19 more young men enter seminary

St. Matia Mulumba Parish has an increasing number of youths who aspire to be priests. They now have 19 more seminarians: four young men in the major seminary (four years) and 31 in the minor seminary (six years). One major seminarian will be ordained a deacon in July 2025.

Father Charles attributes the increase to “Almighty God, who always calls someone to consider priesthood.”

“In faith we can humbly point at the following circumstances which may have been used by God,” he writes.

These include Eucharistic Adoration in all our sub parishes for increasing priestly and religious vocations; family encouragement, especially from mothers, and the Xaverian Movement active in parish schools, encouraging community service.

“This (movement) has influenced some young men to see the priesthood as a meaningful way to contribute to society by offering spiritual guidance and social support,” Father Charles said.

He also notes that seminaries provide high-quality education equipping seminarians with critical thinking and practical skills applicable in various sectors.
“This may attract some young men to join the seminary seeing the priesthood not only as a spiritual calling but also as a pathway to intellectual and personal development,” said Father Charles.

Education is lengthy and expensive. The diocese and the parish assist with the seminarian education, mainly by paying tuition, which is the most burdensome for families. Families also contribute to scholastic materials, bedding, travel, clothing, pocket money, and other school fees. St. Matia is seeking additional funding for seminarians:

• High school seminary tuition is $585.
• Major Seminary tuition per year per student is $560.

We invite you to sponsor a seminarian. Any level of funding is helpful. Donate through WeShare. For more information, contact the Support St. Matia Mulumba Board.

“We see God’s hand in calling our children to the seminary and we embrace the challenges, especially its costs,” said Father Charles. “The parish has resolved, therefore, never to let any seminary candidate leave the seminary due to lack of fees.”

St. Matia is developing a funding plan for seminarian funding. One part of that is a coffee field. Early results are promising, despite the climate change affecting the seasons. The parish expects to begin harvesting coffee this year. The coffee harvest will give them clues on how to plan and manage the growth of the increased seminarians.

Some seminarians are studying in Uganda. Others attend the Pontifical Urbania University in Rome and seminaries in the United States (Columbus, Ohio; Chicago, Ill; and Camarillo, California).