FABIANO MTIMA LAMBULIRA (sacerdote)
Fr. Fabiano Mtima Lambulira CSS was born on 02 February 1963, in the village of Pirimiti, near Zomba in Malawi. He is the son of the late Andrew and Asnath Lambulira, and was born in the family of four (4) brothers and two (2) sisters. He was baptised on the 24 February 1963 at Pirimiti Parish in the Diocese of Zomba.
Upon completing his high school, he soon joined the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers/Padri Bianchi) and was sent to St. Paul Senior Seminary, Kipalapala in Tabora, Tanzania. With the help of his then formator, Fr. Remi Joseph Gustave Sainte-Marie (who later became the Bishop of Dedza and later Archbishop of Lilongwe); he applied to become a Stigmatine. He was admitted by the Vocation Director of the time, Fr. Giuliano Melotto CSS.
He joined the Stigmatines towards the end of 1991 and was enrolled at the Studium Philosophicum, Pretoria, to complete his philosophical studies in 1992. He was admitted to the Postulancy on the 24 August 1992 by Fr. Giuliano Melotto CSS who was the Vicar by then. On the 23 January 1993, he was admitted to the Novitiate by the Superior of the Mission, the late Fr. Michele D’Annucci CSS, and sent to Jericho Novitiate House under the Novice Master, the late Fr. Giancarlo Mittempergher CSS. He was joined by other novices, Patrick Rakeketsi and Benedict Leseteli. They have been together since then.
Fabiano made his First Stigmatine Professions on the 23 January 1994 and the Final Professions on the 19 January 1997 at St. Joachim & Anne Parish, Hebron, Pretoria. During his formation years, he was under Fr. Gianni Piccolboni CSS as his Formator. He was enrolled for theological studies at St. John Vianney Seminary, Waterkloof, Pretoria from January 1994 until June 1998. He was installed a Lector on 28 April 1995 by the late Bishop Michael Rowland OFM of Dundee Diocese at St. John Vianney Seminary; and later that year, on the 07 November 1995 was installed an Acolyte by the late Bishop Mansuet Biyase of Eshowe Diocese at St. John Vianney Seminary.
In 1996, the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) introduced a six
-months internship period for theology students to interrupt their studies and be assigned to a pastoral work in their Dioceses or Parishes for Religious Students. When the Stigmatine Superiors were undecided about internship and pastoral work for their students, Fabiano came with a suggestion to his companions, Benedict and Patrick, to request to be sent to Kisanga Mission, in Tanzania because the newly-erected Vice Province had incorporated Tanzania as well. For him, he said at the time, it was practical because he already knew Kiswahili and he was familiar with the Church in Tanzania, and it would help in building the bridges between South Africa and Tanzania for the Stigmatines. Pag.2Therefore the whole group wrote a letter to the newly-elected Vice Provincial Superior, Fr. Michele
D’Annucci CSS to request to go to Tanzania. On the 24 January 1996, the three theology students were sent for internship to Kisanga Mission under the leadership of Fr. Daniele Giacomelli CSS who had just been transferred to Tanzania to consolidate the Stigmatine presence in Tanzania. Needless to say that Fabiano, with his "broken Kiswahili" but with that "contagious smile" was the leading figure in the new environment, and played a significant role at Msolwa Secondary School.He was ordained a Deacon by Archbishop Emeritus, George Francis Daniel of Pretoria on the 26 November 1997 at St. John Vianney Seminary. He was ordained a Priest by Archbishop Emeritus, George Francis Daniel of Pretoria at Medical University of South Africa (MEDUNSA) Sports Complex Arena, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, on the 05 September 1998.
He was soon assigned to Morogoro to help in formation of Philosophy Students in 1998 as an Assistant to Fr. Daniele Giacomelli CSS. In 2001, he was appointed a Formator until 2005. In 2006, he was sent to Rome for further studies in formation at the Centro Interdisciplinare per la Formazione dei Formatori nei Seminari (CIFS) based at the Gregorian University, and he completed his Licentiate in 2008. Upon his return, he was appointed a Parish Priest of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish, in Mtoni, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. In 2011, he was assigned back to Morogoro House of Studies as a Formator to Philosophy Students.
In 2012, the early signs of his tumor began to show on his neck. He was taken to Italy for some specialised treatment. As the tumor progressed, his stay in Italy was prolonged and he basically stayed under the watchful care of his medical experts both in Verona and Milan for almost ten years until he met his death in the afternoon of Sunday, 19 December 2021.
The Requiem Mass will be presided by the Superior General, Fr. Rubens Sodré Miranda CSS, at Santa Croce, Milano, Italy on Wednesday, 22 December 2021. He will be buried at the Stigmatine Cemetry in Verona on Thursday, 23 December 2021.
He has fought the good fight of faith. May his soul rest in peace!
Nato 2.2.1963 Msuku, Zomba. Malawi
I.P.
