking, and all that is concerned with the celebrations.

The reception of guests from outside the seminary has not been common since 2020 because of Covid-19 pandemic, so every mwembe group expected and received guests from within the seminary like workers, formators and nuns. Around 1:30pm, all the miembe had begun to receive guests and celebrations had commenced. The celebrations were as usual good and everyone enjoyed the day. Around 6:00pm, the celebrations ended and the guests left for other programs of the day. There was as usual the evening session especially for dinner. On the next day after Sunday Mass and breakfast in the dining hall, all went for the activities of reordering and getting everything back to its proper and usual order.

(Reported by Frt. Godfrey Fredrick Mkwe)

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).

Since the academic year 2019/2020 the seminary has been giving particular attention to the formators on Pentecost Sunday, and hence naming it, Formator’s Day. Strictly speaking formators are priests who work in the seminary, but broadly include also all who are involved in supporting the seminarians in their formation like: the nuns, and the workers of the seminary.  The origin of this celebration is the Rector’s Day which ceased to be celebrated in the seminary for several years, and on revamping it, the current rector, Rev. Fr. Herman Kachema and his priest companions in the seminary, decided to make it formators’ day and celebrate it on Pentecost Sunday.

In this year, the day has also been chosen by the seminary community for congratulating our jubilarian, Rev. Fr. Theodatus Maramba, the General Spiritual Director of the Seminary, in his silver jubilee of priesthood. There has not been any other chance in our general schedule for this jubilee, yet this day has been the most fitting for the occasion. Rev. Fr. Theodatus Siril Maramba was born on 17^th February 1969 in Moshi. He was ordained a priest on 12^th July 1997 in the Catholic Diocese of Moshi. He was first assigned as a formator and teacher at St. James’ Junior Seminary between 1997-2008. He was then sent for further studies between 2009-2014, and graduated with Teresianum Spirituality Licentiate 2010, Gregoriana (CIFS) Formation Diploma 2011, and Teresianum Christian Anthropology STD 2014. After his further studies, he was immediately assigned to Kipalapala Seminary as a General Spiritual Director and a Lecturer in Spiritual Theology, where he is to date.

The schedule of the day began with the Holy Mass, the solemnity of the Pentecost, in the morning. The mass was presided by Rev. Fr. Theodatus Maramba. The homily was given by Rev. Fr. Herman Kachema, who gave a thorough reflection on the readings wile attaching his message to the three important events of the day in our seminary. Fr. Kachema said that, all the time is fitting for thanking God, but this time has been the most fitting for our community to give thanks to God, for the formators and in a special way, for the gift of Rev. Fr. Maramba among us. He said that the Pentecost Day should be for us the day to thank God especially for the gift of the Holy Spirit who is to us a great treasure for our faith, because no one can say Jesus is Lord, if he is not guided by the Holy Spirit. Fr. Kachema said that he had no much to speak about Fr. Maramba, for his life has been saying everything so openly, calling the attention of the community to learn from Fr. Maramba’s attitude of perseverance and humility. He quoted Fr. Maramba’s inspirational statement that, “it is better to light one’s candle than to curse the darkness”, saying that Fr. Maramba has been an ever-lighting candle in our community. After the Holy Mass, photos were taken for keeping memory.

The whole community was gathered in the evening in the seminary dining hall for a common meal to celebrate our jubilarian. Among the guests, were His Grace Paul Ruzoka, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Tabora and His Lordship Joseph Mlola ALCP/OSS, the Bishop of the Diocese of Kigoma. His Lordship Joseph Mlola is also a silver Jubilarian of priesthood together with Fr. Maramba and other three priests of the Catholic Archdiocese of Tabora, and Sr. Isabela CDMT, who is celebrating her Golden Jubilee of her religious ministry. Other guests were some other priests of the Catholic Archdiocese of Tabora, the CDMT Sisters, Bene Maria Sisters, other sisters of the nearby sisters’ communities, the Fraters of TMP, and few parishioners of Kipalapala parish. All the guests came as the proxies of their communities.

In his speech, the senior student gave thanks to God for the gift of all the formators, in a special way, the gift of Fr. Maramba in our seminary. While admiring the jubilarians, he encouraged all who are zealous to keep persevering. Rev. Fr. Kachema gave a speech on the day, explaining it as a formators’ day, which has been seen most fitting for celebrating our jubilarian. Fr. Kachema extended his gratitude to God, to the bishops, to the seminary community and the guests for joining in this event. His Lordship Joseph Mlola, said that his coming for this event has been a blessed chance which came while he was in Tabora for his official duties, thanking God for this chance. He welcomed all to Kigoma for his jubilee celebration in this year. Rev. Fr. Maramba, had a chance of expressing his heartfelt gratitude. He extended his gratitude to God, to the bishops, to the Rector of the community, to the whole community, and to all that have made the day look as it has been. His Grace Paul Ruzoka led the closing prayer and blessed the gathering, closing the event and allowing all to disperse. The day was colorful and a real blessing to the seminary community.

(Reported by Frt. Godfrey Fredrick Mkwe)