Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio Seminary to Admit Lay Students Wishing to do Philosophy Course
The Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio has opened its doors to non-seminarian students who wish to pursue a course in philosophy. This according to the Local Ordinary Rt. Rev. Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala is to offer a chance to such students who otherwise lack the opportunity due to shortages of high learning institutions in the country.
St. John Paul II Major Seminary of Philosophy has been in existence since 2016 and to date has produced quite a number of priests. The diocesan seminary, other than being open to students from other dioceses which so far has students from three dioceses including the diocese of Tombura-Yambio will indeed be a unique learning institution when it admits lay students.
The seminary is affiliated to Consolata Philosophy Center in Nairobi, which in itself is affiliated to Urbaniana University in Rome. So students who take their philosophy program at St. John Paul II Philosophicum seminary here in Yambio would finish their fourth year of philosophy at Consolata in Nairobi and sit for their Bachelors of Art examinations from Urbaniana University.
“This institution has been purely for seminarians but this year because of a need to create synergy among higher learning institutions within the diocese, I have decided to open the possibility for secular students who want to study philosophy to attend classes for those courses at the diocesan seminary St. John Paul II School of Philosophy,” Bishop Hiiboro explained.
The arrangement is that the lay students will attend classes during the day then go back to their homes as the seminarians remain boarding as has been their tradition.
“This is a unique experience and the first-ever opportunity in the whole country where the possibility of learning this important course is now open to the secular community, to the laypeople so that they can also empower themselves,” Bishop explained adding that this would help in the future that those who have taken the course can become teachers in the seminaries or in other institutions because they would be qualified in the field of philosophy as well as other social courses that are offered at the seminary.
The initiative has been well received by the community in the diocese especially the young people who now feel that they have a chance to get knowledge in this unique field.
