By Staff Reporter
TZANEEN-The member of the St. Patrick’s Missionary Society (Kiltegan Fathers) who was killed while preparing for morning Mass at the Cathedral Church of Tzaneen Diocese laid to rest on Saturday, March 23.
Fr. William Banda was shot dead on the morning of March 13 in the sacristy of the Holy Trinity Cathedral Holly Trinity Cathedral of Tzaneen Diocese.
His burial was at the diocesan cemetery at Ave Maria Pastoral Centre.
He has been eulogized as a friendly and loving person who was easily approachable.
“He was a loving priest, approachable and friendly,” the Congregation said in a statement.
They added that from the time of his Priestly ordination in May 2016 to the time of his death, the late Fr. Banda “ministered with prayerful humility, diligence, wisdom and courage.”
Born in May 1986 in Lusaka, Zambia, Fr. Banda began his initial formation as a Kiltegan Father in 2006 at the SPS formation house in Foxdale, Lusaka.
He studied philosophy at St.Joseph Theological Institute Cedara, in South Africa and undertook his First Missionary Assignment (FMA) in the Diocese of Tzaneen before heading to Nairobi, Kenya, to pursue his theological studies at Tangaza University College in 2012.
He was ordained a deacon in 2015 in Nairobi and a Priest in May 2016 by Archbishop Emeritus George Telesphoter Mpundu at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus of Lusaka Archdiocese.
Following his priestly ordination, Fr. Banda was appointed to work in the Diocese of Tzaneen where he served until he met his death.
