Beatus Christian Urassa
{{Short description|Tanzanian Catholic prelate}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = The Most Reverend
| name = Beatus Christian Urassa
| image = File:Bishop Beatus Urassa portrait.jpg
| image_upright =
|caption = Right Reverend Beatus Urassa, Bishop of Sumbawanga
| title = Bishop of Sumbawanga, Tanzania
| church = Catholic Church
| archdiocese = Mbeya
| see = Sumbawanga
| appointed =19 April 2018
| term_start = 24 June 2018
| predecessor = Damian Kyaruzi
| successor =
| honorific_suffix = ALCP/OSS
| other_post = Provincial Superior ALCP/OSS (2003 - 2015)
| ordination = 12 July 1997
| ordained_by =
| consecration = 24 June 2018
| consecrated_by = Polycarp Cardinal Pengo
| birth_name = Beatus Christian Urassa
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|08|02|df=y}}
| birth_place = Keni Mashati Village, Rombo District, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania
| previous_post =
| motto = {{langnf|sw|Sala, Kazi na Undugu katika Kristo|Prayer, work and fraternity in Christ|break=yes}}
| coat_of_arms = File:Bp Urassa coat of arms.jpg
}}
{{Infobox bishopstyles
| name=Beatus Christian Urassa
| dipstyle=
| offstyle=Your Excellency
| relstyle=Bishop
| image =
| image_size = 200px
}}
Beatus Christian Urassa, ALCP/OSS (born on 2 August 1965) in Keni Mashati Village, Rombo District, is a Tanzanian Catholic bishop, currently serving as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sumbawanga since 24 June 2018. He succeeded Bishop Damian Kyaruzi, who retired due to age.{{cite web|url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/burassa.html | title=MicroData Summary for Bishop Beatus Christian Urassa ALCP/OSS (born 2 August 1965), Bishop of Sumbawanga |work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |date=25 February 2024 |author=David M. Cheney |access-date=10 January 2025| location=Kansas City}}{{cite web| work=Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) |title=Tanzania: A new Bishop for Sumbawanga Diocese Appointed |url=https://communications.amecea.org/index.php/2018/04/20/tanzania-a-new-bishop-for-sumbawanga-diocese-appointed/ |date=20 April 2018 |author=Vatican News | access-date=10 January 2025 |location=Nairobi, Kenya |format=AMECEA Quoting Vatican News}}
Background and education
He was born on 2 August 1965 in Keni Mashati Village, in Rombo District, Kilimanjaro Region in the Diocese of Moshi, Tanzania. He attended the Congregation Apostles of Jesus Major Seminary in Nairobi, Kenya, where he studied philosophy. He then studied Theology at St. Charles Lwanga Interdiocesan Major Seminary in Segerea, Dar Es Salaam. Later, he graduated with a Doctorate degree in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical Teresianum Institute in Rome.
Priest
He was ordained priest of Opus Spiritus Sancti on 12 July 1997. He served in various roles as priest including as:
- Secretary of the General Council of the Religious Congregation ALCP/OSS in Moshi, Tanzania from 1997 until 1998
- Vice-parish priest of Mwananyamala Parish, Dar es Salaam from 1998 until 1999
- Formator in the ALCP/OSS formation house in Morogoro, Tanzania from 1999 until 2000
- Provincial Superior ALCP/OSS from 2003 until 2015.
At the time he was appointed bishop, he was working at Eslarn Parish, Regensburg Diocese in Germany.
Bishop
On 19 April 2018 Pope Francis appointed Father Beatus Christian Urassa, as Bishop of Sumbawanga. This occurred after the Holy Father accepted the age-related resignation from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Sumbawanga, Tanzania, presented by Bishop Damian Kyaruzi.
He was consecrated and installed in an open field outside the Sumbawanga Cathedral, in the Diocese of Sumbawanga on 24 June 2018. The Principal Consecrator was Polycarp Cardinal Pengo, Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam assisted by Archbishop Paul Runangaza Ruzoka, Archbishop of Tabora and Bishop Damian Kyaruzi, Bishop Emeritus of Sumbawanga.{{cite web| date=25 June 2018 | url=https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/national/-pengo-says-no-room-for-tribalistic-sentiments-2643054 |title=Pengo says no room for "tribalistic" sentiments |work=The Citizen (Tanzania) |author=The Citizen Tanzania |access-date=10 January 2025 |location=Dar es Salaam, Tanzania}}
Bishop Beatus Christian Urassa, is a Catholic Church leader in Tanzania. He is a member of the Apostolic Life Community of Priests in the Opus Spiritus Sancti (ALCP/OSS) congregation, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the introduction in the Order in the country on 21 November 2024 at the Formation House Sabuko, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Moshi.{{cite web| date=30 November 2024 |url=https://www.aciafrica.org/news/13187/tanzanian-catholic-bishop-calls-for-self-evaluation-among-opus-spiritus-sancti-priests-marking-golden-jubilee |work=ACI Africa |title=Tanzanian Catholic Bishop Calls for "self-evaluation" among Opus Spiritus Sancti Priests Marking Golden Jubilee |access-date=10 January 2025 |author=Irene Wambui |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/national/cardinal-pengo-maintain-unity-avoid-tribalism-in-tanzania--2642946 Cardinal Pengo: ‘Maintain unity, avoid tribalism in Tanzania’]
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Category:People from Kilimanjaro Region
Category:Tanzanian Roman Catholics
Category:Tanzanian Roman Catholic bishops
Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Sumbawanga
Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in Tanzania