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Angolan Major Seminaries Seeking Partnership for Training of “hundreds of Seminarians”

Seminarians of the St. Joseph Major Seminary of Angola's Lwena Diocese. Credit: Fr. Amilton Camuele

St. Joseph Major Seminary and St. John Mary Vianney Propaedeutic Seminary in Angola’s Lwena Diocese are seeking partnerships for the upkeep of the “hundreds of Seminarians” enrolled in the two institutions of Priestly formation.

In a statement issued Wednesday, July 12, the Dean of Studies and Discipline at St. Joseph Major Seminary laments the lack of funds for 2023/2024 academic year to continue the training of future Priests.

“The lack of financial means to cover the fixed costs of the seminaries has prompted the launching of an appeal for help for hundreds of Seminarians to return to the formation houses,” Fr. Amilton Camuele says.

Fr. Amilton Camuele, Dean of Studies and Discipline at St. Joseph Major Seminary of Angola's Lwena Diocese. Credit: Fr. Amilton Camuele 

Fr. Camuele adds, “We hereby ask all parishes, missions, communities, apostolic movements, groups and other movements of the Church and beyond to make special offerings for the Seminaries.”

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“Without your contribution, collaboration, and help, the academic year 2023/2024 will be jeopardized,” the Angolan Catholic Priest says.     

He notes that the decision “not to open the two Seminaries can be taken at any time, depending only on the commitment of people of goodwill who will adhere to the appeal.”

With a capacity to accommodate 70 candidates, St. Joseph Major Seminary started in 2016 with 35 Seminarians. 

The seminary has four classrooms, a library, equipped with several academic books, a conference room for 50 people, a cafeteria with 70 seats, a TV room, a dormitory for 56 people, and a soccer field; 16 teachers and technical trainers serve the Seminary community.

St. Joseph Major Seminary of Lwena Diocese in Angola. Credit: Fr. Amilton Camuele 

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On July 1, Pope Francis appointed Mons. Martín Lasarte Topolansky, a native of Uruguay and member of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB), the new Bishop for Lwena Diocese.

The Angolan Diocese has been vacant since February 2022 when Bishop Jesús Tirso Blanco passed on.

João Vissesse contributed in the writing of this article

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