Fr. Christopher Lwigi Magesa's Biography

Fr. Christopher Lwigi Magesa’s Biography

My name is Fr. Christopher Lwigi Magesa. I was born July 24, 1968. I’m the youngest in our family of five boys. My father’s name is Lwigi Buzeze and, my mother’s name is Paskazia Mulungu. Unfortunately, both my parents are deceased. May the Lord receive their souls in eternal peace, Amen. It is pity to say that, when my oldest brother grew up, he left home to find work, but has never returned. We do not know whether he still alive.

My second brother passed away in 1999. He left behind his wife, two sons and a daughter. One of his sons is married with two children, the other is studying pharmaceuticals, and my niece has one child. My two other brothers are married they each have three sons and four daughters ranging from babies to secondary school age.

My journey to the Priesthood began when I joined a Minor Seminary for secondary education in 1987 at St. Pius Makoko Seminary in Musoma, Tanzania. In July 1991, I joined high school at St. Mary's Nyegezi Seminary in Mwanza, Tanzania. In August 1993, I joined a one year formation house within our Diocese. In September 1994, I was selected to join the College of Philosophy at Ntugamo Major Seminary in Bukoba, Tanzania for two years. In August 1996, I joined the College of Theol-ogy at Kipalapala Senior Seminary in Tabora, Tanzania.

January 25, 2001 I was ordained as a Deacon at Kipalapala Senior Seminary in Tabora, Tanzania. I was ordained as a Dioce-san Priest of the Geita Catholic Diocese on August 12, 2001 . After my ordination I was assigned to St. Anthony of Padua, Nyarubele Parish as Parochial Vicar (2001-2004.) I was transferred to the Bishop’s House in 2004 and assigned to work as: Human Resources Manager (2004-2017,) Diocesan Youth Coordinator (2004-2017,)
Vice
Principal at the Geita Vocational Training Center (2004-2007.) In 2007, I was assigned as Parochial Vicar at Geita Parish. And in that same year I was as-signed as the Principal at Geita Vocational Training Center (2007-2017.)

In 2013 I was appointed as Pastor at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Katoro and in 2014 I was transferred to be the Pastor of Geita Parish. From August - December 2017, I joined a Sabbatical program—Ministry to Ministers at Oblate School of The-ology, in San Antonio, TX. When I returned home, in December 2017, I was reassigned to work at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Nyarubele as acting Pastor (May – August 2018.)

In August 2018, I attended the Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry to the College of Oblate School of Theology in San Anto-nio, TX, and I graduated on May 8, 2020. During my summer holiday, I attended the Clinical Pastoral Education program, from June—August 2019, at Ochsner Health System in New Orleans, LA. Following my studies in the United States, I re-turned back home in August 2020, where I was assigned for the third time to work at St. Anthony of Padua Parish as Ad Interim Pastor.

In June 2020, I applied to work in the Catholic Diocese of Peoria. Approval was granted in September 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic I was not able to come to Kewanee until August 2021. In October, I received my Diocesan assignment as Parochial Vicar to work with Fr. Johndamaseni Zilimu and Fr. James Owusu-Yeboah at Saint John Paul II Parish in Kewanee; St. John the Apostle Parish in Woodhull; St. John the Evangelist Parish in Galva; and St. John Vianney Parish in Cambridge, Illinois. I look forward to getting to know everyone here and I am excited to experience life in the Midwest.