Catholic Priests “must protect” Identity of Representing Christ in Sacraments: Bishop at Priestly Ordination in Tanzania

“It is like a new garment that looks beautiful but begins to fade. A faded garment is very unpleasant and no longer attractive,” he said, and explained, “Being called to be another Jesus is not a matter of pride, of saying, ‘I am another Jesus,’ but of humility and obedience to the one who calls you.”

He warned, “If you don’t feel at home in your vocation, in your identity, you fall into an identity crisis. You are no longer recognized.”

“That is why this journey is a journey, not a one-day event,” said the member of the Order of St. Augustine (OSB). 

He invited Catholic Priests to always assess their identity, saying, “Ask yourself: ‘Am I truly another Jesus here, or have I faded, have I lost it?’”

Acknowledging that Priestly vocation is a “journey toward God, a journey of becoming like God, who is holy,” Bishop Musomba told the four Priests-elect that the journey requires them to let go “of all that opposes” it.

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“We must sanctify our will, which guides us in choosing what helps us resemble God,” he said, adding, “If we do not sanctify our understanding, we will become confused; we will act carelessly, and we will choose things that are contrary to the will of the one who calls us.”

He emphasized, “You must recognize that the One who calls you is holy, and so you too must now be holy in your conduct. ‘Conduct’ is emphasized here because it is what can become an obstacle; it is what can discourage others.”

The Tanzanian Catholic Bishop, who has been at the helm of the Bagamoyo Diocese since his Episcopal Installation on May 4 cautioned the four Priests-elect against the temptation to distance themselves from the faithful; he encouraged them to continually lead by example in their Priestly ministry.

“Be approachable in your speech and in your behaviour, but also, be an example in your love – a love that is agape, a sacrificial love, love that embraces those entrusted to you,” he said emphasizing that the love for the people of God should “be accompanied by humility.”

The 55-year-old Church leader further warned the Priests-elect that without “moral authority,” they would lack “authority in moral matters.”

“Be an example in correction and admonition. If you are a true example, if you are ahead of them, not involved in the same things that they are doing, you will have the courage to speak out against evil,” Bishop Musomba said.

In his June 4 homily, he called upon the four Priests elect to embrace pastoral outreach. He said, “Jesus showed us an example in mission; He went to all the villages. Visit everyone. In other words, don’t just stay in the office.”

“Mission is about going out, going to see for yourself. It is not just about people coming to church. Go visit them, see how they sleep, how they speak, whether they have food or not,” Bishop Musomba said, emphasizing that pastoral outreach is a “crucial mission in the life of a Catholic Priest.”

The Tanzanian Church leader who began his Episcopal Ministry as one of the two Auxiliary Bishops of the Catholic Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam implored the people of God to support Priests in their “mission and vocation, as they ought to.”

“Let us not be the ones to mislead them. Let us help them walk this journey, unite themselves with Christ, and in the end, sing Alleluia in heaven as it should be,” he said during the June 4 Priestly Ordination of Deacon Raymond Shao, Deacon Titus Mshami, Deacon Alfred Mjata for the Diocese of Tanga and Deacon Joseph Tembo, a member of the Institute of Charity (IC).

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Nicholas Waigwa is a Kenyan multimedia journalist and broadcast technician with a professional background in creating engaging news stories and broadcasting content across multiple media platforms. He is passionate about the media apostolate and Catholic Church communication.