"My brief history of the call to be a priest begins with the Bible verse Matthew 9:37-38, which says, "Then he said to his disciples: The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest". This biblical verse takes me back to the past, when I was an altar boy in my parish and, together with my companions, accompanied by the then assistant pastor, we prayed for vocations using the same words of that verse, a prayer that inspired me a lot to be one of those few workers in the Lord's vineyard.

Later, while still a teenager, I joined the St. Aloysius Apostolic Organization, whose mission is to help young men live a life of holiness like St. Aloysius Gonzaga. Through this organization many young men have entered the minor seminary with the goal of becoming priests.

It was certainly on this basis that I was able to cultivate my vocation to the priesthood and on July 21, 2011 I was ordained a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Moshi in Tanzania.

Immediately after ordination I was assigned to our diocesan minor seminary as a teacher and formator for five years. Then I was transferred to the parish for six years. In September 2022, my bishop sent me to Rome to further my studies (licentiate) in spiritual theology for two years at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

With the grace of God and the offer of a scholarship from the CARF Foundation within the Student Counseling of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, I completed the first year of studies (2022/2023) and was promoted to second and final year of studies (2023/2024).

My diocese is one of the many African dioceses with a growing number of vocations to the priesthood, albeit with some difficulties, especially financial. It has been difficult for the diocesan administration to send priests for ongoing formation or higher studies due to lack of funds and widespread poverty.

On behalf of my Bishop Ludovick Joseph Minde, OSS/ALCP of the Catholic Diocese of Moshi, I thank you very much for the scholarship and promise you my fervent prayers.

Grateful always in faith, Don. Richard Phocas Munishi.".