Burial ceremony of longest serving Catholic Priest in Tanzania Fr. Francis Mketa

Last Friday one of the longest serving Catholic Priest in Tanzania Fr. Francis Mketa was laid to rest at Usa Seminary Holy Ghost Fathers’ Cemetery  after 70 years of priesthood. Father Mketa, as he was popularly known, 

died on 18^th August , 2012. He was 98.

Father Francis Mketa was born on 16^th April 1914 at Kyura , Kilema village in Moshi rural, Kilimanjaro region to Alphonce Siria Lyaruu his father and Theodora Ndevungio his mother. His father Alphonce Siria was a Catechist at Kilema parish instilling harsh discipline to his four children.

He pursued his early education at Kilema Catholic Parish and later his secondary studies at St.James Seminary in Kilema and was ordained a priest at Kibosho Parish in Moshi on March 1^st ,1942.

Father Mketa Served as a parish priest for Kirua Vunjo for 14 years from 1942 to 1956 when he joined the Holy Ghost Fathers Congregation in Cellule France and subsequently pursued spirituality course at Angelicum Pontifical  university in Rome from 1956 to 1957

Father Mketa returned home in 1959 now as a missionary priest of the Holy Ghost Fathers Congregation  and worked in different parishes in Tanzania until 1997 when he retired and decided to stay at Usa River Catholic Parish in Arusha until his death.

Father Mketa will be remembered by those who met him as a straightforward priest who was open minded and charming and many will recall his love for news especially BBC, football and classic music.May  his Soul Rest in eternal Peace.

In the picture above, Bishops and Priests  during the burial mass of  the late Rev.Fr.Francis Mketa(98) held at Usa River Seminary in Arusha on Friday.