St. Matthias Mulumba Tindinyo Seminary
St.Matthias Mulumba Senior Seminary is Kenya's National Theologicum Seminary for training of Catholic clergy.[1] It is the youngest of four National Catholic Seminaries in Kenya[2] and is owned and run by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops K.C.C.B and the Holy See.[3] As of 2014[update] it was the biggest theologicum in Kenya, with over 100 students and a capacity for double the number.
It celebrated its silver Jubilee on 14 February 2014.
History
The seminary's history can be dated from around 1962, when Mill Hill priest Fr. Kuhn was asked by the bishop of Kisumu to start a parish in Tindinyo. Fr. Kuhn invited the Xaverian Brothers from Mumias to establish their house and serve Tindinyo parish. These brothers built a school, Our lady of Perpetual Help Secondary school for form I and II for their aspirants.
By around 1968-69 there were hardly any aspirants joining the school, and it was converted into a high school for forms V and VI of St. Peters Minor Seminary. During that time it was unofficially referred to as “Tindinyo College.” Among the prominent students of the then Tindinyo college are Bishop John Oballa Owaa, the ordinary of Ngong diocese and the Late Bishop Linus Okok Okwatch, Bishop Norman King’oo Wambua of Machakos Diocese, Bishop Mark Kadima ordinary of Bungoma diocese. This college was faced out with the introduction of the 8-4-4 system of education.
Meanwhile, the Catholic bishops of Kenya were contemplating beginning a Second Theologicum to serve as home for African Christian Theology and inculturation, and Tindinyo provided a fertile ground for such an enterprise. On 27 January 1989 the new theologicum opened its doors to 79 students, a resident staff of three priests (the founding rector was Fr. Sylvester Sulwe) and served by the Assumption Sisters of Eldoret. It was named after the oldest Uganda Martyr, St. Matthias Mulumba Kalemba. On 22 February 1989 the seminary was officially inaugurated by the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya Archbishop Clemente Faccani accompanied by all the bishops of Kenya, including Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga. Later the Seminary was affiliated to the Pontifical Urban University in Rome and was hence able to offer the baccalaureate degree in sacred theology[4] in addition to its internal diploma in theology. Bishop Micheal Otieno Odiwa of Homabay diocese was a student in the pioneer class of St. Matthias Mulumba Senior Seminary, Tindinyo.
Tindinyo Seminary was temporarily closed on 16 February 2005. It was reopened on 5 August 2005 with 79 theology I students and three resident staff with the Assumption Sisters of Eldoret as supporting staff. The staff comprised Fr. Maurice Muhatia Makumba (later Bishop of Nakuru), Fr. Michael Kamau Ithondeka (Vice Rector and dean of students[5]) and Fr. Edward Kipyegon (spiritual Director and dean of Studies). The seminary was officially inaugurated on August 7, 2005 by Nicodemus Kirima of the Archdiocese of Nyeri. Later on 4 November 2006, the apostolic nuncio to Kenya Alain Paul Lebeaupin made an apostolic visit.
The Seminary's first Rector was Fr. Sylvester Sulwe. Others include Fathers Benjamin Kiriswa, Patrick Maliti, John Philiph Odero, Boniface Kariuki, Maurice Muhatia Makumba (later Bishop of Nakuru), Dominic Kimengich (later Bishop of Lodwar), Daniel Nakameti, and, as of 2014[update], Douglas Mwinja.
Former students
Among prominent former students are:
- Bishop Michael Odiwa of Homabay Diocese
- Fr. Lugonzo, the immediate former secretary general of A.M.E.C.E.A.and as of January 2021 the General Secretary Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops.
- Fr. Micheal Kamau Ithondeka
- Fr. Paul Miyam,
- Fr. Callistus Nyangilo, Notary of the Archdiocese of Nairobi
- Fr. Vincent Mulwa, parish priest of Our Lady of Victory Cathedral, Machakos Diocese
- Fr. Leonard Ekisa
- Fr. Silas Ndwiga, lecturer of Canon Law at the same seminary,
- Fr. Cleophas Oseso, Vicar General Nakuru Diocese, Formerly the head of Nakuru Diocese Mission Appeal office in New York.
- Fr. Dunstan Epalaat, a pastoral theologian who was also a formatter in the same seminary
- Fr. Eliud Thomas Wanyoinke, Vicar General of Embu diocese
- Fr. Augustine Chumo from diocese of Rochester in New York
- Lazarus Nzai Chogo of Mombasa Archdiocese
- Fr. Casmir Odundo of Nakuru Diocese (summa cum laude). From The Pontifical Urban University, Class of 2016.
- Fr. John Kivosyo Wambua (Diocese of Kitui)
- Fr. Charles Kanini from Kitui Diocese
- Fr. Benedict Nzinga of Machakis Diocese (summa cum laude) Pontifical Urban University, Class of 2018.
- Oguda Edwine Amollo (Summa cum Laude) Pontifical Urban University, Class of 2022.
- Fr. Wallace Ng'ang'a, pastoral coordinator, Archdiocese of Nairobi.
Professors
Among the professors who have taught in the Seminary are:
- Bishop Maurice Muhatia of Roman Catholic Diocese of Nakuru[6]
- Bishop Dominic Kimengich of Eldoret
- Bishop Philip Anyolo of Homabay
- Bishop Linus Okok, Emeritus of Homabay
- Bishop Wilybard Lagho of Malindi
- Fr Thomas Richard Heath OP
- Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Rono, Former General Secretary, K.C.C.B
- Terry Henley, a pastoral theologian from Kitale
- Historian John Baur
- Fr. Anslem Kamuyu, (sacred scripture)
- Fr. John Njue, (Systematic Theology).
- Fr. Benedict Muchenditsi (Sacred Scripture),
- Fr. John Lelei, Member commission for liturgy in K.C.C.B and currently Rector of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Langata.
- Fr. Charles Simbe (Church history)
- Fr. Maurice Kigame
- Fr. Josephat Ndunda (Spirituality)
- Fr. Pius Obuya (Systematic Theology)
- Fr. John Kamau (Moral Theology)
- Fr. Dr. Emmanuel Owuor (Systematic Theology)
- Fr. Erick Mwangi Gichomo
- Fr. Benjamin Njuguna
- Fr. Charles Kiruy (Sacred Scripture)
- Fr. Francis Kimanthi (Sacred Scripture)
- Fr. John Ndirangu (General Spiritual Director)
- Fr. Stephen Lumala OP[7]
- Prof. Peter Gichure[8]
References
- ^ Amecea. "tindinyo address".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Kibaki praises early missionaries". 29 April 2006. Archived from the original on 5 November 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
- ^ Kenya Conference Catholic Bish. "seminaries". K.C.C.B. Archived from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
- ^ Pontifical Urban University. "St. Matthias Mulumba Seminary". Retrieved 17 January 2014.
- ^ Don Bosco News. "Death of Fr. Ithondeka". Salesian Bulletin. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
- ^ Makumba, Maurice (2005). Introduction to Philosophy. Paulines Publication Africa. ISBN 9966081054.
- ^ Lumala, Stephen. "Tindinyo Experience".[permanent dead link]
- ^ Gichure, Peter. "Lecturer Tindinyo". Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2014.