"Petro Antony Chacha, from the Archdiocese of Mwanza, Tanzania. I was ordained a priest on July 9, 2022, in my diocese. I am studying at the University of the Holy Cross in Rome, where I am pursuing a master's degree in Canon Law. This is my third and final year, God willing, as a Master's student in the Faculty of Canon Law.
I received the call to the priesthood in 1995, during religious services as an altar boy in my parish. In 2000, I entered the Order's seminary until 2003. Between 2004 and 2006, I attended secondary school, after which I joined the University of Dar Es Salaam and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education. In 2011, I started working as a teacher until 2014, when I responded to God's insistent call to be a priest and joined priestly formation in the Archdiocese of Mwanza. From 2014 to 2017 I studied philosophy at Jordan University College in Tanzania. From 2018 to 2021, thanks to the scholarship offered to me by CARF, I was able to pursue my theological studies at the University of the Holy Cross (Univetsità della Santa Croce) in Rome, where I am still pursuing a master's degree in Canon Law from the 2021/22 academic year.
I can honestly say that living in Rome as a seminarian and now as a priest has been a blessing and has benefited me greatly, both spiritually and humanly. In addition to my academic growth, visiting pilgrimage centers in Italy has strengthened my faith and my understanding of my religion. Furthermore, interacting with people, especially seminarians and priests from various countries, has helped me to live and experience the universality of the Church and to learn to welcome other cultures, a fundamental aspect of priestly ministry in today's world. Many thanks to CARF for giving me this enriching opportunity. For me, this is a priority and I always pray that through me, it will benefit the Church in Tanzania and the universal Church, according to God's will. Thank you once again.
