Bishop Flavian Matindi Kassala

Bishop Flavian Matindi Kassala, Bishop of Geita, was born on December 4, 1967, in Sumve, in the Diocese of Geita. He attended St. Pius X Minor Seminary at Makoko, in the Diocese of Musoma, for his primary and secondary studies, then the minor seminary of Sanu in the Diocese of Mbulu (1988-1990) and the propaedeutic seminary of Kome in the Diocese of Geita (1991-1992). He completed his formation for the priesthood with studies in philosophy at St. Anthony of Padua Major Seminary at Ntungamo, Bukoba, and in theology at St. Paul's Seminary at Kipalapala, Tabora. He was ordained a priest for Geita on July 11, 1999. He then served as parochial vicar at Sengerema (1999-2002); formator and spiritual director of the Mary Queen of Apostles Minor Seminary at Sengerema and diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (2002-2004); a student in Rome at the Pontifical Salesian University, where he obtained a doctorate in theology specialising in youth ministry and catechesis, residing at the Nepomucene College (2004-2012); projects coordinator of the episcopal office of the Diocese of Geita (2013); professor and director of St. Augustine University of Tanzania at Arusha (2013-2015); and from 2015 director of Stella Maris College at Mtwara, affiliated to St. Augustine Catholic University. On April 28, 2016, he was appointed Bishop of Geita. He received episcopal ordination on June 12, 2016, at Geita, with Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa'ichi as principal consecrator and Francisco Montecillo Padilla and Renatus Leonard Nkwande as co-consecrators.